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Employment - Tips and Tricks

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I have never worked for the Government of Canada (GoC)

I previously worked for the Government of Canada (GoC)

To learn more about how staffing works in the public service:

• Course Description - Basics of Staffing in the Public Service (H200) - Module 1 (csps-efpc.gc.ca)
• Course Description - Basics of Staffing in the Public Service (H200) - Module 2 (csps-efpc.gc.ca)

You have more questions? Come ask your questions in our Slack group!

NOTE: The content on this page was developed by former students who share their own learnings and tips and tricks. Advice from a GoC staffing advisor is always preferred.

👨‍🎓 I am looking for a student job (GoC Worker)

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Information about Student Job

• Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment for Students
• Student rates of pay

Student Inventories

An inventory is used to foster networking between a candidate who meets the inventory's eligibility criteria and hiring managers.

• Employment and Social Development Canada (EDSC)
  • ESDC Inventory for Students and Newly Graduated Students
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)
  • National Student Repository - Opportunities for Students - Application Form (hiringplatform.ca)
• Natural Resources Canada (nrcan.gc.ca)
  • Natural Resources Canada's Student and Graduate Bridging Inventory - Application Form (hiringplatform.ca)

Student Recruitment Programs

• Student Programs on GC Jobs (cfp-psc.gc.ca)
• Student Recruitment Programs
  • Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP)
    • Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Student and graduate hiring - Canada.ca
  • Co-op/Internship Program
  • Research Affiliate Program
  • Specialized Recruitment Programs

Find a student job by networking

Networking Once you are hired for a student job with the Government of Canada (GoC) for the first time, you can then network and share your resume with any team and any department. You will need to send them your last student contract and prove that you are still eligible for a student recruitment program.

Find a job through a student recruitment program

Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) Eligibility for FSWEP Student Employment To be eligible for this program, you must meet the following 3 criteria: Be enrolled full-time in a high school, CEGEP, college or university; be a full-time student during the next school year; be of the minimum age to work in the province or territory of hire. How FSWEP works The student registers in the program and their profile is shared with managers applying to hire FSWEP students. The student's profile is shared randomly when the manager's criteria match the student's. The student may be invited to an interview. Tips for the FSWEP profile Be flexible in your job search, select all areas of work that interest you. Be confident in your ability to work in your second language! Choose to work in a bilingual environment! If you are part of an employment equity group, self-identify (persons with disabilities, visible minorities, Indigenous, etc.).

🎓 I am looking for a job after my studies (GoC Employee)

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To properly plan the start of yout career at GoC, see ⭐ The Basics of Starting a Career at GoC and 🔍 Find a Job sections below.

Student Bridging - Canada.ca	What is student bridging? Student Bridging - Canada.ca is an external non-advertised process. It is called student bridging because the rationale for using a non-advertised process (not visible on GC Jobs) is that the new graduate has recent GoC work experience as they have had a student or casual contract before. Eligibility: the student bridging process is only open to new graduates who have previously worked at the GoC (student or casual employment). Note: an external non-advertised process is open to all by networking. However, the rationale related to student bridging is limited to working GoC graduates See the Student Bridging page for more details. You can go through student bridging on any team! Get networking! Check out the networking page for more tips and tricks and check out the Career Marketplace : GCconnex.
Newly Graduated Student Inventories	What is an inventory? An inventory is used to foster networking between a candidate who meets the inventory's eligibility criteria and hiring managers. List of existing newly graduated student inventories Virtual Door to Talent for Persons with a Disability REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Ask your manager/supervisor to register you for the Employment Opportunity for Students with Disabilities or the Employment Opportunity for Indigenous Students by completing the registration form. Indigenous Career Pathways REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Ask your manager/supervisor to register you for the Employment Opportunity for Students with Disabilities or the Employment Opportunity for Indigenous Students by completing the registration form. Employment and Social Development Canada (EDSC) ESDC Inventory for Students and Newly Graduated Students ESDC National Inventory for Persons with Disabilities Fisheries and Oceans Canada (dfo-mpo.gc.ca) Student Bridging Portal - Application Form (hiringplatform.ca) Natural Resources Canada (nrcan.gc.ca) Natural Resources Canada's Student and Graduate Bridging Inventory - Application Form (hiringplatform.ca) Immigration and citizenship - Canada.ca Apply Now - Student Bridging Inventory (hiringplatform.ca)
Graduate Recruitment Programs	Graduate Programs on GC Jobs (cfp-psc.gc.ca) Public service graduate recruitment programs - Canada.ca Post-Secondary Recruitment (october/november of each year) Recruitment of Policy Leaders Other specialized recruitment initiatives

⭐ The Basics of Starting a Career at GoC

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Know Your Professional Group and Level	Know your professional group (AS, EC, PE, FI, etc.) Consult the following links to learn more about professional groups:​ Occupational groups for the public service - Canada.ca​ Rates of pay for represented - Canada.ca​ Rates of pay for unrepresented and senior excluded employees - Canada.ca​ Ask your colleagues about their professional group. ​ Contact people working in the field you are interested in by searching GCdirectory Look at the job advertisements on GC Jobs and add filters to your search or search for job titles (ex: finance).​ Tip: Look at the titles and salaries to give you an idea if this is an entry-level position. ​ Know Your Level (AS-01, EC-01, PE-01, FI-01, etc.) Once you know your (groups), you need to know the levels you qualify for.​ Ask your colleagues!​ Look at the job advertisements on GC Jobs Add a filter to select your classification and start searching for the lowest levels.​ Look at the job ads and check the essential qualifications.​ If you meet the essential qualifications of the position, it means the level is right for you.​ This does not automatically mean that you can apply!
Appointment Processes	Note: Students are not considered to be members of the public service. Advertised: Job postings on GC Jobs. External: persons belonging to the public service and others. Internal: persons belonging to the public service (GoC student workers sometimes included, see the "GC Jobs Frequently Asked Questions" section in the 🔍 Find a Job section to learn more). Non-advertised: Job postings are not posted (Networking) External: Everyone. Internal: persons belonging to the public service.
Types of employment	People who have never worked at the Government of Canada (GC) Government of Canada workers (external) Student employment Part-time worker Casual employment To become a public servant Determinate Contract (end date) Indeterminate Contract (no end date) For public servants (excluding people with a student or casual employment) Deployment (at level) Acting Secondments and assignments Determinate Contract (end date) Indeterminate Contract (no end date) Promotion (ex: AS-01 to AS-02)
Start your career	As students, to become public servants you must seek: ​ Determinate Contract (end date) Indeterminate Contract (no end date) External Advertised Appointment Process: Check regularly for available jobs on GC Jobs and don't be afraid to apply if you qualify. Internal Advertised Appointment Process: Regularly review available jobs on GC Jobs and verify that GoC student workers are eligible. External Non-Advertised Appointment Process: Start networking now!

🗣 Second Language

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• Assessment of official languages in the appointment process - Canada.ca
  • The official languages are English and French.
    • Some positions require you to be bilingual in English and French
    • Assessment of your second language (Reading, Writing, Oral)​
      • CBC (Reading: Advanced, Writing: Intermediate, Oral: Advanced)​
      • BBB (Reading: Intermediate, Writing: Intermediate, Oral: Intermediate)​
  • New Unsupervised Test of Reading Comprehension (Candidate Assessment Tool)
    • This is an unsupervised Internet test. You don’t need to be tested in person in a federal government office, but you must have access to a computer and an Internet connection. The 45-minute test has 25 questions. All questions are in a common workplace format, such as an email, and are about workplace-related topics, such as an upcoming meeting. For each question, you will be asked to read a text and then asked a question about the content. Below the text, you’ll see several possible answers to the question. Select the best option by clicking the button next to the answer you choose.
  • New Unsupervised Test of Written Expression (Candidate Assessment Tool)
    • This is an unsupervised Internet test. You don’t need to be tested in person in a federal government office, but you must have access to a computer and an Internet connection. The 45-minute test has 30 questions. All questions are in a common workplace format, such as an email, and are about workplace-related topics, such as an upcoming meeting. For each question, you will be provided a text in which a word is missing and below you will see several options to fill in the blank. Select the best option to complete the sentence or short paragraph by clicking the button next to the answer of your choice.
  • Self-assessment tests: Try the self-assessment tests for reading comprehension and written expression before taking the official tests.
    • Note: The languages of the position must be met at the time of appointment.
    • X: Performance does not meet the minimum requirements
    • A: Beginner level
    • B: Intermediate level
    • C: Advanced level
    • E: Exemption (you can't get a E in the Unsupervised Test of Written Expression and Unsupervised Test of Reading Comprehension)
  • Managers can chose if they want the candidate to complete the test in person or unsupervised using the Candidate Assessment Tool.
  • To know your levels, you can submit a request with the following link.
• Tools to practice your second language
  • Courses with the School of Public Service
    • Select Official Languages.
  • Mauril application
  • Listen to films and programs in the second language with subtitles in the second language.
  • Read in the second language.

🔍 Find a job

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Networking

Consult our Networking page for more tips and tricks and consult Career Marketplace : GCconnex

GC Jobs

• Government of Canada jobs - Canada.ca
• Applying for Government of Canada jobs: What to expect - Canada.ca

In summary:

1. Look for jobs in your occupational group and at the good level. Ask your colleagues! They will be able to help you!
   • See ⭐ The Basics of Starting Your GoC Career, above, for more details.
2. Look for casual, determinate, or indeterminate jobs
   • See ⭐ The Basics of Starting Your GoC Career, above, for more details.
3. Apply to jobs to which you meet the eligibility criteria and essential qualifications.
   1. See "Apply on a process on GC Jobs" below for more information.

Apply on a process on GC Jobs

Look for a job in the occupational group for which you are eligible and interested. See "Know Your Occupational Group" in the ⭐ The Basics of Starting Your GoC Career section above to learn more. Turn on job alerts so you don't miss out on any new opportunities that may interest you. Check out the GC Jobs page for more details. Check the "Who can apply" section, language requirements, and types of jobs offered (students wishing to start their career can apply only on an "Indeterminate" or "Term") before opening the job ad. Once you have verified your eligibility, check the essential qualifications. You will need to justify in the screening questions (answer using the STAR technique) that you meet these essential qualifications in order to proceed to the next step in the process.

GC Jobs Frequently Asked Questions

GC Jobs in general What is GC Jobs? GC Jobs is the Government of Canada (GoC) platform that allows you to view all external and internal advertised job processes (in some cases, see Internal Jobs on GC Jobs section, below) and allows interested and eligible candidates to apply for the job or qualify in a pool (in some cases). What is an internal and external advertised process? See "Appointment Process" in the ⭐ The Basics of Starting Your GoC Career section above for more information. Advertised: job openings posted on GC Jobs. External: people from the civil service and others. Internal: people from the public service (GoC students workers may be included in some cases). How a pool works What is a pool? When you apply to a GC Jobs process, you go through several assessments (screening questions, interview, second language tests, etc.) to ensure that you meet the Statement of Merit Criteria. At the end of the process, there may be 10 candidates qualified for the job, but only one position available. Therefore, qualified applicants who were not selected have a reference number showing that they qualified for, for example, an AS-03 job. See the Pools page for more information. What if I am in a pool? If you are in a pool, start networking by mentioning the pool you are qualified in! Internal jobs on GC Jobs Is a student or casual worker eligible for internal jobs on GC Jobs? Student workers (FSWEP, RAP or CO-OP) and casual workers are not eligible for internal employment UNLESS it is clearly stated in the " Who can apply " section, for example Who can apply: Individuals employed in the federal public service occupying positions across Canada AND students* in the federal public service across Canada. During my student contract, how can I view internal GoC jobs? When working in the Government of Canada, you can view the internal jobs tab on the GC Jobs site using a computer connected directly to the government network, regardless of whether you are logged into your account or not. Be sure to read the " Who can apply " section before applying. After my contract at the GoC, how can I view the GoC's internal jobs? The first way is to provide your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) in the tab of your personal information. Notice that some people say: I did it, then I logged out and logged back in. When I click on "Job Search" at the top of the page, I always see only one tab "Jobs open to the public". There is no "Internal Jobs" tab. The second way is to log into your personal account (personal email address) during your contract with the GoC using a government computer or by being connected to the GoC network. This allows access to internal jobs from any computer for 365 days from the date of your last login. You will receive an email one month before the end of the 365 period informing you that: Your access to internal Government of Canada (GoC) jobs from the GC Jobs website ends in 30 days.  In order to maintain this access, you must enter your account from a computer connected to the GoC network within 30 days. Your access to internal GoC jobs will then be extended for another 365 days.

📚 Differences between a selection process, a pool and an inventory/directory

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There is a big difference between a selection process, a pool and an inventory/directory. We invite you to visit the Government of Canada page for more information.

You are in a selection process when you have applied for a job and are still in the process of making assessments (screening questions, interviews, tests).

At the end of some selection processes, a pool (list) of qualified or partially qualified candidates is created to fill similar positions. Check the "Job Intent" section of the GC Jobs advertisements to validate whether or not a pool has been created. This means that you have demonstrated during the selection process that you meet the essential qualifications and competencies as defined in the Statement of Merit Criteria (essential qualifications, skills, conditions of employment, etc.).

You may be in a pool when you have completed all steps of a selection process but are not the nominated/selected candidate for the position. This means that you are qualified for the given group and level. You have demonstrated during the selection process that you meet the qualifications of the Statement of Merit Criteria (essential qualifications, competencies, conditions of employment, etc.). The advantage of being qualified in a pool is that you can network to find a job and the hiring process is faster since you have already demonstrated that you meet the statement of merit criteria.

The advantage of being qualified in a pool is that you can now network your way into a job. The hiring process is generally faster since you have already demonstrated that you meet the essential qualifications outlined in the Statement of Merit Criteria. We encourage you to consider the following networking opportunities:

• Facebook Groups (GoC - |...| Informal)
• Network on LinkedIn
• Network of contacts
• Inventories and directories on GC Jobs

As for inventories/directories, they are generally intended to help you network to find a job in a non-advertised way (without applying to a process). By being part of an inventory/directory, you are on a list that does not necessarily qualify you.

We encourage you to consult the career development resources of the Federal Youth Network (FYN).

🌐 Facebook groups to find a job

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Sign up for Facebook groups to share your CV and see available job opportunities.

Check out our Facebook post template below!

• GC Students Facebook group! GoC - Jobs for Students and Newly Graduated Students

• GC jobs for entry-level and mid-career- unofficial/informal (Facebook)

• GC Mentorship and Career Development - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Informal Recruiting Indigenous Employees - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Human Resources - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Policy - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Administrative community for All - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Communication - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Finance and Audit - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Scientists - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Computer System CS IT Community - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Information Technology - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Grants and Contributions Community - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Access to Information and Privacy - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Risk Management - unofficial/informal (Facebook)
• GC Project Management - unofficial/informal (Facebook)

Facebook Post Template for Job Seekers Copy the post template below! IMPORTANT: Avoid acronyms! (Le français suit) Interesting fact about me/Why you should contact me: Type of job sought: (e.g. student/casual/determined/indeterminate contract) Group and level sought OR field of study: Highest level of education and study program: (e.g. high school diploma/Master's degree) End date of my studies: Experience in the Government of Canada: (ex: student job) Linguistic profile: (e.g. English/French/Bilingual) Place of work: (ex: National Capital Region) Other information: (ex: qualified in a pool, department/agency preferences) LinkedIn: Do not hesitate to contact me, it will be my pleasure to send you my CV. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fait intéressant sur moi/Pourquoi devriez-vous entrer en contact avec moi : Type d'emploi recherché : (ex : contrat étudiant/occasionnel/déterminé/indéterminé) Groupe et niveau recherchés OU domaine d'études : Plus haut niveau d'éducation et programme d'études : (ex : diplôme d'études secondaires/Maîtrise) Date de fin de mes études : Expérience au Gouvernement du Canada : (ex : emploi étudiant) Profil linguistique : (ex :Anglais/Français/Bilingue) Lieu de travail : (ex : Région de la capitale nationale) Autres informations : (ex : qualifié dans un bassin, préférences de ministère/agence) LinkedIn : N'hésitez pas à me contacter, il me fera plaisir de vous envoyer mon CV. Facebook Post Template for Hiring Managers Copy the post template below! Be inclusive! If you offer a bilingual job, be sure to share the information in both official languages. IMPORTANT: Avoid acronyms! (Le français suit) Job/Team Details: Department/Agency: Group and Level: Type of job to be offered: (e.g., student/casual/determined/indeterminate contract) Level of education and program of study: (e.g. High School Diploma/Master's Degree) Language profile: (ex: English/French/Bilingual) Location: (e.g. National Capital Region) Other information: (e.g. essential qualifications) Email address to send your resume: Deadline: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Détails sur l'emploi/équipe de travail : Ministère/agence : Groupe et niveau : Type d'emploi à offrir : (ex : contrat étudiant/occasionnel/déterminé/indéterminé) Niveau d'éducation et programme d'études : (ex : diplôme d'études secondaires/Maîtrise) Profil linguistique : (ex : Anglais/Français/Bilingue) Lieu de travail : (ex : Région de la capitale nationale) Autres informations : (ex : qualifications essentielles) Adresse courriel pour faire parvenir votre CV : Date limite :

If you have resources that you would like to add to our wiki page, write to us: isc.ncr.rcn.cei@gmail.com

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