The Australian Public Service (APS) is a leader in diversity of opportunities, so it is no wonder that people from all over the world strive to achieve employment in one of the many departments available. Diversity in the Government Sector is a priority under the Government Sector Employment Act 2013, which preserves the focus on existing diversity groups including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds such as Aboriginal people, women, and people with disabilities. Respecting and celebrating cultural diversity refers to the ways in which we respect and honour the ways in which people are different, such as educational level, life experience, work experience, socio-economic background, personality, and marital status. Workplace diversity means recognising the value of individual differences and managing them in the workplace together with supporting employees to reach their full potential.
According to the Australian Public Service Commission, the proportion of ongoing APS employees who identified as being from non-English speaking background totalled 14.4% in 2015, with the proportion of employees born overseas and being able to speak another language is around 22%. People from non-English speaking backgrounds are statistically extremely high-qualified, possessing a Bachelor degree or higher qualifications, with exceptional experience gained overseas. Mostly, they are attracted to working within the APS due to the type of work available, employment conditions, job security and stability, as well as career development opportunities. The cultural make up of Australian society has also changed significantly, with over a quarter of Australia’s population born overseas and the community identifying with more than 300 ancestries.
Moving to a new country can be daunting to say the least, let alone moving to one where the native tongue is not your first language. Then you have the added pressure of searching for job opportunities and submitting your applications, all while trying to understand Australian slang and nuances! With APS jobs in particular, there are certain standards to meet when presenting your Resume and Cover Letter, not to mention the Key Selection Criteria requirements. While you may be able to understand and speak English well, selling yourself in writing can be quite challenging. One of the key factors that often let down applicants from non-English speaking backgrounds in their job application documents is spelling and grammatical errors. Moreover, migrants do not have the extensive networks of someone who gained their education, training and work experience in Australia, and are therefore disadvantaged when seeking to enter the APS labour market.
Public Service Resumes, we highly respect and value our clients from non-English speaking backgrounds. We can clearly see the hard work and dedication that has gone into achieving qualifications and subsequent professional development, as well as the extensive work experience gained overseas. These skills and attributes would be a valuable asset to any department within APS and we are devoted to helping you to secure that next interview! If you are having trouble getting your message across or simply do not know where to start, please contact the team at Public Service Resumes for an obligation free quote, as well as a free review of your Resume. By working with our team, not only will you ensure that your individual experience, qualifications and skills are clearly highlighted in the context of the role that you are applying for, but you will be confident in knowing that the documents you submit are highly professional and are certain to help you stand out from the crowd. Whether you are a new graduate, a highly skilled professional, or an executive looking to break into the APS job market, we can help you decrypt everything there is to do with Government applications and greatly increase your chance of securing an interview.