The inside story: How to get a job at the Epilepsy Foundation

Ever wondered what hiring managers are looking for when they recruit for Australia’s most sought-after ethical organisations?

In this series, we interview the people who hire at the organisations where you want to work — and we’ll give you the inside knowledge you need to make your next job application amazing. 

This month we speak to Karen Hansen, HR Administrator for the Epilepsy Foundation, an organisation that works to reduce the impact of epilepsy on people’s lives and make sure that people with epilepsy have equitable access to education and employment, feel safe and connected in their community and no longer die from their epilepsy. 

Hi Karen, thanks for chatting with us! To kick us off, can you tell us a bit about what the Epilepsy Foundation does?

With a history dating back to 1964, the Epilepsy Foundation provides support and education to individuals and families living with epilepsy. 

Our public face is seven Op Shops in metro Melbourne staffed by a fantastic workforce of retail Volunteers; and stocked with donations from members of the community who live with epilepsy; loyal customers; staff and some fabulous supporters such as managers of large apartment complexes who have created a donations drop off point for residents; as well as donating unclaimed items from their lost and found programs. 

We are leading the charge to find a cure, remove the stigma and the biggie: working with partners to create Australia’s national epilepsy plan: Epilepsy Smart Australia.

What are some of the things that might attract candidates to apply to the Epilepsy Foundation?

As a for-purpose organisation, candidates with aspirations to make a difference are attracted to the Epilepsy Foundation as an employer. Naturally people living with epilepsy find the idea of working at the Epilepsy Foundation very appealing. They are completely at ease with disclosing their epilepsy from their first communication with us, knowing that they won’t be judged, shunned or feared and that they will be well supported in workplace adjustments they may need to ensure they are safe. 

We have a staff-driven “social committee” called: Triple C which stands for Communication, Connecting and Caring. Triple C group members are the barometer for staff satisfaction. With the blessing of senior management; and a good budget, Triple C creates opportunities for staff to get together and connect through its newbie buddy program where existing employees help new staff navigate their early days with us. 

Other bonding activities include trivia events, a podcast club (like a book club but for podcasts), end of financial year (and) festive season in-person gatherings. We have an active OHS Committee focused on physical and mental staff well-being. Staff are supported with an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and are eligible for discounts at our seven Op Shops. Long before COVID made remote working the norm, the Epilepsy Foundation pioneered working from home arrangements for staff moving interstate who would, in another era, had to resign and find a new job in a new state. Epilepsy Foundation has so far been able to retain six talented staff members by accommodating remote work arrangements. 

To all staff we offer hybrid work arrangements, including free onsite parking at our main office together with the flexibility of working from home some of the time. We are committed to environmental sustainability. Recycling, upcycling and repurposing is the name of the game at our Op Shops. We proudly show off the monitors that track how much energy we are generating from the solar panels covering the roof of our main office. 

We are also pet-friendly. With appropriate courtesies to colleagues you can bring your furry friend to work to monitor their recovery from an operation; if your fence at home falls down, your furry friend can visit work while your fence is repaired. 

So walk us through the recruitment process at the Epilepsy Foundation

The recruitment, selection and interview process is as much about you considering working for us as it is for us assessing your suitability for the role we’ve advertised. As a short-listed applicant, you would expect to receive a phone call (not an email) from an actual person to confirm your ongoing interest, to discuss your preference when a role is offered, say, 0.6 (three days) or 0.8 (four days) and so that no one’s time is wasted, preliminary chat about salary expectations. This gives us at the Epilepsy Foundation and you as a candidate a chance to interact, person to person so the language we both use is important. For most roles we hope that through this first point of contact you will gain some insight into what it might be like to work with us. 

What are the top things you look for when assessing a candidate application?

Attention to detail; and initiative. It’s really important that candidates follow instructions in the ad. If the advice in the ad is to find the job description on our website, go the extra mile, use your initiative, and the search function to find the job description instead of flinging off an email and asking your potential direct line manager to send it to you. Depending on the role, we will look at your socials: LinkedIn, Facebook etc. 

What’s the most common mistake you see candidates make in their applications?

In a creative sense: missing the opportunity to show your personality; it’s ok to use emotive language such as: powerful desire; your mission resonates for me; I’m a dedicated recycler/up-cycler; chief dog-walker; Aussie rules tragic; grammar/spelling enthusiast. 

Using the wrong salutation: It’s far better to address to: “The HR Manager” than opening with “Dear Steve” when the person to contact’s name is Georgie. Sending a general resume rather than tailored. An application of a general nature with a non-tailored resume received within seconds of the vacancy being posted is unlikely to get on the shortlist. 

Misnaming the role title: you’re unlikely to get an interview if you’re applying for a role called Support Worker and you express interest in our advertised role of Communications Officer. 

And if they make it to interview, who is a candidate most likely to meet on an interview panel at the Epilepsy Foundation?

No more than three people; usually two people you’re most likely to be working with on a day to day basis. Your Direct Line Manager and a departmental colleague; or often we will ask the Manager or a staff member from another department who are key contributors to the work you’ll be doing at the Epilepsy Foundation. 

You might be applying to work in the Social Media field as part of our Marketing Department; but because of the strong connection between Marketing and Op Shops, at interview you might meet an Op Shop Manager. We might invite you to a follow up meeting with other staff in a relaxed environment, such as a local café so you have a chance to interact with more members of your work team; or those in other departments. 

You’re going to spend a lot of time with these people!

What advice would you give candidates to improve their interview skills?

Being interviewed is an unreal experience. Meaning: it’s hard and likely to be the first and last time you find yourself in this scenario at the Epilepsy Foundation. Personality can only take you so far – its preparation, preparation and preparation that will get you over the line. 

• Research us. Our Mission, our vision. If there’s something you want to know more about, make a note and ask it at the interview. You’ll get the opportunity
• Find out who will be interviewing you and their background to help you build rapport on the day
• Practice answers for common interview questions – there’s heaps of tips and tricks offered by EthicalJobs.com.au
• Choose an appropriate outfit in advance so you’re ready to go
• For face to face interviews, plan the route in advance. We love candidates who are early … sometimes we’re running early too. A classic example of the importance of planning the route: right now until the end of May 2023 the Epilepsy Foundation’s location is bang in the middle of two level crossing removal projects. Not only can you not travel north/south along one of the most well-known roads nearby, there are trucks, detours and parking challenges plus the added pain of buses replacing trains 
• For online meetings, test your tech works so there are no disasters
• If we want to talk to your referees, our preference is someone you report/ed to. If that’s not possible, a colleague at a similar level is the next best. Make sure your referee knows that:
  • you’ve named them as a referee
  • you’ve attended an interview and they may be contacted
  • they’re informed about the role

Finally, what advice would you give to someone who wants to work at the Epilepsy Foundation but perhaps doesn’t have the right qualifications or experience?

Give yourself a chance for us to get to know you, and vice-versa by volunteering as a Retail Assistant at: Beaumaris, Blackburn, Cranbourne, Parkdale, Port Melbourne, Seddon or Windsor!

Remember that we can’t create a job for you, based around your skills and experience; we identify a need and make moves to address that need. This is true for both paid and unpaid (volunteer) positions. Our HR resources are modest, so quell your disappointment if we’re unable to hold onto your details to match you to a job in the future. People’s circumstances change so rapidly, it’s more effective to take a fresh approach when you see an Epilepsy Foundation job vacancy advertised.

Transferable skills such as familiarity with Office 365, project management, experience in unpaid (volunteer) work – school events committee, cricket club treasurer (etc.) Our recruitment ads feature this line: Even if you don’t think you fully meet all our criteria, your core ethos may well align with ours; so please feel free to apply. We look for people who can culture-add.

Thanks Karen!