2018 Post Secondary Recruitment Campaign

This year’s Post Secondary Recruitment Campaign will run from October 2, 2018 to October 24, 2018. 

It is that time again… October and the Post Secondary Recruitment (PSR) Campaign is now open. During the next few weeks, thousands of Canadian students across the nation and abroad will compete for the final prize – a full-time position in the Government of Canada. Only a select few will be chosen for these coveted jobs. If you are not chosen for a position, you will have to compete during the year in job competitions that are open to the public or wait another long year for the next PSR campaign to be held. During that year, colleagues who prepared for the exams will be starting their new positions. A sound knowledge of how to correctly prepare your resume, study for the Government exams, and practice for Government of interviews are imperative to succeed.

What’s new this year?

Similar to last year, the Public Service Commission (PSC) will require job candidates to write an unsupervised Public Service Entrance Exam (PSEE) and a supervised PSEE. The Situational Judgement Test and the Graduate Recruitment Test continue to be removed from the initial stages of testing; however, as noted last year, some departments may request that these exams and the Written Comprehension Proficiency Test are written during their additional screening processes. Therefore, we have kept them in our preparation package. In respect to job opportunities, it will be an interesting year as hiring both internally and externally are increasing. With baby boomers taking their retirement, space is being made for new talent. Like last year, Global Affairs and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will not be running department specific campaigns. This does not mean that they will not look at the 2018 PSR pools if the extra talent is required.

This year, there are two categories of job positions: Job Opportunities (for PSR applicants) and Inventories.

Job opportunities for PSR applicants are essentially federal government departments that are offering positions in their department (instead of going into a larger job pool as in the case of Inventories).

Category One: Career Options

The following departments are offering positions under the Career Choices option:

Advanced Policy Analyst Program (APAP) Health Canada on behalf of government organizations
Analyst Statistics Canada
Commerce Officers Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Financial Officer (FORD) Treasury Board of Canada
Intern Officer Public Service and Procurement Canada
Internal Auditor (IARD) Treasury Board of Canada
Mathematical Statistician Statistics Canada
Medical Adjudicator (Nurse) Employment and Social Development Canada
Policy and Program Analyst Treasury Board of Canada
Psychologist Public Service Commission of Canada
Second Language Evaluator (French) Public Service Commission of Canada

Category two: Inventories

Inventories are sector-based inventories designed to recruit candidates with certain specializations, skill sets, and/or experience. The streams have been chosen based on the present needs in demand in the Government of Canada. Once the pools have been established, departments are invited to draw from these pools of pre-screened candidates. Hiring managers throughout the federal public service and across the country have year-round access to these sources of talent to meet their hiring needs. They can quickly and easily connect with talented candidates in the Career Stream inventories. Since the Career Streams have various application submission periods, please consult the individual posters to find out about the closing dates.

Applicants are invited to apply to specific job positions through their account at jobs.gc.ca.

The six inventories chosen for this year are:

 

Administrative services
Human resources
Information management and information technology
Policy, Economics and Social Sciences
Sciences, nursing and engineering
Technical fields, labour and trades

 

 

Policy, Economics and Social Sciences

This will most likely be the most popular stream as many applicants choose this stream for their future careers.

Examples of occupational groups which may be staffed (but not limited to) from this inventory are EC, PM, and CO.

Applicants applying to this stream will conduct research, use the principles of economics to explore new ways to develop or enhance government politics, and support the relationships between global governments and the government’s interactions with private enterprises

Positions will likely include some of the following tasks:

– the conduct of surveys, studies and projects in the social sciences;
– the classification, the organization and the location of archival, gallery, library or museum
materials;
– the editing of legislation;
– providing advice in the fields of economics, sociology and statistics;
– the determination of statistical measures and the techniques for data analysis and reporting.

Graduates in areas such as Administration, Project Management, Communications, Public Relations, International Relations, Human Resources Management, Commerce, Industrial Relations, Social Sciences, Economics, Occupational Health and Safety, Labour and Industrial Relations, Organizational Behaviour and Development or Education should consider applying to this stream.

Human Resources

This inventory will staff the PE category.

Applicants applying to this stream could eventually be offered one of the following positions: Trainee or Human Resources Advisor, Human Resources Generalist, Human Resources Professional, Human Resources Specialist, Human Resources Business Partner, Staffing Advisor, Organization and Classification Advisor, Labour Relations Advisor, Policy and Programs Human Resources Advisor.

Positions will most likely include some of the following tasks:

– Staffing, recruitment or talent acquisition
– Classification (job evaluation) or organizational design
– Employment equity and diversity and inclusion
– Labour relations or union negotiations
– Conflict resolution
– Pay and compensation
– Learning or training or career development
– Health and safety
– Well-being in the workplace
– Workforce or succession planning
– Official Languages
– Performance management or talent management

Graduates in areas such as human resources management, labour or industrial relations, psychology, public or business administration, organizational development, education sciences, social sciences, sociology, should consider applying to this stream.

 

Program, Service and Procurement

Examples of occupational groups which may be staffed (but not limited to) from this inventory are PM and AS

Applicants applying to this stream will be working to support the delivery and management of programs and projects in the Government of Canada.

Graduates in the areas such as accounting and finance, arts, social sciences and humanities, business and administration, communications and languages, law and protection services, library services, and research and analysis should consider applying to this stream.

Information Management and Information Technology

Examples of occupational groups which may be staffed (but not limited to) from this inventory are CS, PM, GT, IS, and AS

Applicants applying to this stream will be working to support the IT infrastructure of the Government of Canada.

Graduates in the areas such as computer science, information management, information technology, management information systems, information systems, computer technician, software development and engineering, information processing, computer engineering, web development and design, and graphic design should consider applying to this stream.

Sciences, nursing and engineering

Examples of occupational groups which may be staffed (but not limited to) from this inventory are: EN-ENG, EL, and EG

Graduates in the areas such as: biology, nursing, chemistry, physical sciences, mathematics, pure, natural and applied sciences, space and earth sciences, environment and natural resources, agriculture and forestry, architecture and construction, computer sciences, electrical and electronics, general engineering, land-use planning, management, manufacturing technology, transportation engineering, and nuclear engineering should consider applying to this stream.

Technical Fields and Labour & Trades

This inventory will staff various classifications.

Positions could fall under some of the following categories:

Chemical Technologist
– Occupational Health Services Technician
– Research Technician
– Electronic Technician
– Engineering Technologist
– Architectural Technologist
– Engineering Mechanical Technologist
– Refrigeration Technician
– Geospatial Analyst / Cartographer
– Fire Prevention Inspector

Graduates in the areas such as:

Agricultural Equipment Technology, Animal Production Technology, Horticulture and Environmental Production Technology, Plant Production Technology , Environmental Technology, Building Techniques, Civil Architectural Technology, Landscape Architecture, Surveying, Computer Engineering, Software Development and Engineering, Electromechanics, Electronics, Electrotechnology, Aircraft Maintenance, Audio-visual Technician, Chemical Technology, Engineering and Technology, Hydraulics and Pneumatics, Instrumentation Technology, Pre-technology, Industrial Engineering, Energy System and Conservation Technology, Environmental Technology, Fuel Analysis, Hydrographics Technology, Mining Technology, Plastic Processing Technology, Biological Research Technology, Chemical Technology, Nuclear Engineering. Aircraft Maintenance, Aerospace Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Marine and Naval Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Cartography, Topography, Fire Prevention/Safety Technology, Safety/Security Management, Safety Technology, Heating, Refrigeration, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC-R), Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (HRAC), Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Electrician, Occupational Health and Safety, architecture and construction, natural sciences, computer sciences, electrical and electronics, general engineering, land-use planning, management, manufacturing technology, transportation engineering, agriculture and forestry, fire prevention / safety technology, refrigeration and air conditioning, and occupational health and safety, should consider applying to this inventory

 

Administrative services

This will most likely be another popular stream as it is usually not a separate category in the PSR campaign.

Examples of occupational groups which may be staffed (but not limited to) from this inventory are: AS and PM.

Positions will likely include some of the following tasks:

– Managing and distributing information within an office
– Handling financial transactions for the office
– Coordinating meetings
– Sending, receiving or drafting correspondence
– Greeting clients
– Acting as the point of contact for employees
– Organizing events
– Coordinating travel arrangements
– Coordinating different projects and activities
– Researching and analyzing information

Graduates in areas such as Business administration, Business administration – finance, Business administration – human resources, Office administration, Accounting and management, Office Management, Secretarial studies, Paralegal, Legal assistance,
Secretarial – medical field, Communication and media studies and Hospitality and tourism management should consider applying to this stream.

Note the Insider’s Guide Platinum Package does not contain preparation exams for the Unsupervised Internet Test of Cognitive Ability or the General Competency Test Level 2.

 

How will applicants be tested this year?   

 1) On-line testing (unsupervised) – Public Service Entrance Exam

  • The unsupervised Public Service Entrance Exam (PSEE UIT 370) is divided into two sub-tests: the Test of Reasoning and the Test of Judgement. All applicants are required to take the Test of Reasoning (sub-test 1), the Test of Judgement (sub-test 2) is required only if additional information is needed to complete the assessment.
  • The PSEE can be written in an unsupervised environment anywhere the applicant has access to a computer and an Internet connection.
  • An applicant is permitted to write the PSEE once. Your score will be applied to all PSR jobs to which you apply this year. You will only be invited to attend an in-person testing session if you pass the on-line PSEE.
  • Applicants will not be informed of their exact scores.
  • An invitation to write the PSEE will most likely be sent between Late October to mid-November. Not all positions may require this test.
  • Note: If you passed the online PSEE, you may be invited to attend an in-person testing session; however, you will not be given the score you obtained on the online PSEE.

2) The Supervised Public Service Entrance Exam (PSEE)

  • The Supervised PSEE (PSEE 371) will be administered after the candidate has successfully succeeded in the unsupervised PSEE.
  • The PSEE 371 is a supervised test consisting of two separately timed sub-tests: Sub-Test 1: Test of Reasoning assesses reasoning and problem-solving ability and consists of 30 multiple choice questions. There are four types of questions:
  • Arithmetic reasoning:
  • Logical reasoning;
  • Analytical reasoning; and
  • Number or letter series.

You will have 90 minutes to complete this sub-test.

  • Sub-Test 2: Test of Judgement assesses the judgement required for solving problems in work-related situations and consists of 40 multiple choice questions.

You will have 60 minutes to complete this sub-test. Total test time is approximately 3 hours, including 30 minutes of administration time.

Testing is not expected to take place until late November 2018 to December 2018.

Note: Results for the Supervised PSEE (only) are expected to take at least six weeks before becoming available.
What resources does IG provide?

Our team provides a suite of services that will assist you to prepare for this year’s campaign:

  •  NOTE: All test materials have been revised and updated for the 2018 Post  Secondary Recruitment Campaign.
  1. The IG Platinum Guide, for more information, click here
  2. The IG PSSE Study Guide, for more information, click here
  3. The IG Resume and Cover Letter Guide, for more information, click here

Dates to remember

October 2, 2018

    • Post Secondary Recruitment opens.
    • Applicants have a little less than three weeks to apply.

October 24, 2018

    • Last day for applicants to submit applications.

Late October to Mid-November 2018

    • E-mail invitation is sent to applicants with instructions on writing the PSEE.

Late November 2018 to January 2019

    • The supervised PSEE is administered across and abroad on specified dates.

End of January 2019 and onward

    • If the supervised PSEE is passed, applicants may be referred to for a job position.

 

Source: Government of Canada PSR information page