very easy to work the system without appearing like you are "Technique-ing" as most interviewers are amateurs. Over 20 years things change, and it would be foolish not to change with the times, what was fashionable in some sad HR department last year , may not be this year, so you need to be aware of what is en-vogue and what the interviewers want, easy if you know where to look and as you say have 20 years experience of being what they want , at the time and place they want it. But you know what I mean

I really do have to agree with everything deryans has said. I arrived in Sydney last month having not had an interview for years. Within a week I had three good job offers but the interviews were quite different to the UK. In my opinion there is a much bigger focus on "behavioural questions" which are a joke really, its not like you are going to respond to a question about motivating staff by saying "oh I usually threaten and bully my staff and I usually find that provides all the motivation required." I had one interview where the interviewer had obviously just read all the potential behavioral questions to ask from the internet and asked them all, and was trying to prove to the other interviewer what a tough interviewer he was by asking all these "insightful tough questions"

In my opinion and my husbands you get many more questions around "how would others describe you" "strengths/weaknesses" "what would the first thing you would do on your first day be", loads of questions around "tell me about a time you missed a deadline/fell out with a collegue/messed up a project" which you should be prepared for as these questions are quite tricky as you dont really want to give examples like these. For example I was asked "Give an example of a time when you hated a collegue" Obviously you dont want to answer that as it shows you hated a collegue! I just said that I have never hated a collegue (big lie) but sometimes get frustrated by .... Lots of the interviews were so textbook it was difficult not to laugh at times, which probably made me appear more confident as I thought it was quite entertaining and therefore I was more relaxed.

My advice would be that along with research on the company and the position, to go on the internet yourself and read and prepare yourself for all those hr type questions. The internet will even give you potential answers. just go on google aus sites and type in popular interview questions and answers.

It also really depends on the company interviewing you as to their approach, but a big smile, enthusiasm and interest are big factors and I also think confidence goes a much longer way here than in the more reserved approach in the UK.

In summary I have found a lot of inexperienced interviewers out on an ego trip. For example, at an interview with a small bank before even being introduced, the interviewer started by walking straight up to my husband, coming inches from his face and saying "you realise we do background checks here, what do you think we will find!" My husband felt like saying that if he had bothered reading his CV he would see that he has previously worked for two of the worlds largest banks, has held various visas for other countries and now has PR in Aus so they were unlikely to find anything.

I know its difficult, but do try and relax as you want to be confident on the day, and the previous poster is right, its as much you interviewing them as it is them interviewing you, so always ask them some questions too. I do understand how you feel having just been in the same boat.

My first interview here (and after a break of 7 years) was with a guy at the Justice Department (Queensland Government) ... Max his name was ... and he proceed to take the piss and patronise about how much better Australia was than the UK.

I'm sure he just gave me the interview for a laugh.

I returned fire and told him what I thought of his attitude and inevitably didn't get the job.

Got one for 3 times the money 2 months later though.

So, the lesson is ... if you meet a wanker then don't be afraid to tell them

And clothes, yes, a good idea.

And don't WHATEVER you do hint that whatever you did in the UK was on a better/more modern/bigger scale than Oz. They HATE that

Could this please get back on track. OP obviously needs useful/practical advice that may show differences (if any) in interviewing here as opposed to the UK. People who have been interviewed for jobs in both countries would be good rather than not terribly helpful suggestions. An interview can be intimidating at the best of times, let's help her out.

Confidence and BS by the bucket loads. Like someone said, English modesty doesn't cut the mustard here, so give it to em big

with apologies in advance to the HR Woodcutter, the above is pretty much what you want to present.

as I have already said.

I agree with above also (tha part about being early,positive etc ) First impressions are vital, it might be good to point out to them that whilst you may not have local experiecne you are more than willing to put in the time to quickly come up to speed and also that you feel if you got the job (good luck by the way) you'd be able to bring a fresh perspective or maybe some new ideas that kind of stuff, you'd be a combination of the best of both worlds!

Also as a side point not all HR people are tossers and there is a reasoning behind our line of questioning (not getting into that here) in most companies do have the right to veto candidates

As one responder said, good interviewers will ask closed questions i.e. give examples of, can you tell me when....

Of course they may not ask. However it lends much more credibility to interviews if you use real examples rather than hypotheticals. If anyone asks "what would you do....." its a wasted question. They can tell you what you want to hear.

Thinks about the skills you have to do your job. Yes there will be differences between here and UK but they already know you are new so they wont expect you to know all the local infrastructure and practices. Those can be trained - its about your ability to do the job.

Think about the essentails and examples where you have delivered. Even if they dont ask for examples, use them to answer the hypotheticals.

Surprised everyone forgot about "looking straight in their eyes while answering questions & not at the ceiling or your shoes", OZ's like honesty & that's how they define it.

If you have an HR bod on the panel, you can almost guarantee if the job involves line management responsibilities you will get a question about handling a problem of some sort with an employee. A good answer from their perspective is that you would refer to the HR department and ascertain, then follow the company policy on dealing with the problem whicle taking guidance from HR on the matter. This shows you are aware everywhere tends to have slightly different policies on people management, that HR can have a valuable input to problems and that you would take their guidance on board.

Always ask a good question at the end, not about pay or holiday entitlement, but one that shows you're interested in the company itself. One I always ask is how does the rest of the company view the department I'm going to be working in. I ask it for two reasons. One, I do genuinely want to know as my job involves a lot of interdepartment dealings, and two, it tells the interviewer that you don't think you're department is the dogs b*llocks who will have all the answers and don't need to speak to the reat of the business.

There's basic stuff, make eye contact and smile when you first walk in and meet them, make sure your handshake is firm, but not too firm (I hate limpfish handshakes with a passion). First impressions are crucial!

Try and find out the sort of dresscode they have - if they're really smart, make sure you dress up accordingly, if they don't have a dresscode then still be smart, but more casual than suit for example.

Research them to the hilt, if they have had a recent big success or expansion make sure you know about it. If they ask if you've heard about xyz you can discuss it - it shows you're interested in them.

As Evanntel said be prepared to back your answers up with examples, thats always a good one. Don't be afraid to give an example of what YOU did within a team success, its not the whole team being interviewed, just you, so even if you're really team minded put forward your part of the success while still making the point that it was a team effort. The interviewer wants to know what contributions you have made, and how you can help a team be successful, so don't be afraid to show that. Its not big headed, just selling yourself, which is what an interview is all about.

And don't forget to relax, interviews are about the company selling themselves to you as well as you selling yourself to them. Interviewing is actually really difficult to do well, it takes a lot of practice and it can be really daunting - its quite possible the interviewer will be as nervous as you!

Very best of luck!

Oh and if you don't know the answer to a question, don't be afraid to say you don't know - my current boss always throws a question in that no way in hell would anyone know without looking it up. He wants to see the honesty of admitting you don't know, but also that you can tell him where you would go to get the answer. That tells him whether someone is resourceful enough, won't need their hand holding all the time and can go and find him answers when he needs them.

Thanks so much everyone, excellent info, has given me a lot to work on and am feeling slightly less nervous about it all. I guess i must remember that i have around 8 yrs experience and think about some specific examples from that!

cheers

A good ice breaker when asked what are you weaknesses - "Chocolate"..... they'll see you've a sense of humour .

On a more serious note, make your weakness positive one e.g. I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to time-keeping. I hate being late for people.....