What does person-centred care mean to you?

What the interviewer listens for. Says the resident leads: You explain that the resident makes the choices about their care. Respects routines and culture: You say you follow their routines and respect their culture. Gives an example: You give an example, such as the resident choosing their clothes or meal. How to answer. 1. Ask what they want. 2. Respect their routine and culture. 3. Example: they choose their clothes or meal.

A resident refuses to have a shower. What would you do?

What the interviewer listens for. Respects the resident's choice: You never force the shower and you offer another time or a wash instead. Stays calm and asks why: You speak calmly and find out why they do not want it. Tells the nurse and writes it down: You tell the nurse and record it in the care notes. How to answer. 1. Stay calm. 2. Ask why. 3. Offer another time or a wash instead. 4. Never force. 5. Tell the nurse and write it in the notes.

How do you protect a resident's dignity and privacy?

What the interviewer listens for. Knocks and keeps them covered: You knock and wait, close doors and curtains, and keep the resident covered. Explains each step: You tell the resident what you are doing before each step. Keeps information private: You keep the resident's personal information private. How to answer. 1. Knock and wait. 2. Close doors and curtains. 3. Keep them covered. 4. Explain each step. 5. Keep their information private.

You find a resident on the floor. What do you do?

What the interviewer listens for. Stays with them and keeps them safe: You stay with the resident and reassure them. Calls for help: You call the nurse and do not lift the resident alone. Follows the falls procedure: You help as the nurse directs and write an incident report. How to answer. 1. Stay with them and reassure them. 2. Call the nurse. 3. Do not lift them alone. 4. Help as the nurse directs. 5. Write an incident report.

Tell me about a time you cared for someone who was unwell or older.

What the interviewer listens for. Shows patience: You show you took your time and stayed calm with the person. Shows empathy: You show you understood how the person felt. Gives practical help: You say what you did to help and how it made a difference. How to answer. 1. Who and what they needed. 2. What you did. 3. How it helped.

How would you support a resident with dementia who is upset or confused?

What the interviewer listens for. Uses a calm voice: You speak slowly and calmly to the resident. Does not argue: You do not argue with the resident about what is real. Redirects to something calm: You use what you know about their life to offer a calm activity. Reports changes: You tell the nurse about the change in the resident. How to answer. 1. Speak slowly and calmly. 2. Do not argue. 3. Use what you know about their life. 4. Offer a calm activity. 5. Tell the nurse.

What would you do if you saw a co-worker treat a resident roughly?

What the interviewer listens for. Puts the resident's safety first: You make sure the resident is safe before anything else. Reports it that shift: You tell the nurse or manager that shift and write down what you saw. How to answer. 1. Make sure the resident is safe. 2. Tell the nurse or manager that shift. 3. Write what you saw. Serious incidents must be reported.

How do you manage your time on a busy shift?

What the interviewer listens for. Puts safety and care needs first: You deal with urgent care needs first on a busy shift. Works with the team: You tell the team if you are behind so others can help. Never rushes personal care: You say you never rush personal care, even when you are busy. How to answer. 1. Urgent needs first. 2. Tell the team if you are behind. 3. Never rush personal care.

What qualifications and checks do you have?

What the interviewer listens for. Names your Certificate III: You say if you hold Certificate III in Individual Support or when you will finish it. Describes your placement: You say where you did your placement and one thing you did there. Lists your checks: You list your first aid, CPR and police check. How to answer. 1. List what you hold and what is in progress. 2. Where you did your placement. 3. One thing you did there.

Are you comfortable with personal care tasks such as showering and toileting?

What the interviewer listens for. Gives an honest yes: You say clearly that you are comfortable with personal care. Knows safe manual handling and hygiene: You say you were trained in manual handling and infection control. Protects dignity: You say how you protect the person's dignity during personal care. How to answer. 1. Yes. 2. You were trained in manual handling and hygiene. 3. You protect the person's dignity.

What are your work rights, and can you work weekends and night shifts?

What the interviewer listens for. Shows you can work legally: You name your visa and say clearly what work it allows. Fits a 24/7 roster: You say which shifts you can do, including weekends and nights, and when you can start. How to answer. 1. Your visa and what it allows, using the current rule. 2. The shifts you can do. 3. Your start date. Check the current rule for your visa on the Home Affairs website before the interview.

Aged care interview questions and answers

12 questions aged care employers ask, what they want to hear, and a free way to practise each one out loud.

Practise these questions

By Thanh Tran, PTE and IELTS coach
Updated October 2026

The 12 questions, and how to answer

Answer each “tell me about a time” question with the STAR method: the Situation, your Task, the Action you took and the Result.

Why do you want to work in aged care?
About you
What the interviewer listens for
- Shows real care for older people. You give a personal reason, such as family, volunteering or a placement.
- Knows the job is physical and emotional. You show you know the work is hard and that you are ready for it.
How to answer
1. A personal reason (family, volunteering, placement)
2. What you enjoy
3. You know it is hard work and you are ready
Practise this question out loud
What does person-centred care mean to you?
What you know
What the interviewer listens for
- Says the resident leads. You explain that the resident makes the choices about their care.
- Respects routines and culture. You say you follow their routines and respect their culture.
- Gives an example. You give an example, such as the resident choosing their clothes or meal.
How to answer
1. Ask what they want
2. Respect their routine and culture
3. Example: they choose their clothes or meal
Practise this question out loud
A resident refuses to have a shower. What would you do?
What would you do
What the interviewer listens for
- Respects the resident's choice. You never force the shower and you offer another time or a wash instead.
- Stays calm and asks why. You speak calmly and find out why they do not want it.
- Tells the nurse and writes it down. You tell the nurse and record it in the care notes.
How to answer
1. Stay calm
2. Ask why
3. Offer another time or a wash instead
4. Never force
5. Tell the nurse and write it in the notes
Practise this question out loud
How do you protect a resident's dignity and privacy?
Skills and checks
What the interviewer listens for
- Knocks and keeps them covered. You knock and wait, close doors and curtains, and keep the resident covered.
- Explains each step. You tell the resident what you are doing before each step.
- Keeps information private. You keep the resident's personal information private.
How to answer
1. Knock and wait
2. Close doors and curtains
3. Keep them covered
4. Explain each step
5. Keep their information private
Practise this question out loud
You find a resident on the floor. What do you do?
What would you do
What the interviewer listens for
- Stays with them and keeps them safe. You stay with the resident and reassure them.
- Calls for help. You call the nurse and do not lift the resident alone.
- Follows the falls procedure. You help as the nurse directs and write an incident report.
How to answer
1. Stay with them and reassure them
2. Call the nurse
3. Do not lift them alone
4. Help as the nurse directs
5. Write an incident report
Practise this question out loud
Tell me about a time you cared for someone who was unwell or older.
Tell me about a time
What the interviewer listens for
- Shows patience. You show you took your time and stayed calm with the person.
- Shows empathy. You show you understood how the person felt.
- Gives practical help. You say what you did to help and how it made a difference.
How to answer
1. Who and what they needed
2. What you did
3. How it helped
Tell it as one real example with the STAR method.
Practise this question out loud
How would you support a resident with dementia who is upset or confused?
What would you do
What the interviewer listens for
- Uses a calm voice. You speak slowly and calmly to the resident.
- Does not argue. You do not argue with the resident about what is real.
- Redirects to something calm. You use what you know about their life to offer a calm activity.
- Reports changes. You tell the nurse about the change in the resident.
How to answer
1. Speak slowly and calmly
2. Do not argue
3. Use what you know about their life
4. Offer a calm activity
5. Tell the nurse
Practise this question out loud
What would you do if you saw a co-worker treat a resident roughly?
What would you do
What the interviewer listens for
- Puts the resident's safety first. You make sure the resident is safe before anything else.
- Reports it that shift. You tell the nurse or manager that shift and write down what you saw.
How to answer
1. Make sure the resident is safe
2. Tell the nurse or manager that shift
3. Write what you saw
Serious incidents must be reported.
Practise this question out loud
How do you manage your time on a busy shift?
Tell me about a time
What the interviewer listens for
- Puts safety and care needs first. You deal with urgent care needs first on a busy shift.
- Works with the team. You tell the team if you are behind so others can help.
- Never rushes personal care. You say you never rush personal care, even when you are busy.
How to answer
1. Urgent needs first
2. Tell the team if you are behind
3. Never rush personal care
Tell it as one real example with the STAR method.
Practise this question out loud
What qualifications and checks do you have?
Skills and checks
What the interviewer listens for
- Names your Certificate III. You say if you hold Certificate III in Individual Support or when you will finish it.
- Describes your placement. You say where you did your placement and one thing you did there.
- Lists your checks. You list your first aid, CPR and police check.
How to answer
1. List what you hold and what is in progress
2. Where you did your placement
3. One thing you did there
Practise this question out loud
Are you comfortable with personal care tasks such as showering and toileting?
Skills and checks
What the interviewer listens for
- Gives an honest yes. You say clearly that you are comfortable with personal care.
- Knows safe manual handling and hygiene. You say you were trained in manual handling and infection control.
- Protects dignity. You say how you protect the person's dignity during personal care.
How to answer
1. Yes
2. You were trained in manual handling and hygiene
3. You protect the person's dignity
Practise this question out loud
What are your work rights, and can you work weekends and night shifts?
Work rights and hours
What the interviewer listens for
- Shows you can work legally. You name your visa and say clearly what work it allows.
- Fits a 24/7 roster. You say which shifts you can do, including weekends and nights, and when you can start.
How to answer
1. Your visa and what it allows, using the current rule
2. The shifts you can do
3. Your start date
Check the current rule for your visa on the Home Affairs website before the interview.
Practise this question out loud

These are practice questions and answer outlines, not legal, visa or career advice. For work rights, check the current rules on the Home Affairs website. Student visa conditions on the Home Affairs website.

Questions for other jobs

Many questions repeat from job to job. Practise the common ones too.

More for your job search

常见问题

What questions are asked in an aged care interview?

Most are about why you want the job, what person-centred care means, what you would do in a hard moment (a fall, a resident who refuses care, a resident with dementia), and your checks, work rights and shifts.

What qualifications do I need to work in aged care?

Many employers ask for a Certificate III in Individual Support, or one in progress, plus first aid and CPR and a police check. Each employer asks for different things, so check the job ad.

How do I answer “Why do you want to work in aged care?”

Give a personal reason, such as caring for a grandparent or a placement you enjoyed. Say what you like about the work, and show you know it is physical and emotional.

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