Our training helps individuals seeking a career with the federal government or advancing in it to more senior levels of responsibility. Described below are how public service competitions work, the services we offer to assist you, and our client success rate.

Public Service Competitions: Recruitment and Promotion Steps

The Tests

Thousands of applicants apply every year for the many officer-level positions available in the federal government. Some of the competitions are for individual jobs, others establish candidate pools at entry level or in promotion exercises, and others are annual national recruitment campaigns that encompass many types of positions in different departments and agencies.

Positions that typically require written tests include:

• Administrative Officers (AS)
• Auditors (AU)
• Border Service Officers (FB)
• Commerce Officers (CO)
• Computer Services (CS)
• Economists (EC)
• Financial Officers (FI)
• Foreign Service Officers (FS)
• Information Officers (IS)
• Legal Officers (LA)
• Management/Consular Officers (MCO)
• Management Officers (MG)
• Management Trainees Policy Officers (ES)
• Program Managers (PM)

The written test for most positions usually includes one or more of the following standardized exercises:

• Situational Judgment Test (SJT)—a multiple-choice, behaviour-based competency test using generic workplace scenarios
• Written Communication Proficiency Test (WCPT)—a multiple-choice language usage exercise
• Graduate Recruitment Test (GRT)—a multiple-choice cognitive test with several different types of questions
• Written Communication Test (WCT)—a summary writing exercise used infrequently at the entry level and more often in promotion competitions

The Interviews

Government interviews of all types probe your ability to think on your feet, and evaluate your skills and personal suitability, or “competencies”, for specific positions.

A typical personal interview involves:

• Hypothetical situations which may be job-based or generic, and how you would handle them
• Questions about your past experiences related to selected behavioural competencies
• Your reasons for wanting to join or advance in the public service and your suitability for the position

Interview boards evaluate overall potential based on various intellectual, verbal and interpersonal skills demonstrated, and on the judgment and values shown in responding to questions and simulation scenarios, when used.

Public Service Promotion Process

Each year thousands of individuals employed in government apply for promotions in different competitions. Some are initiated to fill either single or multiple positions advertised in one-off job postings, others to fill pools in campaigns related to particular career groups and levels for which there is a staffing demand within a single department/agency or across the government.

Competitions vary in their testing requirements, but may include any combination of multiple-choice tests, writing exercises, interviews, simulations, in-baskets, assessment centres, SELEX testing, and behaviour-based reference checks. No matter what exercises are used, all test specific competencies (i.e., abilities and personal suitabilities) as selected and defined for the position level.

Our Services

The key to your success in any competition is knowing what to expect on the tests that may be used, and how to approach the interview and/or other exercises effectively.

Our Study Kit provides comprehensive information to help you focus your preparation, save time, and perform efficiently and effectively on tests. The kit is available for self-study.

For candidates doing Interviews by telephone, face-to-face or other Exercises, one-on-one coaching and materials are accessible across Canada and for individuals living abroad. Our proven advice builds skills and confidence by providing strategies to prepare and present yourself favourably no matter what the challenge.

Our Clientele and Success Rate

Our clients include:

• Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students in all disciplines
• Highly trained and experienced individuals already in the work force in government or elsewhere who are seeking promotions and new challenges
• Government officers and executives developing their learning plan who include and use selected programs we provide to enhance their credentials for promotion.

The success rate of our clients in obtaining jobs in past government recruitment campaigns is more than triple that of the general test-taking group.

Current Information

Our Study Kit, application, interview and other coaching and support materials are tailored to each competition. We provide the only proven resources that focus exclusively on government recruitment and promotion processes and help candidates prepare thoroughly.

Why Use Our Services?

We are the only career coaching firm that specializes in helping candidates understand and advance in government, multilateral organization and international NGO hiring and promotion competitions—from entry level to executive level.

No service offered by government, universities or the private sector—past or present, in North America or abroad—matches our expertise or placement record over the past 25 years. The success rate of our clients in institutional hiring and promotion processes attests to the high quality training we provide. Please take the time to read the testimonials sent to us by clients and supporters displayed under Client & Supporter Comments [click here].

For additional information on what we do and why we know how to help you, see our List of Standard Programs and Services [click here], About Us [click here], and the Profile of Our Director [click here].

Get the Edge on the Competition

Save time and significantly improve your chances to advance in your competition. Contact Us [click here] today. The help we provide to you will be invaluable.

Note
Canadian Public Service recruitment competitions are open to all individuals (including naturalized citizens) who, on entering or advancing in government, typically require only a Bachelor’s degree. There is no age limit for hiring, and often no need nor credit given for advanced academic credentials, with the exception of the Recruitment of Policy Leaders program and for certain positions with a professional or post-graduate requirement. Bilingualism in French and English, while useful for future advancement, is required only if stated in the job posting. Geographic restrictions on who may apply are stipulated in certain recruitment competitions.