APS Recruitment Guide

Overview

Our people are our biggest asset in the Australian Public Service (APS) and recruiting new employees is a significant investment of time and effort. There is a high value placed on selecting the right person, for the right job, at the right time to build a stronger Public Service for the future. Critically, the APS serves a diverse and multicultural Australia, and a culture of inclusion is critical for the APS to achieve the benefits a diverse workplace can offer, including through inclusive recruitment. Effective recruitment helps ensure candidate and agency expectations are aligned, leading to higher performing, diverse teams, increased team morale and increased overall productivity.

This guide provides information on the APS legislative framework that underpins all APS recruitment and provides guidance on how agencies can run recruitment processes that meet legislative requirements, whilst also using best practice to recruit employees in a highly competitive market. The guide also outlines how agencies can successfully manage the planning, attraction, selection and engagement phases of recruitment processes in the APS.

The guide has been prepared for Human Resources (HR) practitioners undertaking recruitment activities, however, it is also relevant for hiring managers, selection panel members and others involved in the recruitment and selection activities looking to further their understanding of recruitment practices in the APS.

Agencies may also have their own internal recruitment policies and procedures that outline how recruitment process will be undertaken in their agency, in the context of their agencies operating environment and workforce strategy. The guide should be used in conjunction with an agency’s internal recruitment and HR policies, and must be considered in line with recruitment policy and relevant legislation.

Download the APS recruitment guide