PSC POLICY INSTRUMENT
INTERPRETATION WORKSHOP
Recruitment & Selection
May / June 2011
Today’s workshop
• Welcome
• Housekeeping
• Workshop Objectives
• Workshop Program
Program
• Recruitment and selection instruments
• Role descriptions
• Before advertising
• Advertising
• Assessment, selection and feedback
Recruitment and selection
instruments
Purpose of recruitment & selection
• To get:
The right person with the skills, knowledge
and organisational fit needed to succeed in
the role in its current context.
Basis for determining the right person
• Public Service Act 2008
– Merit Principle (ss27 – 29)
• Directive (ss47 -55 Act)
– Type of ruling
– Binding
• Agency Policies
Resources
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Good practice recruitment and selection
resources
• Case studies
Role descriptions
Directive 1/10: Recruitment & Selection – clause 7.2
Role descriptions
• Directive requirements
– Context
– Key duties
– Key attributes for assessment
– Mandatory qualifications
– Pre-employment checks
– Lobbyist disclosure
Context & duties
• Opportunity to focus on what is needed in
the role in its current context.
• Start of the assessment planning process.
Key attributes for assessment
• The basis on which merit is determined
• Reflects core CLF capabilities (or similar)
• Clear, relevant and assessable
Before advertising
Before advertising
• Priority Placement Employees (PPEs)
– Directive 14/09 Placement of employees
following machinery-of-government changes
or service delivery reform
• Employees Requiring Placement (ERPs)
– Directive 12/09 Employment Arrangements
following workplace change
Before advertising
• Considerations
– Exemptions (generally)
• R&S Directive provides exemptions from
Advertising [see s7.6 (a)]
• Example: Progressional scheme for X
officers in X Department
Exemptions from advertising
Directive 1/10: Recruitment and Selection – clause 7.6(b)
• CEO’s can exempt a vacancy from advertising.
• Where proceeding WILL result in either:
– Significant detriment to achievement of
service delivery outcomes; or
– Unfair treatment of an employee.
Appointing a temporary employee
to tenured status
- Advertised according directive, and
- Undertaken the role for a continuous period of
at least one year, and
- Performance of a sufficiently high standard, and
- PPEs have been considered.
Appointing a temporary
employee to tenured status
Scenario
A temporary position was advertised in scientific
journals/websites but not on Smart Jobs. This
position is now required for the long term. Can
they direct appoint the temporary employee in
the position?
Direct Appointment (higher duties)
• Undertaken the role for one of the preceding two
years, and
• Performance of a sufficiently high standard, and
• Advertised according to Directive.
Direct Appointment (higher level)
Scenario
An employee has been on maternity leave
for 14 months in the last 2 years – does
this exclude her from direct appointment in
the higher duties position?
Direct Appointment (reclassification)
• Undertaken the role for one of the preceding two
years, and
• Performance of a sufficiently high standard, and
• Substantive occupant, and
• Reclassification only one level higher, and
• Not previously direct appointed in role.
Direct Appointment (reclassification)
Scenario
An employee is appointed to a role which
has been reclassified 2 classification
levels above their substantive position –
does this exclude them from direct
appointment?
Reporting
Directive 1/10: Recruitment and Selection - clause 7.17
• Annual reporting.
• Audit requirement to keep records for at
least three years.
Recurring vacancies
Directive 1/10: Recruitment and Selection - clause 7.7
• Same or similar vacancies up to 12 months.
• Must specify the similar roles in Advertising example:
• Recurring Vacancy for Project Officer – X role –
AO5 in Unit X
• Specifies can be appointed to Project Officer – Y
role – AO5 – Unit Y / Unit Z
Advertising
Specified advertising
Directive 1/10: Recruitment and Selection - clause 7.5
• Invitation to individuals / groups of
employees to apply for a particular
vacancy.
Targeted advertising
Directive 1/10: Recruitment and Selection - clause 7.4
• Limits applicants to those employed by the
agency or specified other agencies.
Lapsing vacancies
Directive 1/10: Recruitment and Selection – clause 7.3(d)
• 12 months from close of vacancy to make
a permanent appointment
Assessment, selection and
feedback
Merit criteria
Public Service Act 2008 - Section 28
Must take into account:
• abilities, aptitude, skills, qualifications,
knowledge, experience and personal qualities
relevant to doing the role;
• If relevant – way previous employment
undertaken and their potential for development.
Assessment processes must:
Directive 1/10: Recruitment and Selection – Clause 7.9
• Be appropriate;
• Consider experience and potential for development;
• Assess merit as opposed to performance;
• Be procedurally fair and evidence-based;
• Be consistent employment equity principles; and
• Be reviewable – comparative statement.
Assessment
• Consider the assessment process
before advertising.
• Criteria set out in role description.
Assessment – Common Myths
• Myths about bias
– Panel members with a working or personal relationship
with an applicant
– Panel composition
– Applicants who have relieved in the role
– Invitations to apply
– Late applications
• Myths about personal knowledge
– Personal knowledge of an applicant’s work history
Screening & Short Listing
• Mandatory qualifications and requirements
• Skills and ability
Do-It-Yourself options
• Work samples
• Skills test
• In-tray exercises
• Role plays
• Presentations
• Structured interviews (behavioural questions or
situation/scenario questions)
Options you can buy-in
• Psychometric testing
– ability/aptitude tests
– behavioural style/personal trait tests
• Assessment centres
Referee checking
• Job performance
• Disciplinary history
• Workplace behaviour
• Attendance
• Ability to operate in a specific work environment
• Validation
• Clarification
Selection report requirements
• Must be able to be reviewed;
• Must contain a comparative statement
about the applicants;
Feedback
• Think about the feedback from the applicant’s
perspective
• Don’t keep the applicant waiting for feedback
• Make the feedback relevant to the applicant
Feedback
• Make it interactive
• Deliver the message respectfully and
constructively
• Provide specific information about how to
improve their application
Appeal of a promotion decision
• Section 208 of the Act states the appeals
officer may set the promotion decision
aside if the recruitment or selection
process was deficient.
Further Questions?
• Resources
• PSC Advisory Service
1300 038 472
pscenquiries@psc.qld.gov.au