How to Submit a Powerful Application

Here are answers to the questions most frequently asked by candidates. These answers will give you some tips and tricks to submit a powerful application. 

Q1. What kind of people are you looking for? What will make me a strong candidate?

Answer

We hire diverse people with a variety of life experience who are committed to the security of Canada and Canadians. We are humble and discrete individuals who talk about the world and not about ourselves. We are cautious about what we do online. We are grateful and appreciative of who we are and what we do. We are dedicated, passionate, and professional. If that describes you, we want to get to know you.

Because of our critical mission, you must meet certain criteria to apply and eventually work for us (if you cannot meet these criteria, your application will be rejected automatically, so apply only if you can meet them):

  • Being a Canadian citizen.
  • Being 18 years old or older.
  • Being able to provide 10 years of verifiable information.
  • Being able to abide to our directive on drug use.
  • Being available for all the recruitment steps, which are all located in Canada.

Many things can make you a strong candidate, such as:

  • You submit a strong application, with a powerful cover letter and thorough resume, because you read the following questions.
  • You kept a copy of the job posting to refer to, anytime during the recruitment process.
  • You are a self-starter: you are not afraid of changes nor to evolve.
  • You are a team player striving for a common purpose.
  • You are inquisitive and analytical.
  • You are a strong and articulate communicator.
  • You value diversity and safety.
  • You have the mental constitution to deal with what we do – do not worry, we will support you!
  • You believe in our mission and want to make a difference.

Q2. Is there anything specific I should include in my cover letter, and how long should it be?

Answer

Your cover letter should be no more than 2-3 pages long (Arial 10, single space, letter size). It is a great opportunity to show us how well you can synthesize information, so limit your cover letter to 3 pages maximum, and include only what is most impactful. If you want to share more details, do so in your resume.

Your cover letter must include:

  • Your name and contact information in the header.
  • The Reference Number and Position Title in the subject line.
  • A short first section describing your interest.
  • A longer second section describing how you meet the language, education and experience requirements.
  • A shorter third section describing how you meet the assets.

Q3. Can you share any tips to describe my interest?

Answer

Sure. We want to know:

  • Why are you interested in this position?
  • Why do you want to work for us specifically?
  • If you are a student, are you applying for an internship, a COOP program, or student employment?

Q4. Can you share any tips to describe how I meet the requirements?

Answer

The job posting indicates the requirements in terms of language, education, and experience.

Take each requirement, one after the other, and tell us how you meet that requirement by using a concrete example taken from your life, academic, or professional experience.

Q5. Can you share any tips to describe how I meet the assets?

Answers

The job posting may indicate assets. Assets are “nice-to-haves”, which means they are not mandatory but may help you stand out from other candidates.

We want to know if you have any one or more assets indicated in the job posting. If you do, tell us which one(s). Just like you did for the requirement, tell us how you meet each asset that you have by using a concrete example taken from your life, academic, or professional experience.

Q6. The job posting mentions competencies. Do I need to show you how I have those competencies?

Answer

You do not need to give us that information now. Later in the process, we conduct competency-based interviews where you will have the chance to tell us all about that.

Q7. I see different positions on the job posting. Do I need to choose only one position and how do I confirm which one(s) I am interested in?

Answer

Some job posting do include different positions. In your cover letter, please indicate which position you are interested in and describe how you meet the requirements and assets for that position.

If you are interested in more than one position indicated in the job posting, please indicate that in your cover letter: tell us exactly which positions you want to be considered for and describe how you meet the requirements and assets for these positions. You must submit only one application per job posting.

Q8. I see different locations on the job posting. Do I need to choose only one location and how do I confirm where I would like to work?

Answer

First, look at the position you want to apply for. If this position is available in different locations, please indicate in which location you would be willing to work. If you would be willing to work in different locations, please indicate which ones in order of preference.

Q9. Is there anything specific I should include in my resume, and how long should it be?

Answer

Absolutely. Your resume must include:

  • Your name and contact information in the header.
  • An Education section that lists the degrees you obtained or are about to obtain.
  • A Professional Experience section that lists all your professional experiences.

For the Education section, please include:

  • The date (month/year) when each degree was awarded. If the degree is not completed yet, please specify your anticipated graduation date. A degree could be a diploma, certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD.
  • The name and location of the educational institution. Please note that, if you completed a program outside Canada, you will be required to obtain proof of a Canadian equivalency at your own expense through a recognized credential assessment service.

For the Professional Experience section, please include:

  • The name of the employer.
  • The location of the employment.
  • The title of the position you held.
  • The start and end dates (month/year) for each period you held a position.
  • Whether that position was full-time or part-time. We consider full-time any position that required you to work 37.5 hours per week or more. If the position was part-time, please indicate the number of hours worked per week.
  • Your main duties/responsibilities.
  • Your major achievements that are connected to the requirements and assets indicated in the job posting.

Try to limit your resume to 10 pages maximum (Arial 10, single space, letter size).

Q10. When is the appropriate moment to discuss salary?

Answer

First, you need to understand that we determine salaries based on your relevant education and experience, compared to what is outlined in the job posting. The determined salary is always within the salary range indicated in the job posting. We cannot offer a salary outside the salary range indicated, so your salary expectations must fit within the range indicated. Please only apply to positions with salary ranges that are satisfactory to you.

Second, salary discussions really take place when we are ready to extend an offer to you, but you are welcome to mention your salary expectation at the competency-based interview.

Please note that our annual salaries are based on a 37,5 hours/week schedule.

Q11. Once I have submitted my application, what will happen next?

Answer

The next step is for us to review all applications received. Please be aware that we automatically reject applications sent after the application deadline. Given the high volume of applications we receive, we can only contact successful candidates. If you are successful, you should receive an email communication either from @smtp.gc.ca or @hiringplatform.com, so monitor your account for any information.

Given the nature of the organization, discretion is of the utmost importance, so please:

  • Limit the discussions on the present hiring process to your close family or your partner.
  • Be aware that our communications will include “Public Safety Canada” rather than CSIS in order to ensure the confidentiality of your application. 

Best wishes for a successful application!

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