2013 Post Secondary Recruitment (PSR) Campaign

How was the 2013 Post Secondary Recruitment campaign?

Competition was fiercer last year than in previous years. Individuals were in established inventories and new candidates in the 2013 Post Secondary Recruitment campaign were applying for the same positions.

With tight hiring budgets for fiscal year 2013-2014  and a small number of coveted government positions, applications reached upward of 50 000, as in past years.

Despite recent government cuts last fiscal year, the Post Secondary Recruitment campaign remained an excellent vehicle by which to enter the Government. Government priority lists of affected employees will not largely affect entry level positions. In addition, hiring managers can decide if he/she prefers an external candidate over a candidate in a priority list for a job opening.

What were the timelines for the 2013 Post Secondary Recruitment Campaign? 

September 12, 2013 (COMPLETED)

• The 2013 Post Secondary Recruitment campaign is launched.

• Candidates have three weeks and one day to apply to the various positions.

October 4, 2013 (COMPLETED)

• The 2013 Post Secondary Recruitment campaign ends.

October 10, 2013 (COMPLETED)

• Applicants will receive an invitation by email to write the Public Service Entrance Exam.

October 10 to 15, 2013 (COMPLETED)

• Candidates are required to complete the Public Service Entrance Exam during this time frame. Note that candidates that do not pass the Public Service Entrance Exam will be automatically disqualified from the 2013 Post Secondary Recruitment campaign. For practice tests to ensure your success, please click here.

October 17, 2013 (COMPLETED)

• Successful candidates of the Public Service Entrance Exam will be email an invitation on registration for supervised tests. Note: Most candidates will be required to write at least three exams: the Graduate Recruitment Test, the Situational Judgement Test, and the Written Comprehension Proficiency Test.

October 17 to 20, 2013 (COMPLETED)

• Candidates are required to register for supervised tests. Note: If you require special accommodations, email [email protected]

November 2013 (COMPLETED)

• Supervised testing takes place across Canada and abroad.

January 2014 and onward (IN PROCESS)

• If successful, candidates may be referred for job opportunities.

How can I improve my chances at obtaining a position?At this point, all successful candidates have received an email invitation to registration for supervised tests, certain have already written job specific exams. The best method to improve your chances at obtaining a Government job is by preparing for the tests.

The most comprehensive resource is the Insider’s Guide Platinum Study Package– Our Number 1 Seller . The Platinum Study Package provides detailed information on the Post Secondary Recruitment Process, multiple practices exams for the Public Service Entrance Exam, the Graduate Recruitment Test, the  Situational Judgement Test, and the Written Comprehension Proficiency Test. The Platinum Study Package also provides information on what to expect in written and face-to-face interviews, and other crucial steps in the job competition process. In the Platinum Study Package, there are Click here for more information.

Another great resource provided by our team is the Insider’s Guide Gold Study package. In the Gold Study package, there is  detailed information on the Post Secondary Recruitment Process and one practice exam for the Public Service Entrance Exam, the Graduate Recruitment Test, and the Situational Judgement Test. Click here for more information.

We also provide practice exams on the following:

For practice exams on the Graduate Recruitment Test (GRT)  click here for more information.

For practice exams Situational Judgement Test (SJT) click here for more information. 

We have recently added a new 2013 PSR campaign basic study package click here for more information.

For practice exams on the Written Comprehension Proficiency Test (WCPT) click here for more information.

For practice tests on the Public Service Entrance Exam (PSEE) click here for more information.

If you are looking for a simple guide on information about the whole Government of Canada recruitment process for Post Secondary Recruitment campaign and how to write an effective cover letter and resume click here.

Read some of the testimonials from our clients here.

Background information on the 2013 Post Secondary Recruitment (PSR) Campaign

What were the job opportunities last year?

The following departments ran their own recruitment processes for the following classification levels*:

Were there any career stream inventories ?

Four career streams were established for 2013 Post Secondary Recruitment candidates. The purpose of these inventories were to provide hiring departments with a pool of pre-screened candidates for future job openings. The career streams available for the 2013 PSR Campaign were:

1. Information Technology: These positions are best suited for students with educational and work experience in Computer and Information Technology.

2. Business and Social Sciences: These positions are best suited for students with educational and work experience in Social Sciences and Business (including accounting and finance).

3. Health Sciences:These positions are best suited for students with educational and work experience in Nursing and Psychology.
4. Pure, natural, and applied sciences: These positions are best suited for students with educational and work experience in Chemistry, Biology, and Physical Science.

How did the 2013 Post Secondary Recruitment campaign compare to 2012 Post Secondary Recruitment campaign?

The good news was that eight departments were offering job positions before the 2013 PSR campaign was launched. In last year’s Post Secondary Recruitment, only a handful of departments were offering positions. The large majority of students were placed in inventories for further screening.

The not so good news is that the Government  added an additional component to the Public Service Entrance Exam (PSEE). Presently, the PSEE has been modified from the previous 25 question exam to two sub-tests. To obtain the minimum pass mark, candidates had to rank in the top 10th percentile for the first sub-test, and in the top 20th percentile in sub-test 2. However, Hiring managers had the flexibility to set the pass mark higher (up to the 50th percentile) at their discretion. This new addition, although it appears to be minimal, was another step to screen candidates at an earlier stage in the campaign.

* Source: http://jobs-emplois.gc.ca/psr-rp/index-eng.php?p=2

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