Imagine dropping off your resume for the job of your dreams and the next morning being called into an interview where the boss spends time with you learning about your education, experience and what kind of person you are. After that, you are introduced to the rest of the team so you can spend time with them and learn about the job and expectations. By the end of the morning, the boss has decided you have the right experience and skills and the team has decided you are the right fit and you are in love with the job and the team and with a handshake you are offered the position and start on Monday.
Wait a minute …….
That is NOT how the federal government hiring process works!
The Canadian federal government hiring process is a lot different than what most people expect. First, the hiring process is more commonly called a competition…. And a competition it certainly is. Once you have gone through a few processes without being successful…. it will start to feel like you’re competing in Tough Mudder or the Spartan Race (for those not familiar, think Olympics and Marine basic training combined!). And just like those types of competitions, you need to know what to expect and how to prepare for it, in order to get to the finish line.
In order for people to be hired into a federal government position they need to meet essential and, in some instances, asset qualifications which are set out in the job poster (and did I mention the job poster can be 3 to 5 pages long?). These qualifications usually include items such as education, knowledge, experience, skills & abilities, personal suitabilities and competencies. Interpreting the job poster and understanding exactly what is meant by the essential and asset qualifications is key to preparing for a competition.
Normally competitions have 4 stages:
• Application;
• Written exam;
• Interview; and
• Reference check
These stages can vary widely, depending on the department and the job you are applying for. For instance, applying to be an astronaut (Yes, you can apply to be an astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency) is much different than applying for a policy analyst or program management position. So in some cases the written exam may be a ‘open book / take home’ exam while others will be a generic public service exam that you take in a classroom setting or there may be no written exam, for instance in Executive level competitions. Similarly with the interview stage, most will be structured interviews, but some may also include a role play simulation, such as with the Simulations for the Selection of Executives (SELEX). And even reference checks can vary, with some being a conversation with select managers or supervisors, while others are written and can include subordinates and even client or stakeholder references.
And did I mention how long a competition can take or how many people you might be competing against? Competitions can be long and take months to complete (I have personally been in a competition that took over 18 months to complete!) and depending on the job you are applying for and the area of selection (local or national) you may be competing against hundreds of people for a single job.
Already feeling hard, isn’t it? Competing for a federal government job is not for the faint of heart, but it is absolutely worth the effort. So what do you do….?
Just like with the Tough Mudder or Spartan Race, you train. You learn everything you can about what to expect and you start preparing. And when the going gets tough and you can’t get to the next level on your own, whether it is the management or director level or maybe it is just getting your foot in the door. You find someone who has been there, who understands the ropes and can give you the information you need to get to the finish line……
……Now imagine setting up alerts so that the federal government jobs you want, in the location you want, at the salary you want, gets sent to your inbox every day. And when you receive the job poster you have a resume ready that you customize for the position you are applying for. Your cover letter format is ready to go and with little effort you put together an application package that assures you get screened into the competition.
Based on the job poster you know exactly how to prepare for the written exam. You have your notes at the ready and your internet tools and references at your fingertips so that when the exam lands in your inbox you finish with time to spare and it is a breeze. Now you move on to the interview stage.
Again based on the job poster you know exactly how to prepare for the interview. You have created your library of experiences, have done your departmental research and understand the competencies being assessed and have focussed on your preparation so that you will be at ease during the interview no matter what is thrown your way.
Whew….. Now you can relax because you nailed the interview and you know you have picked the right group of references who will focus on your key competencies and strengths and make you look good….. no great.
You have CRUSHED THE COMPETITION……
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