You find a government job that looks like a good fit. Then you reach a line about an identified position, targeted recruitment or affirmative measures, and suddenly you are unsure whether you can apply.
My starting point as a former NSW Government hiring manager is simple: settle eligibility before you spend an evening writing the application. But don’t make that decision from the job title alone.
Some positions are restricted to applicants who meet a particular eligibility requirement. Others remain open to a wider field but give a specified group priority or an additional recruitment pathway. The words “targeted” and “identified” do not have one consistent meaning across Australian employers.
This guide focuses on NSW government recruitment and the Australian Public Service (APS). It will help you work out what to check, what to ask and where to put your effort.
Start with the eligibility sentence
When I read an advertisement, I look for the sentence that tells me who is eligible. I read that alongside the essential requirements and the application instructions. A diversity statement at the bottom of the page cannot answer every question about the vacancy.
These are illustrative examples of wording to look for, rather than quotations from a particular job:
- Only applicants from the specified group are eligible. This describes a restricted recruitment process. Check the exact group and any evidence requirements.
- Applicants from the specified group will be considered first; others may apply. This describes a priority process. Read how and when the wider applicant pool may be considered.
- Applications from the specified group are encouraged. An encouragement statement alone does not establish either restricted eligibility or a formal preference.
If the advertisement leaves you between those categories, ask the contact officer. You should not have to guess what “targeted” means for that particular recruitment round.
What is an identified position?
In the NSW Government’s Aboriginal workforce guidance, an Aboriginal identified role is one where Aboriginality is a genuine occupational qualification. It is restricted to Aboriginal people because of the requirements of the work.
The APS uses the term differently. An APS identified position requires particular understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and an ability to work effectively with them. It can be open to applicants of any background. A separate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affirmative measure can restrict eligibility.
That difference matters if you are moving between NSW and Commonwealth job searches. Don’t carry an assumption from one recruitment system into the other.
For more on cultural capability and confirmation requirements, read our Aboriginal identified and targeted positions guide.
Does targeted mean anyone can apply?
Sometimes, but it is not a safe blanket rule.
The NSW Aboriginal workforce guide describes targeted roles as mainstream roles that remain open to non-Aboriginal applicants. However, agency arrangements can distinguish between restricted recruitment and open recruitment with priority consideration.
For example, NSW Health’s recruitment policy provides different arrangements for Aboriginal recruitment and disability recruitment, including restricted and priority approaches. The advertisement needs to tell you which arrangement applies.
I would therefore avoid advice that says “identified means restricted; targeted means open” without naming the employer and checking its rules. It sounds useful, but it can send someone towards a role they cannot apply for, or away from one they can.
What are affirmative measures in the APS?
APS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affirmative-measure vacancies are restricted to eligible Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants. Disability affirmative-measure vacancies are restricted to people with disability, or sometimes a specified type of disability. The current provisions sit within the Australian Public Service Commissioner’s Directions 2022.
Eligibility is only one part of the application. The APSC’s Guide on Merit explains that the applicable role requirements and merit standards still matter in restricted recruitment.
From a hiring perspective, I still want the application to show what you can do: the decisions you made, the work you delivered and how that experience relates to the role. A paragraph establishing eligibility cannot do the job of your capability examples.
RecruitAbility is a different question
An APS vacancy using RecruitAbility is not automatically reserved for people with disability. An applicant who opts in, declares disability and meets the minimum requirements progresses to a further assessment stage. Selection remains merit-based.
Our RecruitAbility guide explains that pathway in more detail. Check it before assuming the scheme means either a guaranteed job or a disability-only vacancy.
For eligibility and evidence requirements, see our disability-targeted jobs and affirmative measures guide.
The five checks I would make before writing
- Identify the employer. Is this a NSW agency, NSW Health organisation or APS agency? Use that employer’s guidance.
- Locate the eligibility wording. Record who may apply, rather than relying on the title or a search-result snippet.
- Check the other essentials. Qualifications, registration, citizenship or work rights, licences and security requirements may still apply.
- Understand the process. If there is priority consideration, ask what it means. If evidence is required, check what is accepted and when it is needed.
- Plan the actual application. List the documents, questions, limits and closing time. Then choose examples that answer the role.
A useful question for the contact officer is: “Is this vacancy restricted to applicants who meet the stated eligibility requirement, or can other applicants apply? If it is open, how does the priority process work?”
Keep the answer with your application notes. If the explanation conflicts with the written advertisement, ask for clarification before submitting.
Once you know you are eligible, show the work
I would rather read a clear example of how you handled a difficult task than a page of broad claims about being a perfect fit. Choose an example with enough detail to explain your responsibility, your actions and what happened afterwards.
For a role involving community relationships, explain how you listened and what changed because of the input you received. For an operational role, show how you dealt with accuracy, safety or competing demands. Use your own experience and protect confidential information.
Our selection criteria writing guide can help you develop those examples.
Common questions
Are targeted questions the same as targeted positions?
No. Targeted questions are written application questions. Their presence does not by itself restrict who may apply. See our targeted question examples for help answering them.
Should I apply if I do not meet a restricted eligibility requirement?
If the employer clearly restricts the vacancy and you do not meet that restriction, look for an open vacancy. Where the wording is unclear, ask before ruling yourself in or out.
Need help with the written application?
Once eligibility is clear, Team 3Thirty can help you connect your experience to the advertised requirements and prepare the requested documents. Explore our government application writing service. The employer decides eligibility and selection.
Research checked 19 October 2026, Australian Eastern Daylight Time. General application guidance; follow the current vacancy and employer’s instructions.