applying for Qld govt jobs
Having spent most of yesterday wading through applications and selection criteria, I have some hints for anyone applying for a Queensland government job:-
1. DO include your date and court of admission in either your selection criteria or your CV. We get a lot of interstate applicants and it is a mandatory requirement that you be admitted in Queensland or able to be admitted in Queensland for a position as a legal officer.
2. DO download and read everything that comes with the application (available online). The material with the application forms often points to how the organisation reviews the applications. For example, my organisation assesses each application on its merits from the selection criteria, and other skills evident from your CV will not generally be taken into consideration (especially where there are many applicants). The applicant's guide for my organisation also assists by pointing out exactly how we like to have the selection criteria answered. There really is no excuse for a sloppy or overly brief response from an applicant who is serious about wanting the position.
3. DO address each aspect of the selection criteria, even if you don't have any practical experience. The panel I am on just immediately discounted anyone who did not address every aspect of each selection criteria as we had so many applications to wade through otherwise. For example, if the selection criteria refers to consultation and negotiation, make sure you address both consultation and negotiation, don't just answer one without referring to the other. Even if you have absolutely no experience in that area, just make sure you address it (and maybe say how you would be able to acquire the skills necessary for it).
4. DO make sure that you give a full and complete answer. Most applicants take two to three pages to answer each selection criteria. Don't sell yourself short.
5. DO research the organisation. Each government department has it's own website and with a little research you will probably find more information about the position and where it sits within the organisation, as well as the type of work you will be facing. Many applicants made the mistake of assuming my department only handles a small aspect of its overall responsibilities and direct their applications to only that aspect without considering or perhaps realising that my department covers an extremely broad range of matters.
6. DON'T make assumptions about the job. If there's a phrase or term that you are not sure of, phone the contact listed on the application and ask about it. It's merit selection remember - you can make a fool of yourself by asking silly questions of your prospective boss and it won't matter. In fact, you'll probably be thought the better of for it. We know that government has its own language and won't think the less of you for asking for an interpretation.
7. And as part of that, DO phone the contact and check whether there is someone currently sitting in the job. This will show whether it is a true vacancy or whether it is a temporary position which has been made permanent. If it is the later, you have buckley's of getting the position (especially if the person has been sitting in it for 6 months or more) and may be better off directing your energies elsewhere. Though, there are many exceptions though - I recently didn't apply for a job because of this situation and the temp person ended up quitting. If you really want the job, go for it. You never know your luck. And it may be beneficial to go through a government interview even if you don't get the job (they're different from private practice as well).
8. DO use dot points and numbered responses. It makes it easier for the panel to find the relevant parts of your selection criteria in order to grade according to the weighting. (yes, each selection criteria is weighted and your answers are given a mark depending on how well you've answered the selection criteria. Regardless of who you are, how long you've been admitted, or how much experience you have, if you don't make the top 3 or 4 on this grading, you won't get an interview)
9. DON'T say you can do something just because you are a solicitor. Everyone who applies for the position will be either a solicitor or a barrister - it's a mandatory requirement remember? Tell us how you would do it, or when you've done it and achieved a good result. It may seem obvious, but you have to make sure you stand out.
10. DO get someone to proofread your selection criteria. Preferably someone in the public service who knows how these things work. There is nothing more annoying than finding a lot of obvious typos in someone's work. Or reading two pages which don't even come close to addressing the selecton criteria.
And just a last point - colour. Use it if you want to, but it won't make blind freddy's bit of difference for a government position. Merit review does not include whether we are impressed by your use of pretty diagrams, colour printing and/or paper. Save it for the private firms.
(/rant)
And on another note...
I'm the first (and so far only) naughty librarian. How proud am I!
And a couple of weird searches pull up my blog:
- Grant Hackett's favourite food (I come in 3rd) - why would anyone go looking for that? Weird. And even so, why would they click through to my blog?
- a couple of searches have pulled up me as the first hit if you are searching for tickets to Damien Rice in Brisbane at the Tivoli - for anyone looking for tickets that now comes here, they're only available at Ticketek.
- But this one was the weirdest. Because they seem to have gone looking for my blog. And clicked through to it. If you're one of my Brisbane friends reading this, when you know I don't want you to, then shame on you! *pouts*
Listening to: Machine Gun Fellatio - Paging Mr Strike
1. DO include your date and court of admission in either your selection criteria or your CV. We get a lot of interstate applicants and it is a mandatory requirement that you be admitted in Queensland or able to be admitted in Queensland for a position as a legal officer.
2. DO download and read everything that comes with the application (available online). The material with the application forms often points to how the organisation reviews the applications. For example, my organisation assesses each application on its merits from the selection criteria, and other skills evident from your CV will not generally be taken into consideration (especially where there are many applicants). The applicant's guide for my organisation also assists by pointing out exactly how we like to have the selection criteria answered. There really is no excuse for a sloppy or overly brief response from an applicant who is serious about wanting the position.
3. DO address each aspect of the selection criteria, even if you don't have any practical experience. The panel I am on just immediately discounted anyone who did not address every aspect of each selection criteria as we had so many applications to wade through otherwise. For example, if the selection criteria refers to consultation and negotiation, make sure you address both consultation and negotiation, don't just answer one without referring to the other. Even if you have absolutely no experience in that area, just make sure you address it (and maybe say how you would be able to acquire the skills necessary for it).
4. DO make sure that you give a full and complete answer. Most applicants take two to three pages to answer each selection criteria. Don't sell yourself short.
5. DO research the organisation. Each government department has it's own website and with a little research you will probably find more information about the position and where it sits within the organisation, as well as the type of work you will be facing. Many applicants made the mistake of assuming my department only handles a small aspect of its overall responsibilities and direct their applications to only that aspect without considering or perhaps realising that my department covers an extremely broad range of matters.
6. DON'T make assumptions about the job. If there's a phrase or term that you are not sure of, phone the contact listed on the application and ask about it. It's merit selection remember - you can make a fool of yourself by asking silly questions of your prospective boss and it won't matter. In fact, you'll probably be thought the better of for it. We know that government has its own language and won't think the less of you for asking for an interpretation.
7. And as part of that, DO phone the contact and check whether there is someone currently sitting in the job. This will show whether it is a true vacancy or whether it is a temporary position which has been made permanent. If it is the later, you have buckley's of getting the position (especially if the person has been sitting in it for 6 months or more) and may be better off directing your energies elsewhere. Though, there are many exceptions though - I recently didn't apply for a job because of this situation and the temp person ended up quitting. If you really want the job, go for it. You never know your luck. And it may be beneficial to go through a government interview even if you don't get the job (they're different from private practice as well).
8. DO use dot points and numbered responses. It makes it easier for the panel to find the relevant parts of your selection criteria in order to grade according to the weighting. (yes, each selection criteria is weighted and your answers are given a mark depending on how well you've answered the selection criteria. Regardless of who you are, how long you've been admitted, or how much experience you have, if you don't make the top 3 or 4 on this grading, you won't get an interview)
9. DON'T say you can do something just because you are a solicitor. Everyone who applies for the position will be either a solicitor or a barrister - it's a mandatory requirement remember? Tell us how you would do it, or when you've done it and achieved a good result. It may seem obvious, but you have to make sure you stand out.
10. DO get someone to proofread your selection criteria. Preferably someone in the public service who knows how these things work. There is nothing more annoying than finding a lot of obvious typos in someone's work. Or reading two pages which don't even come close to addressing the selecton criteria.
And just a last point - colour. Use it if you want to, but it won't make blind freddy's bit of difference for a government position. Merit review does not include whether we are impressed by your use of pretty diagrams, colour printing and/or paper. Save it for the private firms.
(/rant)
And on another note...
I'm the first (and so far only) naughty librarian. How proud am I!
And a couple of weird searches pull up my blog:
- Grant Hackett's favourite food (I come in 3rd) - why would anyone go looking for that? Weird. And even so, why would they click through to my blog?
- a couple of searches have pulled up me as the first hit if you are searching for tickets to Damien Rice in Brisbane at the Tivoli - for anyone looking for tickets that now comes here, they're only available at Ticketek.
- But this one was the weirdest. Because they seem to have gone looking for my blog. And clicked through to it. If you're one of my Brisbane friends reading this, when you know I don't want you to, then shame on you! *pouts*
Listening to: Machine Gun Fellatio - Paging Mr Strike
posted by OLS |
Tuesday, September 14, 2004 | 8:16 am
2 Comments:
*lol* It's probably how I found the site. But I don't specifically remember it, no. Sorry.
Well, the giant hopping mice taste bloody good on a steak mate. It's very lean meat - that's why all of the girls over here are skinny and blonde and live on the beach.
And the leiderhosen are only used in kinky sexual acts... not that I'd know that from personal experience of course.
As for the yodelling - that's mostly just Kylie Minogue.
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