Act with integrity is one of those capabilities that people often answer badly because they assume it is obvious.
It is not.
Panels want evidence that you act ethically, follow the right standards, and respond properly when something is not right. In practice, this capability is often shown in everyday decisions rather than dramatic incidents. That is why it is usually better answered through a grounded STAR-style example than a broad statement about professionalism.
If you need a refresher on structuring those examples, go back to our STAR Method Examples for NSW Government Applications.
What changes across the levels
- Foundational: behaves honestly and professionally, follows rules and codes
- Intermediate: understands obligations and applies them more consistently in everyday work
- Adept: handles ethical issues with sound judgement and speaks up when needed
- Advanced: reinforces ethical behaviour, manages risk and responds decisively to misconduct concerns
- Highly Advanced: sets ethical tone and culture across broader systems or teams
The level shift is usually about judgment and visibility. Higher levels are not just personally ethical. They actively shape ethical practice around them.
How to build a strong example
A good integrity example usually includes:
- a clear standard, policy or ethical expectation
- a situation where judgment mattered
- an action you took to protect fairness, accuracy, confidentiality or compliance
- an outcome that shows responsibility rather than convenience
Example paragraph: Intermediate
In an administrative support role, I regularly handled sensitive records and internal documentation. A common risk was that information could be shared too casually if staff were moving quickly and assuming access was appropriate. My task was to make sure confidentiality and process were maintained. I stored information correctly, checked that documents were only shared with the right people, and followed the relevant procedures when requests fell outside the usual process. That helped protect confidentiality and reduced the risk of records being handled inconsistently.
Example paragraph: Adept
While coordinating a piece of work with competing deadlines, I identified that one proposed shortcut would have created a compliance risk and left an incomplete audit trail. My task was to keep the work moving without compromising the integrity of the process. I raised the concern early, explained the issue clearly, and recommended a safer approach that still met the timeframe. Although it was not the quickest option, it protected the integrity of the process and avoided a problem later on.
Example paragraph: Advanced
In a leadership role, I dealt with a situation where concerns were raised about inconsistent process compliance across part of the team. My task was to respond in a way that was fair, clear and proportionate, rather than allowing the issue to be minimised because delivery pressure was high. I clarified the standards expected, addressed the issue transparently, and reinforced the broader message that meeting deadlines does not excuse poor process or ethical shortcuts. That helped protect both standards and trust in the way the issue was managed.
Final advice
Integrity examples work best when they feel grounded and specific.
You do not need a dramatic whistleblower story. Often the strongest examples are the ones that show you made the right call when it would have been easier not to.