​Entry Level Recruitment information for candidates

Please read this information before completing the Entry Level Recruitment Registration Form.

Introduction

Entry Level Recruitment (ELR) is a service offered by the Northern Territory Government to simplify the process of obtaining administrative work, at entry level within the Northern Territory Public Sector (NTPS). The Department of Business and Employment (DBE) administers the ELR service through the Recruitment Services Unit located in Alice Springs. Recruitment Services maintain a candidate pool from which suitable candidates are provided to Government agencies, when entry level vacancies need to be filled.

It is mandatory for NT Government agencies to use the ELR service for recruitment to all Administrative Officer 1 (AO1) and 2 (AO2) positions for permanent, temporary and casual employment, with the exception of AO1 and AO2 positions in specific remote locations.

The ELR service allows for streamlined recruitment into entry level positions, which means that vacant AO1 and AO2 positions do not have to be advertised, but can be if the agency requires.

The ELR service does not include recruitment for traineeships, cadetships, graduate opportunities or vacation employment.

The vacancies occur on an ad-hoc basis and may be located within any of the following Government agencies:

The ELR service is administered by the Department of Business and Employment.

Types of jobs available

Vacancies registered with the ELR service are classified as administrative and may be based in (but not limited to) any of the following areas:

Employment conditions and salary

Terms and conditions of employment will be in accordance with the Public Sector Employment and Management Act and relevant Determinations.

Salary levels effective from 19 August 2010 are:

Casual employees are paid an hourly rate as specified in the relevant Determination.

About the vacancies

How often do vacancies occur?

Vacancies can occur at any time.

Vacancies occur when government employees take leave and / or change positions; they may be required for special projects; or because a work unit is unusually busy.

How long are the vacancies?

Vacancies can range from two weeks to 12 months (or longer) for both AO1 and AO2 positions, with some vacancies being for permanent positions. Many of the temporary vacancies are for a period of 8-12 weeks.

Temporary vacancies have a start and finish date. Sometimes an agency might extend the period of employment, however you should never have an expectation that this will occur.

When are vacancies registered?

NT Government agencies register vacancies with Recruitment Services as and when required. The recruitment process has been streamlined, and the successful candidate can be selected and commenced quite quickly, for example, within a week. Your availability to commence employment may influence the selection process.

ELR registration

Who can register?

The ELR service is open to all persons, including:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
• people with disabilities
• minority groups
• overseas candidates who possess an appropriate Australian Working Visa
• existing NT Government employees at A01 and A02 levels
• existing NT Government employees in other streams of employment, up to the equivalent of an AO2 level.

Who cannot register?

Former employees of the NTPS who received a redundancy payment within the last two years are not eligible to register with the ELR service.

Can I re-register once I’ve completed a contract?

Candidates are automatically removed from the database once they fill a vacancy and will need to register again at the end of their contract to be considered for future vacancies. 

Are skills and experience required?

ELR candidates do not require specific skills or experience. Candidates are assessed on their ability to undertake the duties of the position and their potential for development.

How to register

To register, you need to submit the following two documents:

• an Entry Level Recruitment Registration Form (pdf 66 kb) | Entry Level Recruitment Registration Form (docx 62 kb) (completed and signed)
• your resume, which details your work experience, competencies and skills.

Send the documents to Recruitment Services, as detailed in the Registration Form.

Keep your details up to date

ELR candidates are responsible for advising the ELR service of any changes in their circumstances that could affect their employment opportunities, for example:

• newly acquired skills or work experience, or
• changes in contact details (for example, contact telephone number, postal address, etc).

Note: Candidate records will be removed from the candidate pool after 12 months, if an updated Registration Form or resume isn’t received or there hasn’t been any contact with the candidate.

ELR process

1. Read the Candidate Guidelines and complete the Entry Level Recruitment Registration Form. Send the completed and signed ELR Registration Form, together with your up-to-date resume (which details your work experience) to Recruitment Services (see details below).
2. When your Registration Form is received, Recruitment Services will send you an acknowledgement letter. Your details will then be included in the ELR candidate pool. This includes your employment preferences for the level and location of vacancies. You may select multiple options when responding to these questions, to increase your chance of employment.
3. When a vacancy becomes available, the agency will contact Recruitment Services and request a list of potential candidates to be referred to them for consideration. The list is compiled from the candidate pool in accordance with the selection criteria for the vacancy, which may cover a range of administrative skills (as listed on your Registration Form and evidenced in your resume).
4. If your skills and experience match those required for the vacancy, and the vacancy details correspond with your employment preferences, Recruitment Services will contact you to discuss your availability and interest in the position. If you agree, you will be referred to the agency for consideration along with other suitable candidates. A copy of your resume is sent to the agency, so it is important to keep your information up to date.
5. The agency will compare the skills and experience of each candidate to the selection criteria for the vacancy, and undertake further assessment if required. This may include an interview.
   • If you are not selected for further assessment / interview you will not be contacted by the agency, nor will you receive any type of written notification. Your details will remain in the ELR candidate pool and you will continue to be considered for future vacancies.
   • If you are selected for further assessment / interview, the agency will contact you directly to make the arrangements.
   • If you undertake further assessment / interview and are unsuccessful, the employing agency will contact you advising of the outcome. Your details will remain in the ELR candidate pool and you will continue to be considered for future vacancies.
   • If you are successful, the employing agency will verbally advise you of the outcome and confirm a start date, time and place. The agency will liaise with Employment Services so that your employment offer can be prepared and is available for you to sign at your commencement.
6. When you accept the offer of employment, you will either be contacted to arrange an appointment to complete the recruitment paperwork or the information will be sent to you via email. Before you can be employed, you will be required to provide documentation such as your birth certificate, passport/visa and drivers licence (if applicable). This will be listed in your letter.

Permanent employment and appeals

When an ELR candidate is selected for a permanent position, their name is published on the NT Government’s Employment Opportunities website.

The position is identified as being filled through the ELR service. Where the position is identified as being a promotion, ELR candidates who are currently employed in the NTPS may have the right of appeal. View Promotion Appeals for further information.

More information

Recruitment Services
Department of Business and Employment
Alice Springs
t: 1300 659 247
f: (08) 8951 6531
e: recruitmententrylevel.dbe@nt.gov.au
w: http://www.nt.gov.au/jobs