The NSW Government is Australia’s largest employer. We have jobs available in many different agencies and locations.
We focus on your capabilities, experience, strengths and potential. Not on your gender, race, age, religious beliefs, sexuality or personal commitments.
You can learn a lot about our workforce in the annual State of the NSW Public Sector report. This has details on our size and shape and our people – where we work, where we live, how old we are. You can also learn about the actions we are taking to achieve a world-class public service.
Here you can find out about:
Where to look for jobs
I work for NSW is the official NSW Government jobs board. Here you will find jobs in metropolitan and regional areas in NSW. You can set up your profile and get email alerts for jobs. You can also download the I work for NSW app.
We use targeted advertising to attract candidates from different groups such as:
- graduates and trainees
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples
- people with disability
- people from a specific profession.
You will usually link to I work for NSW or the hiring agency’s website to complete and submit your application.
Things to consider when looking for jobs
We want you to find a job that matches with your passions and interests. Think about these, along with your skills and experience, to decide which jobs are right for you.
To help you find your ideal job, here is some information about recruitment in the NSW Public Service:
- Merit – the basis of recruitment and selection
- Understanding job ads
- Flexible working
- Talent pools
- Mobility and career development
Merit – the basis of recruitment and selection
The NSW Public Service recruits on the basis of merit. This means that the person selected is best suited to the job requirements and the needs of the agency.
Sometimes we target a specific group to fill a job. For example, people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This helps us build a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Merit still applies to all candidates – it’s the pool that is different.
We use different assessments to give you every chance to show us you suit the job and its context. We choose who gets the job from all the information we have collected.
Some example of assessments include:
- video and face-to-face interviews
- cognitive ability assessments
- work sample activities
Understanding jobs ads
The job ad has a lot of important information including some things you might not be familiar with. We describe employment based on its duration:
- Ongoing employment – jobs where there is no end date.
- Term employment – jobs for senior executives that are for a limited time or purpose.
- Temporary employment – jobs for non-executives that are for a limited time or purpose.
- Casual employment – jobs for non-executives that may:
- be short-term
- have irregular hours
- have no guarantee of hours
- have no paid sick leave or annual leave
- end without notice.
The job ad has information about:
- the hiring agency
- the job
- what we are looking for in the ideal candidate
- how to apply.
The job’s contact person can help you with any further information you need.
Flexible working
The NSW Government commits to flexible working for all roles. Options available often depend on the job requirements. Flexible working means making a change to when you work, where you work or how to arrange your work. Options for flexible working are things like:
- adjusting start and finish times
- working remotely
- job share
- part-time work.
The job ad may mention options for flexible working. Otherwise, speak to the job’s contact person about options or opportunities.
Talent pools
You may see a job ad for a talent pool. A talent pool is where we pre-assess assess candidates to fill jobs later on. These are established through a regular recruitment process.
You may also gain a place in a talent pool if you are not the successful candidate for a job. You need to meet the job requirements during the assessment process for this.
We register you with a talent pool and may contact you when a relevant job comes up. Although not a guarantee of a job, a talent pool can be a good pathway into the Public Service. The NSW Public Service talent pools website has more information. You can sign-up for alerts for when talent pools open.
Mobility and career development
We use the term mobility when employees move jobs within the NSW Government.
When you are in a job, you may express your interest in other jobs. These could be at the same or higher level or within the same agency or in a different agency.
These are ways to broaden your skills and experience and develop your career. They also help agencies to respond to changing priorities.