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General information
Eligibility to Apply
To be eligible for employment, applicants must be Australian citizens.
Preparing your application
Before you consider applying for the position, read the Job Description and Selection Criteria. Also talk with the contact officer, ask question and find out what sources of information are available, eg. annual reports, policy statements, procedures etc. Other important information is available below.
Having done this, read the selection criteria again and ask yourself "Can I satisfy each essential criterion at the required level?". If the answer is yes, you should proceed with writing your application.
Writing your application
You may or may not be required to formally address the selection criteria. Each recruitment process is unique and you should consult the specific requirements set out in the position profile.
Where you are not required to formally address the selection criteria your Curriculum Vitae will need to demonstrate that you have the skills required.
Should you be required to formally address selection criteria use each selection criterion as a heading and provide an outline of your experience/abilities/skills against each criterion. It is not sufficient to make 'claims' as you need to demonstrate clearly that you satisfy the criterion to the level required. Only include relevant information, outlining your achievements against that particular criterion and give examples.
Your application should include the following to provide the Selection Committee with sufficient information to assess your claims:
- Completed Application Cover Sheet
- A covering letter which includes:
- the title and position number of the vacancy
- your contact details during business hours
- a brief paragraph summary of your suitability for the position
- Response addressing the selection criteria, if required
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) detailing personal details and work history
Your Curriculum Vitae should comprise a resume of personal particulars and an outline of your work history. The following is a suggested format:
- Full name and address
- Telephone number (contact number during business hours)
- Educational Qualifications (title, majors, date and institution where obtained or expected date of completion)
- Employment History (include dates, name of employer, position occupied, work area Section/Branch/Division) and a brief outline of the duties undertaken. The details should be in reverse chronological order, starting with your present position and working backwards. Be concise and only give relevant information about major responsibilities. It is not necessary to mention in detail jobs which were held for short periods unless the experience is relevant to the advertised position. However, please don't leave any unexplained gaps in your work history. If applicable, the past five years history will suffice.
Referee Reports
Names and telephone numbers for two (2) referees should be included on the completed Application Cover Sheet. The Contact Officer for the position, will be able to advise whether written references will be required and when they will need to be provided.
Ideally, the referee should be the applicant’s immediate supervisor. The referee will be required to comment on the applicants abilities against each selection criterion and can make general comments about the applicant's suitability for the advertised vacancy. If providing a written reference, both the referee and the applicant should sign this report.
The Selection Committee is aware that sometimes it is not possible for applicants to submit a referee's report from their current supervisor as this may compromise their current employment with that employer. However, any other information supporting the applicants claims should be submitted to assist with the shortlisting process. Please note, that nominated referees may be contacted before an offer is made to the successful applicant
Submitting the application
Your application should be submitted by the closing date as specified in the advertisement. It is the responsibility of the contact officer to decide whether to accept a late application and any enquiries in this regard should be directed to that person.
Applications will not be acknowledged on receipt. However, applicants short listed or unsuccessful after interview, will be advised.
Application cover sheets
To assist with the processing your application, you should complete this form and attach it to the front of your application. Information collected on this form will be treated confidentially and may be used for statistical purposes.
Applications will not be acknowledged on receipt. However, applicants short listed or unsuccessful after interview will be advised.
Applicants are advised that all positions are subject to either a Designated Security Assessment Position (DSAP) or a Position of Trust (POT) clearance.
Other important information:
Contact details
Applications should be sent via email, in Word 97 (or higher) compatible format.
The subject line of the email, should include the classification of the position and job/reference number of the position being applied for. Electronic applications should be sent to:
recruitment@innovation.gov.au OR
posted to:
The Recruitment Officer
Employment Services Section
Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
GPO Box 9839
CANBERA ACT 2601