Questions about Contract Employment in Commonwealth Public Service through Recruitment Agency

Lmjcoll123 on 11/12/2019 - 18:35

Hi There! I’ve been out of work for about two and a half years since my contract with a private company was not renewed (I’m old, at 48, and also disabled (hearing loss) and chronically ill). Last Friday night I received a call and text from a recruitment agency wondering if I would be interested in a government job that has a 12-month contract with the possibility of extension. I had forgotten I even had my resume on Seek, which is where the agency rep found it. After we spoke on Monday, she provided me with the complete details of the job and I provided her with a slightly updated version of my resume and agreement to the hourly rate being offered. The impression I had was that the next day the company would be giving the department a selection of suitable candidates for their choice (there are two jobs available). I haven’t dealt with recruitment agencies since the olden days when I was young and temped for a while, so I’m not sure what the procedure is for getting government contracts through them. All the jobs I’ve had in the Commonwealth PS I’ve applied for through the usual painful proving you meet the selection criteria and formal interview process, so I’m just curious about what happens when potentially going in through this way. Any advice would be welcome.

tl;dr Apologies for War and Peace. How does getting a Commonwealth government contract work when a recruitment agency rings you as opposed to applying directly to the department?

Education & Work

Comments

  • iforgotmysocks on 11/12/2019 - 18:51
    +2

    Apologies for War and Peace

    No need, I don't hold you personally responsible. I blame Leo Tolstoy.

  • TheMindsetTraveller on 11/12/2019 - 19:04
    +1

    It depends on the department and role IF they want a short list from the agency so they can conduct interview, choose the ideal candidate and straight into the role. The agency is your employer and you work at the government department on an hourly basis (or as agreed) paid by the agency.

    If there is no short list, then the usual process is the agency finds a 'suitable' worker and you normally get slotted into the role (without needing to go through the usual public service recruitment process), if you do the job well, and if and when that job becomes advertised by the department, you then apply and go through the public service recruitment process and because you have been doing said job well, you have a better chance at getting that position - when you are employed then, you get access to sick leave, annual leavel, rostered days off, paid public holidays etc.

    • mjcoll123 on 11/12/2019 - 22:23

      Thanks so much for your response, The Mindset Traveller. I was really hoping I could just go straight to interview based on my experience. I’m not sure if they’re having trouble filling it (it’s been advertised since early last month, originally with an envisaged December start date, and has a definite limited lifespan of a maximum of two years) or if they just want to have a wide selection of candidates to offer the department. After so long with basically no income I’m just excited that someone is recommending me for a potentially interesting, decently paid, job for 12 months. At first I thought it must be a scam! Even if I don’t get it, it’s been wonderful for my battered and bruised confidence level. 😊

  • tsunamisurfer on 11/12/2019 - 19:10
    +1

    I have done it in Perth.

    Straight forward…no selection criteria required. The interviewers will have their criteria which they want you to speak to but nothing in terms of an essay normally required of a direct application.

    • mjcoll123 on 11/12/2019 - 22:26

      Thanks so much for your response, tsunamisurfer. What a load off that would be!

  • entropysbane on 11/12/2019 - 19:13
    +1

    I am more familiar with QPS rather than APS contract arrangements, and I am assuming it is a contract arrangement where you are paid through the agent rather than by the department (in which case it would be a temporary position rather than contract). For a contract I would not expect the usual formal interview process. It is more a pop in and chat to make sure you don’t come across as a serial killer.
    The thing with a contract is they can tell you not to come in the next day or ever again at any time, and you don’t get holiday or sick leave pay. You do get a quite generous loading on the hourly rate to make up for it though, and ask the agent about overtime. It can be financially better than temporary or permanent PS employment to make up for less security.

    • mjcoll123 on 11/12/2019 - 22:41

      Thanks so much for responding, entropysbane. I love the serial killer screening part! I think I can get past that! 😂
      I was on a contract in my last position that they just kept extending once a year until I went overseas for six weeks and some bright spark decided that since my interstate colleagues were, as a favour to me, doing my job while I was away it would be much cheaper and easier for them to do it all the time, so, yeah, I’m now painfully aware of the risks, although in fairness they gave me six months of notice to save as much as I could before I went. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of security in the PS anymore anyway, so at the moment I’d rather have the extra dollars if I can get them.

  • mjcoll123 on 11/12/2019 - 22:57

    Thanks, all, for your helpful advice. I think I’ve pretty much had my questions answered. It being a government department that’s deciding, I guess I just need to prepare and wait now, with everything crossed. I’m not sure how to request a thread closure, but if an admin sees this and wants to do so, all good! 😊

    • suchcha on 11/12/2019 - 23:38
      +1

      Best of luck with everything.

      • mjcoll123 on 12/12/2019 - 03:45
        +1

        Thanks so much, suchcha! 😊

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