How to streamline APS recruitment

Ahead of the Game, the blueprint for reforming Australian government administration, identifies streamlining recruitment as a step to strengthening the APS workforce. The report states that "Consultations revealed strong support for reforms to current recruitment and selection processes, with 57 submissions calling for recruitment processes to be streamlined, simplified and sped up." (p. 26)

Part of my submission to the reform Advisory Group was that adopting and adapting capability frameworks has complicated recruitment and selection of staff. Interpreting The Integrated Leadership System and its spin offs is for most people such a daunting exercise that many, including public servants, choose not to bother applying for jobs where it is used. This choice is limiting people’s careers and denying agencies a full field of candidates.

Some agencies claim to have ‘streamlined’ their selection process. What this means in practice is that they have rearranged the chairs on the selection Titanic, but no chairs have actually been removed. It might be simpler to write an expression of interest than a statement to selection criteria, but we must keep in mind the tendency of selection panels to adopt a rules-based mindset to the process and stick with past practice. The continuing life of the recruitment myths identified in the blueprint is testament to the longevity of false beliefs and people’s intransigence. Until we see and hear wide evidence that selection panels have changed their thinking and practice, applicants will continue to be sceptical about whether transparent, simpler, merit-based processes are taking place.

Writing a shorter response to selection criteria may sound like simplifying. Online recruiting systems may specify a word limit for responses. This can be as little as 350 words. Writing 350 words well takes more time than writing responses with no word limits. While long responses, even if written well, may be undesirable, it is not the case that shorter responses mean less work on the part of the applicant.

To streamline, simplify and speed up recruitment action is needed to:

• Remove unnecessary steps
• Remove what makes it complex
• Make it easier to understand
• Recruit and train staff who see recruitment as central and critical not peripheral and optional.

Some questions need to be addressed:

• Do selection criteria still need to be used?
• Do capability frameworks need to be used?
• Are job descriptions informative?
• How can there be greater honesty about people acting in jobs?
• What are the critical selection methods and are staff trained to use them effectively?
• How can staff learn to fully appreciate the flexibility they have rather than taking a rules-based approach?
• How can staff learn to fully appreciate the role biases, prejudices and judgements play in assessing applicants so that they focus on evidence and its relationship to the job-related qualities?
• How will managers’ staff selection performance be assessed?

Tinkering at the edges will not result in quicker recruitment processes. Continuing to use complex capability frameworks as selection criteria will continue to limit the field of applicants. Offering uninformative and incomprehensible job descriptions will also help reduce the field and result in good candidates miss-aligning their applications.

To really streamline recruitment processes the APS needs to re-evaluate everything about recruitment – policies, processes, attitudes, and most of all, the use of selection criteria

Other useful articles:

• APS risks elitist approach to talent management
• Time to get serious about 'One APS career ... thousands of opportunities'

Dr Ann Villiers, learning guide, professional speaker and author, is Australia's only Mental Nutritionist® specialising in mind and language practices that help people build flexible thinking, confident speaking and quality connections with people. Visit www.mentalnutrition.com to learn more about Mental Nutrition. Visit www.selectioncriteria.com.au for free resources unlocking the mysteries of public service jobs.