How to apply for a position at Muswellbrook Shire Council
Muswellbrook Shire Council employs on a merit based principle. Merit is gauged by how well you satisfy the selection criteria listed in the Position Description and is described as the relationship between the qualities required to do the job and the qualities that applicants bring to the job.
Applications must be submitted on-line through Council’s ‘Career Opportunities’ section.
Job applications
You will be required to supply the following;
Cover letter
A cover letter should be a short introduction of yourself, why you applied for the position and any additional information you may believe is relevant or of importance. You do not need to advise of your qualifications/skills/abilities in great detail in your cover letter as this should be covered in your resumé/response to the Selection Criteria.
Response to selection criteria
Each position has essential and desirable selection criteria that are designed to ensure incumbents meet the inherent requirements of the job. As part of your on-line application, you are required to answer questions in Step 2 in relation to the selection criteria for the position. Essential criteria are marked with an ‘*’.
Selection Criteria are based on the key accountabilities of the position and are listed in general order of priority. If you do not meet an essential selection criterion you will be excluded from further consideration for the position. The wording used in the selection criteria questions defines the necessary level of knowledge, skill or ability to do the job. 
For example:
- Demonstrated means that you have actually performed the activity or used the skill in the past, rather than just the potential to do so.
- Knowledge of (or the ability to rapidly acquire the knowledge of) means that you already have the required knowledge, or you can provide examples of past situations which have required a rapid acquisition of knowledge.
- Thorough, sound or high level indicates that a more advanced level of knowledge or skills is required.
It is important to note that when you are answering the selection criteria questions, you will need to state HOW and/or WHEN you met each aspect of the criterion, do not just state that you met the criterion, you must provide examples of how.
Council appoints on merit and therefore by demonstrating how you meet the essential and desirable criteria, it assists Council to gauge how well you meet the inherent requirements of the job in regard to your education, knowledge, skills and abilities. 
Resumés
A resumé should include the following;
- Your name, address, daytime contact details
- Qualifications/Education
- Employment history: Details of your work experience, stating the most recent first, including the position held, organisation you worked for, the period of employment (e.g. May 2005 – September 2007), and a brief outline of your responsibilities and the duties you performed
- Referees: Including the names, position titles, employer, and contact details of two recent work related referees (preferably your current or most recent manager/supervisor). It is important to remember to ask the referees whether they are willing to act as referees prior to supplying their details.
Information Sessions/Selection Centres
An Information Session/Selection Centre is an alternative recruitment method designed to provide applicants with information on a particular position within Council. When an information session occurs the advertisement will indicate that interested applicants are to register to attend the information session on the specified date and time. If the interested applicants are unable to attend the information session they are required to contact Human Resources to discuss other arrangements for applying.
During the information session, interested applicants will complete an application form. Once applications have been received the selection process will occur to determine those applicants who best meet the criteria based on merit.
If you are selected for the next stage of the recruitment process you will invited to attend a Selection Centre. The Selection Centre involves attendance at a Council location, such as the Water & waste management facility or Council’s Administration Building, to be assessed on areas such as:
- Skills, knowledge and technical competence
- Occupational Health & Safety Awareness
- Pre-employment Functional Assessment (including drug and alcohol test)
- Interview
Selection Centres are extremely useful as they provide the selection panel with a variety of methods to assess the applicants on their suitability to the position. Assessment Centres have been utilised for positions such as Water & Waste Operators, waste management facility Operators, Roads & Drainage Field Staff, Parks & Gardens Field Staff, Administration Officers and Council’s Casual Register.
This page last updated 27 September, 2011 4:34 PM
