Tips for applicants
How to apply for a government job
Mind your Es and Qs (essential qualifications)
Increase your chances of being screened in
- Every job has a statement of merit criteria, which include essential qualifications that you must meet and may also include asset qualifications.
- Unless you have the education and experience required for the position, submitting an application is not a good use of your time.
- If you do have the required education and experience, list each essential qualification in your résumé and briefly explain how you meet them. You should also describe how you meet any asset qualifications, as they may also be used to screen candidates. Repeat or stay very close to the exact words from the essential qualifications in your résumé and make a link between your education or experience for each one. Otherwise your application could get screened out.
Know your ABCs
Figure out three-letter language profiles
- Each job has a language requirement. While some positions only require the knowledge of English or French, others will require the knowledge of both official languages.
- In order to determine whether you meet the language requirements of a bilingual position, you will need to take a language test. This will be arranged for you.
- Tests have reading, writing and oral components, with an A, B, C or E rating associated with each one.
- Unlike school, where A is the highest grade, we use a scale where A indicates beginner, B intermediate and C advanced. An E (exemption) means you never have to take the test again.
- So if you see a job with a language profile of CBC, for example, we are looking for level C in reading, B in writing and C in oral.
Understand "Imperative" and "Non-imperative" (in language profiles)
- Bilingual Imperative means that you must meet the job's language profile now.
- Bilingual Non-Imperative means that, if awarded the position, you have a two-year period to brush up on your skills and meet the language profile.
You will usually be sent for full time language training paid by the government during the exemption period.
Throw the 2-page limit and fancy formatting out the window
Enjoy more flexibility with résumés
- Many jobs have a lengthy list of requirements. Fortunately, you don't need to keep your résumé to one or two pages.
- Tailor your résumé for each job. One standard résumé won't make the cut for multiple applications.
- Be sure your information is relevant, concise, and easy to read.
- Fancy formatting? Forget it. When applying online, formatting will disappear once you paste it into the space provided on the application screen.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket
Be persistent, and cast your net broadly
- Remember that some jobs attract thousands of applicants.
- Don't be discouraged if you don't qualify for a job that seems like a perfect fit.
- Apply for many jobs, as long as you are truly qualified.
- Visit jobs.gc.ca often; some opportunities are only posted for very short periods of time.
Apply early and often
Get the timing right
- Apply long before you hope to begin working. If, for example, you're aiming for a job upon graduation, apply early in the school year. The standard time to complete the hiring process is several months.
- Make sure you set aside at least two hours to make an online submission. The application process for some jobs involves more steps than others.
The devil is in the details
Check, check, double-check
- When applying online, make sure you have completed all required fields.
- Proofread carefully, preferably using a paper copy.
- Use a word processing program to type out your responses, spell-check them, then paste them into the space provided.
- Do a final reading because spell-checks are not 100% reliable.
- A few extra minutes can make the world of difference.
