Our Hiring Process | City of Victoria

Below is an outline of the City’s hiring process so you know what to expect along the way. If you require support or are requesting an accommodation during the hiring process, please email careers@victoria.ca.

Job Postings

Open job postings for the City of Victoria can be found on the Current Career Opportunities page. New postings are published on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a minimum of one week. All postings close at 4:30 p.m. on the date listed.

Applications

To apply for a position, select ‘Apply for this job online’ at the top right of the posting. You’ll be prompted to enter your email address to access or create your profile, where you can submit your application as a single document. Review the Application FAQs page for support with logging in, creating a profile and submitting an application.

The City does not accept applications by email or in person.

Internal Applicants

International Applicants

Application Review

Our hiring managers review how applications align with advertised qualifications. Candidates must meet the minimum education and experience required to be considered. Candidates will be contacted if selected for an interview or other assessments; the City will notify those not selected by email when the position is filled.

You can check the status of your application by logging into your profile and reviewing your candidate dashboard.

Interviews

Interviews are held virtually and in person. We recommend wearing suitable, professional attire for your interview. For virtual interviews, ensure you have a quiet space and that you’ve tested the link before your interview.

During your interview, be prepared to answer behavioural, situational and technical interview questions. You may be asked to share examples from your work experience or how you would approach a hypothetical situation.

The following are examples of the types of questions that may be asked during your interview:

Behavioural question: Tell us about a time when you improved the way things were typically done on the job.
Situational question: What would you do if a resident was upset about how long you took to respond to their inquiry?

After your interview, you will hear from the City as soon as possible, which is typically within two weeks. All candidates who are interviewed will be notified of their application status.

Pre-Employment Checks

If you pass the interview selection process, you may be asked to provide additional information, such as:

reference from past employers, including your most recent supervisor
driver’s licence and abstract
verification of education
criminal record check

Offer of Employment

Successful applicants will receive a verbal offer of employment and will have the opportunity to review the details of the role and ask additional questions.
Once the verbal offer is accepted, they will receive a written offer letter from the People and Culture Department.
Once signed and returned, a link to the City’s onboarding system will be provided.

Application & Interview Tips

Resume and Cover Letter Tips

Tailor your application to show how you match the qualifications in the job posting. Cover letters and resumes should be unique to each job to best highlight relevant experience. Focus on how your experience matches the role, responsibilities and qualifications listed for the job.
Be honest, accurate and concise. A concise application can help ensure important details are easily identified during review. In most cases, it is recommended that your cover letter is one page and your resume is one to three pages.
Consider providing information in your cover letter that is not included in your resume. This could include:
- your specific interest in the role and working for the City of Victoria
- examples of how you have demonstrated a competency required of the role
- accomplishments you are most proud of
Your most recent work experience or education history should be listed first in your resume. With each example of work experience, explain your key duties. Relate each example to the qualifications or competencies listed in the job posting.

Interview Tips

During the interview, highlight the work experience you listed in your resume that matches the needs of the position.
Take your time to think of a response, or if you're stuck, ask to come back to a question later.
Research the organization and prepare answers for commonly asked interview questions.
Prepare questions for the end of your interview that will help you decide if the position or organization is suitable for you.
For in-person interviews, arrive five to 10 minutes early.
For virtual interviews, make sure you have a quiet space and test the link, your camera and your audio before the interview.
Wear appropriate business attire for your interview. Make sure you feel comfortable and confident.
Use the STAR method to help structure responses to behavioural interview questions:
- Situation: Describe the situation briefly, providing enough detail so the interview understands the context.
- Task: Outline the task that needed to be accomplished and detail your specific role in the situation, highlighting why you were involved and what you expected to achieve.
- Action: Explain the steps you took to handle the situation or resolve the problem. Responses using "I" are preferred over "we" — your interviewers want clarity on your actions.
- Result: Explain what happened, what was accomplished, and what you learned. Include how you felt about the outcome and why.

Feedback

If you are not successful during the selection process, the City can provide feedback on your performance to help you better prepare for future job competitions.

To request feedback, please reach out to your City contact through the interview process or email careers@victoria.ca. Information regarding other candidates will not be shared as part of your feedback.