Civil Service Hiring Process

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Civil Service Hiring Process

The Civil Service utilises multiple recruitment channels. As such there are hiring programs put in place to select candidates from a wide range of backgrounds from Non-Graduates to Experienced Professionals. So don’t be overly concerned that you may not be qualified for a civil serve job.

Each department within the Civil Service is ultimately responsible for advertising and hiring for open positions. As such, the hiring process can vary a little from one department to the next. Therefore it is important to follow up with the department you are applying to. The best way to find out about the vacancies available is to select the department you’re interested in and contact them directly.

For Civil Service Department Information visit: Civil Service Departments

STAGE 1 – APPLICATION SIFT

Application forms can be obtained directly from the recruiting department. In most cases, an online application can be submitted. Take considerable care when presenting your experience as it is important to clearly demonstrate a good fit for the position described in the post.

STAGE 2 – STANDARDIZED TESTS

If you successfully pass the application sift, you may be required to take a set of pre-employment standardized tests. In most cases more than one test is used to screen numerous candidates. It is important to be prepared for these tests as more than 80% of the candidates are rejected in the testing stage.

You can view sample tests at: CivilServicePrep/SampleTests

STAGE 3 – ASSESSMENT CENTRE

The assessment centre is used to evaluate the remaining candidates and is typically a two-day event. During the assessment stage candidates will be challenged in a number of work-related exercises, including presentations, role-play, and group activities.

STAGE 4 – PANEL INTERVIEWS

The final stage of the recruitment process will consist of panel interviews. Here candidates will be challenged to respond to behavioural and knowledge based questions from multiple members of staff.

Key Information

There is standard information that must be input into the applications. The screening tools used to filter job applicants are very specific. Often they perform word search filters to determine if applicants possess the requisites for the job. When applying for positions, make sure you use the specific words for which they ask in their job descriptions. Being overly creative could cause your application to be overlooked.

For example, if the position for which you are applying requires accounting experience, state very clearly that you have “Accounting Experience”. Adding detail is fine, but make sure you don’t obscure the key requisites for which they are searching.

First you have to select the job for which you are interested in applying. It is important to make sure you have the relevant experience and education. You can post your information, resume, cover letter and career objective online. Once you have officially applied for a position, it normally takes a month until you are notified. The hiring process can become a lengthy process. It is important to remain focused and prepared for each stage of the hiring process.