Applying for a job at Justice

All Department of Justice jobs are advertised on the Tasmanian Government jobs website.

Job ads include an overview of the position, any essential or desirable requirements, and a copy of the Statement of Duties.

You should read the Statement of Duties before applying for a role, paying close attention to the duties, level of responsibility, direction provided, and the selection criteria.

The selection criteria are what candidates will be assessed against throughout the selection process.

You are also strongly encouraged to:

• read the information on this website to learn more about the Department of Justice
• contact the listed contact person on the job ad before applying, so you can ask any questions you may have about the role or the team.

Applications should be submitted online by the advertised closing date through the Tasmanian Government Jobs Website. Go to the relevant vacancy and click the ‘Apply now’ button. You will be prompted to complete an online application form and attach your application.

Please note: you will receive an email acknowledgement of the lodgement of your application.

The selection panel and identifying conflicts of interest

When a job is advertised, the selection process is run by a selection panel. The panel reads your application, shortlists candidates, and conducts further assessments such as interviews.

The composition of the panel depends on the nature of the role, and they are usually made up of three people.

You will be advised who these people are soon after you apply. This gives you an opportunity to identify any actual, perceived or potential conflicts of interest you may have with a panel member. Doing this is an important part of a fair process, and will not negatively impact your application. You will be given a couple of days to identify any conflicts.

After any conflicts of interest are identified, the selection panel will shortlist or narrow the field of candidates. This typically involves reading application letters and resumes to identify people who meet the selection criteria and can be progressed to the next stage.

If the panel selects you for the next stage, you will be:

• phoned to organise an interview and/or another form of assessment
• asked if you require any reasonable adjustments to allow you to participate fully in the selection process. This ensures a fair process; any request from you for an adjustment or additional support will not negatively impact your application.

If you have not been selected to progress to the next stage, you will be:

• advised by email
• advised how you can to get feedback on your application. We encourage you to seek this feedback so you can learn how to improve or further develop yourself, especially if you are interested in similar opportunities or working with Justice in the future.

After shortlisting, the next stage of the selection process is an assessment.

This is commonly an interview, but could also involve things like providing work samples or case studies, making a presentation, or sitting a written test. You will be given specific information on the assessment to be used.

This assessment will further assess your knowledge, skills and experience as they relate to the selection criteria. It’s also an opportunity for you to ask the selection panel further questions about the role and team.

You may be asked to participate in multiple assessments as part of the selection process.

Referee checks are used to test and validate the claims or evidence you provide in your application and assessment/interview.

While not always the case, referee checks will usually be conducted after the assessment/interview.

We recommend that you provide referees who can comment on recent work performance; for example, your current or most recent manager or supervisor. If this is not possible, consider who is able to comment on your skills or experience related to the role.

Some positions with Justice have essential pre-employment checks, such as a police check or evidence of a current working with vulnerable people registration.

Where appropriate, these checks will be done before we confirm an offer of employment.

The selection panel will give you more information if this applies to you.

After the selection process is completed, if you are the successful candidate, you will be offered the role:

• relevant details can be confirmed at this stage: start date, salary, where to go on your first day, and so on
• if there is a review period, you will be advised of this and given more detail.
• you will receive formal paperwork to confirm your appointment.

It’s time to start getting excited about your new job!

If you are unsuccessful, you will be:

• advised that you have been unsuccessful
• offered post-selection counselling/feedback. We encourage you to seek this feedback so you can learn how to improve or further develop yourself, especially if you are interested in similar opportunities or working with Justice in the future.

Please note: The selection panel must write a selection report that is approved within Justice before it can make an offer. Therefore it may be a couple of weeks after your interview/assessment that you hear from the panel. The panel will give you a rough timeframes at the interview/assessment, and you will be told of any delays.

• Research the role you’re applying for and the team you would be joining as much as possible. Make sure you read the Statement of Duties and relevant online information, and consider calling the contact person to discuss the role.
• Think about why you want the job. In your application, outline why you want the role and link this back to what you’ve discovered in your research about the job, the team and/or Department.
• When writing your application, use a couple of meaningful examples that highlight your knowledge, skills and experience against the selection criteria. Even in a short-form application, examples add substance to your claims and expand on how you work, rather than just covering what you’ve done.
• Before interview, consider your experience and think about a selection of examples that demonstrate your knowledge and skills as relevant to the role, and have these ready to use and apply to more specific questions or scenarios.
• Take your time at interview. If needed, after a question is asked, pause to gather your thoughts or refer to your notes. It is better to pause for a while and then deliver a great answer, than to dive straight in and miss the mark.
• If you’re given an opportunity to ask questions at the interview, ask the panel about the team and what the culture is like. This information gives you greater insight into the role, can help you in considering whether it is the job for you, and if this happens before the interview starts, it can help inform your answers to interview questions.