The fifth edition is designed for adult career changers, public servants, trainees and graduates interested in progressing their career in government.
What does the book cover? Read the Table of Contents below to see the breadth of this new edition.
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Outlines the range of roles, work and career paths in the public service, routes into the public service and how to judge what level to pitch for.
Chapter 2: Job seeker as career manager and sense-maker
Explains the importance of managing a career, adopting an employability mindset and building sense-making skills.
Chapter 3: Know what you offer
Illustrates five tools to support your career and reduce the stress of job applications.
Chapter 4: Fifty ideas for managing your career
Shows how to be a career activist and take an active role in managing your career.
Part 2: How it all works
Chapter 5: Understanding government selection processes
Outlines key stages in government staff selection processes and the types of application processes in use.
Chapter 6: How to read a government job advertisement
Shows what information to notice and what key details mean.
Chapter 7: Entry level programs
Outlines programs available for trainees, cadets, apprentices and graduates, and offers tips for applications.
Chapter 8: Making sense of capability frameworks
Explains what capability frameworks are and how to read them. Offers definitions of 61 terms used in capability frameworks and sets of questions to identify response material for core capabilities.
Chapter 9: Interpreting the job context
Suggests seven questions to ask in order to fully understand the job. Offers five ways to further research a job, including questions to ask contact officers.
Part 3: The application
Chapter 10: Writing to selection criteria
Explains and illustrates a three-step process for writing strong, evidence-based responses to selection criteria.
Chapter 11: Values-based management
Outlines what is meant by values and ethics criteria, and criteria about diversity, equal employment opportunity, participative work practices, workplace health and safety, and customer service.
Chapter 12: Preparing your résumé
Identifies 10 mistakes in résumés and how to avoid them. Shows what to include in a résumé and how to write a results-based work history.
Chapter 13: Helping your referees
Explains what makes a useful referee report and offers 10 tips for managing referees.
Chapter 14: A case study: Lee Koudbee climbs high
Illustrates the suggestions in Part 3 as applied to both job-specific and capability-based selection criteria.
Part 4: The interview
Chapter 15: What to expect
Challenges faulty thinking about job interviews, outlines what could happen at a job interview and offers suggestions for making a positive impression. Tips are provided on telephone and video interviews.
Chapter 16: Sixteen confidence-building strategies
Explains 16 ideas for mental preparation prior to a job interview.
Chapter 17: The art of self-promotion
Shows how to prepare for nine commonly used self-promotion questions.
Chapter 18: Types of interview questions
Explains the types of questions used by interviewers and shows how to prepare responses. Explains how to anticipate possible interview questions.
Chapter 19: After the interview
Explains the need to keep records and obtain feedback and how this information feeds into further career management.
List of shortened forms
Glossary
Notes
References
Index