Our recruitment processes help you to show how you are the person best suited to the job and the agency.

Here we explain the stages of a typical recruitment process.

Our recruitment processes generally involve the following stages.

1. Application
2. Assessments
3. Referee Checks
4. Pre-employment checks
5. Selection decision
6. Employment Offer
7. Talent Pool
    

Stage 1 – Application

The application is a chance for you to show how your skills, knowledge and abilities are suited to the job. 

The job ad and information package will give you instructions on what to put in your application. You will usually submit:

• a cover letter detailing why you are right for the job
• an up-to-date resume listing your work experience and other relevant information
• a short response to one or two targeted questions.

It is good practice to tailor these to the role you are applying for.

We ask you to enter your personal details in the application form. You can choose to share diversity information such as your gender, if you have disability, or if you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. 

Sometimes we will ask you to do an online task as part of pre-screening. This may be a video interview, ability test or other task. If you have disability, talk to us if you need an adjusted or alternative assessment. You will not be disadvantaged by requesting an adjustment.

You may not progress to the next stage even if you believe you meet the requirements. This could be for different reasons. Most often it is because the candidate field is strong.

Make sure you submit your application on time!

Essential requirements

We may ask if you meet an essential requirement for the job. This is something you must have, otherwise you cannot progress. These are usually things like:

• holding a qualification
• having a driver's licence when driving is a key part of the job.

Adjustments to assessments for people with disability

We offer adjusted or alternative assessments for people with disability. If you need an adjustment let us know and we will talk to you about how we can best meet your needs.

You can ask for adjustments at any stage. Talk to the job’s contact person or hiring manager to ensure adjustments are right for you. 

Stage 2 – Assessments

After we review all applications we will let you know if you will progress to the assessment stage.

Assessment processes are often different. We structure them according to:

• the type of job
• number of jobs available
• number of people who may apply.

Here are some general points:

• You will do at least 3 assessments for ongoing employment. There may be 2 assessments for short-term jobs.

• You may do assessments one at a time or multiple assessments in one session.
• You will always do an interview – this could be face-to-face, online or by video.
• You may do other assessments like work samples and ability tests.
• You may not progress through every stage of the assessment process.
• You can ask for an adjusted or alternative assessment if you have disability. We aim to provide barrier-free assessments.

Once we finish all assessment activities, we compare candidates.

Stage 3 – Referee checks

If you are one of the candidates most suited to the job, we will contact your referees. These help us to find out a bit more about your past performance and confirm your claims for the job.

We will ask you to consent to us contacting your referees before we do the checks. It’s worth contacting them at this point to:

• let them know you have progressed through the assessments
• make sure they will do the check
• send them the role description to help them talk about how your previous work relates to the job.

Stage 4 – Pre-employment checks

We need to do screening checks to confirm certain things about you. These may include:

• working with children checks
• criminal history checks
• employment history checks
• qualification checks
• confirming your right to work in Australia.

We will tell you about the checks that apply to the job.

We will ask you to consent to these checks before we do them.

Stage 5 – Selection decision

We use all the information we collect to compare candidates and make our decision.

We will tell you if you are successful or not or we may offer you a place in a talent pool.

If you are the successful candidate, well done! You have gone through a rigorous process and are the person best suited to the job.

Missing out on the job

If you miss out on the job, we encourage you to keep looking and applying.

Some things that might help you get a job in the NSW Public Service in the future include:

• Ask for feedback. This is a good way to find out:
  • your strengths and opportunities
  • areas to focus on in the future
  • different approaches you could take
  • your capabilities, knowledge and experience compared to the successful candidate.

• Think about how you can perform better in the assessments.
• Get some career advice, training or mentoring to help you:
  • write your application and resume
  • identify jobs suited to your skill set
  • help develop your capabilities
  • assist with interview and other assessment techniques.
• Refine your personal brand so you are clear on what you have to offer.
• Relate how your skills, experience and passion relate to the specific job.

Stage 6 – Employment offer

If you are the successful candidate, we will:

• contact you to make sure you want the job
• discuss and agree on the conditions of your employment
• ask you if you need workplace adjustments to help you do the job
• talk about other arrangements like flexible working
• make you a formal offer of employment (in writing).

Stage 7 – Talent pool

Even if you are not the successful candidate, we may offer you a place in a talent pool.

If you gain a place in a talent pool, well done! This means you have met the job requirements and we can consider you for similar jobs for up to 18 months.

 

Our recruitment processes help you to show how you are the person best suited to the job and the agency.

Here we explain the stages of a typical recruitment process.

Our recruitment processes generally involve the following stages.

1. Application
2. Assessments
3. Referee Checks
4. Pre-employment checks
5. Selection decision
6. Employment Offer
7. Talent Pool
    

Stage 1 – Application

The application is a chance for you to show how your skills, knowledge and abilities are suited to the job. 

The job ad and information package will give you instructions on what to put in your application. You will usually submit:

• a cover letter detailing why you are right for the job
• an up-to-date resume listing your work experience and other relevant information
• a short response to one or two targeted questions.

It is good practice to tailor these to the role you are applying for.

We ask you to enter your personal details in the application form. You can choose to share diversity information such as your gender, if you have disability, or if you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. 

Sometimes we will ask you to do an online task as part of pre-screening. This may be a video interview, ability test or other task. If you have disability, talk to us if you need an adjusted or alternative assessment. You will not be disadvantaged by requesting an adjustment.

You may not progress to the next stage even if you believe you meet the requirements. This could be for different reasons. Most often it is because the candidate field is strong.

Make sure you submit your application on time!

Essential requirements

We may ask if you meet an essential requirement for the job. This is something you must have, otherwise you cannot progress. These are usually things like:

• holding a qualification
• having a driver's licence when driving is a key part of the job.

Adjustments to assessments for people with disability

We offer adjusted or alternative assessments for people with disability. If you need an adjustment let us know and we will talk to you about how we can best meet your needs.

You can ask for adjustments at any stage. Talk to the job’s contact person or hiring manager to ensure adjustments are right for you. 

Stage 2 – Assessments

After we review all applications we will let you know if you will progress to the assessment stage.

Assessment processes are often different. We structure them according to:

• the type of job
• number of jobs available
• number of people who may apply.

Here are some general points:

• You will do at least 3 assessments for ongoing employment. There may be 2 assessments for short-term jobs.

• You may do assessments one at a time or multiple assessments in one session.
• You will always do an interview – this could be face-to-face, online or by video.
• You may do other assessments like work samples and ability tests.
• You may not progress through every stage of the assessment process.
• You can ask for an adjusted or alternative assessment if you have disability. We aim to provide barrier-free assessments.

Once we finish all assessment activities, we compare candidates.

Stage 3 – Referee checks

If you are one of the candidates most suited to the job, we will contact your referees. These help us to find out a bit more about your past performance and confirm your claims for the job.

We will ask you to consent to us contacting your referees before we do the checks. It’s worth contacting them at this point to:

• let them know you have progressed through the assessments
• make sure they will do the check
• send them the role description to help them talk about how your previous work relates to the job.

Stage 4 – Pre-employment checks

We need to do screening checks to confirm certain things about you. These may include:

• working with children checks
• criminal history checks
• employment history checks
• qualification checks
• confirming your right to work in Australia.

We will tell you about the checks that apply to the job.

We will ask you to consent to these checks before we do them.

Stage 5 – Selection decision

We use all the information we collect to compare candidates and make our decision.

We will tell you if you are successful or not or we may offer you a place in a talent pool.

If you are the successful candidate, well done! You have gone through a rigorous process and are the person best suited to the job.

Missing out on the job

If you miss out on the job, we encourage you to keep looking and applying.

Some things that might help you get a job in the NSW Public Service in the future include:

• Ask for feedback. This is a good way to find out:
  • your strengths and opportunities
  • areas to focus on in the future
  • different approaches you could take
  • your capabilities, knowledge and experience compared to the successful candidate.

• Think about how you can perform better in the assessments.
• Get some career advice, training or mentoring to help you:
  • write your application and resume
  • identify jobs suited to your skill set
  • help develop your capabilities
  • assist with interview and other assessment techniques.
• Refine your personal brand so you are clear on what you have to offer.
• Relate how your skills, experience and passion relate to the specific job.

Stage 6 – Employment offer

If you are the successful candidate, we will:

• contact you to make sure you want the job
• discuss and agree on the conditions of your employment
• ask you if you need workplace adjustments to help you do the job
• talk about other arrangements like flexible working
• make you a formal offer of employment (in writing).

Stage 7 – Talent pool

Even if you are not the successful candidate, we may offer you a place in a talent pool.

If you gain a place in a talent pool, well done! This means you have met the job requirements and we can consider you for similar jobs for up to 18 months.