Enhancing Recruitment and Selection: A Comprehensive Workshop Overview

1. PSC Policy Instrument Interpretation Workshop Recruitment & Selection May / June 2011

2. Today’s workshop • Welcome • Housekeeping • Workshop Objectives • Workshop Program

3. Program • Recruitment and selection instruments • Role descriptions • Before advertising • Advertising • Assessment, selection and feedback

4. Recruitment and selection instruments

5. 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.

6. Basis for determining the right person • Public Service Act 2008 • Merit Principle (ss27 – 29) • Directive (ss47 -55 Act) • Type of ruling • Binding • Agency Policies

7. Resources • Frequently Asked Questions • Good practice recruitment and selection resources • Case studies

8. Role descriptions Directive 1/10: Recruitment & Selection – clause 7.2

9. Role descriptions • Directive requirements • Context • Key duties • Key attributes for assessment • Mandatory qualifications • Pre-employment checks • Lobbyist disclosure

10. Context & duties • Opportunity to focus on what is needed in the role in its current context. • Start of the assessment planning process.

11. Key attributes for assessment • The basis on which merit is determined • Reflects core CLF capabilities (or similar) • Clear, relevant and assessable

12. Before advertising

13. 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

14. 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

15. Exemptions from advertising Directive 1/10: Recruitment and Selection – clause 7.6(b) • CEO’s can exempt a vacancy from advertising. • Where proceeding WILLresult in either: • Significant detriment to achievement of service delivery outcomes; or • Unfair treatment of an employee.

16. 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.

17. 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?

18. 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.

19. 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?

20. 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.

21. 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?

22. ReportingDirective 1/10: Recruitment and Selection - clause 7.17 • Annual reporting. • Audit requirement to keep records for at least three years.

23. 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

24. Advertising

25. Specified advertising Directive 1/10: Recruitment and Selection - clause 7.5 • Invitation to individuals / groups of employees to apply for a particular vacancy.

26. Targeted advertising Directive 1/10: Recruitment and Selection - clause 7.4 • Limits applicants to those employed by the agency or specified other agencies.

27. Lapsing vacanciesDirective 1/10: Recruitment and Selection – clause 7.3(d) • 12 months from close of vacancy to make a permanent appointment

28. Assessment, selection and feedback

29. Merit criteriaPublic 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.

30. 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.

31. Assessment • Consider the assessment process before advertising. • Criteria set out in role description.

32. 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

33. Screening & Short Listing • Mandatory qualifications and requirements • Skills and ability

34. Do-It-Yourself options • Work samples • Skills test • In-tray exercises • Role plays • Presentations • Structured interviews (behavioural questions or situation/scenario questions)

35. Options you can buy-in • Psychometric testing • ability/aptitude tests • behavioural style/personal trait tests • Assessment centres

36. Referee checking • Job performance • Disciplinary history • Workplace behaviour • Attendance • Ability to operate in a specific work environment • Validation • Clarification

37. Selection report requirements • Must be able to be reviewed; • Must contain a comparative statement about the applicants;

38. 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

39. Feedback • Make it interactive • Deliver the message respectfully and constructively • Provide specific information about how to improve their application

40. 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.

41. Further Questions? • Resources • PSC Advisory Service 1300 038 472 pscenquiries@psc.qld.gov.au