The Department of Health and Aged Care (Health) recently completed a pilot Affirmative Measures – Indigenous (AMI) recruitment process for two (APS 5 and 6) Engagement Officer positions. Based in New South Wales, position holders are responsible for engaging with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and Organisations (ACCHSOs) to progress critical work under the Aged Care Reform Agenda.
These exciting positions were identified by the Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group as an opportunity to test innovate strategies to attract and recruit First Nations peoples to inform the basis of Health’s upcoming First Nations Employment and Retention Strategy.
The jobs were advertised over six weeks via a wide range of print media and virtual channels including:
- Pipeline Talent,
- Koori Mail,
- National Indigenous Times,
- National Indigenous Television,
- Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn,
- Seek/Indeed,
- direct email to APS First Nations staff networks,
- and posters in local ACCHSOs featuring QR codes directing candidates to Health’s vacancies.
All job ads were tailored to target First Nations candidates using the EVP tool and side-by-side comparison available on the APSC’s AMI Recruitment Hub.
The attraction approach also included streamlining the application process to assess eligibility by requiring candidates to submit only their CV and confirmation of heritage documents instead of a one-page pitch. This approach received a 100% increase in applications for both roles compared to a similar AMI role advertised only one month prior.
Ahead of assessment, candidates were provided with a Recruitment Process Guide outlining the exact timeline of events and communications, information on panel members, and contact details for the advertising business area and Health’s Indigenous Liaison Officer Unit.
The assessment pipeline included a written work sample assessment based on real on-the-job scenarios with 50% of candidates progressing to Yarning Circle Group interviews, as featured on the APSC’s AMI Recruitment Hub. All candidates were provided with the option to receive taxi vouchers to assist them to travel to and from interview. Where candidates were located outside of NSW, Health offered to fund their travel should they wish to attend interview in person. To help them prepare, candidates received the interview questions 24 hours in advance of their scheduled interview time.
To ensure cultural safety for candidates, all panel members were required to complete Health’s inclusive recruitment eLearning modules. All current team members within the advertising business area were also required to complete Health’s cultural competence eLearning modules ahead of on-boarding.
During Yarning Circle Group Interviews, candidates were given 5 minutes to respond to their individual question, followed by 10 minutes discussion time with the rest of the group, including panel members. After interviews, all candidates gave the panel positive feedback citing cultural safety and a relaxed environment as part of their experience. Candidates also cited the Recruitment Process Guide as a key highlight of their experience as they understood when to expect communications and had transparency of the assessment criteria for each activity, helping them put their best foot forward.
Initial evaluation of the pilot process has been successful, with Health creating a merit pool including 90% of candidates who progressed to Yarning Circle Group Interviews. A full evaluation of this process will be progressed over the next 12-months to assess the ongoing development needs and retention of successful candidates, including overall ROI.
To find out more, reach out to Health’s Indigenous Liaison Officer Unit at Inclusion@health.gov.au.