Recruitment and selection process

Our hiring process is an important part of our culture – our inclusive and diverse workplace begins with finding the right people for the job.

Our interviewing method

We use behavioural interviewing techniques that involve questions about the past performance of the candidate, based on the idea that the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in similar situations.

A typical interview panel will be made up of three people, including the person who will be the direct manager of the person appointed. The purpose of an interview is for the panel to meet you and to assess the match between you and the requirements of the position. Your aim during the interview should be to:

• show the panel that your skills, behaviours and knowledge match the requirements of
• the position
• demonstrate your understanding of the position and the organisation
• gather information about the position to help you decide if it is right for you.

Behavioural interviews

The purpose of behavioural interviews (BEI) is to learn about your ability in key skills needed for the job. The competencies that are questioned align to those that appear in the job description, usually under key skills and attributes.

Asking BEI questions allows the panel to hear about actual events in your past, what you did and what you learned from the situation and evaluate your experiences and behaviours to determine your potential for success in the role.

Preparing for an interview

Preparation is the key to a successful interview, before the interview we recommend that you read the role description carefully. Think about what is required in the position, and develop a list of examples to demonstrate you have the necessary skills and abilities.

As a candidate, you should be equipped to answer the questions thoroughly. In the interview, your response needs to be specific and detailed. Candidates who tell the panel about particular situations that relate to each question will be far more effective and successful than those who respond in general terms. Ideally, you should briefly describe the situation, what specific action you took to have an effect on the situation, and the positive result or outcome.

Frame it using the S-T-A-R approach to interviewing:

• situation – describe the situation you were in, or the task you needed to accomplish
• task – describe the challenges and expectations; what needed to be done, and why?
• action – elaborate on your specific action; what exactly did you do, and how did you do it?
• result – explain the result, including your accomplishments, recognition, and the outcome.

Tips

It can be difficult to prepare for a behaviour-based interview, because of the variety of possible behavioural questions you might be asked. The best way to prepare is to think about your experiences that can be adapted to answer questions.

Some tips include:

• Identify around six examples from your past experience where you demonstrated top behaviours and skills that are necessary in the role you applied for.
• Think in terms of examples that will allow you to show what you learnt.
• Your examples may be positive, such as accomplishments or meeting goals or negative circumstances which have ended positively.
• Vary your examples if you can and try not to take them all from just one experience.
• Practice answering interview questions.
• Have a look around this website to find out about Council and our work. 

In the interview, listen carefully to each question, and draw on an example that provides an appropriate description of how you demonstrated the desired behaviour. Do not be afraid to ask
for the question to be clarified or repeated.

Selection process

When applications have closed, a panel will get together to decide which applicants most closely meet the key competencies in the role description and position advertisement. These applicants will then be offered an interview.

All applicants will then be informed whether they've been successful in gaining an interview. If you're successful in gaining an interview, you'll be told the interview time, place, and location.

During your interview you're welcome to have whānau/support people present. Any expenses involved in bringing support people to an interview, however, are your responsibility. If you intend to bring such support with you, please let the person managing the recruitment and selection process know in plenty of time before the interview, so proper arrangements can be made.

All interviewed applicants will be told whether their applications have been successful as soon as possible after the interview. We will keep all the personal information you provided us during the process until the end of the recruitment process. At this time all information about unsuccessful applicants will be destroyed, unless you advised us to do otherwise.

A condition of all Council offers of employment is that you must pass, to Council's satisfaction:

• pre-employment drug and alcohol testing
• criminal background checks
• verification of your entitlement to work in Aotearoa New Zealand (or your ability to obtain this entitlement)
• pre-employment health checks, for safety-critical roles.