Knowing what our recruitment teams are looking for can help you put together a standout application. Here’s our advice on what we look for and how you can deliver it.

Showing us who you are

Your CV and cover letter are your opportunities to make a great first impression, so it’s worth making the effort to ensure they genuinely reflect who you are and what you can bring to our organisation. Here are some ideas to help start the reflection process:

•            Keep a record of awesome things that happen in your everyday mahi: When something happens that you are proud of or that was a great learning experience, make a note so that when it comes time to give examples in an application (cover letter, CV or at an interview) you have recent, relevant experiences to draw on.

•             Ask someone else: Speak to a colleague and ask them why they believe you would make an awesome “insert job here” – what are some of the positive traits that they see in you that perhaps you weren’t aware of?

•             Keep in mind some of the key things we’ll be looking for: values alignment, cultural competency, a growth mindset, as well as the skills needed for the role. Think about how you could cover these in your application.

•             Most importantly, we want to sense your motivation: why do you want this role?

Understanding who we are

Doing a bit of research about us as an organisation and the role can be a big help throughout the application process. It’s always a positive when candidates can show how their skills and values align with those of the organisation or specific role that they’re applying for. Plus, getting a better understanding of who we are may help you decide if working for us is right for you. Don’t forget, you’re evaluating us as much as we’re evaluating you.

Having a look around both our careers website and corporate website is a good start to get to know us and the role you’re applying for. You can find out more about our values and purpose and read about specific roles in the organisation.

CV tips

We get thousands of applications each year and the ones that stand out are:

•             Tailored: look at the position description and align your key skills and experience with what we’re looking for.

•             Simple: make sure it’s easy to read – it doesn’t have to win design awards.

•             Concise but specific: for example, include the month that you started and finished in a job (rather than just the year) and provide examples of your skills or achievements.

•             Proofread: ensure the spelling has been checked and the document has been proofread.

If you’d like more advice, the Careers New Zealand website has some great tips and a CV builder. Or, if you have specific questions about our recruitment process, get in touch with us at careers@corrections.govt.nz.

The pre‑employment medical screening process is a fitness‑for‑work assessment step for custodial staff and an established part of the custodial recruitment process. The Department employs custodial staff with a variety of health statuses, conditions and aids (for example, glasses, pacemakers, insulin pumps and hearing aids). In all cases, the key considerations are safety and security (managing relevant risks to keep people safe), and equal opportunities and inclusion (making reasonable accommodations to be a good employer). Staff are also responsible for ensuring that they are fit for work and able to work safely.

What we look for

Candidates can use an online tool to check whether they meet the pre‑employment medical screening requirements. The tool is a guide only and is not used to assess your final suitability.

Detailed specifications

The article provides detailed specifications across a number of health categories. For each category the guidance indicates whether a candidate is considered fit for work, should be referred for review, or is unfit for work. The categories include:

•             Musculoskeletal – e.g., range of motion, limb strength and ability to squat.

•             Visual – e.g., visual acuity, visual fields and eye movements.

•             Spirometry – lung capacity and respiratory function.

•             Other medical conditions – e.g., history of serious illness, chronic conditions, etc.

•             Psychological – acknowledges that working in a custodial environment is high‑pressure and can reactivate or intensify psychological conditions.

•             Cardiovascular system & BMI, cholesterol, blood sugar, fatigue, prescription medications, audio (hearing) and vaccinations – each with fitness, review and unfit criteria.

The Department reserves the right to amend these specifications at any stage and make changes based on operational safety requirements.

Preparing for an interview can feel daunting – but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re applying for your first role or stepping into a leadership position, the key to success lies in preparation, self‑awareness, and a clear understanding of what we value. This guide provides practical tips and insights to help you feel confident and ready to shine during your interview.

Reasonable accommodation and support people

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for all candidates. Please let us know if you require any accommodations to ensure you can interview comfortably. You’re welcome to bring a support person for emotional support or accessibility reasons – just let us know their name so we can welcome them appropriately.

Preparing for your interview

We use behavioural (competency‑based) interview questions, which ask you to share examples from past situations to demonstrate how you have handled specific challenges or tasks. Before your interview, review the position description to ensure you fully understand the requirements of the role. Think about examples from your work, volunteering or study that you’re proud of and that show the skills outlined in the job description and advertisement. Interviews are a two‑way process, so use this opportunity to learn more about us and the team you are applying to join.

Answering using the STAR framework

The STAR framework is a helpful tool for structuring your answers to competency‑based questions:

•             Situation: Briefly describe the situation you faced and provide context around a specific challenge or task. Spend the least amount of time on this part.

•             Task: Describe your responsibility or role in the situation. Discuss the goal or task set out for you.

•             Action: Explain the specific actions you took to handle the situation or overcome the challenge. Focus on your contributions and the steps you took to find success. Use “I” rather than “we” to highlight your individual role.

•             Result: Discuss the outcome of the situation. Focus on a few key results and what you learned, how you grew and why you’re a stronger employee because of the experience. Provide concrete examples if possible.

What to expect

When you arrive at your interview, you will be greeted by the panel, who will introduce themselves and their roles. After introductions, the panel will provide more details about the role and ask some introductory questions to put you at ease. Competency‑based questions will follow, and we recommend answering these using the STAR framework.

Here are some tips to help you prepare:

•             Research our organisation and the details of the job you have applied for – visit our website and talk to people you know who have experience with working with us.

•             Refer to the position description to identify the competencies and key accountabilities for the role and provide specific examples or situations that reflect your expertise in those areas.

•             Write down your examples using the STAR format and practice saying them aloud to help you feel more comfortable expressing your ideas.

•             Feel free to bring notes to remind yourself of the examples you prepared.

•             If you are interviewing for a position that requires a skill that you haven’t used for a while, take time to refresh your knowledge.

•             Take your time to understand each question being asked; don’t be afraid to ask follow‑up questions if you need clarification.

•             Following the competency‑based questions you will have the opportunity to share information about yourself that you didn’t feel you had the chance to share with the panel.

•             You will also have an opportunity to ask the panel questions about the role, team or organisation.

•             At the end of the interview, the panel will explain the next steps and when you can expect an update on the outcome.

Presentations

If a presentation is included in the interview, information on what needs to be included will be sent through in your interview invite. It could be presented as a PowerPoint, a print‑out or delivered verbally. Tips for presentations include:

•             Keep track of your time – ensure you stay within the time limit given.

•             Practice delivering your presentation to refine your delivery and ensure it fits within the time frame.

•             If you are using a PowerPoint presentation, please send a copy to the email address provided in your interview invite a day prior to your interview so we can ensure it is compatible with our system.

Exercises

Depending on the role, there may be exercises during the interview, such as:

•             Written exercises: You may be given time to write a report, email or minutes for us to assess your written capability relevant to the role.

•             Case scenarios: The panel will assess your problem‑solving skills by presenting you with a business scenario or issue to solve in real time.

You will be informed if an exercise is part of your interview, and this will be included in your interview confirmation pack.

Assessment centres

If you have applied for a frontline role that includes an assessment centre, we encourage you to read the separate guide relating to assessment centres provided to help you prepare and know what to expect.

After the interview

If you are progressed to the next stage of the recruitment process, you will be asked to provide references – usually your current or most recent manager and a previous manager. If you are not progressed further, you will receive constructive feedback from the panel to help with future applications.

If you have applied for frontline or community‑based roles, next steps may include SCOPE, PRA and/or medical checks, which you will be informed of by our Recruitment team.

Because of the nature of our work and the high standards of integrity and conduct we expect from employees, Corrections carries out a number of pre‑employment checks on applicants for all roles within Corrections. The type of checks depends on the nature of the job you have applied for within the Department and could include:

•             Referee checks.

•             Criminal conviction checking – either New Zealand Police vetting or a Ministry of Justice criminal record check, including those required by the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 depending on role type (read more about declaring convictions).

•             Drug testing.

•             Physical fitness test and medical check for corrections officers and instructors.

•             Proof of identity and right to work check.

•             Credit checks for specific roles including finance, procurement and payroll staff.

•             Security clearance.

All information gathered during the job application and pre‑employment checking process will be used, stored and disposed of in accordance with the principles of the Privacy Act 1993.

Start by reading about the role on our website. Apply online, and we’ll be in touch. It might take a week or so due to high volumes.

It depends on the role. If you’re applying to be a Corrections Officer or Instructor, there’s a specific multi-stage process. For other roles, we’ll guide you through what’s involved but it usually includes an interview, referee checks etc.

If it’s been more than 7 days since the job closed and you haven’t heard back, get in touch with the recruitment team. For Corrections Officer roles, it might take a bit longer due to high volumes or operational demands.

If your CV or cover letter won’t upload, try submitting a placeholder file (even a photo works). Then email the correct documents to careers@corrections.govt.nz with your contact details and the job you applied for.

Try resetting your password using the “Forgot Password” link on the login page. If that doesn’t work, your account might be locked. Call 0800 437 668 and the team can help.

Each job advert has a closing date. Try to apply before 5 p.m. on that day to avoid last-minute issues.

The Department will conduct reference checks prior to a job offer being made. We ask for two references and prefer that they are:

•             your current manager or most recent manager

•             a manager from the last 2–5 years (not personal references, friends or co‑workers).

If you’re not able to find suitable references, please contact our team to discuss other options.

How we complete the checks

We use a tool called Checkmate – a fully automated, online reference checking platform that securely collects feedback.

Here’s what happens:

1.          When we’re ready to talk to your referees, you’ll get an invitation directly from Checkmate.

2.          Read through the instructions in the invitation – it will tell you how many referees we need and remind you of who we need to speak to.

3.          Enter the referees’ details and hit submit.

4.          You can now relax! The system will send out the necessary forms along with instructions directly to your referees. You can log into Checkmate at any time to track whether they’ve completed it or if you need to follow up and remind them.

Tip: Let your referees know a reference check is on its way so they can keep a lookout for the email and complete it quickly, avoiding any delays in the process.

A conflict of interest means a conflict between your public duty (your role at the Department) and your private and/or personal interests. Personal interests can be financial or relate to family, friends, associations or associates (past or present). Conflicts of interest may be actual (real), potential or perceived.

Here are some examples of potential conflicts of interest:

•             Working with prisoners or offenders who are family members or friends or associates.

•             Having supervisory or management responsibility for a family member, or a person with whom you have a personal relationship.

•             Having a personal relationship in the workplace with a colleague, offender, client, contractor or other staff working in the Department.

•             Having past or present associations with gangs.

•             Affiliations with ex-offenders or prisoners.

•             Taking part in recruitment processes where a close friend or family member is a candidate for the job.

•             Commitments to professional, community, ethnic, family or religious groups that could conflict with your professional role.

•             Interests in family or other private or commercial business that has dealings with the Department, such as providers and suppliers.

If you are unsure, please declare on your application.

In your application form you will be asked to declare any criminal convictions or pending charges. The Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004 means those who have had no convictions within the last seven years, and who meet other criteria in the Act, don’t have to disclose any convictions.

However, in the case of applying for front line roles (working with offenders) Clean Slate DOES NOT apply and you are required to disclose ALL criminal convictions you have had regardless of when those convictions occurred. You can find out more about criminal records and the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004 on the Ministry of Justice website.

The Department understands that staff are our most valued resource. We aim to provide a safe, supportive and responsive environment. Our staff have opportunities to contribute to human resource policies that affect them and discuss flexible work options with their manager, who will take into account the needs of the workplace and the staff member before making a decision.

The Department of Corrections is committed to equal opportunity in all our employment policies and procedures. All staff – regardless of gender, race, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, religious or ethical beliefs, political opinion or union affiliation – have access to equal employment opportunities, particularly recruitment, training and career performance management and conditions of employment.

The equal employment opportunities programme complements other human resource initiatives to create and maintain a positive workplace culture and to develop constructive relationships between staff and management.

To help our staff reach their full potential, we offer opportunities for study assistance, career development and performance management. Everyone has access to support and assistance through our Employee Assistance Programme.

Tangata Whenua

The Department recognises the status of Māori as tangata whenua and its responsibilities to deliver equal employment opportunities to Māori staff.

For information on how to convert your international driver licence to a New Zealand driver licence, please visit the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) website. Please check the job description to see if a New Zealand driver licence is required for the role that you have applied for and get in touch with our recruitment team if you have any questions.

Before we can progress any application, we need to know that you have obtained or started the process to obtain your New Zealand Practicing Certificate. You can find out more information about this requirement, along with other information that may be helpful in making your decision, via the Nursing Council’s website and the “moving to New Zealand” pages on our careers site.

For psychologist roles, candidates need to be registered as a psychologist in New Zealand – or have submitted an application for registration – before we can consider employment. The New Zealand Psychologists Board considers applications for registration and can advise on eligibility. We recommend first trying their online assessment tool and then contacting them about the suitability of your pathway to registration.

If you’re interested in moving to New Zealand for a role with us, there are a few different things to consider, including:

•             Locations in New Zealand and where the role you’re interested in is based.

•             Getting a visa.

•             Cost of living, accommodation, transport and other logistics.

Our webpage Thinking of Moving to New Zealand has some initial information to assist with this. We also recommend visiting Immigration New Zealand’s website, which has plenty of useful information on living and working in New Zealand.

Everyone starts with Ara Tika - a week-long induction at the National Learning Centre in Upper Hutt. We cover travel, accommodation and meals. After that, training depends on your role.

Yes – usually you can! It’s important to us that you aren’t put in any unsafe situations, so we ask you to disclose all conflicts of interest when you apply. These are then assessed on a case‑by‑case basis.

It’s a job preview. You’ll shadow a team member to see what the role is really like and ask questions.

There’s a bunch: free counselling, eye care reimbursements, gym deals, health checks, childcare discounts, retail perks, and more.

Sometimes you may be asked to complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) after you’ve applied.

This form allows you to provide more information if you’ve said you have:

•             an association with someone who is currently facing criminal charges or who has a criminal conviction.

•             an association with a gang.

•             a conflict of interest (something else that may affect your ability to carry out your role).

•             a personal offence including any interactions you personally have had with any law enforcement agency in New Zealand or overseas.

It is important that you provide as much information as you can on this form to allow us to assess your application. Once you’ve submitted this we’ll be in touch to let you know next steps.

You’ll get details in your interview invite. Presentations can be verbal, printed, or PowerPoint. Exercises might include writing tasks or case scenarios.

If you’re applying for a frontline role, you might be invited to one. It’s a session with role plays, team exercises, and interviews.

If you move forward, we’ll ask for references. If not, you’ll get feedback. For frontline roles, next steps might include SCOPE, PRA, or medical checks.

We’ve got employee-led networks (like Māori, Pasifika, Rainbow, Disability, etc.) and staff welfare coordinators to support you. You won’t be doing this alone.

Training starts with a week at your site, then five weeks at the National Learning Centre in Upper Hutt. After that, you’ll continue learning on the job for 9–12 months. Travel, accommodation and food are covered during off-site training.

Yes, we are accepting applications from overseas for Corrections Officer roles. If you’re successful through the recruitment process and meet Immigration New Zealand’s requirements, we may be able to support you to obtain the legal right to work in New Zealand because we are an accredited employer.

The Corrections Officer role is on Immigration New Zealand’s Green List, which provides a pathway to residency for those who meet the eligibility requirements.

For more information on living and working in New Zealand, visit the Immigration NZ website.

Our FAQ “Application Tips” contains a range of information on what we look for across our roles at Corrections, along with tips on writing your cover letter and CV.

We also recommend checking out our resource on the careers site that details the key skills and competencies that we look for during the Corrections Officer recruitment process.

You’ll need to be in New Zealand for some parts of the recruitment process. Don’t book travel until we invite you to an in-person session. Travel costs are your responsibility. If you’re offered a role, we can support your visa application.

It depends. You’ll need to fill out a Supplementary Information Form. Some convictions - especially custodial sentences or serious offences - will usually prevent you from progressing.

Go to careers.corrections.govt.nz and click apply, find the job you’re interested in, and click “Apply for this Job.” You’ll need to create an account with your email address. Fill out the form and hit apply. You’ll get a confirmation screen and an email once it’s submitted.

Sites vary by security level, prisoner type (remand vs sentenced), gender, and specialist units.

• Low security: more freedom and rehab programmes
• High/maximum: tighter controls and monitoring
• Men’s prisons: 15 sites across NZ
• Women’s prisons: tailored programmes, including Mothers with Babies units
• Specialist units: youth, Māori, Pacific, drug treatment, etc.

Our recruitment process for Corrections Officers is designed not only to help us assess how you might work in a prison environment but also to help you learn more about the role.

After you’ve applied, the process is made up of four key stages:

1.          Initial screening – involves a phone call with our team to meet you and give you an opportunity to ask questions.

2.          Assessing suitability – assesses your suitability and alignment with the key skills we look for in Corrections Officers.

3.          Health, safety and team fit – helps you better understand our environment and ensures you’ll be able to safely carry out the role.

4.          Final checks – includes pre‑employment checks such as reference checks and police vetting.

During the later stages of the recruitment process we ask Corrections Officer candidates to complete a 10‑minute fitness test called the Physical Readiness Assessment (PRA).

You don’t need to be an athlete to pass this, but you do need to demonstrate you have the fitness to carry out activities required of a Corrections Officer. The assessment is timed and involves six stages completed one after another:

1.          A 300 m fast walk.

2.          A search of a bunk bed.

3.          A run to an emergency.

4.          A control and restraint task.

5.          A rescue of a 50 kg dummy.

6.          A 300 m recovery walk.

For Corrections Officer roles, it usually takes 6–8 weeks. Other roles vary.

Minimum age is 18. There’s no upper age limit.

Safety is a top priority. Training is thorough, and you’ll have a strong team and the right gear to keep you safe.

No, we can’t consider applicants who’ve served time in prison for custodial roles.