Applying for a position at TasWater

If you are on this page it could mean you are looking to apply for a role with us, or perhaps prepare for an interview with us. That’s great news – we’re looking forward to hearing more about you!

This page will help you understand our recruitment process and provide some guidance to make the process as easy as possible. We understand applying for a role and attending interviews can be stressful and time consuming, and we are here to help make this process easier.

The way we recruit
Our recruitment process is merit-based, fair, and equitable. We assess candidates in line with our Values and Behaviours and the set selection criteria for each position, which includes consideration of how you can add to our culture and make a difference to our community.

TasWater is committed to providing a safe and inclusive work environment which supports and values difference and acknowledges that different perspectives and experiences make us able to serve our communities better. Our goal is that everyone can access positive employment outcomes in respect of these differences. TasWater is an equal opportunity employer and our recruitment processes reflect this.

Putting together your application
Your application is your opportunity to make a great first impression. We want to read your application and get an immediate feel for what you value and what you can bring to our organisation.

Before you start, do your research to make sure TasWater is the right place for you. You can find out more about what we do on our website, plus read about our values and how we work, and most importantly, why we are such a great place to work. We hope you’ll feel like TasWater is a place of great opportunity, where you can make a real difference to your community and be challenged by some amazing projects and innovations along the way.

Reading the advertisement and Position Description will help you understand the role and what skills, knowledge, qualities and experience will lead to success in the role. The advertisement will also tell you what your application needs to include (eg. what to include in your cover letter) to give yourself the best chance of being shortlisted. Remember to talk about why you are interested in the role, and if the advertisement asks you to respond to a particular point (eg. telling us about a success you have had with a customer), make sure you cover this.

Each advertisement will always have the name of a TasWater representative you can contact if you have any questions. It’s best to ask any questions up front rather than guess what the answer may be.

Click here for a few hints and tips:
Make sure your current contact details are on your resume or cover letter. Please upload the cover letter for the role you are applying for, not the role you applied for last week with another employer! (This happens more than you would think!). If you have any large breaks or gaps in employment, please make this clear and state what you were doing during this time (eg. travelling, studying, family responsibilities). If you are not located in Tasmania, tell us why you are interested in relocating to our beautiful state – we always love to hear your stories! Proofread to make sure you are being clear about your capabilities. If you can, have someone else look over your application and give some feedback.

If you are not shortlisted for an interview, we will endeavour to notify you by email as soon as possible.

Please note that you need to have Australian working rights to apply for a position with us. We are not able to provide sponsorship at this point in time.

Preparing for your interview

If you are selected for interview, the Talent Acquisition Team will contact you to discuss the role and make the arrangements. Please let us know if you have any special requirements for the interview or require assistance of any kind so we can make the appropriate arrangements.

As we operate on a state-wide basis, your interview will be online via WebEx or MS Teams, or in person. We will confirm the location and who will be on the selection panel. Most interviews will be with a panel of 3 people and be up to an hour in duration. Some interviews may include a practical element or test, a presentation, or be a group interview with other candidates. We’ll inform you of this prior to the interview.

Your interview will be designed to help you talk about and demonstrate your experience and capabilities as relevant to the role, and to help us understand the way you work and what you can bring to our organisation. We will ask behavioural questions that are aligned directly to our values, and role-specific questions reflecting the specific requirements of the position. They are designed to seek actual examples of how you work.

Here are our values:

Values

We are a 2024 WORK180 Endorsed Employer and a 2024 Circle Back Initiative Employer.

To prepare your examples, think of key achievements in your current and previous roles that directly relate to and demonstrate how you meet the selection criteria for the position.

We will ask you to use the SAO model when you respond to each question:

Situation - outline a specific situation.

Action – describe the actions you took in response to that situation.

Outcome - describe the outcome or result.

Here’s a sample question and SAO response that links back to the selection criteria:

Click here for a sample question!
Position: Customer Liaison Officer Selection Criteria: Excellent written communication skills, previous experience in a customer service role, ability to provide specialist advice and information Question: Tell us about a time you have improved the provision of information to a customer or stakeholder. Situation: As Customer Service Officer at XYZ organisation I was responsible for keeping all community members up to date with changes to legislation. A survey of community members showed that only 45% felt they understood legislation changes. Action: I created a weekly Fact Sheet to provide information on the changes, which was emailed to members each Friday. I summarised the changes, with dot points of how each change impacted our operations. I used plain English and avoided jargon where possible.. Outcome: A follow up survey showed that 75% of members understood the changes 3 months after the implementation of the Fact Sheet – an increase in 30%.

Role specific/technical questions are designed to seek more information about your technical capacity. These questions may be behavioural and seek actual examples, or may ask you to talk about how you would approach a situation.

An example is “What steps would you take when assessing a new customer form?” or “Tell us about your understanding of the workplace health and safety legislation in Tasmania”.

You should prepare for these questions in the same manner as you prepare for the behavioural questions and have specific examples that demonstrate how you meet the selection criteria.

Reference checks and pre-employment checks
If you are a preferred candidate after the interview, we will send you a link to our online reference check system, Referoo. You’ll be invited to provide the details of 2 professional referees who have worked with you in the last 5 years. Ideally, at least one will be a current or previous supervisor. Please select people who can best talk about you and your skills and experience as they relate to the position you have applied for.

Click here for a few hints and tips:
Make sure each referee wants to be a reference for you, and is aware they are listed as a referee. Make sure you have each referees best contact number and email. Make sure you choose referees that can best speak to your fit for the particular role you are applying for. This might mean changing your referees depending on the position. If you no longer work with your referee, keep them up to date with the work you’ve been doing. Talk to your referees about the job you are applying for - it will help them give the best feedback for you.

For some roles, you will also need to undertake a pre-employment medical assessment. We will contact you to discuss and arrange this if required.

Selection decision
The selection panel will thoroughly evaluate the information provided by all candidates to make its selection decision.

You must have the right to work in Australia in order to be offered a position, plus have satisfactorily completed any pre-employment checks.

If you are successful, the Hiring Manager will verbally offer you the position and talk to you about starting salary, work location and commencement date. If you accept, you will receive a formal online offer of employment and will commence an online onboarding process.

If you attend an interview and your application is unsuccessful, the Hiring Manager will call to advise you and provide feedback.

We aim to complete selection within 4 weeks of the closing date.

Esther

Applying for a position at TasWater

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