Legal Aid HR How to Apply     Appointment to positions with the Commission is made on the basis of merit. This means the applicant considered to be the most capable of carrying out the functions of the position will be offered the job. If no applicant meets the Selection Criteria the Selection Committee may recommend that the position be re-advertised. The Contact Officer Each position advertised includes the name and phone number of the Contact Officer for that position. The Contact Officer can provide you with a copy of the Information Kit containing the relevant paperwork needed for preparing and sending your application. The Contact Officer can also help suggest which aspects of your skills, qualifications and experience you should emphasise in your application. The Contact Officer is usually the Convenor of the Selection Committee. Preparing Your Application Your application should include: 1. Application Form 2. Covering Letter 3. Claim for the Position—addressing the Selection Criteria 4. Resume 1. Application Form On the Application Form, fill out your personal details including full details of the position you are applying for, your full name, date of birth, contact phone numbers (business and private, where possible) and home and work addresses (if applicable). 2. Covering Letter The Covering Letter should state briefly how you meet the specified criteria, giving sufficient information to enable the Selection Committee to assess the strength of the application. The letter should ideally be 1-2 pages bringing together all aspects including your work history and qualifications to demonstrate that you meet the Selection Criteria. 3. Claim for the Position—addressing the Selection Criteria The Selection Committee makes their decision to interview based upon your Claim for the Position, or your written application. Your application is therefore very important and should be as clear, concise and to the point as possible. When preparing your application, address each criteria individually, taking into account your abilities, qualifications, experience, standard of work performance and personal qualities, as considered relevant to the position. Do not assume that the Selection Committee knows what you have achieved in the past. Some key words in Selection Criteria are: Ability or Capacity to: you do not need to have done this kind of work before, but your skills, knowledge and experience must show that you are capable of doing this part of the job. Describe things you have done which prove you could do this kind of work. Demonstrated knowledge: you need to give examples that prove you have this area of knowledge. Effective, Proven, Highly developed, Superior: these are all asking you to show your level of achievement. Provide as much detail as you can, using examples of your achievements to show your level of skills, knowledge and experience. Experience in: you have to show that you have done this work before. Give examples. Good communication skills: describe the experience you have or things that you have done to demonstrate that you have the necessary communication skills needed to do the position. It would be preferable for you to demonstrate your skills by describing your experience in dealing with people, details of letters, reports or correspondence you have written and examples of problems you have solved using communication skills. Applicants must also show a knowledge and understanding of the Common Selection Criteria – Equal Employment Opportunity, Occupational Health, Safety and Rehabilitation, Ethical Practice and Ethnic Affairs Priorities Statement – as they relate to the position. 4. Resume You should include a Resume (ie. Curriculum Vitae) with details on your: Education: state your qualifications and dates commenced and completed/part completed, starting with most recent; Employment: describe your employment history starting with your most recent position and including positions/grades/functions with dates of employment. Provide a detailed description of the main components of your positions (particularly highlighting those areas that relate to the Selection Criteria identified in the position). This allows the Selection Committee to easily identify your experience. Training: provide details of any formal and on-the-job training you have received that are relevant to the position you are applying for. This would include the names of any computer applications that you are familiar with and your level of proficiency. Referees: name two people who can offer specific details to the Selection Committee on your competence, skills, experience and work performance. It is preferable that one referee be your current or recent Manager. Additional Information: provide any additional skills, qualifications or interests eg. your involvement in community or sporting groups that may strengthen your application for the position. Checklist Clarify anything about the position with the Contact Officer after you have received the Information Kit. Clearly fill out all areas of the Application Form. Attach a Covering Letter outlining your related skills and experience. Attach your Resume. Ensure that you have addressed all of the criteria: the Selection Criteria and the Common Selection Criteria. Keep a copy of your application for your reference. Forward your application marked ‘Confidential’ to the Human Resources Management Branch, Level 8, 323 Castlereagh Street, Sydney 2000 with sufficient time to meet the closing date. Understanding the Process A Selection Committee Convenor takes care of all the necessary administrative details and ensures that fairness and proper procedures are applied in the selection process. In convening the Selection Committee, they should chair all interviews and ensure that any disagreement among committee members is resolved. The Selection Committee Convenor can also provide you with feedback on your written application and your performance at the interview. Interview If you are selected for interview you will be given a realistic period of time before you are required to attend (at least 2-3 days). If you are unable to attend the time allocated it may be possible to reschedule the time and date. The composition of the Selection Committee should generally consist of three people, with the availability of a minimum of two people committees for entry level positions. The Selection Committee must have male and female representation and is the same group of people who considered the applications. Generally, the Selection Committee will have a person from the Branch where the position is located, another Commission employee who is familiar with the requirements of the position and one independent member from outside the Commission. When you are contacted about the interview time you will be advised if you need to bring any papers, certificates or other material. You may also be informed that you will need to undertake a written assessment or practical test. Be prepared for the interview by reading through the material in the information kit. You will be expected to answer questions directly related to the Selection Criteria identified in the advertisement, functions of the position, skills, knowledge and Common Selection Criteria. Remember that the Selection Committee can only base its decision on information provided by you. Even if a member of the Selection Committee knows you and your work they cannot discuss matters regarding you that you did not raise yourself. During the interview you may be given the opportunity to ask questions about the position and the Commission. This is your chance to demonstrate your interest and awareness of its requirements. The Selection Committee may also contact the referee(s) you have nominated in your application. Most of all try to relax! The Selection Committee will make the interview as relaxed and stress-free as possible. If you don’t understand a question or are not sure of how much information to provide, ask the Selection Committee to clarify their requirement. And be sure to take your time and do not rush your answers. After the Interview After all applicants have been interviewed, the Selection Committee will select the best person for the job based on the written application, interview, any assessment/practical test undertaken and referee reports. At times you may be called back for a second interview if the Selection Committee needs to clarify some areas. At the completion of the interview the Selection Committee will make a recommendation to the Chief Executive Officer. After an offer of employment has been accepted, all other applicants will be advised by mail that they were unsuccessful. You are also encouraged to have a post-selection discussion with the Selection Committee Convenor.

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The information contained on this page is not legal advice. If you have a legal problem you should talk to a lawyer before making a decision about what to do. The information on this page is written for people resident in, or affected by, the laws of New South Wales, Australia only.