Sample · fictional applicant · real public job ad

See how an answer becomes a draft

Below are the questions we asked, the applicant's answers, and the draft we wrote from them. The applicant's answers are shown alongside each draft, so you can compare them yourself.

This is a sample produced by our real process. The applicant is fictional: their CV and answers were written for this demo. The job ad is real and public. This is not a customer, a testimonial or a real application.

The job

Role: Policy Officer (VPS4), Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (VG/715572)
What the ad asked for: Applicants are required to submit a CV and Cover Letter (max 2 pages) outlining their suitability to the role in line with the Key Selection Criteria.
What that meant here: 10 criteria within two pages. The two-page limit is quoted from the job ad. The word figures are our estimate: about 500 words a page, leaving room for an opening and closing, so up to 79 words per criterion.

How this sample was made

5interview questions by email

3follow-up questions where answers didn't yet cover a criterion

10criteria, each answered only from what the applicant told us

Your answersshown with each draft, so you can compare

Job ad and Position Description © State of Victoria (Department of Families, Fairness and Housing), licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Retrieved 17 September 2026 from https://jobs.careers.vic.gov.au/jncustomsearch.viewFullSingle?in_organid=14123&in_jnCounter=226688105 (listing closed; ref VG/715572). Criteria and the two-page limit are quoted; the rest of the documents is not reproduced. Word counts are our estimate. Not endorsed by the Victorian Government.

Your words ↔ our wording

Three of the ten criteria

Written Communication

Written Communication: Prepares briefs, letters, emails and reports using clear, concise and grammatically correct language; ensures written communications contain necessary information to achieve their purpose; uses appropriate style and formats

Your words

What we askedTell me about one written piece you produced where you had to set out policy options or a recommendation for a decision-maker. Walk me through how you put it together and what happened to it.

What they told usI prepared an options paper for the executive on the kinship care review. It set out three options, including one that nobody wanted to fund. I estimated costs for each option using existing program data. The executive chose a modified version of option two.

Follow-up we askedThinking of a piece of writing you've prepared — the kinship care options paper or another document — how did you shape it for the people who had to read it?

What they told usI drafted the Ministerial brief on the section 162 amendment timeline. The Minister's office asked a narrow question, but the answer only made sense alongside two dates the branch had not settled. I set out the question, the two dates and what each would mean, in one page. The brief came back cleared without amendment and the earlier date was adopted.

Our wording

I drafted the Ministerial brief on the section 162 amendment timeline. The Minister's office asked a narrow question, but the answer only made sense alongside two dates the branch had not settled. I set out the question, the two dates and what each would mean, in one page. The brief came back cleared without amendment and the earlier date was adopted. I prepared an options paper for the executive on the kinship care review, setting out three options.

78 / 79 words · limit is our estimate

Integrity

Integrity: committed to the public interest; operates in a manner that is consistent with the organisations code of conduct; inspires trust by treating all individuals fairly.

Your words

What we askedDescribe a situation in a team where you had to deal with a difference between people, or a call about what was fair. Tell me what you did and how it played out.

What they told usNo example

Follow-up we askedCan you describe a time at work when doing the right thing by the public interest, or treating people fairly and consistently, shaped how you handled a situation? Walk us through what happened and what you did.

What they told usA caseworker asked me whether a new regulation applied to a particular family. I checked the Act and the departmental guidance and found the guidance was out of date. I told the caseworker what the Act said and flagged the out-of-date guidance to the policy owner. The guidance was updated.

Our wording

A caseworker asked me whether a new regulation applied to a particular family. I checked the Act and the departmental guidance, and found the guidance was out of date. I told the caseworker what the Act said, and flagged the out-of-date guidance to the policy owner. The guidance was updated.

50 / 79 words · limit is our estimate

Uses the same example as Policy skills (application of policy), Conceptual and analytical ability. The wording is the same or similar. We don't invent differences.

Stakeholder management

Stakeholder management: Takes concrete steps to add value for the stakeholder; links people with other areas (as appropriate), monitors client and stakeholder satisfaction; constructively deals with stakeholder issues.

Your words

What we askedDescribe a time you had to work through an issue with external stakeholders face to face or by phone. Tell me what you did at each stage and how the stakeholders responded.

What they told usIt wasn't face to face, but I ran three online consultation sessions with five peak bodies about proposed kinship care changes. Two of the bodies opposed the changes. For the second session I changed the order of my presentation to start with what families would actually experience, instead of starting with the legislation. I wrote the consultation summary. One of the two opposing bodies agreed to co-sign the department's submission.

Our wording

I ran three online consultation sessions with five peak bodies about proposed kinship care changes. Two of the five bodies opposed the changes. For the second session I changed the order of my presentation to start with what families would actually experience, rather than starting with the legislation. I wrote the consultation summary. One of the two opposing bodies agreed to co-sign the department's submission.

65 / 79 words · limit is our estimate

Your example shows part of this criterion, not all of it. We haven't filled the gap with anything you didn't tell us.

Uses the same example as Verbal Communication. The wording is the same or similar. We don't invent differences.

What this sample also shows

Some criteria were only partly covered.

For 7 of the 10 criteria, the applicant's answers showed part of what the criterion asks for. We said so on each one instead of stretching the evidence.

Shorter where the evidence was thin.

The drafts total 551 words against about 790 words of room for the criteria (our estimate for two pages). We stop where your evidence stops: we don't pad to reach a word count, because a panel scores evidence, not length. In a real order, you'd see which criteria need more evidence.

One example, more than one criterion.

When a single example is your best evidence for two or more criteria, the drafts will look alike. In this sample, Integrity, Conceptual and analytical ability, and Policy skills (application of policy) use the same example; Self-management, Flexibility and Teamwork share another; and Verbal Communication and Stakeholder management share a third. We flag it rather than inventing a second one.

See all 10 criteria

Verbal Communication

Verbal Communication: Confidently conveys ideas and information in a clear and interesting way; understands and meets the needs of target audiences (the right information to the right people); welcomes constructive feedback; sees things from other's points of view and confirms understanding.

Your words

What we askedDescribe a time you had to work through an issue with external stakeholders face to face or by phone. Tell me what you did at each stage and how the stakeholders responded.

Our wording

I ran three online consultation sessions with five peak bodies about proposed kinship care changes. Two of the bodies opposed the changes. For the second session I changed the order of my presentation to start with what families would actually experience, rather than the legislation. I wrote the consultation summary, and one of the two opposing bodies agreed to co-sign the department's submission.

63 / 79 words · limit is our estimate

Your example shows part of this criterion, not all of it. We haven't filled the gap with anything you didn't tell us.

Uses the same example as Stakeholder management. The wording is the same or similar. We don't invent differences.

Policy Skills

Policy Skills: Formulates and communicates public policy options and recommendations; keeps up to date with a broad range of contemporary issues; scans for links and potential implications of proposed policy options; liaises with stakeholders.

Your words

Our wording

I prepared an options paper for the executive on the kinship care review. It set out three options, including one that nobody wanted to fund. I estimated costs for each option using existing program data. The executive chose a modified version of option two.

44 / 79 words · limit is our estimate

Your example shows part of this criterion, not all of it. We haven't filled the gap with anything you didn't tell us.

Policy skills (application of policy)

Policy skills: aware of, interprets and applies policies; drafts simple policies using research skills and consults with stakeholders; provides feedback on draft policies.

Your words

What we askedTell me about a complex question where you had to interpret existing policy or legislation and work out what it meant in practice. Take me through your reasoning and what you advised.

Our wording

A caseworker asked me whether a new regulation applied to a particular family. I checked the Act and the departmental guidance and found the guidance was out of date. I told the caseworker what the Act said, and flagged the out-of-date guidance to the policy owner. The guidance was updated.

50 / 79 words · limit is our estimate

Your example shows part of this criterion, not all of it. We haven't filled the gap with anything you didn't tell us.

Uses the same example as Conceptual and analytical ability, Integrity. The wording is the same or similar. We don't invent differences.

Self-management

Self-management: plans and prioritises work to ensure outcomes are achieved, resists the temptation to react immediately without taking time to think things through, uses strengths to contribute constructively and consciously manages the impact of own weaknesses, anticipates own reactions to situations and prepares accordingly.

Your words

What we askedTell me about a period when your priorities shifted or the workload got heavy. Describe how you planned your work through it.

What they told usHalfway through the consultation our team was merged with another branch. A colleague went on leave and I took over her reporting work as well as my own. I sat down with the new manager and rebuilt the project timeline so both workloads fit. The consultation finished on the revised date.

Our wording

Halfway through a consultation, our team was merged with another branch. A colleague went on leave and I took over her reporting work as well as my own. I sat down with the new manager and rebuilt the project timeline so both workloads fit. The consultation finished on the revised date.

51 / 79 words · limit is our estimate

Your example shows part of this criterion, not all of it. We haven't filled the gap with anything you didn't tell us.

Uses the same example as Flexibility, Teamwork. The wording is the same or similar. We don't invent differences.

Conceptual and analytical ability

Conceptual and analytical ability: deals with concepts and complexity comfortably; uses analytical and conceptual skills to reason through problems, has creative ideas and can project how these can link to innovations.

Your words

What we askedTell me about a complex question where you had to interpret existing policy or legislation and work out what it meant in practice. Take me through your reasoning and what you advised.

Our wording

50 / 79 words · limit is our estimate

Your example shows part of this criterion, not all of it. We haven't filled the gap with anything you didn't tell us.

Uses the same example as Policy skills (application of policy), Integrity. The wording is the same or similar. We don't invent differences.

Flexibility

Flexibility: adaptable; open to new ideas; accepts changed priorities without undue discomfort; recognises the merits of different options and acts accordingly.

Your words

What we askedTell me about a period when your priorities shifted or the workload got heavy. Describe how you planned your work through it.

Our wording

51 / 79 words · limit is our estimate

Uses the same example as Self-management, Teamwork. The wording is the same or similar. We don't invent differences.

Teamwork

Teamwork: cooperates and works well with others in pursuit of team goals, collaborates and shares information, shows consideration, concern and respect for others feelings and ideas, accommodates and works well with the different working styles of others, encourages resolution of conflict within the group.

Your words

What we askedDescribe a situation in a team where you had to deal with a difference between people, or a call about what was fair. Tell me what you did and how it played out.

What they told usNo example

Follow-up we askedTell us about a piece of work where you had to work closely with others to get something done as a team. Walk us through what you personally did.

Our wording

Halfway through a consultation, our team was merged with another branch. A colleague went on leave and I took over her reporting work alongside my own. I sat down with the new manager and rebuilt the project timeline so both workloads fit. The consultation finished on the revised date.

49 / 79 words · limit is our estimate

Your example shows part of this criterion, not all of it. We haven't filled the gap with anything you didn't tell us.

Uses the same example as Self-management, Flexibility. The wording is the same or similar. We don't invent differences.

Want this for your own application?

Send us the job ad, the Position Description and your CV. We'll email you questions about your own work within 24 hours (our aim, not a guarantee), and draft each criterion from your answers.

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