The Recruitment Process

The Court engages and promotes employees based on merit. Merit is defined in the Public Service Act 1999 (Cth)

The Court uses an online recruitment system to manage vacancies and applications. Many of the vacancies are also published on APSJobs and on other websites.

Position descriptions

A position description describes the duties of each role and provides other information such as any mandatory qualifications, the application process and general information about the location and section of the role.

You are encouraged to review the position description prior to commencing your application to ensure that you have the necessary skills and abilities and meet the eligibility requirements.

You may also like to contact the nominated contact person to talk about the role and to gain insight into the duties and functions of the vacancy.

How to apply

You must apply for vacancies using the Court’s online recruitment system. external link The Court may not accept applications lodged by other means (e.g. email or mail).

You may be asked to write a ‘pitch’ for the position or respond to selection criteria. It is important that you understand the duties of the position and align your pitch or claims with them.

You will be asked to upload an up-to-date resume and you may also be asked to provide copies of your qualifications. Please have these ready in a single PDF.

We suggest you draft your application in a text document and then copy it into the online form. Please note that some formatting may not work in the online recruitment system so you should review your pasted text to ensure it is presented correctly.

You must apply by the closing date. Late or incomplete applications may not be accepted or considered.

On submission of your application, you will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application.

Once your application is submitted, you cannot edit or withdraw it. If you do not wish to progress your application, please send an email to hr@fedcourt.gov.au outlining your decision to withdraw. Please note that we cannot amend your application if you make a mistake, so check it carefully prior to submission.

What happens next?

Following the closing date, the selection committee will commence assessing applications. Should you be selected for further assessment (e.g. an interview), you will receive information about this from the selection committee (either by telephone or email).

What do I bring to an interview?

For most interviews, you only need to bring a copy of your application. If there are any special requirements (e.g. providing a sample of your work) you will be advised beforehand.

Will my referees be contacted?

Referees may be contacted at any stage of a recruitment process—as part of shortlisting applicants for an interview or following an interview. Referees may be asked to provide verbal or written reports.

Not every referee will be contacted and the selection committee will contact you before they contact a referee to ensure you have provided a referee who can comment on your professional work and who is, preferably, a current or recent supervisor.

If there are sensitivities about contacting your referee, please let us know and we will take relevant information into consideration.

The outcome

Following the assessment process, a report will be prepared and submitted to the decision maker for their consideration.

Once the decision is made you will be advised of the outcome by telephone or email.

Emails to unsuccessful applicants will mostly be generated by the Court’s online recruitment system. In addition to advising you of the outcome, the email may also contain contact details if you wish to seek feedback on your application. Written feedback will generally not be provided.

If successful, you will be sent correspondence about the offer of employment along with various forms to complete.

On-boarding

Your new work area will be responsible for organising your on-boarding, including deciding on a proposed start date. You will need to undergo at least a police record check prior to commencing. When negotiating a start date, this security requirement will be a factor in determining how quickly you can commence.