Applying for a job at Swinburne

The purpose of the cover letter is to formally confirm your interest and candidacy in the specific position you are applying for. We recommend you include the following:

• the position title you are applying for

• confirmation that you have supplied all requested documents

• your contact details. 

The purpose of the résumé is to provide a summary of your skills, abilities, education and accomplishments. It should be a ‘snapshot’ of your professional offerings. A concise résumé ensures that the relevant information you wish to convey is not lost amongst unnecessary details and it’s important that you include any experience you referred to in your response to the key selection criteria as well. 

It is a requirement for some positions at Swinburne that the key selection criteria be addressed in your application. If applicable, this requirement will be made clear in the application process. 

The key selection criteria relate to the knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully undertake the duties of the position. The selection panel requires evidence that you meet the selection criteria, so you are encouraged to provide examples that best demonstrate your applied skills and abilities.

In assessing your application, a hiring manager or shortlisting panel may want to learn more about:

• relevant situations and challenges you have encountered and their complexity

• how you have approached these situations and challenges

• what action you have personally undertaken in resolving such issues

• what the positive outcomes and personal learnings were after dealing with such issues.

We recommend writing your responses in the form of short paragraphs addressing each of the key selection criteria, and that you use headings for each paragraph. You can use the same example to address more than one criterion but will need to list it in the relevant separate paragraphs.   

You can find out further information on the scope of the position by speaking with the contact person listed on the advertisement. 

As part of the applicant assessment process, a selection panel will conduct an interview with all the shortlisted applicants. To perform at your best, we recommend you consider the following:

• Know exactly when and where your interview will be held and give yourself enough time to get there without rushing.

• Consider how you may answer an ‘ice-breaker’ or ‘getting to know you’ question. 

• Try to anticipate some of the questions that the interview panel may ask you in relation to the selection criteria for the position.

• Prepare and practice examples to respond to possible questions that would align with the selection criteria. 

• Prepare some questions that you might ask the interview panel regarding the position.

The interview gives the selection panel a chance to seek further information about your experience and helps them to assess your suitability for the position and area of work.

You will be asked to provide specific examples that demonstrate how you meet the selection criteria and the panel will score each applicant according to how well they meet each selection criterion. You will also be asked some general ‘ice-breaker’ questions that won’t relate to the criteria. These questions give you the opportunity to express your motivation, personality and demonstrate what you’re like as a person and as a professional employee. 

During the interview you will be provided with a realistic job preview and the opportunity to ask questions relating to the job itself as well as the rest of the recruitment process. 

Our interviews are usually conducted face-to-face but we can consider video-conference interviews where appropriate.

Should you require further support due to special needs or consideration, please contact our Diversity Consultant, Dr Walter Robles, on inclusion@swinburne.edu.au, or our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Officer, Sherrin Trautmann, on DeadlyCareers@swinburne.edu.au.

You will be contacted with an outcome of your application. Unsuccessful applications will receive an email to the address supplied in the application.

If you’re successful, you will need to supply proof of your relevant qualifications, which we will verify before making a formal offer. We will also complete reference checks at this time. We will only contact referees when required as part of the decision-making process by the panel.

Offers

Assuming all goes well, you’ll receive an initial verbal offer. After verbally accepting this offer, we’ll issue a formal offer of employment via email. 

If you have not received your formal offer within a reasonable timeframe, we recommend getting in touch with the contact person listed on the advertisement for an update.

Feedback

We will provide feedback to candidates who were interviewed but unsuccessful in being offered the role.

I’ve forgotten my password to My Profile, what do I do?

You can reset your password on the applicant login page.

How do I change/update my application?

Log in to Jobs at Swinburne and select My Profile. Here you can amend existing applications, attach new documents, or select ‘My details’ to edit your contact information.

You can also edit your personal details here and add documents to existing applications.

I’m having technical problems, what do I do?

If you are experiencing technical difficulties submitting your application, please contact the Recruitment team via email at staffrecruitment@swinburne.edu.au.

I have a disability, can I apply?

Yes. We acknowledge that diversity in the university workforce increases team effectiveness and our capacity for innovation, and we welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities.

We have measures in place to ensure we accommodate candidates with a disability and that they are considered on the basis of merit and the ability to perform the inherent requirements of the position. Swinburne is happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable staff to perform the key position responsibilities and attend interview.

For further details,please contact our Diversity Consultant by email at inclusion@swinburne.edu.au.

I am an employment consultant with a Jobactive program: how do I refer a candidate?

We welcome and encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds. For your client’s application to be considered, they’ll need to personally submit a formal application via the Jobs at Swinburne website and confirm their personal and other application details.

Please note, we do not accept unsolicited applications from third parties and will not be liable or responsible for any fees or costs associated with unsolicited résumés sent directly to line managers or other staff.

How do I register for casual employment as a tutor with Swinburne?

If you are interested in casual employment as a tutor, you will need to contact the applicable discipline leader within the relevant faculty for further details.

How often are vacancies listed?

All new vacancies are listed and advertised as they are created. We recommend registering for a job alert and checking our list on a regular basis. 

Can I contact a line manager directly to express my interest if there are no positions advertised?

Yes. You may wish to contact a line manager to learn more about potential or current opportunities within their area. However, to be considered for current opportunities, you need to lodge an application via the Jobs at Swinburne page. 

We accept Expressions of Interest from candidates who identify as Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander. For further information, please contact our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Officer at DeadlyCareers@swinburne.edu.au. 

Do I need a Working with Children Check?

Yes. Swinburne University of Technology is a Child Safe Organisation and as part of this commitment, we require all employees to have a current Working with Children’s Check upon commencement.

Do I need to do a police check?

Some of our positions require a police check to be conducted prior to or upon commencement. If you are required to possess a suitable police check, this will be detailed in the position description. 

Does Swinburne accept overseas applicants?

Yes, however offers of employment to overseas applicants are subject to approval from the Department of Home Affairs for permanent residency or an appropriate temporary work visa to cover the period of employment. For certain positions, it may be an occupation requirement that the applicant hold permanent residence or citizenship.

Overseas applicants for most academic positions, and overseas applicants for a limited selection of non-Academic positions, may be eligible for employer sponsored migration.

Do you provide relocation assistance?

Yes. Swinburne welcomes applications from outside the Melbourne area, and may reimburse travel and relocation expenses incurred in the interview and on-boarding process, on a case by case basis. If you would like to enquire about relocation support, please contact the person listed on the job advertisement.

How can I obtain salary details if they aren’t listed in an advertisement?

The level of HEW or Academic position will stipulate the salary range of a particular role. If the salary range of a role is not listed in an advert, please contact the hiring manager or recruitment consultant listed in the advert who will be able to provide further details.

We recommend speaking with the contact person listed on the job advertisement prior to applying if you wish to discuss salary expectations that fall beyond the salary range listed for that position level.