Knowing what our recruitment teams are looking for can help you put together a standout application. Here’s our advice on what we look for and how you can deliver it.
Showing us who you are
Your CV and cover letter are your opportunities to make a great first impression, so it’s worth making the effort to ensure it genuinely reflects who you are and what you can bring to our organisation.
Here are some ideas to help start the reflection process:
Keep a record of awesome things that happen in your everyday mahi: When something happens that you are proud of or that was a great learning experience make a note so that when it comes time to give examples in an application (Cover Letter, CV or at an interview) you have recent, relevant experiences to draw on.
Ask someone else: Speak to a colleague and ask them why they believe you would make an awesome “insert job here” - what are some of the positive traits that they see in you that perhaps you weren’t aware of?
Keep in mind some of the key things we’ll be looking for: values alignment, cultural competency, a growth mindset, as well as the skills needed for the role. Think about how you could cover these in your application.
Most importantly we want to sense your motivation: – why do you want this role? Is it the next logical step or have you been told you are a good leader/coach/mentor/operational expert?
Understanding who we are
Doing a bit of research about us as an organisation and the role can be a big help throughout the application process.
It’s always a positive when candidates can show how their skills and values align with those of the organisation or specific role that they’re applying for. Plus, getting a better understanding of who we are may help you decide if working for us is right for you. Don’t forget, you’re evaluating us as much as we’re evaluating you.
Having a look around both our careers website and corporate website is a good start to get to know us and the role you’re applying for. You can find out more about our values and purpose and read about specific roles in the organisation.
Keep it simple, short, and specific
Our recruitment teams read thousands of CVs each year, so make sure you’re giving them all the information they need (and not what they don’t).
We recommend keeping your CV concise but specific – for example, provide the month you started or finished in a job (rather than just the year) and provide specific examples of your skills/achievements. Make sure you explain any gaps in your CV (eg time away for parental leave, or for travel).
If you’d like more advice, www.careers.govt.nz has some great tips and a CV builder. Or, if you have specific questions about our recruitment process, get in touch with us at careers@corrections.govt.nz.