Government Vacancies
December 8th, 2006 by Jennine
Recently I’ve been receiving applications for an Administration position within our department. A lot of the applications have been acceptable but many have been below par. There is a specific way of applying for Government positions and I don’t think the general public is aware of how important it is that the Essential and Desirable criteria are met.
Tip One - Format
The format to address the criteria should be as follows:
- Essential Criteria
- Heading 1 eg 9.1 Proven experience using office equipment
- Dot point your response using examples to back up any statements
Make sure that the answers are clear and concise. The application will be graded out of five for each response so make sure that you have fully covered the answer. The panel will be looking for an easy to read application so essay format is not ideal and important information may be overlooked.
Also, the panel would prefer an in-depth example detailing all the information relevant to the criteria as opposed to many examples that cover the criteria but with no background information.
Tip Two - Criteria
Make sure you meet all the essential criteria before applying. If you only meet half the criteria then you won’t get an interview. It is called Essential Criteria because this is what is required of the person occupying the position before training begins. The Desirable Criteria is what they would like the new employee to know, but will only be counted if there is a tie on the score. If two or more people get the same score after applications and interviews are assessed then the panel will go to the Desirable Criteria to decide the successful candidate.
Tip Three - Information
Provide as much relevant information as possible when submitting an application. The panel has to assess your application without bias. So even if you have worked for the Department for two months and have learnt the majority of the position unless you include this information in your application they can’t take that into account. The best way to do an application is to think they know absolutely nothing about you, you are meeting them for the first time and you have to sell your skills, knowledge and abilities to them. Talk up your strengths and play down your weaknesses.
Tip Four - Keywords
- Knowledge - must have an understanding about that particular topic
- Experience- must have done this particular chore previously
- Ability - must be able to do a particular chore
- Demonstrated/Proven - must be able to provide an example of knowledge, experience or ability
I hope this clears up some misconceptions about applying for Government jobs. If in doubt don’t hesitate to contact me with your application and I’ll have a look and give you feedback.
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