The Regional Municipality of Durham knows we need great workers to be a great organization. Our hiring process is fair and impartial. It ensures we hire the best people.
We also promote an inclusive culture that values diversity, equity and accessibility. As such, we:
- Abide by the Ontario Human Rights Code.
- Do not tolerate bias in the hiring process.
- Reach candidates using many sources to diversify the candidate pool.
- Accommodate candidates, in the competition process, to follow the Region of Durham's Accommodation Policy.
We consider current employees before we recruit externally.
We are an equal opportunity employer.
Prepare yourself for the job competition process by watching this eLearning module.
Six stage hiring process
| Stage 1: Apply online |
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Current Employment Opportunities To be considered for our employment opportunities, please apply through our recruitment portal. You can apply to specific current employment opportunities, or you can submit a resume to Ongoing/Future Opportunities. You can also submit a general application to be considered for positions that may become available in the future.
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| Stage 2: Application screening |
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Resumes are screened by Human Resources representatives based on the education, experience, skills, abilities and competencies outlined in the job posting. Applications that best match the required qualifications will be forwarded to the hiring manager for further consideration. Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. You can view your status under the 'My Activities' page. The status shows as 'Submitted' once your application has been uploaded or copied successfully. Due to the volume of applications we receive, only candidates selected to participate in the competition process (e.g. testing and/or interview) will be contacted directly. |
| Stage 3: Selection process |
As part of the selection process, candidates may be asked to participate in various types of assessments, such as:
The recruitment and selection process is designed to ensure fairness and consistency; assessments are administered to provide equal opportunity to all candidates. The interview process may include one or more interviews in a panel setting, with two or more members. If you are selected to participate in a competition, and require accommodation, email us at RecruitingHelp@durham.ca. |
| Stage 4: Reference checks |
| References are collected at the interview. Candidates should come prepared with a list of three professional references (a minimum of two are required from a direct supervisor or manager). References will only be checked for the top candidate(s). |
| Stage 5: Offers of employment |
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At the end of the competition process, a verbal offer of employment will be provided to the successful candidate. Offers of employment are conditional upon the candidate providing proof of education/qualification/certification/licence, etc. Certain positions may also require an acceptable/current Police Record Check, employment medical or immunization verification, or other employment-related information relevant to the position. The terms and conditions of employment will be communicated to the successful candidate when an offer is made. If the position you are applying to requires a Police Record Check (it will be noted on the job posting), it is strongly recommended that you get this from your local police service as soon as possible as it could take several weeks to process. Upon acceptance of the position, the successful candidate will be given a written offer of employment letter to sign. Original documentation will also need to be provided to confirm date of birth (birth certificate/passport) and social insurance number. |
| Stage 6: Welcome |
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Introductions include a corporate and departmental employee orientation. Corporate OrientationEach month, all new regular full and part-time employees are invited to participate in Corporate Orientation. The purpose of the session is to welcome new employees, and familiarize them with our organizational structure and employment benefits. The orientation provides an overview of:
Details regarding a successful candidate's enrolment in Corporate Orientation will be included in the offer of employment letter (if applicable). Departmental OrientationNew employees will also receive on-the-job training and orientation to become familiar with job responsibilities, departmental/divisional policies, and procedures and guidelines. |
Interview preparation
We conduct formal verbal interviews as part of the selection process to evaluate applicants. Interview panels will usually involve more than one person, and typically consist of the hiring managers/supervisors and/or a Human Resources representative. Interviews can be the most stressful part of your job search. If you are prepared, your stress level will be reduced. We use a combination of Behaviour Event Interviewing (BEI), situational and technical interview questioning methods during our interview process. The following information will help you get ready for your interview.
| Behaviour Event Interview (BEI) questions |
Behaviour Event Interview (BEI) questions are used to collect information about the past behaviour of an applicant. Past performance is usually a predictor of future behaviour. A BEI interview question allows an applicant to reveal his/her past performance, and asks open-ended questions related to specific past experiences. BEI questions focus on what an applicant has actually done in similar past situations, as opposed to what an applicant says she/he would do if encountered a particular situation. Applicants should provide their answers in the 'STAR' format as follows:
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| Situational questions |
| Situational questions are asked to collect information about an applicant's ability to perform the job responsibilities by providing a specific scenario. Situational questions ask what the applicant would do if presented with specific situations/events that are often encountered when performing the job responsibilities. |
| Technical questions |
| Technical questions are used to assess if the applicant has the appropriate certification/licence/knowledge/skill level required to be successful in the position when performing the job duties efficiently and effectively. Technical questions also help validate the responses provided by the applicant in his/her resume and during a written assessment portion of the competition process (if applicable). |
| Before the interview |
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When an applicant is contacted to schedule an interview, he/she will be provided with a date, time and location. Arrive at least 15 minutes early on the day of the interview. Remember to set aside at an hour (minimum) for the interview. When preparing for an interview, applicants should plan and rehearse answers to potential interview questions. It may be useful to review your previous training, skills opportunities and experiences in order to be ready to answer questions on what you did and how you did it (remember the 'STAR' format). Review the duties of the job contained in the job posting you applied for. Write down specific examples of how you have gained similar work experiences in your current or previous jobs, as well as specific examples when you have successfully demonstrated proficiency applying the required skills and abilities. Applicants should research the department that the position is part of to gain an understanding of what the position may entail, and to learn about the programs/services the department provides. |
| What to bring |
You should have the following items with you for the interview:
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What we look for
We employ a talented, diverse and passionate workforce that is dedicated to providing high-quality services and programs to our residents. We are always looking for people to join our team who share the same values and demonstrate the following competencies.
Core competencies
- Customer Focus and Service Excellence: Providing the highest quality programs and/or services that consistently meet the needs of internal/external customers and clients.
- Professionalism: Conducting oneself in an ethical and responsible manner while demonstrating respect for self, others and the organization at large.
- Effective Interpersonal Communication: Building positive working relationships with others.
- Embracing Innovation and Learning: Demonstrating a willingness to learn and consistently seeking better ways of doing things.
- Diversity & Inclusion: Recognizing and valuing the unique combination of traits and personalities of all individuals and intentionally respecting, welcoming, and ensuring everyone has opportunity to succeed.
Management/Leadership competencies
- Leadership and Change Management: Championing a clear future direction that focuses and aligns the efforts of others to achieve the strategic goals of the organization.
- Strategic Thinking: Anticipating future challenges and opportunities, assessing options and implications, and developing plans and priorities that align with long-term objectives.
- Coaching, Mentoring and Developing Others: Involving and supporting others to enhance their development and to maximize their contributions to the organization.
- Effective Decision Making: Resolving issues and implementing quality solutions in a timely manner.
- Diversity & Inclusion: Demonstrating and encouraging others to model the behaviours and practices that establishes an inclusive and diverse culture at work.
- Healthy Workplace: Establishing and maintaining a physically and psychologically safe and healthy workplace and a positive workplace culture and environment.
- Building Trust: Creates an environment of trust by cultivating meaningful work relationships through authentic interactions, care, consistency, transparency, and listening and by managing in a deliberate and predictable way.
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