Organisation: Department of Human Services
Job Title: Service Officer
Location: NSW – Blacktown, Orange, Parramatta
Essential – Describe a time when you contributed to a team activity. How did you support your team? What did you learn during the process and what was the end result?
Between February and April 2015, I worked on a project aimed at improving the quality of overseas arrivals and departures data for the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Working collaboratively within a team of 60, I was tasked with quality checking, modifying, and entering data for missing traveller information. While our teams were not required to liaise, I ensured to maintain constant communication in order to determine overall progress, which I used to gauge my own work input. Additionally, we interacted through friendly competition to see who could complete the most in the fastest time, which ensured that morale was at a high level. To effectively support the team as a whole, I ensured that I was aware of the processes and procedures, and worked at the fastest pace possible, whilst maintaining high levels of accuracy at all times. Moreover, when the second group of Data Entry Officers arrived, I assisted the Supervisor with training them, including demonstrating how to correct data, interpret error messages and escalate issues. This experience brought to my attention, my effectiveness at training and supporting others, as well as my ability in quickly learning new software whilst determining the most efficient way to complete the task. As a group, we completed the project three weeks early by working together to achieve all goals that were set. A contributing factor to this was my speed and efficiency in completing the data entry, reflected by achieving forth out of 60 for the most work completed.
Have you ever needed to learn information about a new or changing product or procedure? In this situation, how did you learn the new information? How did you then apply the new knowledge?
With computing and technology skills of a high standard, I am confident in my ability to quickly learn new technology packages and procedures as my career progresses. This was demonstrated during a time with the Australian Bureau of Statistics when I was afforded the opportunity to conduct testing on the Census Agent Tool (CAT). A purpose-built and web-based computer system, the development of CAT was to enable Census Contact Agents to log calls and assist callers with questions relating to the 2016 Census. This meant that specific testing was required to ensure that all functions of the system were user friendly and operational. My commitment to the task at hand was demonstrated through arranging one-on-one training with the testing facilitator, which ensured that I was able to rapidly learn the new testing specifications. Through applying this knowledge and closely following set instructions, I was soon able to develop a method that enabled me to test as efficiently and quickly as possible. The testing covered all aspects from initial login, to ordering forms and ensuring that links led to the specified locations, and was required for eight separate authorisation levels. Additionally, I was required to push the limits to see what it took to malfunction or create an error message. My knowledge of the testing requirements and how the system was meant to operate, allowed me to identify and report all discrepancies in a clear and timely manner, thus facilitating the information technology team’s ability to implement appropriate solutions.
Can you describe a time when you have been required to use your communication skills to assist another person, a customer or colleague. How did you ensure your message was correctly understood? What was the outcome?
With the Australian Bureau of Statistics launching the nation’s first Census where more than two thirds of Australia’s population are expected to complete the Census online in August 2016, it has been imperative to perform rigorous testing. This has involved engaging members of the public to participate in an online trial of the Census. My role during this time has been to provide support and assistance to customers via the phone in a call centre environment, which has required high levels of communication skills. For example, many customers who called the call centre advised that they were having difficulty finding the Census website in order to commence their test. To accurately guide them to the correct location, it was necessary that I was patient, listened carefully, and provided instructions in a clear and concise manner. In order to provide understandable guidance, I logged on to the same page as them on my own computer as I provided instructions on what to enter into the search bar and what buttons to click. To ensure that my directions were correctly understood, I had the customer repeat back to me what I had informed them to do, while they talked me through their actions and the results displaying on their computer. As a result of my effective communication, in most instances I achieved a positive result with the customer understanding my instructions and finding the website to complete the Census test.
