Human Resources > Recruitment and Selection of Staff
Authorised by Chief Executive Officer
Revised Date: 25 January 2023
Policy
Kyeema Support Services is committed to providing high quality programs and services to our community. To support the achievement of this objective Kyeema recognises the importance of employing the most suitable applicant for all vacant positions.
This procedure supports Kyeema Support Services to apply the NDIS Practice Standards & Quality Indicators, in particular Standard 2.7: Human Resources
Introduction
This procedure provides guidelines for recruiting and selecting new staff and applies to permanent and casual staff.
The Chief Executive Officer has ultimate responsibility for recruiting and selecting staff, however, this responsibility may be delegated to other senior staff as determined appropriate.
The following activities detail the steps for recruiting and selecting staff:
Recruiting processes
Not all positions at Kyeema are advertised. Casual vacancies are frequently filled by review of existing resumes followed by job interview. Resumes may be sought from people deemed to hold appropriate values and skills, for example students who have impressed staff during their work placement. Other resumes are delivered by people who wish to be considered for work at Kyeema and these are reviewed and filed.
Vacant positions may be advertised to existing staff or externally in the relevant media. If a position is available for a term of less than three months, then direct appointment may be used.
Newspaper advertisements will be placed with consideration to cost, category and impact. Where it is necessary to attract local applicants or people with particular community knowledge, positions may also be advertised in local community venues and publications.
All advertisements are to specify that applications are invited from people who have qualifications and or relevant experience. All advertisements will comply with Equal Opportunity legislation.
Pre-Recruitment
When it becomes necessary to recruit for a position, Management and Human Resources should carefully consider the requirements for the position and key selection criteria including skills, experience and qualifications. The Manager or Human Resource Officer should complete the attached job analysis template to determine the requirements of the position.
Applications
All applicants are required to provide a resume listing experience and qualifications when applying for a position. Original transcripts of qualifications should be viewed at the time of interview.
Receiving Applications
Applications and resumes may be received by email, mail or in person. The Human Resource Officer will disburse the applications to the relevant manager and selection panel. Applications will be kept in a confidential file.
Shortlisting
Shortlisting of all applicants will be carried out by the selection panel or their delegates and will be based on skills, experience and where possible, knowledge of the person’s values.
Pre-employment screening
Applicants will be informed during the selection process that any offer of employment will be subject to the following satisfactory checks.
Referee Checks – Management or Human Resources are to ensure that, where possible, a minimum of two reference checks are conducted prior to an offer of employment being extended to the candidate. Details of the reference checks should be attached to the candidate’s application for future reference.
Referee Check Questions HRF-24 is used for support worker and team leader positions
Referee Check Questions - Managers and Corporate HRF-56
Qualifications Checks - All appointees will be required to provide a copy of any qualifications they have cited during the selection process.
NDIS Worker Screening Check and Working with Children Check
All applicants are required to have either have completed the NDIS Worker Screening check and Working with Children Check.
Should an applicant be in the process of completing their Worker Screening Check and/or Working with Children Check the condition of employment will be pending until a clear result is received.
Eligibility to work in Australia
A person can legally work in Australia if: they are an Australian citizen or permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen or they hold a valid visa with permission to work.
International Police Checks – Any applicant who has resided overseas for 12 months or more in the last 10 years requires an international police check, which they must obtain from the country/countries in which they lived.
Internal Applicants
Internal applicants whether paid staff or Board members may apply for vacant positions within Kyeema. Board members who apply must temporarily resign from the Board until the position is filled. All internal applications will be treated in confidence.
Interview Process
Interviews are required for all positions (in person, via telephone, video conference or other online platforms). Interviews are to be structured in such a way to enable collection of sufficient evidence to confirm that the applicant has the required skills, experience and personality to perform the required tasks for the role.
Where a candidate is an internal applicant, the selection panel must ensure that all pre-employment checks are compliant with the advertised position.
Notifying Interviewees
The CEO, Manager or Human Resource Officer will contact shortlisted applicants and offer them an interview. The interviewee will be given information about the time, venue and examples of any work they may be required to bring for their interview.
Notifying Successful Applicant
A verbal offer of employment is binding. Before an offer of employment is made to any preferred interviewee all necessary checks will be made.
The successful applicant will be offered the position once feedback from referees has been elicited and the outcomes of other checks have been deemed satisfactory by the selection panel.
Any offer of employment must always be made with the condition that it is subject to agreement on salary level and acceptance of the probationary period. A salary level (within the designated funding level) will be negotiated in accordance with the applicant’s qualifications and experience. There will also be discussion about starting date and the process for induction. After agreement is reached on salary and other details, this offer will be put in writing with a request that the successful applicant notifies Kyeema in writing of their acceptance of the offer.
Contract of Employment - Casual HRF-41
Contract of Employment - Permanent HRF-42
Notifying Unsuccessful Interviewees
Once the successful applicant accepts the position, all unsuccessful interviewees and unsuccessful applicants will be notified by telephone or letter and informed of the outcome of the interview process. Unsuccessful interviewees may be offered the opportunity to receive feedback on their application and interview performance. This offer will be included in the phone call or letter.
Unsuccessful Letter HRF-67
Selection Panel
The relevant manager or human resource officer is responsible for the selection process and must ensure that as part of the selection process a selection panel is established for each position.
Tasks of the Selection panel:
• Shortlist applicants according to the selection criteria of the position
• Arrange interview times with shortlisted applicants, offer assistance to interviewees if necessary and ask them to bring along relevant examples of their work
• Set interview questions based on the selection criteria and essential staff skills
• Conduct the interviews and carry out referee and other checks
• Offer the position to the preferred interviewee subject to negotiation of the starting date and negotiating the starting salary
• Contact unsuccessful interviewees and inform them of the outcome of the interviews
• Decide to readvertise if necessary (in which case all stakeholders are informed)
Selection panel composition
The selection panel will seek to be objective and maintain equity and confidentiality of the recruitment and selection process at all times.
The selection panel may comprise:
• Chief Executive Officer (for a management or specialist job role)
• Manager, Team Leader or Kyeema staff representative
Kyeema believes in appointing the best candidate to the vacant position. The selection of staff is to be based on suitability in addressing the needs of the organisation. In determining the composition of the selection panel, consideration must be given to matters such as confidentiality and integrity of the process.
Members of the selection panel should read these procedures and should seek training in selection skills if needed.
Related Policies, Procedures and Documents:
Support Worker Interview Questions HRF-27
Team Leader Interview Questions HRF-52
Seawinds Nursery Support Worker Interview Questions HRF-29
Interview Questions for House Supervisor HRF-53
Support Coordinator Interview Questions HRF-20
Kyeema Enterprise Agreement 2018 (EBA)
NDIS Worker Screening Check Procedure
Referee Check Questions HRF-24
Referee Check Questions - Managers and Corporate HRF-56
Successful Probation Letter HRF-40
Contract of Employment - Casual HRF-41
Contract of Employment - Permanent HRF-42