Applying to Work in Government Roles

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Browse and apply 

The Government of Canada posts job openings and accepts applications online. The process is easy to navigate once you have a sense of what to expect. To apply for jobs as an external or first-time applicant, you’ll need to set up GC Jobs account, which can be done in just a few easy steps. You can also choose to set up email alerts to be notified when certain types of jobs become available.

Next, it’s time to browse available jobs and choose which ones you’d like to apply for. Postings will specify the language, education, and experience requirements potential candidates need to meet, as well as skills, competencies, and knowledge they should possess in order to qualify. You can view all this information before deciding whether or not to apply. 

Click the “Apply” button to open your application once you’ve found a posting you’re interested in. The application will consist of a questionnaire containing screening questions to assess your qualifications, plus your Resume and Cover Letter. After you submit your application, it will be reviewed, at which point you will either be “screened out”, meaning your application was not selected for further consideration, or “screened in”. If you are screened in, you may be invited for an interview and/ or undergo further evaluation. The number of steps in the recruitment process will vary depending on the job, as will the particular methods used for evaluating applicants and the qualifications you’ll need to demonstrate in order to stay in the running (and hopefully get the job!). 

If you make it through the first several stages of the hiring process, note that you may have to undergo an employment security screening check. This will involve verifying your personal and identifying information against official IDs, reference checks with your employers over the last five years and the references you have supplied, police record checks, and possibly other types of record checks, if applicable. You will have to pass this screening as a prerequisite for an offer of employment. 

Keep reading the sections below for a full understanding the Canadian Federal Government Job Application Process if you’d like more information on deciphering job posters and what to expect when you apply! 

Tips 

·  Be sure to answer questions completely. Follow all the instructions and include all required information. 

·  Use specific examples to qualify your answers to the screening questions. 

·  Tailor your Resume and Cover Letter to the job post. 

·  Proofread, proofread, proofread! Nothing detracts from your professional image like typos. Go over your Resume and Cover Letter with a fine-toothed comb and do the same with the screening questions. Make sure all your documents are error-free before you submit. 

·  Be concise and keep sentences focused. Use action verbs and results to describe your previous roles. 

·  Don’t list references unless the job posting specifically asks you to. Be sure that any references you do list can address your past work experience and the qualities and skills that make you a good fit for the position.

·  Remember to upload your Cover Letter before you hit “submit”—you won’t have the opportunity to do so later. 

·  Use bulleted lists and an easy-to-read font and type size. 

·  Make sure you submit your applications before 11:59 pm EST on the deadline. 

·  Check out more resources below on Resume and Cover Letter writing guidelines for Provincial Government  jobs, or head over to the Doc’s Blog to browse curated articles full of job application advice. 

An Overview of Your Application – General Tips (from the Ontario Government Style Guide)

Content & Strategy 

·  Tailor your resume and cover letter to the specific qualifications and responsibilities outlined in the job posting. Before you start your application, reflect on how your experiences and skills have prepared you to succeed in the new work setting so you can clearly demonstrate to the hiring manager that you are qualified for the role.

·  Be specific & concise. Emphasize the skills and experience you have that are relevant to the position. Avoid repeating information and going into unnecessary details, including irrelevant information.  

·  Include a cover letter. While a cover letter is not a required part of your application, it is a chance to market your skills and demonstrate your professionalism. A well-written cover letter is a useful tool to supplement your resume.

·  Target gaps in work history by highlighting volunteer work, self-study, and formal training or education that you participated in while you were out of the workforce that allowed you to develop skills and qualifications relevant to the role. You may also choose to submit a functional, rather than chronological, resume if you have been out of the workforce for a significant interval. Applications are not screened based on gaps in work history. 

·  Emphasize transferable skills. If you are applying for a type of job you’ve never held before or are aiming to change careers, highlight the qualifications you possess that are most relevant to your new career goal, as well as any training, volunteer work, or other important credentials that will interest hiring managers. 

Technical Details

·  Your application must be 5 pages or less. Aim to use 1- 2 pages for your cover letter and 2- 3 pages for your resume. 

·  Use the proper tense. Previous experiences should be written in past tense. Current or ongoing experiences are always written in the present tense, unless you are listing specific accomplishments related to those experiences that have already been completed.

·  Proofread carefully for typos, spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and incorrect information. 

·  Choose a font that is easy to read and standard on most computer systems – Arial, Book Antiqua, Century Schoolbook, Garamond, Tahoma, Times New Roman, and Verdana are good choices. Font size should be no less than 10 and no greater than 12. 

·  Use an acceptable file format. Save your application file as an MS Word (.docx), PDF (.pdf), Rich Text (.rtf), or Plain Text (.txt) document. File size should not exceed 1MB. 

·  Add your name at the top of any additional pages, as well as in a header on the first page of the resume and cover letter. 

Writing a Good Cover Letter

Although it’s not mandatory, a cover letter is a fantastic opportunity to add a more personal touch to your application and to convey your suitability for the role in a narrative format to supplement and connect the information in your resume.

Roadmap

·  The header should include your full name, email address(es), and all telephone numbers. 

·  Address your letter to “The Hiring Manager” or “To Whom It May Concern”. There is no need to personalize your greeting because Ontario Public Services recruitment is centralized.

·  In the subject line, reference the file number (job ID) and job title. Include the name of the ministry as well. 

·  The opening paragraph should get the reader’s attention immediately. Briefly identify what you have to offer the organization and the primary reason why you are the ideal candidate for the role. 

·  The mid-section is used to explain the particular benefits you offer in relation to the required qualifications. Emphasize your relevant skills, competencies, experience, and knowledge. Cite specific and relevant experiences, along with how they helped you grow and prepared you for the role. Highlight transferable skills and any required certifications. 

·  The closing paragraph should contain a single sentence explaining why you are the perfect fit for the organization and how you can add value to it. Also include the best method of contacting you and thank the hiring manager in advance for their time and consideration.

Additional Tips

·  Include factual and unexaggerated statements of specific accomplishments and achievements to substantiate the discussion of your relevant skills and abilities. 

·  Focus on your most recent experiences and accomplishments. 

·  Show that you know something about the ministry or organization to which you are applying. Researching the skills and knowledge they are looking for will help you demonstrate more clearly your suitability and ability to add value to the role. 

·  Remember that your cover letter is a career marketing tool, not an autobiography. Avoid including any irrelevant or overly personal information. 

Writing a Good Resume

A good resume is a clear, concise, and factual representation of your accomplishments, strengths, employment history, and education. It highlights your skills in relation to the specific qualifications required in the job posting. 

Roadmap of a Chronological Resume 

You may use any resume format you wish, but a chronological resume is most common. It has four main sections: 

·  The header contains your current name and contact information.

·  A summary of qualifications/ accomplishments provides a snapshot of your key skills & accomplishments that can be substantiated by your work experience. 

·  Your work history comes next. Key duties, knowledge, and accomplishments are listed for each experience in order from most to least recent. Include start and end dates along with the names of the organizations where you worked. 

·  Education and/ or additional development/ training includes your formal education, along with any special certifications, training, or course completions. 

Additional Tips

·  Use a skills summary or profile to give a concise overview of your qualifications for the specific position you are applying for. 

·  Demonstrate your history of adding value to your organization by writing work accomplishment statements. Give brief, factual descriptions of your specific results, achievements, and successes wherever possible – for example, maybe you managed a project, improved a process, optimized resources, cut costs, or improved team morale. 

·  Emphasize your most significant skills and experience in well-defined sections. 

·  Avoid repeating information that has already been mentioned in your cover letter 

·  Create an organized and visually appealing resume. The more minimal, the better. 

·  Keep it current. Focus on your most recent experiences. You don’t need to provide as much detail for older or irrelevant positions. 

·  Be honest. Don’t exaggerate, inflate, or lie about any of your information. False statements could cost you a job, even if they are discovered after you get hired. 

Errors to Avoid

·  Listing duties or copying the job advertisement or job description into your application.

Presenting a simple list of skills or duties will not impress hiring managers. It can also result in too much overlap and repeated information between your resume and cover letter and inhibits your ability to be concise. Instead, highlight your experiences and accomplishments as they relate to the particular requirements of the job you’re applying for. 

·  Listing courses, training, hobbies, or volunteer experience without demonstrating their relevance to the position in terms of skills, knowledge, or abilities they helped you develop. Your education and extracurricular activities can help showcase transferable skills that might make you a good candidate for the position, but don’t just list them. You need to highlight how these experiences have helped you develop the skills required for the role.

·  Being unclear or vague. Including statements like “ability to work independently”, “support functions to managers”, and “strong communicator (oral and written)” isn’t very informative. Remember to substantiate your qualifications and focus on demonstrating your suitability for the role by writing work accomplishment statements.  

Action Management (AM)

Makes sure desired standards of work are met and that objectives are achieved on time. Gives directions effectively, demands high performance, and holds people accountable. 

Adaptability and Flexibility (AF) 

Readily adjusts to a changing work environment by altering task focus and behaviour. Reacts positively to change. Collaborates with others to optimize operations as circumstances require.

Change Leadership (CL) 

Motivates others to accept and contribute positively to specific, actionable changes in the way things are done. Manages change by translating organizational goals into practical strategies and directs the implementation and execution of these strategies in a timely manner.

Client Service Orientation (CSO) 

Effectively identifies and fulfills client needs and acts in their best interests. Continually monitors client satisfaction and corrects problems and complaints promptly and respectfully.

Commitment to Continuous Learning (CCL)

Possesses a natural curiosity and a drive to learn new things and better oneself. Regularly reflects on performance to analyze and learn from both successes and mistakes.

Conceptual Thinking (CT)

Possesses the ability to identify patterns and connections, including those that are not immediately obvious. Finds creative, new ways to look at things. Identifies core or underlying issues in complex situations and finds ways to conceptualize and clarify them.

Conflict Management (CM)

Diplomatically manages and resolves interpersonal conflicts. Fosters an open work environment and addresses sources of discontentment in the workplace.

Cooperation and Collaboration (CC)

Promotes cooperation and works to prevent and resolve interpersonal disputes. Actively collaborates with others, offering one’s own input and encouraging contributions from others. 

Cross-Cultural Sensitivity (CCS)

Shows respect and sensitivity towards other people’s cultures, beliefs, and value systems. Acts as a role model to others by demonstrating acceptance and respect towards people of other cultures and invites diverse input to improve work processes.

Decisiveness (DEC)

Makes decisions with confidence and resolve, even in the face of complex, conflicting, or ambiguous information.

Developing Others (DEV)

Possesses a genuine interest in supporting the continuous learning and development of others. Appropriately offers advice, personal experience, coaching, and feedback. 

Effective Interactive Communication (EIC)

Communicates effectively, tactfully, and diplomatically with others. Conveys ideas and information clearly, in a way that promotes the understanding of the target audience. Considers other people’s perspectives and responds appropriately.

Focus on Quality and Details (FOQ)

Uses effective planning, monitoring, and checking practices to ensure that tasks are completed with a high level of quality and accuracy. 

Impact and Influence (IMP)

Uses direct and indirect strategies to persuade, convince, influence, or impress others so that they agree to or support the speaker’s goals and agenda. 

Information Seeking (INF)

Looks beyond information that is immediately available or obvious and identifies knowledge needed to clarify or improve a situation. Effectively collects information from relevant sources. 

Initiative (INT)

Operates proactively. Willingly and skilfully takes appropriate actions to respond to challenges or opportunities, both current and foreseen. 

Innovativeness (INN)

Devises and implements creative solutions to problems and offers novel ways to improve operations and accomplish organizational goals. 

Interpersonal Understanding (IU)

“Reads between the lines” to better relate to others in interpersonal situations. Uses an understanding of what others think and feel to interact positively and effectively with them. 

Judgement/ Analytical Thinking (J/ AT)

Possesses the ability to understand and discern cause-and-effect relationships. Methodically traces the implications of a situation to develop a big-picture understanding. Effectively organizes and interprets information to identify the most appropriate course of action. 

Organizational Awareness (OA)

Understands the intricacies of organizational politics and structure. Accurately identifies those with decision-making power and those with influence over them. Uses knowledge of these power relations to predict the implications of new events or changes within the organization. 

Partnership, Network, and Relationship Building (PRB)

Proactively builds and maintains positive, reciprocal relationships with people who could potentially be of help in progressing future agendas or furthering organizational goals. 

Results Orientation (RO)

Concerns oneself with working well overall. Takes calculated risks, measures progress and performance, and promotes best practices to help accomplish goals. 

Self-Confidence (SCF)

Trusts in one’s own ability to rise to challenges, identify effective solutions, accomplish tasks, and succeed in complicated or risky situations. Confident in one’s decisions and opinions. 

Self-Control (SCT)

Refrains from acting on or inappropriately expressing strong emotions and reactions, particularly negative ones. Maintains composure in the face of prolonged stress or hostility from others.  

Strategic Orientation (SO)

Employs a long-term approach to predict how future developments may impact day-to-day operations. Adjusts strategies to proactively mitigate the impact of predicted developments. 

Team Leadership (TL)

Leads groups to work together effectively by keeping members informed and accountable.

Values and Ethics (VE)

Prioritizes doing what is right over what is easy or convenient. Demonstrates understanding and respect of public service values.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Ranked on a 5-point proficiency scale, where a score of 1 demonstrates “Awareness” and a score of 5 indicates an “Expert” level.

Ability to Use Office Technology, Software, and Business Applications

Effectively uses equipment common to the office setting and relevant business, as well as specialized technology and systems. 

Coaching Skills 

Fosters other people’s development by providing observation, advice, support, encouragement, and growth opportunities. Earns others’ trust. 

Consulting Skills 

Analyzes client requirements and offers guidance and effective solutions to address them. 

Contract and Procurement Management

Possesses thorough knowledge of statutory/ regulatory requirements and essentials of contract/ procurement management and applies these as relevant to the role.

Facilitation Skills 

Interacts effectively with a group and moves it towards its goals by employing wide-ranging group development, problem-solving, decision-making, and communication strategies. 

Financial Management

Understands and applies financial administration principles as relevant to the role. Possesses a knowledge of acts, regulations, policies, and best practices related to financial administration. 

Human Resources Management

Understands acts, regulations, policies, and best practices as related to the role, which may involve training & development, performance evaluation, rewards & recognition, staffing & resourcing, equity & diversity, or labor/ management relations. 

Information Management

Possesses thorough knowledge of the essentials and statutory/ regulatory requirements for information management as relevant to the role. 

Knowledge of Administrative Processes, Practices, and Procedures 

Understands administrative policies, directives, and guidelines which inform the delivery and cost of programs and the nature of advice to management regarding asset management, travel, security, and grant administration. 

Knowledge of Applicable Legislation Governing IRCC Policies and Procedures 

Possesses a thorough understanding of government-wide regulatory and management frameworks and departmental policies and procedures that directly affect one’s work and duties. 

Knowledge of Policy Development Processes

Effectively develops and comparatively analyzes guiding principles and policies and validates or adjusts policies according to government priorities and organizational directives. 

Knowledge of Research Methodologies, Principles, and Practices

Applies appropriate research methodologies to analyze reliable and relevant information to develop a greater understanding of a subject under study. 

Planning and Organizing

Effectively organizes work, required resources, and plans to achieve objectives. 

Presentation Skills

Delivers effective, organized presentations. Adapts presentation style to suit intended audience. 

Project Management

Applies appropriate knowledge and skills to fulfill stakeholder expectations for projects. Effectively balances competing demands related to time, resources, and scope. 

Specialized Subject Matter Expertise and Knowledge

Possesses knowledge and skills relevant to a particular area of expertise and applies these in a variety of work situations. 

Written Communication Skills

Produces effective written correspondence, reports, and documents. Uses clear and correct language and adjusts style to appeal to and influence the intended audience.