Entry Level selection process

About Customer Service Officer positions

Our Customer Service Officers are the ‘face’ of the CSA and continually strive to provide exceptional support to separated families. We have established team-based structures to provide support for employees, as well as improve service to our customers.

We are looking for people who really enjoy working with people and get satisfaction out of resolving issues with customers. We are seeking staff who can work together to resolve team issues and create a highly productive, creative and supportive environment.

As a Customer Service Officer you will have:

A passion for customer service, desire to make a positive contribution to our customers and an ability to deal with sensitive and emotional issues
Excellent communication, conflict resolution and problem solving skills, especially over the telephone
Negotiation and debt collection skills
Computer literacy in a Windows environment
Flexibility and sound judgement to make decisions
Resilience and ability to work under pressure

Customer contact is integral to all work in the CSA, most of which occurs over the phone. You need to be comfortable talking and negotiating payments and other arrangements with customers, and be able to deal with sensitive and emotional issues in a tactful manner, while managing the conflicting demands of our customers within the framework of the Child Support Scheme.

To work effectively in the CSA, you need to work using a ‘whole case’ approach, not just fix the most immediate problem and leave the rest to someone else. You’ll need to learn and interpret detailed Child Support legislation and be able to explain it in plain English to customers.

Full training is provided to you before you commence in your role. There is also a supportive team structure in place to help you provide the best possible service to our customers.

What to expect from the selection process

There are several stages to the recruitment process, and the CSA sometimes uses a recruitment provider to help assess candidates. For this reason, it can take up to 12 weeks to complete.

Application

Provide your resume and completed application form to our recruitment provider (or as otherwise specified in the job advertisement).

Telephone interview
The recruitment provider may call you and ask a series of questions designed to explore your experience, education, skills, abilities, motivational and cultural fit for the role.

Assessment centre
Note: An assessment centre may include some or all of the activities below

Numeracy and Literacy Assessment
- The Numerical Estimation assessment measures your ability to estimate the answer to a set of increasingly difficult arithmetic questions – adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. It is useful for positions requiring calculations, checking or evaluating numerical information.
- The Literacy assessment measures your ability to identify and correct errors in spelling and grammar found in a series of letters, memos and other documents.

Keyboard assessment
The keyboard assessment measures your keyboard ability.

Work simulation
You are assessed on a number of operational and behavioural aspects, together with your communication style. The simulator mirrors a true call centre environment, complete with work station, computer, head-set, reference material and live customer calls for each candidate.

Behavioural exercises
These are developed based on the premise that an individual’s behaviour in simulated job related activities provides a strong indication of how they will behave when working in the role.

Team based exercise
You may work through issues in a small group situation and present a set of recommendations. Participants are placed in a role that could occur in a work situation and are required to come up with a set of recommendations.

Behavioural interview
You will participate in a face to face interview with a consultant. In some instances you may participate in a face to face interview with a CSA staff member. Interview questions will reflect the key selection criteria required for success in this role.

Reference checking
References will be sought from your current and recent Manager. At least two comprehensive, verbal reference checks will be conducted.

Feedback
Feedback will be provided and will focus on identifying your strengths and highlighting areas for development.

Tips for preparing your application

To perform the duties of the position a combination of skills, personal qualities and knowledge is required. The selection panel will be looking to see how your work background, qualifications and experience equip you to perform the duties of the position.

A good approach is to use specific examples of work you have done, describing how you contributed to a process or outcome. If you make claims as to your abilities, you should establish a connection to the position you are applying for and provide the selection panel with any evidence to support your claims.

The selection panel will use information from your application, supporting evidence and interview (if necessary) to determine the extent to which you meet each requirement for the role.