Candidate Guide

State Services Authority 2013 INTAKE Contents

1. INTRODUCTION...... 3 2. RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND TIMELINES...... 4 3. SELECTION CRITERIA ASSESSED AT EACH STAGE OF THE PROCESS...... 5 4. ONLINE APPLICATION...... 6 5. ONLINE APTITUDE ASSESSMENTS...... 7 6. ASSESSMENT CENTRE...... 8 7. ACTIVITIES AT THE ASSESSMENT CENTRE...... 9 8. ORDER OF MERIT...... 15 9. DEPARTMENT AND AGENCY INTERVIEWS...... 15 10. VERBAL OFFER PROCESS...... 16 11. REFEREE CHECKS...... 16 12. FEEDBACK...... 16 13. VALUES...... 18 14. CAPABILITIES...... 19 15. CONTACT DETAILS...... 20

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 2 of 21 1. INTRODUCTION

The Victorian Public Service (VPS) Graduate Recruitment and Development Scheme (GRADS) is a generalist graduate program, which seeks to address future workforce needs through targeted attraction, recruitment and development of tertiary graduates with potential to establish long and productive careers with the VPS. The multifaceted and generalist focus of the VPS GRADS provides a valuable opportunity to establish a solid understanding of the VPS before taking up a specific role in the second year of employment. Specialist streams of the VPS GRADS run in conjunction with, and build upon the generalist VPS GRADS and offer opportunity to build on specialist expertise in Accounting and Finance, Economics or Law. Each year the VPS GRADS reviews its selection criteria to ensure selection in line with the purpose of the VPS GRADS and of individual recruiting managers. Applications for the 2013 intake of the VPS GRADS will be assessed on the following criteria:  Australian Working Rights  Has not received a redundancy from the VPS in the last three years  Will have a minimum of a three-year undergraduate degree by the end of 2012  Commitment to the Victorian Public Service  Agreement to undertake a Police Criminal Records Check  Conceptual and analytical ability  Teamwork  Initiative and accountability

 Flexibility  Verbal Communication

 Written Communication

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 3 of 21 2. RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND TIMELINES

Timelines Recruitment Process

Mon 27 Feb – Fri 30 March Online Applications Received Mon 5 March – Fri 13 April Online Applications assessed Wed 7 March – Wed 18 April Online assessments conducted

E From Mon 16 April Assessment Centres Booked N O Mon 23 April – Thurs 3 May Assessment Centres (Public holiday Wed 25 April) D

N Mon 7 – Wed 9 May Order of Merit compiled U

O Fri 25 May – Fri 1 June Department interviews scheduled R Mon 4 – Fri 22 June Round One Interviews (public holiday Mon 11 June) Feedback to candidates not progressed to Order of Merit who have Mon 4 – Fri 22 June asked to receive it Mon 25 – Fri 29 June Round One offer period Written Offer sent to applicant within two weeks Fri 13 July - Fri 20 July Department interviews scheduled Mon 23 July – Fri 3 Aug Round Two Interviews

O Tues 6 – Fri 10 Aug Round Two offer period W T

Feedback provided to candidates who attended an assessment D

N Mon 13 – Fri 17 Aug centre but were not included on the Order of Merit or have not

U attended an interview as requested O R Wed 15 – Mon 20 Aug Feedback provided to interviewed candidates Written Offer sent to applicant within two weeks of acceptance of verbal indication of intention to accept an offer

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 4 of 21 3. SELECTION CRITERIA ASSESSED AT EACH STAGE OF THE PROCESS

Online Department Assessment Centre Process s n o i t s e u q

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Commitment to VPS X X

Ability - Abstract/Conceptual X X

Teamwork X X

Initiative & Accountability X X

Flexibility X X

Verbal Communication X X

Written Communication X X

Education X

Technical Skills X X

Department/Agency values X

Additional Personal Qualities X

Additional Skills or Knowledge X

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 5 of 21 4. ONLINE APPLICATION

The online application is a very important part of the Victorian Public Service Graduate Recruitment and Development Scheme (VPS GRADS) recruitment process. This is your first opportunity to demonstrate your alignment with the eligibility and selection criteria. Not all candidates will progress past this initial phase. To do your best:  Commence your application well before the deadline. If you have questions or experience technology issues on the due date, you may not be able to resolve these quickly enough to lodge your application on time. Applications submitted after the stated deadline will not be considered.  Set aside at least 1.5 hours to complete your application. Take particular note of character limits in preparing responses as information you provide beyond these limits will not be considered.  We recommend that you prepare your responses in a word processing program, and then copy/paste them into your online application form. If you experience technical issues on the site, you may lose the information and need to start again.  Be sure to proof read your application. Your writing skills are assessed along with your responses.  If you are experiencing difficulty uploading documents, try saving the files in a different format or at a lower resolution. Remember, only your resume/CV and the transcript for your undergraduate degree or the qualification which qualifies you for the streams for which you are applying need to be uploaded. We will collect other documentation, such as transcripts for further qualifications and proof of eligibility, at the assessment centre if you progress to this stage.  Provide honest and accurate information as Integrity is a key value of the Victorian Public Service, and key responses will be confirmed at other stages in the process. Selection criteria assessed with the online application form are:  Commitment to public service

 Teamwork  Flexibility and

 Written communication

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 6 of 21 5. ONLINE APTITUDE ASSESSMENTS

Should your application progress to the next stage, you will be invited to complete two online aptitude assessments- Numerical Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning. These assessments use technology that adapts to your individual ability in these areas. If you respond correctly to an item, you will receive more challenging subsequent items. If you respond incorrectly to an item, the system will present items that are better aligned to your level of challenge. This type of testing enables us to obtain an accurate estimate of your underlying ability without asking you as many questions. However, it is important to keep the nature of these tests in mind as you may find them somewhat more challenging than other assessments as you will not be presented with items that are below your ability level. Strong candidates may tend to underestimate how well they have performed on these assessments. We administer these assessments because they help the Victorian Public Service predict how quickly you will learn new information during the graduate program and how effectively you will use information, sometimes in ambiguous situations, to solve problems. These assessments have been used with thousands of other graduate candidates within Australia, allowing us to compare your performance to that of your peers. As such, we are able to set benchmarks for these assessments in line with the capability required in these areas on the VPS GRADS. Benchmarks are currently set for each of these assessments at 50%. These means that only candidates who perform on both assessments as well as, or better than 50% of all Australian tertiary graduates who have undertaken the assessments will progress in the recruitment process. Each assessment is timed for 20 minutes. It is not expected that you will be able to complete all of the questions in the allotted time. Please ensure that you have at least 45 minutes set aside to allow time for reading instructions and viewing sample items. Selection criteria assessed with the online aptitude assessments are:  Abstract/conceptual ability

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 7 of 21 6. ASSESSMENT CENTRE

If your application progresses from online assessment, you'll be invited to attend a half-day session at an assessment centre.

6.1 What is an assessment centre?

The GRADS assessment centres use three different activities to assess your capability in relation to the selection criteria. For each selection criterion, you will be assessed in at least two different exercises. We understand that each individual has unique strengths, so the process is designed to provide each candidate with an opportunity to best demonstrate their capability. You’ll be asked to complete the following assessment activities:  a role play  a case study exercise  a behavioural interview (incorporating technical questions for Economist stream candidates) You will also have the opportunity to chat informally with VPS staff and past graduates during your half-day at the assessment centre.

Tips for assessment centres

 The assessment centre is not designed to catch you out. Try to relax, be yourself, and enjoy the activities.  Listen carefully to the instructions you are given. If you are unsure what to do, ask for clarification.  Be enthusiastic. Plan to have a good night’s sleep so your energy level is high.

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 8 of 21 7. ACTIVITIES AT THE ASSESSMENT CENTRE

Overall Assessment Centre Tips Remember:  Address all the issues/questions outlined in each activity.  Know the time limit for each activity.  Consider the selection criteria when framing your answers.  Gather information about assessment centres: visit websites, read printed material, talk to previous candidates or career advisers. Your career adviser will also be a great source of information for how to prepare for an assessment centre.  Do some basic reconnaissance, familiarise yourself with the location and such things as parking, public transport and security requirements.  Ensure you have the right start time.  Take the contact number in case of emergency.

7.1 Case Study

What happens? During the case study exercise you will be asked to prepare a short written document on a personal computer. Tips: Make sure that you read through the case study carefully and are sure of what it is asking you to do. Keep your response brief and to the point. Selection criteria assessed with the case study are: Abstract/Conceptual Ability and Written Communication An example of a case study used in a past assessment centre is available at the end of this section.

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 9 of 21 7.2 Group Role Play

What happens? In the group role play you will be asked to act out a work-based scenario in a pair and as part of a larger group. Tips: Make sure you read and listen to all instructions carefully, and keep in mind which selection criteria are being assessed. Play your role seriously and do your best to behave as you would if the situation were real. Selection criteria assessed in the role play are: Teamwork, Initiative/Accountability and Verbal Communication An example of a role play used in a past assessment centre is available at the end of this section.

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 10 of 21 7.3 Behavioural Interview

What happens? Your behavioural interview will be with one interviewer. (Economist candidates will have two additional interviewers present to incorporate technical questions.) In your behavioural interview you will be asked to respond to questions by describing things you have done in the past that are related to the selection criteria. You can draw on examples from all aspects of life, including work, volunteer and community work and university. Work-related examples are likely to be most relevant to your prospective work with the VPS. Voluntary or community work is considered relevant work experience, even though it is often unpaid. Extra-curricular university activities can also provide strong examples. Tips:  The interviewer wants you to do your best During the interview, s/he will ask you probing questions to help to clarify your responses.  Choose examples that highlight your strengths and focus on your own involvement in various situations (use ‘I’ rather than ‘we ’). Use the most recent examples possible.  Consider past experiences where you feel you have demonstrated the selection criteria before you attend the assessment centre to make it easier to provide examples during the interview.  Practice can be of real benefit. Engage in mock interviews with friends, colleagues, career advisers – anyone who is prepared to help.  Walk the interviewer through your response in a logical, sequential fashion. Structure your responses according to the STAR approach outlined below.  For the technical questions asked of candidates for the Economist stream, refresh yourself on key economic principles and practice applying these to topical issues affecting the state of Victoria. Using the STAR approach: Situation - A brief outline of the situation or setting - Who was involved? - What was your role? Task - What did you do? Action - How did you do it? Result - What was the outcome? - What feedback did you receive? Selection criteria assessed with the behavioural interview are: Commitment to VPS, Initiative/Accountability, Flexibility and Verbal Communication. Remember, departments will also conduct interviews should your application progress to this stage.

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 11 of 21 7.4 Sample Case Study

The Case Study evaluates:  abstract and conceptual capability;  written communication skills, and your  commitment to public service Task: You have 25 minutes to prepare a one page written brief for the Premier. Topic: Child Protection in the Department of Human Services focuses on the health, safety, development, learning and wellbeing of children, young people and families in Victoria. Child Protection Services is asking for additional funding to address the issues they face retaining Child Protection Workers, who are leaving the job at a rate of up to 50%. The Premier has asked for a briefing summarising the following:  current workforce retention issues surrounding the state of child protection services in Victoria; and  risks to government of not providing the funding to address these workforce issues.  How will government know if the additional funding has addressed the issues? In preparing your response to this case study, in-depth knowledge of the child protection area is not required.

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 12 of 21 7.5 Sample Role Play

The Group Role Play provides a means for us to evaluate your skills in:  verbal communication;  teamwork;  initiative and accountability;  interpersonal communication; and your  commitment to public service. The task: You have been appointed by your department to an interdepartmental advisory committee. The role of the committee is to provide advice to the Premier. As a group you have 30 minutes to be divided as follows:  A maximum of 10 minutes to divide into Departments and prepare within your Department  15–20 minutes for group discussion, including preparation of a presentation of the issues and advising Premier Baillieu how he might proceed; and  5 minutes to present to the Premier. Your role: Your role is to represent the needs and interests of your department. Each member of the group is to select one of the following Departments to represent. There will be two representatives from each Department: Department of Treasury & Finance (DTF) - The Department of Treasury & Finance provides advice to the Government on economic, financial and resource management, to increase the living standards of all Victorians and to support the Government in delivering a financially responsible and socially progressive policy platform. Department of Health (DOH) - DOH promotes and protects the health and wellbeing of all Victorians through the public hospital system, community health services, ambulance services, and dental services. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) - DEECD brings together a range of learning and development services for Victorian children, young people and adults. Department of Planning & Community Development (DPCD) - DPCD is responsible for managing the state’s planning system and building stronger communities. Department of Justice (DOJ) - DOJ helps to build friendly, confident, safe communities and a fairer society. Background information The Victorian Public Service (VPS) has identified a number of issues facing Victoria over the next five years. These are:  Managing the diversity of the Victorian population  Improving delivery of health services in Victoria  Delivering quality education to rural & regional Victoria  Supporting Victorian communities to build safer environments The Premier has asked the VPS to consider these issues in relation to the public sector workforce and to provide a briefing discussing the relative priorities of these issues and to recommend the most appropriate way to address them during the current term. The VPS has set up an Advisory Committee to: 1. discuss and evaluate the issues; and 2. recommend relative priorities for the current term. The Advisory Committee is made up of senior advisers from the five Government departments listed above.

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 13 of 21 7.6 Sample Interview Question

Initiative /Accountability: Tell me about a time you saw an opportunity and drove it forward.  How did you spot the opportunity?  How did you decide whether to pursue the opportunity or not?  What was the outcome? Sample technical question for candidates applying to the Economist stream:  Can you explain what a public good is, why the government may provide public goods and give an example? Remember that the assessors want you to do well – they have spent considerable time screening applicants and have identified you as a potential graduate. They will be looking for confirmation that you have the skills and values to be successful in their department or agency. Be enthusiastic and energised.

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 14 of 21 8. ORDER OF MERIT

If you are assessed as meeting all of the GRADS selection criteria after the assessment centre, you will be placed on an order of merit. This list ranks successful candidates according to their overall performance in relation to the selection criteria. Candidates on the Order of Merit will be considered for department interviews for the VPS GRADS. Candidates can remain on the Order of Merit until the end of 2012. If your application progresses to the Order of Merit and you no longer wish to be considered for the VPS GRADS, please inform the VPS GRADS Recruitment Team immediately and withdraw your application by logging on to www.graduates.vic.gov.au.

9. DEPARTMENT AND AGENCY INTERVIEWS

You may be invited to attend one or more interviews with individual departments and agencies.  First round department and agency interviews will be conducted between Monday the 4th June – Friday 22nd June.  Second round interviews will be conducted between Monday 23rd July – Friday 3rd August. 1.1 About the interviews

Department and agency interviews are the final face-to-face step in the application process and the point at which departments and agencies select candidates. The format and duration of interviews varies according to department or agency. Before each interview, you’ll be briefed by a member of the VPS GRADS Recruitment team on the interview style, structure, and expected duration. You will also be provided with a position description for the ongoing role to which the department or agency is recruiting.

Hints and tips for interviews

 Always consider the selection criteria when framing your answers.  Re-read the questions and your answers from your application before attending an interview.  Make sure you have examples of previous experiences and activities that will demonstrate your level of capability against each criterion.  Make notes and bring them with you to jog your memory.  Find out as much as you can about the department or agency, including its role and responsibilities – a good place to start is the department web site, but media archives are an excellent source of information, too.  Use the STAR approach to answer questions: describe the situation (outline), the task (what you did), the action (how) and the result (the outcome).

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 15 of 21 10. VERBAL OFFER PROCESS

Should more than one department or agency wish to offer you a place on the GRADS, you will be provided with all offers in that round at the same time so that you are able to choose which offer you would like to accept. If you receive one offer, you will have up to 24 hours to indicate your intention to accept. If you receive two or more offers, you will have up to 48 hours to make a decision. Remember that, if successful, you will be employed by that particular department. You will begin the Graduate Recruitment and Development Scheme with this home department before rotating to placements in two other departments. You will return to this home department on completion of the twelve month scheme to an ongoing role.

11. REFEREE CHECKS

Interviewing departments or agencies may complete referee checks as part of their process. If this is the case, referee details will need to be provided to the department(s) or agency(ies) at interview. You should not be concerned about this stage in the process as long as you have presented accurate information and demonstrated behaviours as your referees will describe them. When selecting referees, please consider the opportunity that they have had to observe your performance in relation to the selection criteria for the VPS GRADS (i.e. Commitment to VPS, Abstract/Conceptual Ability, Teamwork, Initiative & Accountability, Flexibility and your Verbal and Written communication skills). Referees may be employers, individuals with whom you have worked in a volunteer or extra-curricular capacity, professors or instructors,. Please do not provide family friends as referees. Referees need to be able to provide detailed information about your performance in relation to the criteria outlined above. We understand that some large corporations have policies against participating in referee checks. The best way to make sure that your nominated referees will be able to provide the required information, and a step you should always take, is to ask individuals you are considering listing as referees if they feel that they will be able to provide the required information. You might tell them: “I’m planning to apply for a graduate role with the Victorian Public Service. Given the high level of competition for these roles, one step in the VPS process is to talk with referees to confirm what they have learned about me. If contacted, they would be asking you questions about my teamwork, initiative, and other strengths and areas for development. In total, the process should not take more than 10 minutes. Would you feel comfortable answering questions like that about my performance at ______?”

12. FEEDBACK

Should you not receive an offer for the 2013 VPS GRADS, feedback will be available if you would like to receive it, regardless of which stage of the process your application was unsuccessful. Feedback will take place in June for candidates who did not progress to the Order of Merit. Feedback will also be offered to candidates at the end of August, once all offers for positions from rounds one and two have been finalised for those candidates who progressed to the Order of Merit and were not successful in gaining a department interview.

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 16 of 21 Feedback will be provided in relation to the selection criteria you demonstrated well and the selection criteria you did not demonstrate well during this process.

Please keep in mind that there is no pass/fail in considering applications for the VPS GRADS. Our recruitment process is designed to assist us with selecting the applicants who best meet our selection criteria. Should you not meet all of our selection criteria, you may not find working with the VPS suited to your skills and values, or you may be better suited to other areas of the VPS where specialised skills are considered with a greater weighting than the generic skills assessed for the VPS GRADS. We will also be keen to hear your feedback. A survey will be distributed via email around September 2012. We consider the results of this survey when making annual improvements to the process. 12.1 What do we look for in our graduate recruits?

We recruit outstanding, motivated graduates who want to contribute to Victoria's future. Apart from your academic record, we consider the whole person when assessing applicants- your values, work experience, involvement in extra-curricular activities (for example, as a volunteer or in sport), and other community interests. We are looking for graduates who want to contribute to Victoria's community with the values and capabilities defined on the following pages.

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 17 of 21 13. VALUES

Commitment to VPS  Giving to (volunteer work, community work)  Examples (demonstrate their understanding)  Future (commitment to VPS)  Skills and knowledge they bring (skills transferable into the VPS) Responsiveness  Providing frank, impartial and timely advice to the Government  Providing high quality services to the Victorian community  Identifying and promoting best practice Integrity  Being honest, open and transparent in dealings  Using powers responsibly  Reporting improper conduct  Avoiding real or apparent conflicts of interest  Striving to earn and sustain public trust at the highest level Impartiality  Making decisions and providing advice on merit without bias, caprice, favouritism or self-interest  Acting fairly by objectively considering all relevant facts and applying fair criteria  Implementing Government policies and programs equitably Accountability  Working to clear objectives in a transparent manner  Accepting responsibility for decisions and actions  Seeking to achieve best use of resources  Submitting to appropriate scrutiny Respect  Treating others fairly and objectively  Ensuring freedom from discrimination, harassment and bullying  Using views to improve outcomes on an ongoing basis Leadership  Actively implementing, promoting and supporting these values Human Rights

 Public Officials should also respect and promote the human rights set out in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 by: o Making decisions and providing advice consistent with human rights o Actively implementing, promoting and supporting human rights

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 18 of 21 14. CAPABILITIES

Abstract Ability

 Deals with concepts and complexity comfortably  Uses analytical and conceptual skills to reason through problems  Has creative ideas and projects how these could link to innovations Teamwork

 Co-operates and works well with others in the pursuit of team goals  Collaborates and shares information  Shows consideration/concern and respect for others feelings  Accommodates and works well with different working styles of others  Encourages resolution of conflict within a group Written Communication

 Uses clear, concise & grammatically correct language  Organises information in a logical sequence  Ensures written communication contains necessary information to achieve its purpose  Uses appropriate style and format Verbal Communication

 Clearly explains information and listens to feedback  Uses a polite and considerate manner when dealing with others  Confidently conveys ideas and information in a clear and interesting way  Understands and meets the needs of target audiences  Sees things from others points of view and confirms understanding Initiative/Accountability

 Proactive and self-starting  Seizes opportunities and acts upon them  Takes responsibility for own actions

Flexibility

 Has strategies and mechanisms for adapting to change and/or stress  Is open to new ideas  Accepts changed priorities without undue discomfort

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 19 of 21  Recognises the merits of different options and acts accordingly

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 20 of 21 CONTACT DETAILS Please contact the VPS GRADS Recruitment team on the below contact details for any further enquiries: Ph: 1300 662 930 Email: [email protected] Please note that when calling the 1300 number you may need to leave a message for the VPS GRADS Recruitment team. If so, your call will be returned within a 24 hour period (during business days) of the message being left.

Candidate Recruitment Guide for 2013 Intake Page 21 of 21