Frequently Asked Questions

What jobs are available right now?

When should I check the website for new job opportunities?

How do I apply?

Do you accept resumes if there are no job openings?

When can I expect to hear about the job?

What sort of testing is done?

If I am short-listed for a job, what will the interview be like?

Is a Criminal Record Check part of the hiring process?

If I have applied for jobs at North Cowichan in the past, will I automatically be considered when new vacancies occur?

What jobs are available right now?

All jobs that are open to external candidates (people who are not currently employees of the Municipality) are posted on our website under Employment Opportunities.

For unionized positions, there is an internal posting process first that gives the Municipality’s existing unionized employees the first opportunity to apply for jobs. This provides current employees who have the skills, qualifications and abilities that a vacancy requires with the opportunity to advance within the organization or move to other departments. If no suitable applicant is found during this process, the job is opened up to external candidates. For non-union positions, there is no internal posting process first.

For positions with any of our paid-on-call Fire Halls, the recruitment process is handled separately by each Hall.  If you are interested in joining one of the halls, we encourage you to go to the Hall and talk to the Chief directly.

When should I check the website for new job opportunities?

Jobs can be posted at any time between Monday and Friday.  The length of time the job is advertised will depend on the position, and can range from one to four weeks. You may subscribe to receive an email notification immediately when new jobs are posted.

While vacancies can occur at all times of the year, specific departments look for casual (ongoing, but intermittent) or Term (up to 6 months) help for the following:

• The Parks & Recreation department starts looking in February for its summer lifeguards, which start work in late June;
• The Cowichan Aquatic Centre starts looking for new casual employees (Aquatic Attendants and Lifeguard/Instructors, Customer Relations Clerks) throughout the year but most frequestnly in late summer;
• The Operations and Parks department begin accepting applications for student positions in early January.  The positions generally start at the end of the school term.
• Other departments such as Planning, Engineering, Forestry, etc. begin looking for students in January/February for positions that generally start at the end of the school term.

Application Information

Do you accept resumes if there are no job openings?

No, only those received for active competitions are accepted.  We do not keep general resumes on file. 

When can I expect to hear about the job?

Due to the volume of applications we receive and the number of job competitions we have each year, we are only able to contact those candidates who are selected for testing and/or interview.  Calls are usually made within a week or two of the competition closing date.

What sort of testing is done?

It varies by the type of job, but candidates for all jobs will be asked to take an assessment of general cognitive ability and a personality inventory.  These tools are used to help us determine the fit between the individual and the position we have available.

• For clerical jobs, there are various assessments of office skills, keyboarding speed, and skills on Microsoft Office.

• For aquatic positions, there are a variety of pool-based assessments that candidates must undergo.

• Skills may also be assessed for any jobs involving truck driving or equipment operation.

If I am short-listed for a job, what will the interview be like?

North Cowichan conducts panel interviews with between two and five people, depending on the job.  In addition to general questions about your skills and past employment, you will be asked to tell the interview panel about specific work-related situations from your past and how you dealt with those situations. 

Is a Criminal Record Check part of the hiring process?

Yes, all positions with North Cowichan require a criminal record check as part of the hiring process.  It is usually done at the time the job is offered, and your continued employment with North Cowichan is contingent upon a satisfactory Criminal Record Check.  For positions at the RCMP detachment, there is an enhanced security clearance process that may take many months to complete. For positions at the Cowichan Aquatic Centre, it is also necessary to have a Vulnerable Sector Check conducted in accordance with our Child Protection Policy.

If I have applied for jobs at North Cowichan in the past, will I automatically be considered when new vacancies occur?

No, each job competition is handled separately and you must apply for each vacancy for which you wish to be considered.  We encourage candidates to tailor their cover letters to the specific job, as this is a great way to highlight your skills and qualifications.

You may subscribe to receive an email notification immediately when new jobs are posted.