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GC Jobs Transformation

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Current landscape of the GC Jobs platform

Transforming the current GC recruitment system is a big task, given its scale: One employer, thousands of opportunities! We recruit people with diverse skills, from a variety of backgrounds and professions. To do so, our GC Jobs platform lists various career opportunities across Canada. In 2021, there were:

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  • 10 million views per year
  • 3.2 active applicants
  • 910,000 users who logged in over the last year
  • 1.2 million job applications received
  • 3 200 HR professionals using the system
  • 115 departments and agencies
  • 10 000 job advertisements
  • 81 000 email alerts

Future of federal public service recruitment

To better serve the needs of job seekers, managers and human resources professionals in a digital age, we are transforming the federal public service’s recruitment platform.

We need a flexible, modern and user-centric solution that:

  • attracts talent to the federal public service now and in the future
  • provides Canadians with an equal opportunity to apply to federal government jobs
  • is inclusive, effective and adaptable

Our approach

Work is well underway. We consulted 3 user groups: job seekers, managers and human resources professionals. They told us they wanted a simplified, seamless and intuitive recruitment experience.

In a nutshell, they want:

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  • More regular updates on application status
  • Better screening mechanisms
  • Better understanding of process and timelines
  • Better understanding of the supply side of the labour market
  • More interactive and engaging job site
  • Improved timeline to shortlist candidates
  • Simpler advertisements, simpler language
  • Flexibility in advertising options (for example: social media)
  • Improved awareness of opportunities
  • Improved communication mechanisms with candidates
  • Ability to reuse information
  • Centralized access to applicant inventories

We’ll continue to consult, gathering requirements for a new platform that addresses the recruitment needs of all users.

Because the recruitment system is part of an overall human resources continuum, and existing and future systems need to work together, we continue to work with our partners and other recruitment initiatives to align our efforts.

We’ve also reviewed and integrated lessons learned from previous enterprise-wide projects.

Transforming recruitment across the federal government will take place iteratively, through a phased approach.

We’ll thoroughly test possible solutions to make sure the new platform meets our users’ needs before we deploy it to departments and agencies.

Phases

Phase 0: Pre-Project (2018 to 2022)

During this discovery phase, the project team is collecting information from job seekers, managers and human resources professionals on their recruitment needs. The team is also engaging with groups within the Public Service Commission, including the priority administration team and the teams responsible for national recruitment campaigns, as well as collaborating with other government-wide human resource initiatives to ensure alignment.

As part of this work, the project team will conduct a review of the end-to-end staffing process to help streamline the business. A Request for Information was sent out to private sector companies in the recruitment industry, inviting them to demonstrate recruitment solutions.

The Public Service Commission used the results of the demos to refine the requirements for the new platform.

Based on our preliminary options analysis, we’re exploring a move to a cloud software.  We concluded proof-of-concept testing with selected departments and agencies to assess commercially available solutions. The testing confirmed that a cloud/software-as-a-service product is a viable option for replacing GC Jobs. We’ll conduct more testing with other products to ensure the solution we select meets Government of Canada accessibility standards. The team is currently exploring a potential solution to pilot with.

Phase 1 : Pilot (2023 to 2024)

In this phase, the team will conduct live pilots with selected departments and agencies to gather user feedback on the solution, validate assumptions and make improvements, before we roll the new platform out across the public service.

Phase 2: Implementation (2024 and beyond)

In this final phase, public service-wide implementation begins, including final improvements based on findings from pilot evaluations. The project will then transition to product management, soliciting feedback on the new recruitment solution to continuously improve the user experience.

Roadmap

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Roadmap
2018 – 2019
Tell us		 2018 -2019
Show us		 2019 – 2022
Let us		 2023 – 2024
Convince us		 2024 (forward arrow)
Enable us
Stakeholder engagement What do we need?
User consultations, New Direction in Staffing interface prototyping		 What’s out there?
Request for information,
Environment scan		 Help us kick the tires
Proofs of concept		 Help us test drive
Live pilots		 Climb on board
Change management training, configuration
Business optimization High-level business needs Client experience Detailed business needs Final business requirements Detailed business case
Agile procurement Graphic of arrows circulating Vendor demos Sandbox testing of vendor solutions Pilots with select departments and agencies Recommend a solution for GC-wide implementation
  Phase 0, Part 1 - Discovery Phase 0, Part 2 - Discovery Phase 1 - Pilot Phase 2 - Implementation

Features we're interested in

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Word cloud of features

  • Reusability of application and candidates’ information in more than one hiring process
  • Multi-channel access (accessible on different devices)
  • Reporting, monitoring and performance measurement
  • Job seeker’s profile (applicant passport)
  • Skills inventory
  • Communication tools
  • Services centre and contact management (help desk and user support)
  • Self-serve options (for all target groups)
  • Collaborative space for HR and hiring managers
  • Labour market information
  • Status dashboards
  • Outreach options (posting job opportunities on social media)

Highlights

Vendor demos

People in a boardroom looking at a presentation on a projector screen

Over 7 in-person vendor demos were held during our discovery phase, providing the project team with important information on recruitment trends and possible challenges.

For more details on the outcome of the Request for Information, check out our discovery paper.

Options analysis

Woman looking at a computer screen

Our options analysis determined the purchase of cloud software as the best approach, in alignment with GC Digital Standards. This approach prioritizes self-serve system configuration over expensive customization.

Proof of concept

Close-up of finger pointing at smiling, neutral and sad emoticons on screen

The project team conducted proof-of-concept testing with select departments and agencies. This exercise confirmed that the purchase of cloud software is a viable option.

Meet the team

We are a diverse and cross-functional team, dedicated to improving the recruitment experience for everyone. Whether you’re being hired or doing the hiring, we want to hear from you.

Cartoon illustration of people

Engage with us

We’re continually consulting with our users and gathering their feedback. We want to hear from you throughout our project — and beyond — as we work to improve the public service recruitment experience.

How to stay connected:

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