Thread: A Pleasant Way to Spend a Sunday - "writing a Pitch" ... Not

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello All,

I have just clicked on the "Submit Application" button twice after spending the bulk of today "pitching" myself. It turns out two vacancies with the same department had the same selection documentation and the same completion guidelines.

Apparently, one of the new Human Resource sector's approaches is to write a 2 page "Pitch" as the main part of the job application process. Plus, attach a copy of your current resume. I wrote the "Pitch" in the format of a Cover Letter... address blocks mine/their's, date and "Dear"... blah blah ... Yours sincerely".

For other people more experienced in writing a job application "Pitch" to government - is this the format that you would use? If not what Pitch format did you use?

Oh well - "Submit" button clicked - email receipt of acknowledgements received ... now I just have to wait to see if I hear back from them ... weee.

At least I am going out tonight with my wife to have dinner with one of my former university lecturers; the sod who conned me into doing a PhD that is currently at the "Near Completion" stage. I have been waiting on what I hope is the last lot of formal feedback from my Principal Supervisors before making the final corrections; once any corrections are made it gets the Supervisors' tick and the tome gets submitted for examination.. Then I wait for a final result... weee

So in the meantime; I wait for parts to come for my work on Land Rovers; I fill the time in applying for more jobs and wait for the feedback on the tome, so I can tick off a series of boxes. Meanwhile more waiting and waiting ... waiting ... waiting...

Clearly, patience is distinctly not one of my virtues.

Kind regards
Lionel

Applying for Gov jobs, state or Fed is often a ridiculously complex process. I, in desperation, applied for 7 last year. Often needing to provide 2000 word response to each of 6 or more scenarios. Easily an entire days effort. Attach your resume and even at this stage you often need to provide your references!

As you say submit the application and wait. In most cases I have heard nothing other than the auto generated acknowledgment.

Having a spy in the camp can be enlightening and I discovered that in most cases they were just going through the HR motions and had no intention of employing me. Filled internally!

I did manage an interview with a Fed Gov department in Canberra. It went very well but that was four months ago and I have heard nothing.

Fortunately I have scored a permanent gig back in the corporate world which should see me through to retirement so I have no plans to dip my toe back in Goverment.

Good luck Lionel!

Cheers Simon

Best 'o Luck with it.
glad I'm not looking for a job at the moment.
Jonesfam

Originally Posted by travelrover

Applying for Gov jobs, state or Fed is often a ridiculously complex process. I, in desperation, applied for 7 last year. Often needing to provide 2000 word response to each of 6 or more scenarios. Easily an entire days effort. Attach your resume and even at this stage you often need to provide your references!

As you say submit the application and wait. In most cases I have heard nothing other than the auto generated acknowledgment.

Having a spy in the camp can be enlightening and I discovered that in most cases they were just going through the HR motions and had no intention of employing me. Filled internally!

I did manage an interview with a Fed Gov department in Canberra. It went very well but that was four months ago and I have heard nothing.

Fortunately I have scored a permanent gig back in the corporate world which should see me through to retirement so I have no plans to dip my toe back in Goverment.

Good luck Lionel!

Cheers Simon

G'day Simon,

I have significant empathy with your comment "see me through to retirement"; as I am in the same boat.

Oh Simon, East Kurrajong ... a brain cell in my brain lights up... thanks again for inspecting the International van for me.

Kind regards
Lionel

Yes, the "pitch" is very much in vogue at the moment in government HR circles. I read something a little while back that suggested that all of the sophisticated HR methods are less effective at selecting employees than the traditional method of "that bloke sounds alright, I'll have a cup of coffee with him to make sure" which works pretty well in the real world. Unfortunately the HR droids cannot demonstrate gender, race and sex diversity to their masters when that method is used as it selects the best person for the job not the best one to fill HR quotas......

Regards,
Tote

Originally Posted by travelrover

..............................

Having a spy in the camp can be enlightening and I discovered that in most cases they were just going through the HR motions and had no intention of employing me. Filled internally!...............

This happens a lot nowadays as applications have to be seen to be open to all, transparent, unbiased, etc, and the jobs are advertised world wide on the internet, but like you say in reality it is going to go to someone inside.

Also Lionel don't get discouraged as govt's can take a long time to approve applicants, sometimes so long that people desperately seeking employment are often employed by the time they get the call, and then the next applicant on the order of merit gets the call, so spending time on your L-R's and Int'l may stand you in good stead. I have even heard of people having to get police clearances re-done.

I'm not sure the "insider job" is a prevalent as people may assume. There are many departments who preference people with experience in industry (or just from a different department) in order to bring a diverse perspective or just to inject new blood into a department. Where the insider knowledge comes in useful is deciphering what a given panel may want from a pitch letter as it is much more subjective than responding to statements that answer the criteria for the job and there is a risk that your pitch may lose out because it is not seen as selling your ability to communicate why you would be a good fit for the job. I hate pitches myself as it requires an element of extroversion that I do not possess.

Regards,
Tote

We work on the theory that we will hire 4 people before we get the one we want. If that person happens to be in the first 1 or 2 we hire then we have had a win.
This is expensive but to get people that suit the job, suit the place &, most importantly, suit the Community is not that easy.
I find it funny but there are a whole lot of people that think they can work in a remote place & with Aboriginal people who should never venture outside the suburbs.
We internet interview, so it is difficult to tell how people will fit.
Jonesfam

Originally Posted by jonesfam

I find it funny but there are a whole lot of people that think they can work in a remote place & with Aboriginal people who should never venture outside the suburbs.

Spent a fair part of my life outside most suburban people's comfort zone, and I doubt I could meet the criteria you need. Tough gig just getting accepted by the community, I'd reckon.