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The role description gives you several pages about a job, then introduces a table of capabilities that can look like a second application hiding inside the first. Start with the capabilities identified as the focus for the role. Their levels and behavioural indicators help you choose evidence for the recruitment process.
NSW Government focus capabilities are the capabilities considered especially important for a particular position. Read them alongside the work the role performs and the application instructions. You then have a basis for deciding which examples belong in the documents you have been asked to submit.
Find the focus capabilities in the role description
Open the role description attached to the advertisement and locate the capability section. Depending on the document, focus capabilities may appear in a separate table or be marked within a larger list. Look for the document's explanation of which entries are the focus capabilities.
Record the level beside each one. Find the associated behavioural indicators, which describe the kinds of action expected at that level. If the document gives names and levels without the indicators, consult the official NSW Public Sector Capability Framework.
Your working notes might look like this:
| Item to record | What to do with it |
|---|---|
| Capability name | Identify the behaviour your evidence needs to address. |
| Advertised level | Check the complexity and responsibility expected. |
| Relevant indicators | Mark actions you can demonstrate through your experience. |
| Related accountabilities | Choose examples close to the work you would perform. |
Complementary capabilities remain relevant to performing the role, although they may not be assessed during recruitment. The employer decides its assessment approach. Keep the whole role description in view when preparing for an interview or other task.
Check the framework version used by the vacancy
The NSW Capability Framework was revised in 2026, with agencies given until 29 January 2027 to update role descriptions and related systems. The official revised-framework factsheet explains that transition. Use the vacancy's supplied documents and ask its contact officer to clarify material inconsistencies.
The framework contains 20 capabilities and five levels: Foundational, Intermediate, Adept, Advanced and Highly Advanced. The 2026 framework explains that capability levels do not correspond directly to grades. Record the level shown for each advertised capability when preparing your evidence.
Separate written tasks from evidence and eligibility
A job ad can combine several kinds of requirements. Sorting them before writing makes the task easier to plan. You need to know which documents to prepare and which claims those documents need to support.
| Requirement in the vacancy | How to respond |
|---|---|
| A two-page cover letter or a 300-word targeted response | Prepare that document or response within its stated limit. |
| Ability to investigate problems or coordinate work | Select a truthful example that shows the behaviour and your contribution. |
| A qualification, registration or licence | State your actual status and provide the evidence requested. |
| A clearance or other condition that can be obtained | Check the exact wording and be accurate about what you currently hold. |
When a criterion combines qualifications and experience, address each part in the appropriate way. Your qualification can be stated directly; the experience may need a developed example. A story about doing good work cannot establish that you hold a required registration.
Turn an indicator into a useful example
Read the behaviour being described and recall an occasion when you performed it. Then identify the part of the work that required judgement. An example about communicating a change could include how you determined what people needed to know and how their feedback changed your explanation.
For each possible example, record these details:
- The situation and why it required action.
- Your responsibility and the authority you held.
- Decisions you made, including the information behind them.
- Actions involving other people and any approvals needed.
- The outcome and how you know it occurred.
The result can be qualitative. An agreed process being adopted by a team is useful evidence if you can explain who adopted it and what changed. Keep any figures tied to records you can support.
A fictional example of Influence and Negotiate
Imagine you coordinated a product release in a private-sector role. Different teams had concerns about the proposed launch date. A useful account would explain the concerns and the work you did to reach an agreement.
Fictional teaching example:
I coordinated a product release that depended on a technical review and approved customer information. The proposed launch date left little time to resolve issues found in the review. I asked the teams responsible to identify which items were essential for release and which could follow later. Using their advice, I prepared two timing options with the consequences of each. At a joint meeting, I explained the options and asked each team to identify any remaining risks. We agreed to release the core product after the review and defer an optional feature. I documented that agreement, confirmed the approval with the sponsor and updated the delivery plan. The release went ahead on the revised date with the required approvals recorded.
The account shows how the applicant helped people reach an agreement and followed it through. Whether it meets an advertised level depends on the relevant indicators and the role context. Add detail from your own experience where the vacancy calls for more complex negotiation or wider consequences.
The focus capability examples library provides more examples and annotations. For a separate written response, our selection criteria examples show how to develop evidence within a criterion.
Fit the evidence into the requested document
Let the application instructions determine the document structure. If the employer asks for a cover letter, use the available space to develop the most relevant evidence. A targeted question needs a response to its full wording; the capability table helps you choose the detail to include.
One example can demonstrate several related behaviours. Review each written response against its own task, identifying the actions that support your claims. Our selection criteria writing guide covers that review process, and the government cover letter example shows how evidence can fit into a letter.
Use the same requirements when preparing for interview
After an invitation arrives, review the focus capabilities against the assessment instructions. Choose examples you can explain aloud and under follow-up questioning. Keep your account consistent with the application you submitted, including your contribution to team results.
Use the NSW Government interview guide to plan your preparation. The capability interview questions and worked answers let you practise the detail behind your decisions.
Choose help for the stage you're at
For a selected open role, Team 3Thirty's Complete Government Application is $497 incl. GST. We prepare the written documents it requires using your experience and the vacancy instructions. Read the selection criteria writing service or start an application request with the job details.
If you're still deciding which roles suit your evidence, the Government Job Matching Report is $299 incl. GST. You can review the report example and use the report booking page to check the offer and availability. Applicants with a confirmed interview can instead use the written Interview Preparation Pack for $297 incl. GST.