Australian Taxation Office – training course

The Australian Taxation Office is offering a training course to their APS 2 / 3 level staff.

The half day course, “Applying & Presenting for the Job Interview” is designed to shed some light and provide some guidance in

1. How to prepare an application that properly addresses position selection criteria.
2. How to prepare for the job interview
3. How to present at the interview and appear confident

The first pilot course, April 8 was at the ATO Moonee Ponds office, and the second pilot course on April 11 at the ATO Penrith office. This page is offered as a forum where course participants can share some of their interview experiences, and in turn help others to learn how they might be able to navigate their way through the APS and public sector selection process.

For many positions within the APS, applicants are requested to provide concrete examples of when they have displayed behaviours or capabilities that are defined within selection criteria. The training in the ATO has helped to clarify for some staff what a good example “looks like” and how they can best incorporate the requirement for “STAR”  within their application response. The STAR formula includes ….

1. ST – the description of the situation or task (for example, the problem that you faced)

2. A – description of the actions you took, or the methods you applied to deal with the situation

3. R – describing the results you successfully achieved, or the lesson that you learned (if the outcome was not a good one)

• APS Leadership Capability Framework

A very useful resource site for APS staff is http://www.apsc.gov.au/ils/index.html 

The site explains the APS Leadership model that is designed to assist agencies and individuals to address their particular requirements for leadership, management and technical expertise. The five leadership capabilities are ….

1. Supports strategic direction
2. Achieves results
3. Supports productive working relationships
4. Displays personal drive and integrity
5. Communicates with influence

The site spells out for each APS and also SES level, the extent to which the leadership capabilities are expected to be displayed by staff applying for these position levels. I would recommend that any APS staff member who is preparing for a job interview familiarise themselves with this leadership framework – and expect that some interview questions will very likely address aspects of these leadership capabilities.

• Victorian Public Service Career Opportunities

Another very useful resource site that lists vacancies within the Victorian  public sector is located at http://www.careers.vic.gov.au/vacancies/

• Local Government Job Vacancies

Another level of public sector employment opportunity is in local government, and a useful resource site is located at the Municipal Association of Victoria, which lists links to the “Job Vacancies”  section of the websites of all local councils in Victoria. The link is http://www.mav.asn.au/CA256C2B000B597A/page/Council+Information-Local+Government+Employment-Council+Job+Opportunities?OpenDocument&1=20-Council+Information~&2=30-Local+Government+Employment~&3=20-Council+Job+Opportunities~