This capability sounds simple until you see how often applicants confuse it with “I am a team player”.
That is too vague, and it usually tells a panel very little.
Working collaboratively is about how you contribute with others, support shared outcomes, and make working relationships effective. In practice, that often means how you share information, manage dependencies, help others do their part, and deal with friction in a way that keeps the work moving.
This is another capability where a STAR-style example is far more useful than a personality claim. If you need help structuring that, start with our STAR Method Examples for NSW Government Applications.
What changes across the levels
- Foundational: works respectfully with others and values contribution
- Intermediate: contributes reliably and builds practical working relationships
- Adept: collaborates across teams or functions and manages shared work effectively
- Advanced: builds alignment across broader groups and handles more complex stakeholder environments
- Highly Advanced: creates collaborative culture and breaks down barriers across the organisation
How to build a stronger example
Good examples often show:
- shared work, not solo achievement
- active contribution, not passive presence
- solving friction or coordination issues
- supporting a collective outcome
Example paragraph: Intermediate
In my previous role, I worked closely with colleagues across administration and service delivery to coordinate urgent requests and maintain consistent information for customers. A typical challenge was that work could stall if one area assumed another had already handled part of the request. My task was to help keep the process connected. I shared updates promptly, checked dependencies with others, and adjusted my own work when priorities shifted across the team. That helped us respond more consistently, reduced duplication, and made the handover between teams smoother.
Example paragraph: Adept
While supporting a project with input from multiple teams, I worked across operational and policy areas to keep information moving and make sure tasks were completed in the right sequence. The challenge was that each area had different priorities and assumptions about timing. I clarified responsibilities, followed up on dependencies early, and made sure people had the information they needed to contribute effectively rather than discovering issues too late. That improved coordination and helped the work stay on track.
Example paragraph: Advanced
In a senior coordination role, I brought together groups with different priorities and working styles to deliver a shared outcome. The situation was not difficult because people were unwilling, but because each group was focused on its own pressures. My task was to create enough alignment for the work to move forward without unnecessary friction. I focused on common goals, clarified where collaboration was genuinely needed, and intervened early when communication or sequencing started to drift. That strengthened delivery and reduced the kind of misunderstandings that usually slow multi-team work down.
Final advice
Collaboration examples are strongest when you show what you did to make shared work better.
Not just that you were present in a team.