Victorian Public Service (VPS)
Selection Procedures Guide
Victorian Public Service (VPS) Selection Procedures Guide
Last updated 2 November 2015
Victorian Public Service (VPS)
Selection Procedures Guide
PAGE
CONTENTS
CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 2
OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................................................... 3
SELECTION PROCEDURES ....................................................................................................................... 3
SELECTION PANELS .............................................................................................................................. 4
Shortlisting ........................................................................................................................... 5
Conducting the interview ..................................................................................................... 5
Behavioural interviewing ..................................................................................................... 6
Interview –Suggestions and Tips .......................................................................................... 7
Referee Reports.................................................................................................................... 7
Assessing and ranking shortlisted applicants....................................................................... 8
Qualification Requirements ................................................................................................. 8
Recommendation of successful applicant ........................................................................... 8
Selection documentation ..................................................................................................... 9
Notification to applicants ..................................................................................................... 9
Feedback .............................................................................................................................. 9
FURTHER ASSISTANCE ........................................................................................................................... 9
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OVERVIEW
This guide details the Department’s VPS selection procedures. The Department's VPS
selection process has been designed to ensure that the best candidate for the position is
selected.
SELECTION PROCEDURES
Selection procedures have been developed to ensure that the best person for the job is
selected through a process that is procedurally fair and based on merit. For the purpose of
selection, merit is defined as the extent to which each applicant has:

the skills, knowledge, experience, past performance and other personal qualities
relevant to the work to be performed;

demonstrated good conduct appropriate to public sector employment;

potential for further development in the Department.
The Department's selection procedures are based on the following principles set out in the
Public Administration Act 2004:

employment decisions are based on merit;

employees are treated fairly and reasonably *;

equal employment opportunity is provided;

human rights as set out in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities are
upheld; and

employees have a reasonable avenue of redress against unfair or unreasonable
treatment.
*Equal Opportunity Act 2010 specifies that all applicants must receive fair and equitable
treatment without regard to age, breastfeeding, carer status, disability, employment activity,
gender identity, industrial activity, lawful sexual activity, marital status, parental status,
physical features, political belief or activity, pregnancy, race (including colour, nationality,
ethnicity and ethnic origin), religious belief or activity, sex, sexual orientation, or personal
association (whether as a relative or otherwise) with a person who is identified by reference to
any of the above attributes.
The Public Sector Standards Commissioner has issued the following minimum standards in
relation to selecting on merit with which Departments must comply:

Employment decisions are to be based on the proper assessment of individuals’
work-related qualities, abilities and potential against the genuine requirements of
the employment opportunity;
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
Decisions to appoint new employees or promote existing employees are to be based
on competitive selection. Processes are to be open and designed to identify a
suitable field of qualified candidates;

Decisions to appoint new employees or promote existing employees from a limited
field of candidates are only to be made where candidates are identified based on
objective criteria;

Decisions to assign duties or transfer public sector employees (to roles at an
equivalent level) are to be based on proper assessment of the employee against the
genuine requirements of the duties or role;

Decision-making processes are to be fair, accessible, and applied consistently in
comparable circumstances;

Decision-making criteria are to be relevant, objective and readily available to the
people subject to the decision;

Decisions and actions are to be free of bias and unlawful discrimination;

Documentation is to be sufficiently clear and comprehensive to render decisions
transparent and capable of effective review.
The selection procedures should be adapted to the requirements of each job. A variety of
selection tools may be used as appropriate to determine whether applicants have the skills
and competencies necessary for the role.
These tools may extend beyond the usual process of advertisement, panel interview and
referee check to include methods such as assessment at an assessment centre by an external
agency, psychometric testing, responses to simulated situations presented on video and a
variety of exercises set during or before interview. Selection tools must be applied
consistently to all applicants, be relevant to the job and be free from direct or indirect
unlawful discrimination or bias.
The manager of the work unit is responsible for managing the selection process. For a Student
Support Services Officer (SSSO) position, the principal of the base school at which the position
is located is responsible for managing the selection process.
SELECTION PANELS
A diverse selection panel with relevant expertise should be established by the manager of the
work unit. Panels must include at least one member of each gender. A panel would be
expected wherever possible to include at least one person from the employment category of
the advertised position.
Where there is an Aboriginal applicant, the selection panel should ideally include an
Aboriginal person or an employee who has undertaken Cultural Awareness Training (contact
Corporate HR Services for assistance on this issue if required).
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Where there is an applicant with a disability, it is preferable for at least one of the interview
panel members to have an awareness of disability issues or to have undertaken disability
awareness training (contact Corporate HR Services for assistance with this issue if required).
Panel members should:
 declare and resolve any conflict of interest or potential bias;
 have a detailed knowledge of the job requirements;
 apply the minimum standards for selecting on merit set by the Public Sector Standards
Commissioner;
 implement the selection procedures set out below;
 be aware of the diverse pathways of experience and approaches which male and
female candidates may bring to the interview and to the workplace, including
Aboriginal people, people of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and people
with a disability;
 be aware that Department has a positive duty under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010
to provide reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate discrimination and a
duty to provide reasonable adjustments for people with a disability (further
information is available on the Department’s Disability HRWeb page).
 ensure that they do not directly or indirectly discriminate observe confidentiality
throughout the process.
All selection panels in relation to VPS positions in the Department must include a person
accredited by the Merit Protection Boards in the principles of merit selection.
The role of a selection panel is to fairly assess the relative efficiency of applicants against the
selection criteria for the job and to rank in priority order the applicants who best meet the
criteria.
Shortlisting
Shortlisting identifies those applicants who, on the basis of their applications, best meet the
selection criteria and show evidence that their qualifications and experience are competitive
with other suitable applicants.
Referees may be contacted at this stage of the selection process. Reasons for not shortlisting
applicants should be included in the selection report.
When notifying applicants that they have been shortlisted for an interview, check whether
they have any special needs or require any assistance for interview.
Conducting the interview
The interview assists the panel in the assessment of the relative merits of each shortlisted
applicant.
All interviews should have a similar structure with each applicant given the opportunity to
respond to the same questions. Interview questions must relate specifically to the selection
criteria and should enable applicants to demonstrate their capabilities in relation to the job.
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Behavioural interviewing
An effective method of interviewing is the ‘behavioural’ or ‘targeted’ interview. This
method is based on the premise that past behaviour is the best predictor of future
behaviour. Interviewers identify the skills and capabilities required to perform the job and
ask candidates questions which require specific examples of performance that demonstrate
those skills and capabilities. The method discourages the use of hypothetical questions.
An example for seeking information about the candidate’s use of initiative could be: “Tell
me about a time when you noticed that a process wasn’t working properly. What did you
do?” A strong answer outlines the Situation in which the events occurred, the Tasks that
were undertaken and the Action taken by the candidate as well as the Result of the action
(interviewers therefore use this STAR technique to assess the response).
Panel members should be aware that the validity of interviews in predicting future success in
the job can be affected by a range of factors, including:

the halo effect - allowing one aspect of the applicant's performance to influence
judgements about other aspects;

tendency towards average - rating all applicants as average, to avoid making
mistakes in judgement;

similarity to the interviewer - tending to select others who are most like yourself;

over-emphasis on first impressions - using the interview to confirm the interviewer's
first impressions, which are based on the written application;

emphasis on negative information - placing greater weight on negative information
than positive or searching for weaknesses;

over-emphasis on interview - attributing greater significance to the applicant's
performance at interview than to information gained through the use of other
selection tools.

emphasis on length and continuity of experience – placing greater weight on length
and continuity may impact negatively on women or ‘carers’ who take career breaks
for family reasons and on those who have not had an opportunity to ‘act’ in the
position.
Discussion of these factors by panel members can increase the reliability of judgements made
about an applicant's interview performance. The performance of an applicant in an interview
should be integrated with information provided by the application, referee reports and any
other assessment tools used in ranking applicants.
Note for Selection Panels: Psychological Testing
Psychological or aptitude testing of candidates can leave employers vulnerable to
discrimination complaints. Psychological or aptitude testing of job candidates should be
carefully designed so that test subjects are not disadvantaged because of a disability. These
tests should be related to the ‘genuine and reasonable’ requirements of the job and not
designed to assist or promote ‘cultural fit’ within a workplace. There should also be
adjustments to the test to accommodate the needs of people with a disability. The
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Department can be legally liable for the discriminatory behaviour of an external consultant
conducting tests.
Interview –Suggestions and Tips
Writing during the Interview - It is polite to let the candidate know that you will be taking
notes and the reasons for this.
English as a second language - When an applicant’s first language is other than English, panel
members need to:




use plain English;
avoid jargon and acronyms;
be aware of the pace of speech;
recognise that applicants from other cultures may display diverse language, figures of
speech or body language;
 be aware that in many cultures, it is disrespectful to look someone directly in the eye
(as opposed to this being interpreted as not being trustworthy);
 understand it is offensive within many cultures to “sell yourself”. Ask questions to
obtain relevant information. Encourage the applicant to speak about themselves and
their own experiences.
Handshake - In some cultures, this may not be common practice. If you wish to shake hands,
take the lead.
Use of silence - In some cultures, silence is very acceptable. There is no concern regarding an
“uncomfortable silence”.
Volunteer work - Many people perform volunteer work within their communities that may
not be included on their resume. It is important to elicit this information at interview.
Where there is an applicant with a disability - Provide assistance and any reasonable
adjustment to enable the person to compete fairly and equitably with other applicants in the
candidate field. (e.g. access to buildings, an interpreter at interview). Interviewers may ask
applicants what reasonable adjustments, if any, the applicant may require in order to ensure
they are able to perform the duties of the position to their maximum potential. Making
assumptions regarding the capabilities of a person on the basis of a disability or medical
condition is discriminatory. Questions or statements must be based on assessing the person’s
skill and ability to perform the inherent requirements of the job. It would therefore be
discriminatory to ask, “How would your disability affect your ability to carry out the functions
of the job?”.
Referee Reports
Referee reports are a critical part of the assessment of the relative merits of each shortlisted
applicant. Use of the behavioural interviewing technique can also prove useful for reference
checks by requesting specific information on previous actions taken or behaviours observed.
Referee reports allow a rigorous checking of claims made by applicants, provide information
about their work history, as well as opinions regarding quality of work and capacity for the
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new job. Where there is an Indigenous applicant, appropriate elders may be contacted as a
form of reference checking.
The referees should be invited to comment on the applicant in relation to the selection
criteria. The selection panel (usually a nominated member of the panel) may seek referee
reports either verbally (by telephone, teleconferencing), in person or in written form. The
selection panel should accurately record both written and verbal referee comments.
Selection panels may wish to extend their inquiries beyond referees nominated by the
applicant to ensure a comprehensive and accurate assessment of the applicant against the
selection criteria. Applicants should be informed prior to a panel taking any action to contact
a person/s not nominated as a referee. Applicants are entitled to have recorded any
objections to contact by the panel with a person not listed as a referee.
Referee reports must remain confidential.
Assessing and ranking shortlisted applicants
Shortlisted applicants are assessed against the job selection criteria and their potential for
future development in the organisation and ranked accordingly. Assessment is primarily
about matching the person and the job. The person should be rated in the context of the job
requirements. The application, interview, referee reports and any other selection tools used
as part of the process should all be taken into consideration in assessing applicants.
An 'Individual Assessment Report' should be completed for each shortlisted applicant and
retained by the chairperson of the panel. Applicants who are clearly unsuitable for the job
should not be ranked.
Qualification Requirements
In some cases (e.g. allied health and legal officers), the possession of an appropriate
university degree will be mandatory in order to gain appointment. Where specified
qualifications are a pre-requisite for a VPS job, the manager must verify that the successful
applicant has the required qualifications. The successful applicant must provide the original or
certified copy of their qualifications. Where qualifications are relevant to the application,
even though not mandatory, they should be checked. Documents can only be certified by a
person authorised to witness a statutory declaration.
Recommendation of successful applicant
A Selection Report will be completed for each selection process based on the individual
assessment for each shortlisted applicant.
The Selection Report is to be forwarded to the Executive Director who may accept, reject or
seek a review by the panel of a selection decision. Where endorsement is given, the Selection
Report is to be forwarded to Corporate HR Services.
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Selection documentation
The panel chairperson should retain the following documentation in a secure location for a
period of six months after confirmation of the selection decision:

a copy of the Selection Report;

the Individual Assessment Report for each shortlisted applicant;

the working notes of the panel;

referee comments.
This is necessary to provide feedback to applicants and in the event of a grievance being
lodged.
Notification to applicants
The successful applicant may be advised informally by the manager following approval of the
recommendation by the Executive Director. Selection decisions cannot be confirmed until the
review period is concluded.
Corporate HR Services will formally advise the successful applicant of the outcome of the
selection process. Unsuccessful applicants will be advised in writing of the selection outcome
by Corporate HR Services and, if applicable, of their right to seek a review of the selection
decision.
At this stage of the process, applicants can contact the panel chairperson to request a copy of
their 'Individual Assessment Report'.
Feedback
Prior to the completion of the review period, applicants can request a copy of their 'Individual
Assessment Report' from the panel chairperson. At the completion of the review period,
applicants can seek further feedback from the panel chairperson on their performance in the
selection process.
FURTHER ASSISTANCE
Further advice and assistance on VPS Selection is available from Corporate HR Services.
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