ADF psychological interview questions 2024

An ADF (Australian Defence Force) psychological interview questions are designed to assess the psychological suitability of candidates for military service. The ADF psychological interview questions may vary, but they generally focus on evaluating your mental resilience, problem-solving skills, teamwork, stress management, and other traits essential for military personnel. Here are some potential ADF psychological interview questions you might encounter:

Motivation and Commitment:

Why do you want to join the Australian Defence Force?
What motivates you to pursue a career in the military?
How committed are you to the demands and challenges of military life?

Stress and Resilience:

Describe a situation in which you faced significant stress. How did you handle it?
How do you cope with pressure and adversity?
Can you provide an example of a time when you demonstrated resilience in a challenging situation?

Teamwork and Leadership:

Discuss a situation where you worked successfully as part of a team.
How do you contribute to a team environment?
Describe a leadership role you’ve had and the challenges you faced.

Problem-Solving Skills:

Give an example of a complex problem you’ve encountered and how you solved it.
How do you approach challenges and find solutions?
Can you provide an example of a situation where you had to think on your feet and adapt quickly?

Communication Skills:

How do you communicate effectively with others, especially in high-pressure situations?
Describe a situation where clear communication was crucial to the success of a task.
How do you handle conflicts within a team?

Adaptability and Flexibility:

Discuss a time when you had to quickly adapt to a new and unexpected situation.
How do you handle changes in plans or unexpected challenges?
Are you comfortable with frequent changes and uncertainties?

Ethical Decision-Making:

Describe a situation where you faced an ethical dilemma. How did you handle it?
How do you ensure your decisions align with your values and ethical standards?

Self-Awareness:

How would you describe your own strengths and weaknesses?
Can you discuss a situation where you received constructive feedback and how you responded to it?
What steps do you take to improve yourself personally and professionally?

Remember, these are general examples of ADF psychological interview questions, and the actual questions may vary. It’s essential to be honest, reflective, and demonstrate a clear understanding of the qualities and characteristics required for military service in the Australian Defence Force.

Some of real ADF psychological interview questions 2024

How do you work in team ? any expereince working in team
Any experience woring with diverse group of people
Are you able to make new friends easily ?
How was your childhood and school time ?
Did you enjoy your childhood and study ?
How was your relationship with your peers in school
Were you bulllied or harrased during childhood?
Any physical or sexual harrasement in past ?
Any fear or fobia ?
How do you handle angry people ?
How was your family environment ? any domestic violence or verbal abuse ?
How was your family relationships with relatives ?
Any past relationship ? if yes, how many ?
How long that relationship last? Was it serious or just dating ?
Any event which left trauma or mental stress ?
Any event in past which casue long lasting stress ?
Any financial situation in past which affected your mental health ?
Have you been ever phyically or verbally abused or harrased ?
Any period of time in past without job and money
Single or married ? how many dependent ? Any financial problem ?
Any ongoing health issue or medication?
Ever hospitalised in past ? if yes, reason.
Any STD or severe disese ?

Sample answers for ADF psychological interview questions

How did you enjoy school?
Answer:
“I really enjoyed certain aspects of school. English and Sports were the subjects that I responded best to. I have built a lot of strong friendships and have taken a lot from it.”

This is a common trap for candidates to talk about the negatives of school, this is the wrong approach. Do not talk negatively about teachers, other students, learning, doing assignments etc… If you have not got the best track record at school then spin in around into a positive.

For example:
“I haven’t done as well as I would have liked academically. I have always been more attracted to being outside with mates and working on my own projects.” You can then talk about a hobby which you spend time working on.

How do you feel about living away from home?
Answer: Fine.
Discuss being self-reliant, being able to cook, iron etc…
Mention that you look forward to moving onto that part of your life and embracing the challenge.

How well do you get along with your family?
Answer: Be honest. Not everyone has the best home life, just remember to word your answers correctly.
Saying that you don’t care about your family at all is not the correct approach. Instead mention that you have a difficult family and home life but constantly work on improving it because family is important.

What do you think about killing someone?
Answer: “Its not something that I want to do. Unfortunately its a possibility when working in the Australian Defence Force. I’ve given it some thought and would do what was necessary to look after myself and those around me.”

What if you were ordered to do something you didn’t want to?
Answer: “Upon joining I recognise that I may be required to undertake difficult tasks and will be required to complete all lawful orders to the best of my ability.”

If you are in high places do you ever feel like jumping off?
Answer: Be honest.

Do you ever hear voices in your head?
Answer: Be honest.

Have you ever done drugs?
Answer: “No, I really don’t like the idea of them and don’t see the point at all. I am glad defence have a zero tolerance policy”

Do you drink alcohol?
How often do you drink? Do external factors have an effect on how much you drink? i.e death of a loved one, job stress etc…

What does your day usually consist of?
Answer: The psych is gauging how motivated you are. They want to hear that you get up each day and be productive. If you are not employed and don’t go to the gym, do extra curricular activities (camping, fishing, making bmx videos with friends, anything really) or participate in a team sport than you should seriously consider putting your application on hold until you have something productive and beneficial to talk about.

What do you do to deal with stress?
Answer: “I prioritise and get through tasks one by one. It helps me feel accomplishment that I have achieved what I have as quickly and effectively as I can”
Be honest. The wrong answer is along the lines of “I can’t handle stress, when things get hard I have to stop and get away.”

What have your previous jobs been like? What has your role been?
Answer: Be honest. Remain positive about what you enjoyed about each role. Talk about working with others and doing the job right. Think about reasons as to why you left or why you want a new job

ADF recruitment process

Psychology Interview:

Duration: 60 to 90 minutes
Preparation: See the attached ‘Psychology Interview Guide’.
Requirements: Government-issued Photo ID
Arrival: 15 minutes prior to appointment

Medical Assessment: (we call this ELME: Entry Level Medical Examination)

Duration: 2.5 hours
Preparation:
- Complete the Medical Health Questionnaire in your Candidate Hub 5 days prior to your appointment
- Read the attached ‘Medical Assessment Process for Candidates’ document and watch the Consent Video.
Requirements: Glasses and your prescription, if applicable.
What to wear: you will be required to undress to your undergarments. Choose appropriate and comfortable options on the day.
Arrival: 15 minutes prior to appointment

Defence Interview:

Duration: 60-90 minutes
Requirements: Any documents not yet certified or any forms/documents not yet submitted via Candidate Hub. For list see <Defence Interview Documents>
What to wear: dress professionally to demonstrate your commitment to the role
Arrival: 15 minutes prior to appointment

Items to bring to your Defence Interview:

Government issued Photo ID – PASSPORT, MEDICARE, DL
Your completed Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check Form and required IDs
Your Original Birth Certificate
Your Australian Passport OR Parent’s Australian Birth Certificate OR Citizenship Certificate
All documents you have uploaded in your Candidate Hub
Print and fill out the attached ‘Checkable Background Pre-Screening Form’