Breaking into government jobs
By Pam Blowers, AACC Professional Member
There is much evidence to suggest that many job seekers place a government job high on their list of career and job preferences. Given that governments tend to be the largest single employer in their respective state or territory one would think this should be a realistic goal. It seems, however, that job seekers from outside government are finding it hard breaking in to government jobs.
Whilst the Australian Government and state and territory governments have their own recruitment and selection processes for the public service, there are many similarities. This article will attempt to unravel and debunk some of the myths around getting in to a job in the Public Service and provide job seekers with some practical strategies which they may find useful.
Debunking the myths and assumptions
There are many negative myths and assumptions about the public Service. Government jobs are boring and stagnant! Government is a ‘slow beast’! You have to start at the bottom of the ladder! It’s a dead-end job!…you can probably add to this list.
In reality, a job in the public service may provide a dynamic and enriching career choice! A career in government can mean rewarding career paths in a range of professions such as management and administration, health services, policing, law and justice and education, to name just a few. An obvious draw-card is job security. Other benefits include family friendly and flexible work environments, training and development and in some instances, financial assistance with study and research. Government promotes safe workplaces and is an equal opportunity employer.
One myth which may be true is that it can be difficult to secure a job in the public service. Difficult maybe, but not impossible! This article will explore some avenues to help you to ‘break in to’ the public service.
Do some career planning
A critical first step is to do some career planning. What do you want to do? What is your career passion? Which government departments offer careers of interest to you?
The myfuture website hosts a very practical and generic Career Planning Process at: http://www.myfuture.edu.au.
You can also access a range of helpful career planning quizzes and exercises through some of the government job portals listed below.
Do your homework
Research! Explore! Ask questions! Visiting government job portals is a great starting point to finding out more about careers, job vacancies, how you can apply for a position and job seeking tips:
Vacancies
Government generally provides a range of job opportunities such as permanent appointments, temporary assignments, apprenticeships, traineeships, scholarships, graduate programs and work experience placements.
Generally, job vacancies (other than for base-grade level) are advertised in government gazettes and through government jobs online portals. Many agencies now have facilities where you can lodge your application online.
How does the selection process work?
In compliance with legislation, government appointments are made on merit. This means that the person whose skills, knowledge and experience best match the job requirements will be the successful applicant.
Most governments tend to use recruitment agencies to fill base grade level positions as temporary or permanent positions. There seems to be an attitude of ‘try before you buy’ so a temporary assignment is often a realistic goal. Some states, have a central recruitment and testing process for all base grade administrative positions. In other states individual government departments manage their own recruitment. You will need to do your homework to find out what is applicable to you.
Advertisements for job vacancies in the public sector usually include a position description. Position descriptions contain information about the position, the location and the roles and responsibilities of the position. The position description lists the mandatory and desirable selection criteria which you will need to address. Whether you are short listed for an interview or not, will depend on how well you address the selection criteria. If this is your first government job application, ask a friend who is in government to assist you and/or give you some feedback about your job application. Dr Anne Villiers has written a very good book about addressing key selection criteria, which is quite readily available in libraries. Details of Dr Villiers work may be found at www.npc.org.au/new_page_3.htm.
Techniques used by selection panels can include considering your written application, an interview, conducting referee checks and tests relevant to the position. Tests can involve completing an in-basket test, word processing test, psychometric test or attending an ‘assessment centre’. Online recruitment processes are being used more and more to lodge and filter job applications.
Always be honest and upfront with your job application. Any statement in your job applicable that is found to be deliberately misleading could make you, if employed, liable for disciplinary action.
If you are nominated for a position in government, you will need to undergo a ‘criminal history check’ and possibly a ‘working with children check’ prior to employment. The Australian Public Service also requires a medical examination.
Most governments may have in place employment strategies for members of equal opportunity target groups, in particular, indigenous people, people from non-English speaking backgrounds and people with disabilities. You can usually find out more about these initiatives by researching government job portals.
Some government job websites have useful information and tips about preparing a covering letter, a resume, addressing selection criteria and interview techniques.
Success stories
The most useful information you will glean is from the experiences of other successful job seekers. What is their story? Some have entered through a traineeship or apprenticeship scheme and applied and been successful in obtaining further work. Some have accepted a temporary assignment either at base-grade, or at higher levels. This has enabled them to build skills and experience and enabled them to compete for other appointment on merit. Accepting a temporary or contract assignment may be a ‘foot in the door’ which can lead to a permanent appointment. Everyone has a story to tell.
Talk to your friends who have a job in government and ask them to tell you their success story?
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