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Applying for Positions at the Australian Museum

Introduction

The following information is a summary of the Australian Museum's recruitment and selection process and is intended to assist applicants in finding out about the position, in writing their application and in understanding the process which will be followed by the Australian Museum in selecting the successful candidate.

Basic requirements

There are certain basic requirements you need to meet if you want to apply for a position in the NSW public sector, including the Australian Museum. Citizenship: To obtain a permanent position you have to either be an Australian citizen or have permanent residence status in Australia.

To obtain a temporary position you have to either be an Australian citizen or have permanent resident status in Australia or have a temporary residence visa which allows you to work in Australia for the period of time over which the position is to be filled.

Fitness to carry out the required duties:
Depending on the position you are applying for, you may be required to meet particular health or physical fitness requirements to be eligible for consideration. Any requirements related to health will be indicated in the position description and/or in additional material included in the information package. In some circumstances, you may be required to attend a medical examination before being appointed to the position. Criminal record: The NSW Government requires a criminal record check before appointment to "sensitive" positions. Having a criminal record does not necessarily disqualify you from selection and if your application is rejected purely for that reason, you will be given the opportunity to discuss the matter before a final decision is made. So that this check can be carried out, please indicate your birth date and place (town and country) in your application. If you are recommended for appointment to the position for which you have applied, proof in support of the above requirements will be required (if relevant to the position) before you are appointed. Please be aware that any statement in your application which is found to be deliberately misleading could make you, if employed, liable to dismissal.

Merit

Appointment to positions in the New South Wales Public Service is on the basis of Merit. This means that each applicant is assessed on merit against the knowledge, skills, experience, qualifications, personal qualities and standard of work performance required in the advertised position. The selection criteria listed in the advertisement set out what these requirements are for each position. The applicant who, on balance, demonstrates the most merit against the requirements is recommended for appointment. Internal applicants are not given preference over external applicants and no factors other than those clearly relevant to performance in the position are taken into account in the assessment.

How to apply

The advertisement will usually specify a contact officer from whom an information package can be obtained, as well as another officer who can answer questions about the position and discuss the position requirements in more detail. Please read the information provided in the package carefully, in particular the position description. You are also strongly encouraged to speak to the contact officer about the position. All of this will assist you to understand the exact nature of the position, help you to decide whether the position is of interest to you and also whether you are likely to meet the minimum requirements.

Job requirements / selection criteria

The position description provides detailed information about the position functions and requirements. However, the selection criteria which you must address in your application are those specified in the job advertisement. Please note that it is not sufficient to simply send in a standard CV with a covering note indicating the position for which you are applying - such applications are almost always culled prior to interview stage because the selection panel does not have enough information to assess the applicant's claims against the position's essential knowledge, skill and experience requirements. The essential requirements of the position are the skills, knowledge and experience required to successfully carry out the duties of the position. In your application you should aim to demonstrate how your skills, knowledge and experience meet each of these requirements.

Writing and submitting your application

Read and fill out the Application form
This form is provided as part of the Australian Museum's Job Information Kit. Please make sure it is included with your application as it makes the process of registering your application much easier. Important information you are asked to give on the application form includes:

Write a covering letter explaining and demonstrating how your skills, knowledge and experience meet each of the selection criteria listed in the job advertisement. It is helpful to give examples of significant achievements illustrating the relevant experience or skill. Simply stating that you meet the requirements will not provide the panel with enough information. Remember that the selection criteria listed in the advertisement will be used by the panel at all stages of the selection process as the basis for determining the most suitable applicant. Therefore, if you do not address your application to those criteria, the panel will find it difficult to assess your claims against those of others on the basis of relative merit. Keep your covering letter reasonably short and succinct. As a guide, you should write no more than one or two paragraphs for each selection criterion. Attach your CV or a summary of your career to date, with brief details of the nature of each position and details of any relevant education or training undertaken.

NSW Public Service Application Form (in Microsoft Word | PDF format)

Nominate referees

You should include the names and contact details of at least two people who can be contacted to act as referees in support of your application. The persons you choose need to be well acquainted with your work in areas relevant to the position requirements. They will be asked to provide information on your skills, knowledge and/or experience as they apply to the selction criteria of the position. Your current supervisor should normally be one of the referees you nominate.

Note: it is acceptable to nominate a person as your referee even if they will be a member of the selection committee, provided they are a logical choice, eg your immediate supervisor. Send your application marked private & confidential to:

Employee Relations Officer
Organisational Development Unit
Australian Museum
6 College Street
Sydney NSW 2010

Your application must be sent in time to reach this address by the closing date specified in the advertisement. The Australian Museum will acknowledge receipt of your application by letter after the closing date for the position.

The selection process

The selection process is carried out by a committee of at least 3 people, including:

The committee will include at least one representative from each sex. The committee's role is to assess all applicants in terms of the requirements for the position and to recommend the most suitable applicant for appointment to the position. If no applicant meets the minimum requirements specified in the selection criteria, the selection committee will recommend that the position be re-advertised or other appropriate action be taken. Where this happens, all applicants will be notified by letter.

The interview

The selection committee will assess all written applications based on the selection criteria for the position and, from this, determine a short list of candidates for interview (note: those applicants who do not meet the minimum selection criteria for the position, or do not meet them as well as others on the basis of their application, will be "culled" and not considered any further). If you are called for an interview and have special requirements (eg wheelchair access or an interpreter for hearing impaired persons), please advise the position contact officer or Organisational Development who will make arrangements to assist wherever possible. The selection committee will prepare the questions for interview based on the requirements specified in the job advertisement and the position description. At the interview, the selection committee will be seeking to determine each candidate's relative strengths and weaknesses in relation to the requirements of the particular position. Usually, each member of the selection committee will ask one or more questions relevant to the position. All members will play an active role in the decision making process. The committee may ask you, as part of the interview process, to produce samples of your work, so it is a good idea to bring relevant documents or material to the interview - however these should be carefully selected so that the selection panel does not have to spend considerable time perusing documents while the interview is progressing. You will also usually be given an opportunity to make a closing statement and/or ask one or two brief questions. This will give you an opportunity to demonstrate your interest in the position. However, you should be careful not to take up too much of the committee's time in this closing part of the interview.

Practical tests

In some cases, the assessment process can also involve a short practical test or task to assess the candidates' skills in a particular area. Where this occurs, the procedure will be explained to each candidate, usually in advance of the interview.

Referee checks

Following the interviews, the committee will contact the referees nominated by the applicant(s) who, based on their application and interview performance, appears to have most merit. Referees will be asked to comment against the relevant criteria, including any areas which the committee specifically wants to explore as a result of the assessment process so far.

The outcome

Following referee checks, the committee will make a final comparison of all applicants assessed. It will base its decision regarding relative merit on the material presented by the applicants in writing, their performance at interview, the result of any practical tests, and the referees' comments. Once the selection committee has completed this assessment process, its recommendations will be forwarded to the Director (or his delegate) for approval. Once approved, the successful applicant will receive an initial verbal offer of appointment requiring a prompt reply. A formal letter of offer and acceptance letter will follow shortly thereafter.

Eligibility list

In some cases, more than one applicant is assessed as suitable for the position as a result of the merit assessment process. Where this happens, an eligibility list is created, consisting of those candidates who have demonstrated that they are capable and qualified for the position, but were rated as less suitable overall than the recommended candidate. The list remains in force for a period of six months from the closing date for the position. The eligibility list can be used directly or indirectly to fill identical or similar vacant positions. If you have been placed on an eligibility list, your letter of notification about the selection process outcome will include this information.

Unsuccessful applicants

Applicants not considered suitable for appointment will be notified in writing that they have been unsuccessful soon after the recommended applicant has accepted the position. Being unsuccessful is no reflection on you personally - it means only that in the Committee's opinion you were not, at the time, the best person for that particular job. Unsuccessful applicants are invited to request a post-selection discussion with the convenor of the selection committee to obtain constructive comment regarding their application or presentation at interview. The points raised by the convenor can assist you in making better applications in the future and/or can highlight your training and development needs.

Costs incurred in attending selection interviews or tests

The Australian Museum will under certain circumstances meet the costs associated with attending interviews, provided they are reasonable and do not involve any unnecessary itinerary detours or overnight stays. For information on this, please contact Organisational Development.

Further information

If you require further information regarding the Australian Museum's recruitment and selection procedures, please do not hesitate to contact Organisational Development or the nominated Contact Officer for the position as listed in the job advertisement.