Australian Public Service (APS) Assessment Tests & Recruitment Process Online Preparation – 2024
What Is APS?
Australian Public Service, APS for short, is the civil service branch of the CommonWealth of Australia. Its responsibilities include the administration of public policy and public service. These jobs are divided amongst separate federal government agencies but do not include positions with the governments of individual states and territories.
There are dozens of government agencies. This means there are APS opportunities for people from numerous backgrounds. There are full and part-time opportunities for Indigenous career pathways, internships, and graduate programs. APS positions offer upward mobility and the chance to change agencies.
What Is APS’ Hiring Process?
The APS website is designed to make the job search easy. To help job-seekers find the best match you can search specific career pathways for Trainees and Internships, Cadetships and Sponsorships, Internships, Work Experience for year 11 and year 12 students, Graduates, Veterans, and Professionals with Experience.
If you already know which department you want to apply to, search by department, location, and job classification. You can also register to be notified of new openings. If you find a job that seems like a perfect fit, click the Apply Now button, and you will be redirected to the department website to complete your application.
After you submit your application, the next steps will vary based on the department you want to work for. You may be asked to submit a video interview or be immediately invited to a face-to-face interview. Some positions require a work sample test, an assessment centre, psychometric testing, or any combination of these.
After your interviews and assessments, candidates will be reviewed by a selection panel. Your experience, observed skills, psychometric testing scores, and interview performance will all be considered and compared to that of other candidates before a decision is made.
APS Psychometric Tests
Each APS department has specific assessments they use to screen job-seekers. Some assessments are very common and are used by multiple departments. The most common test battery consists of a combination of cognitive, personality, and situational judgment tests. These tests have been shown to be good indicators of the success of a job applicant.
APS Aptitude Tests
Verbal Reasoning Assessment – This test shows how well you are able to make logical deductions from written information. Several types of questions may be on this assessment. One style of question is deductive. You will have a few sentences to read, followed by several questions. You will be asked to draw conclusions from the information provided in the sentences. You may have a test with short paragraphs followed by several true or false questions. You need to be able to determine if there is enough information to decide if the questions are true, false, or if you can’t make a decision based on the information. The final type of questions are groups of words that are all associated with each other, with one exception. You must decide which word does not fit in with the rest of the group.
Logical Reasoning Assessment – Logical reasoning tests measure your ability to think abstractly. The questions are based on pattern recognition. The test is made of a series of patterns made up of changing shapes. You will need to identify the pattern to correctly pick the next shape in the sequence.
Numerical Reasoning Assessment – This assessment may have multiple-question styles. The first is made of tables and graphs which you will use to help solve a series of word problems. You may need to answer word problems without any tables or graphs and will use the numbers provided in the problem to answer questions. The final type of question you need to answer is which set of a group of numbers has the highest total.
APS Personality Tests
Personality Assessment Test – The personality test is a simple questionnaire that helps give insight into your work style, what motivates you, and your ability to work with others. Each question is made of statements that you must rank from most similar, to least like you.
Situational Judgment Test (SJT) – This is a way of finding out more about how you handle workplace difficulties. You will be presented with several scenarios that you may be faced with on the job. You will need to select the best solution from the options given.
How to Prepare for the APS’ Assessment Tests?
APS positions are very competitive, so coming in prepared is a necessary step to even be considered. You can learn more about the APS hiring process by searching the website and learning more about how they hire. Familiarize yourself with the job description so you are prepared for any job-specific testing. You can prepare yourself for cognitive tests by doing things like working on crossword puzzles, reading nonfiction and taking a practice test to strengthen your verbal reasoning, using flashcards and ding word problems to help with your numerical reasoning, and using memory puzzles, sudoku, and apps made to strengthen cognitive function to practice logical reasoning. If you take practising for the tests seriously you easily put yourself at the top of the competition.
