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Get it Right- a recruitment kit for managers: Project planner
Urban myths
The challenge for you as a manager is to identify the fact from the fiction. Ask your human resource area about minimum requirements and good practice recruitment in your Agency.
Common urban myths include:
- there must be an interview
- all applicants must be interviewed
- all interviewees must be asked the same questions
- only nominated referees can be contacted
- reports must be written for all interviewees.
3 parts to the kit
Get it Right—a recruitment kit for managers comes in three parts.
- Project Planner—this document
- Electronic Tool—detailed steps taking you through the Define, Attract, Select stages.
- Capability Cards—to define roles and identify selection options.
Your human resource area can direct you to a Get it Right Kit tailored to suit the requirements of your Agency.
For further information contact the APS Commission helpline on (02) 6202 3859
Reasons for using the kit
- Ineffective selection outcomes are far more expensive than the upfront investment needed to Get it Right the first time around.
- The success of your team and your Agency depends on the quality of the people.You need to be confident you are attracting and selecting the right person to work in the right role at the right time.
- An increasingly competitive labour market means the APS will face greater pressure to attract good people. Recruitment and selection strategies need to incorporate changing demographics and capability requirements.They must encompass what motivates people to work and stay in particular Agencies.
- The pressure of cost savings, skills shortages and greater performance expectations will in turn increase the importance of getting selection decisions right the first time around.
Turnover comes at a cost
Effective selection leads to reduced turnover.
Research suggests that a 1% reduction in turnover across the APS translates into a $60M saving pa.*
When calculating the cost of turnover consider the following:
| Loss of productivity before employee leaves |
|---|
| + |
| Vacancy cost until role filled |
| + |
| Cost of hiring a replacement |
| + |
| Training costs and loss of productivity with new hire |
| = |
| Cost of turnover** |
* Managing People for Business Outcomes,Year Two, Audit Report No.50 2002–2003, Australian National Audit Office.
** Turnover equation based on the work of the Corporate Leadership Council. See Workforce Commitment Series,Vol 1,Workforce Turnover and Firm Performance.
Methodology
Stage One: Define
 |
1 | KNOW YOUR BUSINESS ANDYOUR AGENCY | Maintaining a future business focus and staying up-to-date with your Agency’s policies and practices are ongoing commitments. |
| 2 | DETERMINE WHAT’S INVOLVED IN THE ROLE | Consider what work is required—not what has been done before. Does a job really exist? Which job? | |
| 3 | DETERMINE THE TEAM’S NEEDS | Use the Capability Card Set with your team to start a conversation about working styles and behaviours. | |
| 4 | DETERMINE WHO YOU NEED IN THE ROLE | Know the skills and personal qualities required. | |
| 5 | IDENTIFY THE OPPORTUNITIES AND WORK THROUGH THE OPTIONS— BUDGET, TIME, LEVEL & FLEXIBILITY | How can you balance the requirements of the role with the budget allocated? | |
| 6 | KNOW YOUR SELECTION OPTIONS | Ensure selection options chosen test for the capabilities required. |
Stage Two: Attract
 |
1 | KNOW THE LABOUR MARKET | Maintaining a knowledge of the labour market is an ongoing commitment. |
| 2 | DETERMINE WHAT’S ATTRACTIVE ABOUT YOUR AGENCY | What makes your Agency an employer of choice? Are you tapping into a broader interest in APS employment? |
|
| 3 | DETERMINE THE SELLING POINTS OF THE ROLE | Don’t dress the role—describing the role as it is will sell it to the right person. | |
| 4 | WRITE AND PLACE THE AD | Remember you are looking for a quality not a quantity field. | |
| 5 | PREPARE AN APPLICATION KIT | Tailor the application kit to the role and explain the selection processes—provide potential applicants with the information they need to decide whether the role is or isn’t for them. | |
| 6 | CONVERT INTEREST INTO QUALITY APPLICANTS | Every contact should build on the reputation of the Agency. When taking enquiries help potential applicants to gauge their fit with the role. |
Stage Three: Select
 |
1 | PREPARE FOR SELECTION PROCESS | Ensure everyone involved in the process has a shared sense of purpose. |
| 2 | SELECTION PROCESS | Put your selection options into practice. Ensure to test each applicant’s claims—using all sources of information available. Be prepared to begin again if the right person isn’t in the field. | |
| 3 | INDUCTION TO AGENCY AND ROLE | Start building the relationship as soon as you make the job offer. Tailor induction to the individual’s experience. | |
| 4 | RETAIN YOUR NEW STAFF MEMBER | People join Agencies but leave managers. Stand by what you offered. |
Project plan
As a manager you are striving to achieve quality business outcomes while balancing competing priorities.This can lead to ad hoc recruitment practices resulting in mediocre selection outcomes.
It is in your interest to make recruitment and selection a priority. Just like any other major project it needs to be well considered, planned and appropriately resourced. Creating a project plan before starting the recruitment process allows you to ensure that you have allocated the time necessary and can focus on achieving a quality outcome.
Stage One: Define
Stage Two: Attract
Stage Three: Select
Key deliverables
 |
> relevant role description |
1 |
 |
> right ad right place > tailored and targeted application kit > increased knowledge of the labour market > sustained market reputation > contacts and networks for the future |
2 ATTRACTING A HIGH QUALITY FIELD You won’t find the right person until you know where to look. |
 |
> the right person selected > confidence the process is right > steps to retain the right person > knowledge for future selections |
3 SELECTING THE RIGHT PERSON You won’t find the right person until you know how to use the selection process. |
Recruiting in the APS context
The principles guiding APS staff selection are:
- a competitive merit based assessment
- a reasonable opportunity to apply for APS employment
- no discrimination or favouritism
- recognition and utilisation of the diversity of the Australian community
- the application of natural justice and procedural fairness.
These principles and associated requirements are articulated in the APS Values and other provisions of the Public Service Act 1999, the Public Service Regulations, the Public Service Commissioner’s Directions and the Public Service Classification Rules.
Ask HR
Your HR area will be able to help if you require any assistance in understanding the legal framework.
Minimum requirements— from the manager’s point of view
Promote or engage staff
Determine the purpose of the selection process upfront:
- type of work to be undertaken (See note below)
- classification level of the duties—this will become the successful applicant’s classification.
Advertise vacancy in the Gazette:
- place other ads within 4 weeks of the Gazette notification.
Note: after gazettal you can use an existing process to fill similar opportunities arising—up to 12 months later.
Design and run a competitive selection process that:
- is transparent, fair and non-discriminatory
- provides appropriate information to applicants
- determines relative suitability of applicants’ work-related qualities and those genuinely required for the duties.
Gazette the outcome:
- promotion takes effect 4 weeks after gazettal or Promotion Review Committee decision (unless a different date agreed).
- engagement takes effect on an agreed date.
Assign duties to successful applicant
- After assessing work-related qualities of person and those needed for effective performance.
- Take account of agency policy.
- If temporarily assigning duties at a higher classification take account of efficiency, importance of duties, timeframe, cost and opportunities to provide experience.
If the vacancy is non-ongoing (less than 12 months)
- Ensure a reasonable opportunity to apply (e.g notice on website outlining how to apply for non ongoing work).
- Undertake competitive merit-based selection.
- Ensure no patronage or favouritism, although the Agency can determine size of recruitment field through the advertising and selection process chosen.
* Refer to Public Service Act s10(2) and 17, Regulation 3.8, Commissioner’s Directions 2.3, 4.2, 4.6, 4.7, & Classification Rule 6.
So, what do you need to do?
How will you achieve the best possible outcome based on this framework?
