This policy has been prepared by the Human Resources to assist Interview Panels in the Selection Process

DAO is committed to equitable, open, merit-based processes to ensure selection of the best applicant and to meeting the Public Sector Standards.

The Human Resource Department staff are available to assist in the following ways:

• To act in an advisory capacity
• To participate in the selection process, where necessary.
• To assist with compiling appropriate questions for interviews

Confidentiality

All staff who are involved in the selection process must be advised that all processes and documents gathered as a result of the selection process are strictly confidential.

NB: Before advertising the Supervisor must ensure that the Duty Statement and Selection Criteria of the Job Description Form are appropriate, accurate and up to date.

Staff Selection Principles

The general principles which govern economic, equitable, effective and efficient staff selection include:

1. All employees must be afforded equal opportunities to secure promotion and advancement in their employment.

2. The processes for selecting applicants must be based solely upon a proper assessment of the merit of the applicants against job related criteria.

3. Decision making that

   • is fair, consistent, unbiased and based only upon relevant factors;
   • is open to review;
   • is neither arbitrary nor capricious;
   • is free from nepotism, patronage or personal favouritism;
   • gives consideration to cost-effectiveness.

4. Application of the principles of natural justice, which require processes that ensure that employees:

   • have the right to knowledge about human resource functions as they affect them;
   • the opportunity to be heard and to query decisions;
   • the right to reasonable avenues of redress before impartial and independent decision makers.

5. Compliance with all relevant legislation including:

   • Public Sector Standards
   • Public Sector Management Act 1994
   • Equal Opportunity Act 1984
   • Industrial Relations Amendment Act 1993
   • Occupational Health, Welfare and Safety Act 1984
   • Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993
   • Workplace Agreements Act 1993

6. The maintenance of appropriate confidentiality.

The Selection Panel

• consist of a minimum of three people,
• have both a male and female representative,
• where a job requires knowledge of a particular culture include a representative of that culture or someone who can provide insight,
• have someone with a detailed knowledge of the position to be filled,
• have at least one member who has been trained in selection techniques consistent with DAO standards,
• have an independent panel member. ( Independent is defined as a person with limited working knowledge of the section, department or DAO )

Selection Panel Convenor

• To ensure each member of the panel has a copy of the applications, JDF and the selection guidelines.
• To decide with the panel the most appropriate selection techniques to be used.
• To be responsible for arranging the interview times and venues.
• To ensure all applicants are treated in an equal manner.
• To open, direct and close the interview.
• To co-ordinate the assessment/evaluation and decision making process.
• To ensure referees contacted are advised that their comments will be noted and form part of the selection report.
• To ensure the selection process is appropriately documented.
• To ensure that the post-selection feedback is provided.
• To represent the selection panel if there is an appeal.
• To obtain the required approval of the selection recommendation.

Late Applications

Vacancies specify a closing time and date by which completed applications must be received. Late applications will only be accepted under exceptional circumstances.

WA Health will only consider late applications if the applicant can provide conclusive evidence of delay by either WA Health or an official postal or telecommunications service. This includes applications lodged by facsimile or e-mail. Personal circumstances of the applicant cannot be taken into account when considering late job applications. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure sufficient time is allowed for the submission of applications to arrive prior to the advertised closing date and time.

All job advertisements are to include ‘Late applications will not be accepted.’

Applicant Withdrawal

Applicants may withdraw their applications at any stage of the recruitment, selection and appointment process. If an applicant verbally advises that they wish to withdraw their application, they should be encouraged to put their intention in writing. If written notification is not received, notes regarding the verbal advice should be recorded on the applicant’s documents.

Short Listing

Short listing of applicants to be interviewed is carried out by the selection panel on the basis of assessing the applications against the essential selection criteria.

• they satisfy the essential criteria
• they are competitive against other applicants

Where there are a large number of applicants who meet the essential criteria the short listing can be based on the most competitive applications.

If a member of the selection panel recommends not short listing a competitive applicant on the basis of direct knowledge of work performance, justification for such a decision will need to form part of the selection documentation and other panel members must agree.

Competitive applicants are not to be excluded from the short list purely because they have indicated in their application that they have a health problem, disability or criminal conviction.

A short listing Matrix is provided on the Health Corporate Network (HCN) intranet under Forms.

Selection Techniques

The panel members are to discuss the different selection assessment tools available and decide on the appropriate selection techniques for the position in question. Interviewing should not be the sole tool of section assessment. The main selection techniques are:

• The application
• Interview (structured behavioral based)
• Referee reports
• Work samples/exercises
• Assessment Center
• Psychological/personality tests

Interview Questions

• Questions must relate to the selection criteria and be designed to obtain information relevant to the position.
• The panel is to prepare the questions in advance and the questions should be allocated appropriately to individual panel members.
• The same questions must be asked of each interviewee.
• Open ended questions are preferable, which are questions which ask the interviewee to provide specific example of their own behaviours.
• Panel members may ask follow-up questions to further explore points with individuals.

Interview Preparation

• All applicants are to be given equal opportunity to prepare for the interview.
• Applicants shortlisted should be given adequate notice to prepare for interview (at least 3 working days)
• Where appropriate written advice of the interview should be provided detailing time, place and panel members (name and position).
• Make necessary arrangements for interviewing applicants from designated groups (eg language interpreter).
• Arrange the physical setting of the interview room to promote a relaxed atmosphere (informal - no desks).
• Arrange adequate heating or cooling in the interview room.
• Ensure no interruptions (divert phones, leave pagers with reception).
• Consider providing the applicants selected questions 10-20 minutes prior to interview.

The Interview

• Panel members are to meet approx 15 minutes before the first interview to finalise the interview procedures.
• Interviews/tests/exercises should be structured consistently with each applicant given the opportunity to respond to the set questions. This does not prevent the panel members pursuing individual questioning.
• Panel members should take sufficient notes without unnerving the applicant.
• A panel member (usually the Convenor) collects the interviewee from the waiting area, escorts them to the interview room and introduces them to the panel.
• Every effort should be made to put the interviewee at ease - smiling, eye contact etc.
• The Convenor explains how the interview will progress, that the panel will be taking notes, and that the interviewee will be given an opportunity to ask questions.

Assessment

• Each member makes notes during the interview.
• The Convenor discusses each performance with all members of the panel and completes the Selection Report.
• The Panel must reach consensus on ratings for each interviewee against the selection criteria.
• There is to be no ‘averaging’ that involves adding up each panel member’s score and averaging it to reach a final rating.
• If a panel is unable to reach a consensus the panel may choose to employ additional assessment techniques or make a majority decision with the other panel member submitting a minority report.

Referee Reports

• Reference checks are to be used for applicants who have been interviewed and who are considered to be the main contenders for the position. (Usually top two, maybe three).
• Referees must only be asked questions which directly relate to the selection criteria and the applicant’s merit, diligence, experience and good conduct, and special qualifications and aptitude for the discharge of the duties.
• Referees must be informed that their comments will be documented and will form part of the selection report (Referee report forms can be obtained from Health Corporate Network).
• The selection panel is not limited to the referees nominated by the applicant. In particular the panel has the right to contact the applicant’s current supervisor, provided the applicant is advised.
• The applicant has the right to respond to the comments provided by a referee not nominated by him/herself.
• Where a referee is also a member of the selection panel the written reference is to be completed before the interview.
• You do not always need to check referees it is recommended that you either check referees for all main contenders or for none.
• If a member of the selection committee is named as a referee for an applicant, a referee report must be completed in writing. It is recommended that selection panel members are not nominated as referees.
  However if it is determined that it is essential that a panel member be a referee the written reference should be forwarded in a sealed envelope to the Recruitment and Selection Unit (or delegated area) prior to commencement of the selection process. If referees are referred to for the applicant, the written reference can then be accessed. On commencement of the process the member should not provide any further referee commentaries to other members as this is considered to bias the process.

The Selection Report

The Convenor is responsible for preparing a selection report. The Selection Report form and Matrix must be obtained from Health Corporate Network (HCN). The finished report and appendices will have:

• Details of the ad, who is on the panel and where interviews were held
• Selection Criteria and related questions
• Shortlisting Matrix and summary outlining each of the reason why shortlisted or not
• Individual Applicant Assessment giving a short written summary as to the reason for interviewing or not
• A comparative assessment of the interviewed applicants against each criteria
• Recommendation including applicant commencing salary
• Signatures of all panel members.

A Selection Report and Recommendation Form can be found on the HCN website.

Recommendation

The Convenor provides the report with a recommendation for approval back to HCN employee services. HCN then seek approval of the recommendation from the Executive Director.

No indication is to be given to the recommended applicant until the approval has been obtained. The Convenor will usually contact the successful applicant and must be aware of the relevant Public Sector Standard Breach rights for the position in question.

HCN employee services will then write to all applicants to advise them of the outcome. No letters should be sent out by the panel at any stage.

Post-Selection Feedback

All applicants must be offered (and should be encouraged to take up) the opportunity to receive feedback from the nominated panel member about their interview performance and/or the selection process. The Chairperson (or nominee) must ensure they are available to provide post selection feedback to applicants for at least twelve (12) working days after the recommendation letters have been sent. The feedback must be provided to a person within three working days of it being requested.

Feedback promotes confidence in the selection process as well as assisting the applicant to improve success in future applications. The panel may initiate feedback where it is felt that a discussion of interview style, presentation and other factors may be useful to the applicant’s development.

If an applicant has a concern about the process used in the management of their application, Regulation 5 of the Public Sector Management (Examination and Review Procedures) Regulations 2001 requires that person to make a genuine attempt to ask for information about the process followed.

The quality of the information provided may give the person confidence that due process has been followed, or if there are any concerns, these may be resolved even though the person may be disappointed with the outcome.

Priority must be given to providing post selection feedback. All applicants seeking post selection feedback should be afforded due courtesy and consideration.

Appeal Rights

All applicants have a right to lodge a Breach of Public Sector Standards application for any position. Until it is clear there are no appeals then no applicant should be advised that the job is “theirs”.

If an application is received Human Resources will undertake an internal review and if the applicant is still not satisfied an external reviewer (Conciliation & Review Officer) will be appointed by the Office of the Public Sector Standards Commissioner.

The reviewer facilitates conciliation between the parties. If conciliation is not possible the reviewer provides a report to the Commissioner who considers the report and determines if there has been a breach. If the Commissioner determines that a breach has occurred the claim will proceed to remedy stage. If no breach has been found to have occurred the regulatory process is concluded.

DAO with HCN, considers the determination and informs the Commissioner of its proposed action to provide remedy to the claimant. The Commissioner considers the proposed action and communicates with the DAO/HCN about the proposal. DAO/HCN then considers the response and decides on the action it will take to provide remedy to the claimant. The Commissioner’s determination is final; he/she can report his/her opinion about DAO/HCN’s decision about remedy to the relevant Minister and Parliament.

If a breach application is lodged, all documentation relating to the advertised position is submitted as evidence. Therefore, it is essential that the process is conducted in a formal manner in line with the policy and procedures detailed in this manual.