Assuming you make it past the application stage, written exams are common for many competitions, and your preps can be divided into two tracks — what to write and how to write.

TRACK 1: What to write

I noted in the previous chapter that a statement of merit (i.e. the job poster) has multiple elements including eligibility (already addressed), experiences (already addressed), knowledge, abilities and personal suitability. For a written exam, the focus is on testing approximately 5% of your essential experiences, 85-90% of knowledge, and 10% of abilities. How does it do that?

Let’s focus on the largest component, which is knowledge. I’ll use an EC example as it is the simplest to understand. Generally speaking, there are likely to be three possible knowledge “elements” in the poster:

  1. Knowledge of broad Government of Canada policies and priorities;
  2. Knowledge of the Department’s specific mandate or its current policy or program priorities; or,
  3. Knowledge of something specific to the policy area relevant to the position.

In practice, this might read like:

Knowledge:

K1. Knowledge of Government of Canada’s priorities;

K2. Knowledge of Canada’s labour market trends and issues;

K3. Knowledge of ESDC’s mandate, programs and priorities; and,

K4. Knowledge of the decision-making process in Government for policies and programs.

Assets:

AK1. Knowledge of process for policy consultations with stakeholders

Now, as you’ll recall from an earlier chapter, the competition process has a double-edge sword — the hiring manager has to test you on every element of the poster (for Knowledge, Abilities, and Personal Suitability) AND can only test you on those elements. Which means you know at some point in the process you are going to be asked about GoC priorities, labour market trends, ESDC’s mandate / programs / priorities, decision-making processes, and (potentially) policy consultation process. Preparations for this are a lot like preparing for a test in school — you study, you memorize, you spit it back on during the test.

While Knowledge can be tested at the interview stage, most EC competitions will test you through a written test. Partly for another reason — almost every EC position also will have a requirement in the Abilities section about the ability to “communicate in writing”, so they’ll test if you can communicate in writing i.e. give you a written test.

So let’s assume I wanted to give you a single question on the written exam to test K1-K3. How would I do that? How about:

Assume you have a new Director in your group. She has asked you to prepare a background memo for her to help get herself up to speed, and the current state of play of your files. Write a memo (aka Ability to communicate in writing) to her giving the current state of the labour market (aka K2), and how it relates to broad Government of Canada priorities (aka K1) and more specifically to ESDC’s current mandate, programs and priorities (K3). The maximum length for the memo is three pages and you have two hours to complete the exam.

If you were an AS applying for a finance-related position, the poster might say:

Knowledge:

K1. Knowledge of administrative procedures in ESDC related to financial approvals;

K2. Knowledge of broader GoC legislation and regulations related to finance;

In a written test, you might then see the following question:

Write a short email to your new Director outlining the procedures in the Department for obtaining approvals for at least three different types of financial expenditures (aka K1) and explain the relevant section of the Financial Administration Act that corresponds to the approval authority (aka K2).

Of course, the little clues (like aka K1, K2) wouldn’t be there, I just added them so you can see the links.

If you are not an EC and look at the first one, you might think “holy cow, that’s impossible!”. Except it’s the same thing ECs do every time they write a memo. Not quite so explicitly, but a lot of those elements are there every time.

Equally, if you’re not an AS dealing with finance, you might freak out with the reference to the Financial Administration Act, except anyone dealing with that type of file will know it’s a bit of coded language to say “tell me about s.32, s.33, and s.34 signoffs” (three standard signoff clauses for different types of expenditures).

Which is why I said above that the written test also partly informally tests your experience elements — if you haven’t done real finance before (i.e. you weren’t really a duck), you’re going to likely bomb that section pretty fast. If you are a duck, you’re going to simply say “quack, quack, quack” and swim merrily along.

How to prepare for a written exam

A lot of the jobs — AS, EC, PM — will have an element that basically says “knowledge of the Department” that is running the competition. Where are you going to find this information? The same place the hiring manager is going to find it.

Here’s the thing…if I’m running a test, I have to prepare that “rating guide” I mentioned way back in the early chapters about all the steps in the process. And in that rating guide, I will have a spot for “knowledge of the Department” and beside it, what I think a good answer will include. I have to write it down and share it with HR before I ever test anyone. Part of the whole transparency and accountability thing. Which means I, as the hiring manager, have to not only answer the question first myself, I have to have some pretty good sources that are defensible for a valid answer.

Let me explain that a little better. Suppose I ask you for the Departmental priorities, and I put down that I’m looking for the candidate to say A, B & C. Well, where did I get A, B, and C from? I got them from a document that says “The Departmental priorities are…”. I can’t just subjectively make them up. Is there a document or source that has that info?

Of course. Two of them in fact. The first is the Department’s website. The second is a corporate document that each Department has to send to Parliament each winter to say “Hey, Parliament, here are the Department’s proposed priorities for next year”. This document used to be called the “Report on Plans and Priorities”, but was recently renamed to be called the “Departmental Plan”. Every Department has one. And it’s publicly available.

Which means you KNOW in advance where the hiring manager is going to get his/her list of priorities from and can look at the same document. It’s almost like an open-book test. You know in the poster it said you would be tested on the Departmental priorities, and you know where they’re written down. Ergo, go read them. Study them. Memorize them somewhat. Cuz you’re going to be tested on them.

Similarly, if you want to know other info about the Department, the website will have sections on Vision, Mandate, etc. Easy to find, easy to see where the hiring manager will pull THEIR expected answer from for the test.

Special tip: One area that is rarely used by people preparing for exams is the speech section of a Departmental website. These are the formal speeches delivered by the Minister in recent weeks, months, etc. While some of them will be on very specialized topics, some of them are the equivalent of a standard “stump” speech where they talk about all the things that their Department is doing. Think of it like “Intro to my department”. Often, these are speeches given to general audiences like a Chamber of Commerce, for example. And in it, the Minister frequently will give a high-level description of all the priorities of the day. Crisp and clean, easy to read. So if you find a general one by the Minister, such as to a Chamber of Commerce, you’ll have a pretty good overview.

If you want to know the recent priorities of the Government of Canada, you’ll likely read the Budget announcements (each February or March), read the mandate letters from the Prime Minister to each Minister, or the Speech from the Throne by the Governor General (each fall). All three have the latest overarching priorities.

All of the above items are what I call “macro” documents…they are good for any high-level overview in any of the job categories. But what about more specific items? The “micro” documents?

For those, it’s impossible to tell you in detail what you need. If you’re going for an AS finance position, I can tell you that you’ll need to know the FAA. Or if you’re going to be working on Memorandum to Cabinet or TB submissions, you’ll need to know the decision-making processes of the Privy Council and Treasury Board (respectively). Or if you’re going to be a PM, you may need to know the latest approaches from the Centre of Expertise on managing Grants and Contributions (Gs&Cs).

If you’re qualified to apply, you’re qualified to figure that out for yourself. You know what the job needs, because you have experience in the area. You might add some info around finding out what the specific division does, i.e. it’s mandate or description, but that is usually a “nice to have”.

Just because you know a lot, it doesn’t mean you can pass the test

There is a huge incumbent trap for jobs. By incumbent I mean someone might be already acting in the job, or working in the same division, and they think, “Well, I don’t really need to study, I know this stuff, I do it every day.”

Except they don’t do it every day.

If you are working as an EC in the area, and someone says, “What’s the Departmental Mandate?”, you will go to the website and copy it over into the memo. You don’t have it memorized. You don’t need it for your job.

But you DO need it for the test. Most written tests do NOT have access to the internet or other source materials. So someone who doesn’t do it every day will study, and come up with short reusable modules to explain the priorities, or mandate, or a process, and they’ll pass the test. And the expert in the area who is already doing the job will bomb the exam because they didn’t study and they don’t have those short little modules / paragraphs memorized.

Under the old system where candidates had to rank first to get hired, 50% of incumbents did NOT rank first, and a hefty share of them didn’t even pass the exam. Someone from outside the group who didn’t know the job as well came in and wrote the exam, and explained the content better than the people in the division.

So, what is your goal?

Short reusable paragraphs or headings that you can throw into a memo or exam question to show you do know the priorities, or mandate, or process.

Even if you can memorize well, it doesn’t mean you’ll pass

Let’s go back to the EC example where the candidate has to write a three-page memo about priorities, etc. What’s the most important element? Most people will say “content” since they’re testing knowledge.

But they are not ONLY marking knowledge. A robot could regurgitate facts. Siri could find the departmental mandate. The test is whether or not you can feed it back in a useful, logical, clearly understandable memo. In other words, the marker has to understand what you wrote.

Which means the MOST important part is structure. Structure is King for written exams. A poorly constructed answer with great content will always get lower marks than a well-constructed answer with average content.

How do you ensure a good structure? You memorize those little modules that you need, and you figure out good headings to use when you feed it back out in the exam. In fact, the headings may get you most of your marks.

Every once in awhile, you’ll get a question in the written exam or the interview where you have no idea what to say. You might have a whole bunch of ideas bouncing around in your head, and you just can’t figure out how to structure a response. It happens.

But there’s a way out. If you prepare properly for the unexpected.

Expect the unexpected

I think it always a good idea for AS, PM, and EC candidates to have something in their back-pocket to use as a structure if they get a question where the appropriate structure to use is not evident. Essentially, you should have a generic structure to use in any situation. What is it?

  • AS — Steps in a problem-solving cycle;
  • PM — Steps in a project-management cycle; or,
  • EC — Steps in a policy-development cycle.

Now, take a moment, stop reading, and go Google one of those three. Maybe even find an image instead of a web-page that shows the cycle. Now do it for the other two. Did you see the trick?

They’re basically all the same steps.

  1. You start with problem definition / research / identifying the issue.
  2. You do some research to make sure you understand it;
  3. You analyse some options / instruments / policy choices;
  4. You choose one;
  5. You implement it;
  6. You evaluate it and provide feedback back to the starting position again.

Six headings that you can use for just about ANY question where you get stuck. Which is often, as I said, most of your marks. A good structure.

Depending on the job, you also might want to research things like steps in creating teamwork, partnerships, consultations, etc. Again, they’re all about the same.

You ‘re ready to write, now what?

TRACK 2: How to write

Your second track for preparations is a bit more about the physical setup and the actual time period for the test.

Most written tests these days are going to be written on computers, it’s just easier to mark. The problem is that not all departments are well set-up with computer labs for you to come in, ten or twenty people at a time, and write an exam. Some departments decide instead to do a “take-home” test in that they’ll email it to you at a set time and you have a set amount of time to return it to them by email too. Or some will have you come into their office, but instead of giving you a computer, they have you write it out. By hand. Sometimes by pencil.

No, I’m completely serious. I was invited to an EX-01 exam where I thought I was going to be writing on a computer, and instead was handed a sheaf of pages and some pencils. It was BRUTAL.

So, you need to ask some basic questions if they don’t tell you right up front when they invite you to the written exam.

  • Will it be take-home or will it be on-site?
  • If it is on-site, will it be on computer? Will you have access to the internet during the test or not? That last question is a bit of a tricky one. If you know, for example, that you will have access to the internet, do you need to memorize the mandate? Or do you just memorize “where” it is on the website, and go to the website and copy and paste it? But what if they tell you yes and then you arrive and the internet isn’t working? Is it grounds to appeal? Probably not.
  • How much time do you have to do the test?
  • Which elements are being tested?

This last one is important. Almost every competition now will tell you in advance when you are invited, in this case, to a written exam that they are testing K1 to K3, Ability 4 (writing), Ability 6 (judgement) and Personal Suitability 2 (interpersonanal skills). However, not all competitions do. Sometimes you’re assuming it’s all the knowledge ones, but there’s a chance it could ask you something about the others.

But let’s focus a bit more on the actual writing and some basic tips.

  1. If you are writing by hand, write EVERY OTHER LINE on the page. It will be more readable, and if you have to change something later, you can without turning the page into chicken scratch.
  2. If you do have access to the internet, usually you are NOT allowed to simply copy and paste. Certain things, like the exact wording of the mandate, sure. An explanation from TBS about the steps in the policy development cycle? No, you’ll have to write that in your own words.
  3. If you have a bunch of short modules memorized for different things, spend five minutes just “dumping” them out of your head in some sort of short notation form. It’ll stop you from worrying that you’ll forget them as you write, and when you need them, you can probably use the short notes as your headings anyway.
  4. YOU NEED TO MANAGE YOUR TIME. If you do not finish the test, you are likely not going to pass. Part marks are possible, but not enough to pass. Even if a couple of elements are a bit “weak”, you need to finish completely. MANAGE YOUR TIME.
  5. If you are writing detailed information, outline your answer as you go to make sure you answer EVERY question. If it says “make a recommendation”, your note has to make a recommendation.
  6. If you are on a computer, SAVE OFTEN. If it crashes, and you lose stuff, there is no whining to the teacher to get an extension. This is the real world with real consequences. If you’re too stupid to save often, you’re too stupid to be given a job that pays $60-70K per year.
  7. If you are writing a take-home test where they send it to you by mail, make sure you have a good infrastructure in place. You will need a reliable internet connection to send and receive your exam. If you don’t have a reliable internet connection, that is not their problem. You are just done. If you are writing in your office, make sure you have no interruptions. Put up a sign at work saying “WRITING TEST, DO NOT DISTURB” or better yet, book a quiet room or a Director’s office where you won’t be disturbed. Put up the sign on that door too. If you are writing at home, this is not the time to decide your kids should stay home that day. You are writing a TEST for a JOB. You cannot be distracted as if you’re running a daycare and writing the test.

YOU NEED TO TAKE THE TEST SERIOUSLY. Unless you don’t really care if you get it.

Then relax. Keep your notes you made when you were studying. The test is over, but some of the prep is still useful.

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Guest
Aashima
1 month ago

Hi Paul,
I have been invited to take the PM-04 Senior Immigration Officer (DN-HMID) written and interview assessment and my question to you today is regarding the written component.

I will be tested on the following four competencies:
Judgment/Analytical Thinking,
Decisiveness,
Ability to Interpret Legislation, Regulations and Policies and
Written Communication Skills
I am studying the departmental plan, mandate, few broad speeches, a couple of news stories and few Govt. of Canada memo formats.

What kind of questions can I expect and how would you suggest I prepare?

Thank you.

Guest
Angela
1 month ago

Hi Paul,

I greatly appreciate the goldmine of information your site provides. It is tremendously helpful! I am reading through as much as I can.
I have a 4-hour written exam coming up and was hoping you can provide some advice. It is for an SR-03. There are a number of qualifications they will be assessing, but for one of the points, since it is not something I have actual experience in, I am not sure how to even start preparing.

It is:
“Knowledge of the requirements and processes involved in regulatory science or the administration of a science-based program within a regulatory framework”

I would greatly appreciate any insight you might have on how to go about preparing for this. Thank you in advance!

Guest
Adam Mals
1 month ago

Hi Paul,

Your website and the comment sections are a treasure trove of useful information. They are helping new immigrants like me immensely to navigate the cryptic government application process.

After much trial and error, I am being considered for two EC positions in PHAC.

A. I had applied to a pool at PHAC recently. I cleared the screening and got an invite yesterday to write an exam soon for the EC 5-6 level.

The exam is to be completed in a 48-hour period and will assess the following merit criteria:
-Ability to analyze complex information, develop options and provide recommendations to senior management;
-Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

I’d greatly appreciate your suggestions on what to expect and how best to prepare. I have no experience working in the government. I suspect I might be asked to write a policy brief. Despite searches, I am yet to find a good archive for federal agency policy documents that can serve as a gold standards. Can you recommend resources that I haven’t identified. There are some samples from non-profits and academia online, but I am not confident their formatting is similar to those in Canadian fed gov.

B. I also applied for a separate EC 3,4 PHAC pool last year. Over the year, I cleared the written exams and video interview to become partially qualified. They have asked me to submit an updated resume for a position that has opened up. Is detail king here? Yet again, while I have a reasonably good idea of the general content for a resume for the public sector, I haven’t come across good sample resumes that can serve as a reference.

I am a complete outsider and want to put my best foot forward, Your tips would tremendously help.

Thank you very much for what you do.

Cheers!

Guest
Adam
1 month ago
Reply to  Paul

Paul,

I can thank you enough for this sage advice. For an external candidate like me, this is very helpful. It gives an excellent sense of where to focus one’s time and energy and what not to dwell too much on. I will pay close heed and try to put in my best. Fingers crossed.

On another note, I saw the pictures of your Vermont travel pictures a couple of days ago. Used to live in the area a while back and loved it. Did you get a chance to visit the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream factory in Burlington?

Cheers.

Guest
Adam
1 month ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi, Paul. I took the exam. I think it went well. Your tips were a life-saver for an external like me. Thank you!

Guest
Ruth
25 days ago
Reply to  Adam Mals

Hi Adam I read from your post that you cleared the EC 3,4 exam. Pls can you help me as I have the same exam coming up in 1day time. You can reach me through rutheyo@yahoo.com. Pls I need your guidance.

Guest
Virginia
1 month ago

Hi Paul,
Thank you so much for all this very useful information, this is definitely one of my main sources of study to hopefully land a job.
I was wondering whether you had any idea what to expect from an exam for IS-03. I received an email that I am invited to do a take-home exam over the time of a week for the position of creative officer for the supreme court. They explain you would need to make sure you use your own computer with PremierePro installed, which makes me understand I would have to make/edit a video (the whole position is moreless about graphic design techniques). As criteria they mention:
The exam will assess the following merit criteria:
– Ability to research trends to identify graphic, multimedia or video options or solutions, and to provide advice to meet clients’ communication needs.
– Ability to apply graphic design or video production techniques and principles, including in the production of communications products to be published on corporate websites and social media platforms.
– Ability to communicate effectively in writing.
– Creativity
– Attention to detail
– Initiative

I just find it rather vague as I have no idea what to really prepare for this exam, other than making sure my softwares and techniques are up to date for whatever might be requested. Am I expected to be moreless free for a week to work on this or do they just have to give such a long time for it to accommodate busy schedules?
I can completely understand if you don’t go so far in detail but in case you are familiar with these kind of exams, I would love to hear!
Thank you!

Guest
Virginia
1 month ago
Reply to  Paul

Hello Paul,
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer me so in detail! My answer is a little late as I was trying to make something of the assignment, while, as you mention, juggling the other parts of life… I agree with you, it was a bit odd and definitely very different than all the other examinations I have heard about or experienced. However, in the email where they invite me for the exam they say I ”meet the criteria identified for the screening”, so maybe it is an exam sent to everyone that simply applied and you’ll only take the exam if you actually have the software installed. Anyway, I am trying and will see what comes out of it! You were absolutely right there was not really much to prepare before receiving the exam.
Thank you so much again!

Guest
Virginia
1 month ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi Paul,
That sounds logical yes. I will let you know in case the story continues! Unfortunately haven’t heard anything yet since I handed in the assignment last week but I guess it might anyway usually takes a bit longer, if at all 🙂

Guest
Samara
2 months ago

Hi Paul, first of all I just want to say how thankful I am for all the work you’ve done and the tips and tricks you’ve provided. You must be responsible for helping so many people get employment, and all out of the goodness of your heart! So impressive. I am currently at GAC, going through the process of term after term, its been like this for 3 years and with recent budget cuts, not sure if they’ll keep on. I’ve applied to an EC4-5 pool for a position I’m very interested in and have been tasked with a written exam. I’ve never done one of these before and to be honest am quite nervous haha. I know they’re testing on ability to analyze data or policy information from several sources and formulate recommendations, knowledge of Canadian foreign, trade and international assistance policies and judgement. In the past, every interview I’ve done, I’ve fallen short on the judgement and knowledge part and I’m not sure why. I study the department’s mandate, strategies, and the departmental plan, but do you perhaps have any tips on how to best respond to some of the questions they ask. Once again, I truly appreciate all your help!

Guest
Samara
1 month ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi Paul, thanks for your in depth message. It seems that I unfortunately did not pass the written exam phase as I did not receive enough pass marks. I had enough time write the exam, but it seems that I must have missed some component. I did structure it well but in cases like this, where there’s no feedback available, what are some ways people can improve on these written tests? Thanks!

Guest
fex
2 months ago

Hello,
First of all, thank you for sharing all the information I really appreciate it! I’m taking the FI-01 written exam next week and I was wondering if you had any additional information regarding that exam for FORD.
Thank You

Guest
Parag
2 months ago

Hello Paul,

I am glad I found this webpage as I was struggling to find some resources that can guide me through this process. I have cleared the screening round for IT-03 – Project Management and Delivery Branch and my written test is scheduled for next week. The topics mentioned are – Knowledge of current IM/IT trends & Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

If you could share some tips about preparation, that would be really great. I am brushing my knowledge, and further guidance will help me for sure.

Guest
Parag
2 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Thank you so much Paul. This is very helpful. I am gonna work on the suggestions and see how it goes.

Guest
Celine
3 months ago

Hello,
I recently wrote a test for AS1 and your guide had helped me a lot. Just curious to know how long do you normally have to wait to heard back for the result? I have been anxiously waiting and doubting myself. Would I have another chance if I didn’t nail the written assessment?

Thank you so much.

Celine

Guest
Celine
3 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Thanks for your response.
Since it has been 10 days from my written exam, do you think it’s still okay to follow up or it is not a common practice when apply to a federal position?

Thanks again.
Celine

Guest
Mary C.
3 months ago

PM-05 Exam – Seeking Guidance
Hello Paul. Firstly, I would like to thank you in advance for your resources on Fed. Gov. staffing. It is very helpful! I have been invited to a PM-05 written exam in which the function is heavily focused on decision-making in a quasi-judicial, regulatory environment. I have been given study material containing multiple links to different sets of regulations, internal/external facing departmental guide documents as well as previously rendered decisions. There is so much study material I feel overwhelmed and have under a week to prepare. Do you have any recommendations on areas I should focus on? Areas being assessed in the written exam are:
· Knowledge of the legal standards applicable to air travel complaints
· Ability to analyze information, develop options and recommendations;
· Ability to communicate effectively in writing;
· Reasoning

Thank you in advance for any insight you may have! 🙂

Guest
Mary C.
3 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi Paul! Thank you SO much for your comment. I read it while writing my exam, so I had about an hour to look over my answers and make sure I was heeding your advice. P.S. – Your advice and analysis of what would be on the exam was SPOT ON. It was almost identical to what you explained. I cannot thank you enough. I can only hope now that my studying and preparation were enough as I await the results.

Guest
Mary C.
1 month ago
Reply to  Paul

Hello Paul! I wanted to touch base with you to say thank you for your advice – I passed my 4 hour long (yikes!) PM-05 exam!! I cannot thank you enough for helping me focus my efforts in the right direction.

I received word today that I am to do a pre- recorded interview, it will take about 170 minutes with 30 minutes preparation time included. Of this 30 minutes, I have 2 minutes preparation time, 5 minutes recording time and 2 attempts to record an answer. The interview will assess:
· Ability to communicate effectively orally,
· Ability to manage and prioritize multiple activities under tight deadlines in a high-volume environment,
· Effective Interpersonal skills,
· Showing initiative and being action-oriented,
· Judgment

Based on this information, do you have any advice on how I should approach the interview and perhaps any idea of what questions may be asked? Any information you may have to help me prepare is greatly appreciated.
With gratitude,
Mary

Guest
Amanda
4 months ago

Hi Paul! I wanted to express my gratitude for the amazing content and the awesome tips you’ve provided regarding written exams on this page. I have some exciting news to share—I have been selected to write an exam for an EG-04 position as a research technician at Agriculture and Agrifood Canada. This will be my first time taking an exam for the federal government of Canada, and I would greatly appreciate any tips or guidance you can offer in terms of its structure and what to expect.

Since the position is related to research, I’m particularly interested in knowing if your tips on preparing to write about the department’s mandate and priorities apply in this case as well. Thank you in advance for your help!

Guest
Amanda
3 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi Paul, thank you for your helpful response regarding the upcoming exam. Your guidance is greatly appreciated.

Guest
jayesh
5 months ago

Hello Mr. Paul,

Thank you greatly for all your hard work and dedication to this site. It is incredibly helpful. I am preparing for a process and want to make sure I am on the right path and will kindly ask for your input please.

I am just going to use a hypothetical situation that “ducks are depressed and don’t lay eggs”. While using the S.T.A.R. method in my answer, I have to improve the situation with the ducks. In my answer, I have to demonstrate the Mobilizing People competency. It has the following points:

• Creates a sense of common purpose and direction in the organization and among colleagues
• Sets clear expectations, monitors and evaluates performance
• Establishes learning and development plans and provides opportunities for continuous learning and development
• Gives honest feedback, recognizes performance and addresses non-performance
• Engages employees to gather ideas and input to build cohesive teams
• Sets challenging goals for self and models dedication and high performance

Could you please let me know how would you answer this efficiently using a clear example of your own?

Guest
jayesh
5 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Hello Mr. Paul,

Thank you very much for your sharing your very inspiring thought with me. I cannot thank you enough for your time and patience to provide your comments. Grouping the KLC’s points is the best idea and I would not have thought of it without your help. Your answers are so thorough and complete, your years of leadership experience shine through.

I made a mistake and not included the full requirement of this exercise. You were right to think that “I need to mobilize THEM because of bad morale to lay more eggs”.

I will add clarity. The exercise states that I am the new supervisor of 10 ducks and the ducks are depressed and don’t lay eggs. Then it asks what are the first 8 tasks I would do to introduce myself and develop my team? I have to answer in approximately 500 to 750 words. It also states that leaders inspire and motivate the people they lead. They manage performance, provide constructive and respectful feedback to encourage and enable performance excellence. They lead by example, setting goals for themselves that are more demanding than those that they set for others.

After sharing this context may I please ask how could I make sure I have a depth and a breadth to my answer, using the STAR answering method (the exercise asks me to use it) AND your suggestion to group the KLC’s points? If let’s say we take group “B) Transparency” – how would you answer what tasks you would do, using the STAR method, having a depth and a breadth?

Guest
jayesh
5 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Hello Mr. Paul, this is very helpful, thank you a millions for your help. Sorry about asking for examples, I thought you wanted to know more about the question I was asked at the test and that is why I gave more details. I have not shared the actual or full question of the test. The test is also over and now it’s the waiting game. I just wanted to know if I did it right, that is why I was asking you for examples. I do agree I should use my own examples and that is what I have done.

Thank you very much for all your help, it’s super helps me

Guest
Charles
6 months ago

Hello, I’m invited to write an EX 1 exam and a scenario that seeks to assess people mobilization and communication is provided. The department is a central agency and would be a dream position. I would appreciate any tips/guidance for a structure – I am an external candidate. Thank you in advance.

Guest
Dana
6 months ago

Hello!

I have applied and made it through the first round of screening and onto a written examination that will take place at the end of this week for a EC-02 position. I am an external candidate and am not very familiar with the examination process. I, however, have found this page very helpful in giving some insight into what can be expected of me during this examination. Much appreciated to say the least! I have studied and taken notes off the departments website, focusing on corporate information and new initiatives. I have also identified notable figures and their positions, along with their work. Is there anything else that I would do well to review and learn ahead of time?

Thanks so much!

Dana

Guest
orchid
6 months ago

Hi Paul,

I hope you are doing great! I am writing to you regarding another EC05 process. I have received an invitation to do an exam, interview, and reference checks via the VidCruiter platform – all expected to occur on the same day. I am not sure how to read these instructions.

Could this be a new type of assessment where they evaluate everyone simultaneously, as opposed to only selecting the candidates who were successful after the exam to be interviewed?

I am a bit confused about checking the references, as it seems a bit excessive to use the time of the referees so early in the process. It seems like a misuse of the referees’ time and an unnecessary step for the candidates who will not be successful.

On a separate note, I have inquired about the status of my application for another EC05 process (after over 3 months from my exam) and I was told laconically that the process is undergoing. I was given no indication whether I passed that exam, so I have not learned anything new. I am pretty sure they will only inform everyone about the results in the end. Interesting. I am an external candidate, so it was very nice of them to respond, anyway.

Thank you so much!
Orchid

Guest
orchid
6 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi Paul,

Thank you so much for your detailed and useful response, as usual! In a way, I am glad they decided to do the exam and the interview on the same day, hopefully this speeds up the process for the candidates and the hiring team.

I have also looked at the wonderful guide you prepared and I plan on using it to get ready for the interview. Thank you so much for sharing everything that you know about the process, it is so helpful for everyone and particularly for an external candidate who is not familiar with these procedures.

Have a nice rest of the weekend!
Best regards,
Orchid

Guest
orchid
6 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Thank you so much!

Guest
Tina
7 months ago

Hello Paul!

I have a written test for an EA position, where I will be tested for;
1. Knowledge of Government of Canada policies and guidelines for travel, hospitality, conferences and event expenditures.
2. Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

I am very new to this process, if could help me with this, really appreciate.

Thanks!

Guest
Oke
7 months ago

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the great work you are doing here. I recently got invited to write a 1hour online test for a position at Indigenous Services Canada. The competency to be tested is knowledge of project management principles. Please do you have any pointers as to how to prepare?

Thank you!

Guest
Mimi
8 months ago

Hi Paul,

Recently I got invited to a 50min remote e-Skill test. I’m new to this and don’t know what to expect or how to prepare for this test. They said the purpose of this test is to assess the skills as identified on the competition poster & to make sure that you read everything carefully and are well prepared. It’s for the immigration office. In poster, they said language will be further assessed. Also, this role requires strong analytical skills to understand and
interpret complex legislation, and ability to apply that knowledge in decision-making.

Other key activities (may) include: composing reports, briefings and presentations; research and analysis of
application trends or other topics that may have an impact on Immigration; gathering and preparing statistics; explaining decisions, policies and procedures to clients, their representatives, partners and other
stakeholders; or participation in promotion and recruitment activities for permanent or temporary residence to Canada.

Some of the abilities are:-

1. Ability to use computer applications including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook
and internet browsers)
2. Ability to understand, interpret and apply complex legislation
3. Ability to set priorities, plan, organize work

Competencies:-

1. Thinking things through
2. Organization and Coordination
3. Initiative and Action Orientation
4. Working with Others and Horizontal Leadership
5. Intercultural Proficiency
6. Judgement and Discretion
7. Resilience and Adaptability
8. Values and Ethics
9. Effective interactive communication (oral and written) in English.

Any guidance on how to prepare will be much appreciated. The test is going to be conducted soon. Also, do you have an email id where I can contact you instead of posting here because of privacy reasons?

Thanks.

Guest
Mimi
8 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Wow, thank you for taking the time to provide such a detailed response. This is incredibly helpful! I appreciate the link as well; I have now downloaded and read it. I discovered your website on Reddit after I received the invitation to complete an e-Skill test which was a surprise in itself because I knew there would be steep competition and it was my first time applying to PSC.

The competition poster for the role I applied for doesn’t mention “knowledge of the Department” as its element. Do I still need to go through “departmental plan” & “Vision, Mandate, etc.” to prep for e-Skill test?

I also looked up IRCC Behavioural and Technical Competency Dictionary. Am I supposed to answer situation-based questions meant to test ablities & competencies in a way that hits maximum competency indicators & for that do I need to memories relevant competencies?

I would like to thank you for the helpful examples included in your guide. They have been very useful. Could you please provide me with a resource that offers additional examples to practice with so I can ensure I am getting them correct?

Thanks again.
Mimi

Guest
Mimi
4 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi again Paul,

I wanted to update you on my progress since our last conversation. The test I took earlier focused mostly on MS Office applications, with an emphasis on Excel, and required me to perform various tasks. These tasks were designed to evaluate one of my proficiency out of three as mentioned in the job ad:

1. Ability to use computer applications including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, and internet browsers)
2. Ability to understand, interpret, and apply complex legislation
3. Ability to set priorities, plan, and organize work

Now, I have been invited to take another e-Skill test that will last for three hours. I’m wondering if this new test will evaluate the remaining two abilities, competencies, and assets? I should note that while I cleared the first test, they initially decided to select other candidates with specific asset experiences but later circled back to me. What does it mean for me?

In the email that I received, they also requested that I ensure that my laptop or computer has word processing software capable of creating .doc or .docx files. They provided a link to a document (https://www.tbs-sct.canada.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=25049) and asked me to read it before starting the assessment.

Given that this test will be three hours long, I was hoping that you could give me an idea of what to expect and any advice on how best to prepare for it. Thank you.

Guest
Mimi
4 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi Paul,

Thank you for your helpful response to my previous message. I appreciate you taking the time to provide me with guidance and suggestions.

I was wondering if you could answer a few more questions for me:

Regarding the priority order of tasks, are my reasons for each priority correct? Should I follow this order when prioritizing tasks?

1. Input from others: To avoid delays and to get others working as soon as possible.

2. For the Minister: They are likely to be time-sensitive and carry a significant impact. Therefore, anything related to the Minister should be given priority.

3. Urgency: The urgency of a task should be the third priority. Any task that is urgent and requires immediate attention should be handled with priority.

4. Nature of the file: If the file is complex and requires a lot of work, it should be prioritized higher than files that are relatively simple.

5. Frequency of the task: If it’s a routine task that is done regularly, it can be prioritized lower than other more pressing tasks.

During the application process, I wasn’t given any specific legislation to study. However, the job is with IRCC, and I have found some reports on their website, such as Audit Reports, Program Evaluations, Research Reports, Statistics and Data Sets, and Departmental Results Reports. Would these reports be helpful in preparing for the test? Additionally, the job advertisement mentions composing reports, briefings, presentations, and correspondence. Is there a specific type of report that I should focus on, and what’s the best way to structure these reports?

They also sent “Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector” for me to read in the email, can anything be asked from it?

Lastly, you suggested that they might ask me to provide an example of where I demonstrated initiative in your first message. Would I need to prepare examples for abilities and competencies in the STAR format, and if so, should it be around 250-300 words in length?

Thank you again for your help, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Mimi

Guest
Vikram
8 months ago

Hi Paul,

I have got a written exam request for Health Canada Inspector Position. It mentions there will be two questions assessing the ability to interpret and apply legislation, the ability to plan and organize workload according to priorities, and the ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Can you share any key pointers on planning and organizing workload according to priorities, and any tips on how to structure the answers (points vs paragraphs)?

This is my first written examination so little nervous about it. Thanks.

Guest
Vikram
8 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Thanks Paul for the valuable comment. I appreciate your detailed response.

Guest
Vikram
7 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi Paul, it went well I guess. I got the email for a video interview through Vid Recruiter. Is that something a part of the process regardless someone failed in writing or only after passing the written one proceeds to a video interview?

Any tips for a video interview, they said they are going to assess me on the following and there will be 4 questions. I think it is a recorded interview talking in front of the screen.

Oral Communication
Respect for Diversity
Thinking Things Through
Initiative
Working Effectively with Others

Thank you,
Vikram

Guest
Vikram
7 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi Paul,

Thank you for your insights. Your advice on treating it like a newscast is wonderful and I am going to use that approach. Interviews are one of my strengths and I am going to utilize that by preparing well and removing any technical hiccups for any last-minute jitters. I think this is more like a piece of performance I have to deliver. Thanks a lot.

Guest
Vikram
7 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Great advice, I will follow that. Thanks. Will keep you updated.

Guest
Vikram
5 months ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi Paul,

I have received email saying that I have been put into a partially assessed pool with an expiry in 2025. Just wondering, is that a common thing to put candidates in the partially assessed pool or I was not the priority to put in partially assessed pool vs fully assessed pool. Just to mention reference check was not requested for. Number of position were about 35, so I am wondering why I have been put into this group.

Guest
Vikram
29 days ago
Reply to  Paul

Hi Paul,

Thank you for the previous answers. They requested my education credentials about three months ago, and I submitted them all. I have not heard anything yet except for the acknowledgment of my email. They wanted to assess my education credentials per the SG group and mentioned that the manager would assess qualifications, which is their decision. I completed my bachelor’s outside Canada while my master’s in Canada. For my bachelor’s, I submitted grade sheets and educational assessments conducted by a third party. I also submitted my master’s degree from a Canadian University. I thought that would be enough to satisfy my education qualifications. However, I have not heard anything back. Is it okay to email back and confirm the progress on this posting?

Guest
Vikram
28 days ago
Reply to  Paul

Thank you Paul, I will reach out to them just one time for any update they can provide. Appreciate the help.

Guest
John
7 months ago
Reply to  Vikram

How did it go? i have similar test coming up soon but there will be three question. i will really like to know the format to use on this case

Guest
Vikram
7 months ago
Reply to  John

It really depends on what they are assessing you on. Mine was actually more difficult than I thought. I had to write an email on priorities and another one was on writing inspection recommendations based on regulations. Practice a lot before your exam, and read the policies and mandates of the department beforehand. Luckily, that helped me.

Guest
Freddie
9 months ago

Hello Paul,

Thank you for your valuable input on everything, I needed your guidance with something, so the test should include the knowledge and competencies mentioned in the email. I have an upcoming test GR-07 at NSERC, any pointers I should be aware of? I would really appreciate it.

Last edited 9 months ago by Freddie
Guest
Jennifer
11 months ago

Hi Paul,

Thank you so much for this guide! I am invited to a PM-04 written exam next Monday. I will be tested on: Knowledge of relevant and applicable acts, regulations and policies in a regulatory environment. I was also given this link that I could use as a reference: https://tc.canada.ca/en/dangerous-goods/safety-awareness-materials-faq.

What type of content should I research/ memorize before the exam?

Much thanks,
Jennifer