Recruitment process

1. Your CV is your personal billboard; choosing the right format is key to making a strong first impression. Whether you're launching your career, switching paths, or climbing the ladder, there's a format that fits your story: 
   • Chronological CV: Ideal for individuals with a solid employment history, as it emphasizes work experience starting with your most recent role and work backwards. 
   • Functional CV: Focuses on skills and competencies, making it suitable for those with limited experience or transitioning into a new career. 
   • Combination CV: It blends the best of both worlds, highlighting key skills while also showcasing relevant work experience. 
2. Craft a compelling opening summary offering a quick snapshot of your top qualifications, core strengths, and professional aspirations. Customise this section for every job you apply to, making sure it aligns closely with the role requirements. This section sets the tone, so keep it polished.  
3. Don’t just list job titles and dates, showcase your experience with purpose highlighting the real value you brought to each position. Focus on key accomplishments and responsibilities, using strong action verbs and measurable results.  
4. Address any employment gaps – a short, honest explanation builds trust. A short note like “career break” or “employment gap”, “travelling” or “parental leave” is enough – don’t overexplain. Mention anything informal briefly e.g. online learning, freelance projects, etc, to show initiative. Emphasise readiness – use your cover letter to highlight that you’re motivated and ready to contribute immediately. 
5. Whether this is your first job or your fifth, put your education and skills in the spotlight on your CV. 
   • Skills section: Be strategic - list both technical know-how and soft skills that match the role you're aiming for. Don’t overlook experiences outside of work: community-based projects, volunteering, or sporting achievements can highlight transferable skills such as teamwork, leadership, resilience, and commitment. These examples can set you apart by showing how you apply your abilities in diverse settings. 
   • New grads: Showcase standout coursework, academic projects, or internships that align with the job you're targeting. 
   • Experienced professionals: Highlight certifications, specialized training, and advanced degrees that set you apart. 
6. Make every CV a perfect match. To stand out, tweak your CV for each job you apply to. Highlight the skills, accomplishments, and experiences that align directly with the role. The more tailored your CV, the more likely it is to catch a hiring manager’s eye and land you that interview. 

7. Formatting: A CV that is easy to read and visually clean will look more professional and let your information shine. Pick a simple easy to read font (like Arial) in at least size 12 or bigger. Don’t be afraid of white space. Make sure there are line breaks between sections, it's better for your CV to be longer than look crammed together.  

A great cover letter should grab attention and make the reader curious to learn more about you. It’s your chance to show why you’re a perfect fit for the job, so always tailor it to the role instead of using a generic one. Also, it shows off your writing skills. If the role feels casual or creative, don’t hesitate to add a bit of your own tone to make a good impression.  

We want to help you land the job that’s right for you. To support your interview preparation, we have gathered the best top tips to equip you with tools to present yourself confidently, effectively and make a strong impression. 

Dress code: First impressions count! Visit Seek for more general recommendations.  

Interview location and time: You will find our main offices in Wellington, Masterton and Upper Hutt, along with depots across the region. Make sure you are familiar with the location (i.e. check maps and bus routes) and arrive 10-15 minutes earlier to give yourself time to sign in at our reception and get comfortable prior to the interview. If by any circumstance you are late, advise the hiring manager in advance (where possible). 

What to bring to your interview: You are allowed to bring your notes or any supporting material, including electronic devices if they support your skills and experience. For example you might have a portfolio for writing or design.  

Research: It is a good idea to explore Greater Wellington’s website, so you are familiar with our work culture and what we do.  

Break down the position description; reviewing and highlighting the key competencies and accountability outlined in the position description will help you gain a better understanding of how your experience aligns with the role we are recruiting for.  

Interview structure: Interviews are conducted by our hiring team including the hiring manager and interview panel members. The structure generally starts with the with the panel introducing themselves and setting a friendly atmosphere. The hiring manager will outline the key requirements of the position and where it fits within Greater Wellington. This will be followed by primary questions based on technical, behavioural and leadership capabilities. The panel might have some specific or unique questions based on your application. Finally, when closing the interview, you will have the opportunity to ask any questions, and you will be provided with the next steps of the process.  

We use competency-based interviews, work simulation exercise and psychometric testing (if relevant to role) and may include informal out of interview coffee meetings, and meetings with teams as part of the recruitment process. 

Competency-based questions are designed to assess a candidate’s abilities through real-world examples. Rather than speaking in vague or hypothetical terms, candidates should reference specific, real-life scenarios. You are expected to describe the context, explain the reasoning behind your decisions, detail the actions taken, and reflect on the outcomes that followed. 

Work simulation exercise: depending on the nature of the role, you might be asked to complete a task similar to one you could be expected to complete in the position to assess what you can actually do, rather than describing it.  

Examples can include:  

• Preparing and delivering a presentation to an appropriate audience  
• Drafting an appropriate response to a letter  
• Prioritising a list of tasks and providing reasons for decisions  
• Analysing financial data to identify reasons for unfavourable expenditure against budget  
• Talking us through how you would complete a specific task during a typical day out in the field. 

Psychometric tests* are standardised tests that may measure mental ability, potential, performance or personality. Examples of psychometric testing include:  

• Numerical reasoning tests to test the person’s ability to deal with numbers quickly and accurately  
• Verbal reasoning tests – to test the person’s ability to think constructively  
• Diagrammatic reasoning tests – to test the person’s logical reasoning ability and whether they can work out and apply a set of rules from a flowchart or diagram  
• Situational judgement tests – to test how the person deals with situations they might experience in the workplace.  

*Note that for certain roles – particularly senior or leadership positions – this may be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. It forms part of a broader, multi-method assessment process and is not used as the sole criterion for decision-making. 

Tips for answering competency-based questions  

To elaborate your answers, focus on the core competencies that the position involves. These are outlined in the position description. It's important to use a diverse range of examples from your professional journey or studies. Ensure each response features a unique and relevant situation and avoid unnecessary background detail - interviewers are primarily interested in your past behaviours and how you handled specific scenarios. Choose examples that directly address the question rather than ones that simply sound impressive or too elaborate. 

The STAR Technique 

• Situation: Describe the context. 
• Task: Explain your specific responsibility in that situation. 
• Action: Detail the steps you took to address the task. 
• Result: Share the outcome of your actions, highlighting achievements, improvements, or lessons learned. 

Be positive about your actions throughout your response and do not make up an example as you will not come across as genuine. If you cannot think of good examples instantly, ask the interviewer for a moment or two to think about the question and then give your answer. 

The CAR Approach 

A useful method for responding to this kind of question is the CAR technique - short for Context, Action, Result. It provides a clear framework to organise your response as a concise narrative. 

• Context: Outlines the situation, including relevant details like the task you had to face, time, location and who was involved. 
• Action is the core of your response and explains the steps you took to address the situation. This section should be the most detailed and focused on your individual contribution. 
• Result summarizes the outcome, your learning experience and achievements. Keep it brief like the introduction.