Public Interest Law Careers Guide - Applying for work in the Victorian Public Service
Paul Bradshaw
Principal Adviser
Attraction & Recruitment, State Services Authority
- Tailor your application to the program or department you are applying for- generic applications will be screened out. Answer the key selection criteria and offer examples of how you meet them.
- To be successful applicants must agree to a police check. Candour is well-regarded and applicants should be advised that minor convictions will not significantly affect their chances.
- Much Government recruitment is done internally, so one way to start a legal career in government is to find an entry-level generalist position such as policy officer, corporate services or contract management and then apply for legal positions when they become available.
- Candidates wishing to pursue a legal career in Government are advised not to apply for specialist entry-level positions unless they are sure they want to work in that specialty long-term - it may be hard to break out of. Generalist positions like those described above are preferable.
- Doing temp work for government is a good way to make contacts, experience the culture of different departments and get a foot in the door. Temp agencies may change every few years. At the time of writing, temp agencies are Hoban Recruitment and Randstad
- Applicants of any career level are encouraged to read the Australian Policy Handbook, available from Allen & Unwin and most university libraries.
More advice and tips on how to apply are available on the PickVic and Careers.gov websites:
The Victorian Government Careers Website


