How to apply for a job with us

As we are intelligence agencies we have some extra requirements as part of our recruitment process that are important because of the nature of the work we do.

We’re looking for ordinary people who want to do beyond ordinary work.

We’ll value your skills, experience, and background and encourage you to be curious and to share your ideas.

Secretly we're just like you! But we understand you may have questions about what it is like to work here. Check out our myth busting booklet that answers the most common questions people have.

You can create a profile on our recruitment website at any time to get alerts that meet your chosen criteria. Here’s how.

1. Go to the Vacancies page to view jobs and create a profile
2. To create a profile, click ‘Sign in’, then ‘I’m new here’.

We list jobs on our Vacancies page.

Before you apply, check that you’re eligible to work for us. Even if you think you may not be able to work for us, you may be surprised.  Go on, give it a try!

When you’ve found a job you want to apply for, you will need to either create yourself a profile or log in to your existing profile.

Complete the online application form and upload a cover letter and CV.

When you apply for a job with us, a panel leads the selection process and holds the interviews. The selection panel decides which applicants to shortlist for interviews.

When we choose people for selection panels, we look for equity, independent opinions, and a range of backgrounds. We want people who bring these qualities to bear when they’re assessing candidates for roles.

We compare candidates against each other. We only progress those who meet the job’s requirements most closely.

The recruitment process may include telephone screening and psychometric testing. For some roles we may also get you to do a technical or written assessment, or go to an assessment centre.

Interviews generally take about 1 hour. We’ll send you instructions on finding the interview location, and what to bring. You’ll need to bring identification with you.

We prefer to meet you in person. The panel will ask you behavioural questions that relate to the competencies in the job’s position description. To help you prepare, look for resources online.

You’re welcome to bring whānau or other support people to your interview. You must pay any costs involved. Tell us well before, so we can organise an interview room that will accommodate everyone.

If you are the preferred candidate, we will carry out full referee checks before we provisionally offer you a job.

The waiting isn’t quite over. If we decide to provisionally offer you a role, you are then required to obtain a Top Secret Special security clearance and this may take two months or more to complete.

You’ll have a security interview and in-depth background checks. These are for security clearance. They’re not part of assessing the skills and experience relevant to the role you have applied for.

Don’t resign from your current job until the clearance process is complete and your appointment with us is confirmed. We strongly recommend staying in your current job or doing temporary work until then.

Once we’ve confirmed your appointment, you’ll spend your first days in your new job participating in an induction programme, welcoming you to the NZIC – the New Zealand Intelligence Community.

You’ll get to meet other new people and start your journey on a beyond ordinary career with us.