Congratulations on taking the next steps to progress with a Career at Forestry Corporation.

We are excited to provide you with this guide to help you throughout the recruitment process.

Step 1: Applying for a role – Your cover letter and resume

It is important to have an updated clear, concise cover letter and resume which is fit-for-purpose and designed for the role you are applying for.

The best way to do this is to update your resume (also known as a curriculum vitae or CV) consistently throughout your career and make sure that you read the job advertisement to tailor your cover letter and resume accordingly. There are templates on the internet but here is some helpful information to consider.

Why a cover letter?

A cover letter is your first opportunity to express your interest, highlight your strengths and really sell yourself to the recruitment team/hiring manager for the role that you have applied for. A tailored, detailed and personalised cover letter shows that you have gone to the effort of applying for their role and expresses your genuine interest in the position.

In your resume it is best to make it short (no more than 4 pages) and to use dot points to highlight the skills and experience that you have gained in each role.

The order of experience should be from most recent (at the top) to least and customised for the role that you are applying for.

Tips:

• Take note of all details on the job advertisement, especially the closing date. We encourage you to apply well before the closing date and time to avoid technical, last-minute issues. Remember to take note of all the job details that you are applying for and to get someone to proof-read your Cover Letter and Resume for any errors.
• Don’t forget to add your personal details on your resume such as full legal name (and preferred name), best contact mobile and email along with location. It is also important to apply with your full legal name on the application.
• It is a good idea to have a chat to the hiring manager before you apply for the role. You can also ask the recruitment team for a copy of the position description to read over the role requirements.
• In recruitment, when we look at the ideal applicant for a role, we look for 3 things: skills, experience and attitude. So highlight all three areas in each application of the process.

Step 2: The Interview

Great, you’ve made it to the next stage and now have the opportunity to sell yourself face to face or virtually via Microsoft Teams.

Like most things, preparation is key to success.  We always recommend reviewing the position description (PD) for any questions relating to the role which may pop up in the interview.

In addition, it’s great to be able to look at your previous experience and how you can clearly explain your competency as part of the job requirements.

Don’t have experience? Sure you do! You may have transferable skills or soft skills which would apply to the role. Again, explain how these skills can help you and assist you in the role that you are applying for.

Note: Sometimes, depending on the role and number of candidates who have applied, a second interview or ‘meet and greet’ may be required.

Tips

• Research our company to understand our culture and values - everything you need to know is on our website.
• It is also a great idea to prepare questions for the interview, here are some examples:
  • What does success in the role look like
  • What are the typical day-to-day responsibilities of this position
  • What kind of learning and development opportunities are available for employees?
  • The recruitment team are your cheerleaders, so please reach out if you have any questions or require advice before the interview, or if you have any questions regarding the recruitment process.

Step 3: Pre-employment checks

All potential Forestry Corporation employees undergo pre-employment checks.

Feel free to directly ask the recruitment team/hiring manager for an update on the process. We do endeavour to get back to you as soon as we can along with the hiring manager with an outcome of your application either being feedback or next steps.

Depending on the role you are applying for you will depend on the type of pre-employment checks you do – refer to the chart below:

Step 4: Accepting an offer

Congratulations – you got the job!

Your hiring manager will verbally offer you the role and confirm your start date.  The recruitment team will then issue you your contract and you then you’ll move through the onboarding stage.

What to do if you don’t get the role?

Sometimes we don’t get the job, however, it’s important to see this as an opportunity for next time around. Being unsuccessful just means you were unsuccessful at this time, not forever.

You now have an advantage to know what is required in the role, gained valuable knowledge and experience in the application process and built great networking relationships with current Forestry Corporation employees and hiring managers.

You may also be talent pooled for other roles if you are not successful for this one.

Tips

• Reach out to the hiring manager for feedback as to why you were not successful. This is valuable information which you can work on to develop in the meantime.
• Thank the hiring manager again on taking the time to consider you for the role.

We are here to help guide you throughout the application process here at Forestry Corporation. Please reach out to the Recruitment team at recruitment@fcnsw.com.au if you have any questions or require support at any stages of the process.

We wish you all the best in your application as part of the recruitment process here at Forestry Corporation.

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