How-to-Apply Video Tutorial - 1 - Read the Job Poster

Transcript - 1 - Read the Job Poster

Recruitment at Health Canada is about more than just attracting applicants; it's about attracting the right applicants. In this short presentation, we're going to show you how to read our job poster, how to self-screen and how to apply successfully.

First of all, before you do anything, prepare yourself to spend up to an hour going through the process of applying. Limit interruptions, and have the things you'll need handy - a pad of paper and a pen or pencil by your side will help as well.

Now, let's get started:

Read the job poster thoroughly and carefully.  It sounds pretty obvious, but a lot of applicants fail to do this, and it can mean you make critical errors that can jeopardize your chances of moving forward.

Let's work our way through the job poster. In the first paragraph, you'll note important information such as the location of the position, the salary rate and the closing date.

In most cases, Health Canada jobs are open to Canadians living anywhere in Canada or abroad. Jobs at Health Canada are open to both Canadians and non-Canadians; however non-citizens should be aware that preference is given to Canadian citizens.

With respect to language, a job advertisement can indicate one or more language requirements. Read the Useful Information provided on the job poster to learn more about language requirements.

The requirements in the Education and Experience sections of the poster are very important. You have to ensure that the content in your cover letter and résumé clearly demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Some fields, such as nursing, will also require Occupational Certification, so look out for this requirement.

Finally, most job posters have three more additional and equally important sections: Additional Requirement, Information to be Provided and Important Messages.