Some might not know it, but BHP, one of Australia’s most well-known and successful companies, is also striving to be one of its most diverse and inclusive. As such, anyone considering employment at the mining major should do so with full confidence that their individuality will be valued and respected.
As for any application process, it pays to know what to expect and to have a few tips ready to help you overcome any anxieties or trepidation you might feel about making such a big change in your life.
So, read on for some insider info and valuable company intel about how you can ensure you have the best chance of joining this great company.
First steps – research any company before applying
To be honest, if you’re reading this, you’re probably already halfway through step one, which should be to research the company.
No-one buys a house before doing a little market research. No one commits to a new partner without a little background information on who they are first – reality TV shows aside. And no one should make what could be a life altering decision about their career without doing a little research about the company they’re applying to first.
Obviously, we’re going to tell you that WORK180 is a wonderful platform for comparing employee benefits, and finding transparency about a company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Beyond the statistics and quota commitments, it’s also great to get a feel for the real human experiences at a company.
We’ve shared some fantastic stories about the people who love working at BHP:
- Want top-notch career development opportunities? Try mining!
- A fascinating peek into the life of a FIFO working parent
- Kids and careers in remote locations with BHP
- Experiencing accelerated learning in mining
- From a playground sandpit to an open pit mine
But, BHP also has an extremely comprehensive careers site. There are pages filled with information about the global opportunities they have available, even more great employee stories, as well as a whole page dedicated to their diversity and inclusion initiatives. It’s there you’d can discover more about the work of their dedicated employee network groups for LGBTQ+, disability, neurodiversity, and race. Or see the work towards gender balance within the organization, with the percentage of women within the organization doubling over the last eight years.
Now you know the company, get to know the roles available
A great entry point to see what’s available right now and to get a feel for the kinds of positions that might suit you, is the WORK180 jobs page. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, but want to keep an eye on new vacancies, you can also sign up to receive job alerts directly to your inbox.
It’s also a good idea to sign-on to the Inside BHP newsletter. This not only gives you some insights on positions and opportunities, but it also provides some education on the company and its operations, its developments, and processes, which might be valuable in your application process.
Taking every opportunity to continually research the company is a valuable tip. Not only can it help you directly in your understanding of where you might fit in at BHP, it gives you some reference points which might just give you an edge in the application process.
Once you’ve decided on your target position(s) – and remember it’s not just mining, we’re talking corporate, legal, sustainability, marketing, people and culture, and more. You’re now ready to click that apply button.
Could BHP be a workplace that works for you?
Discover more about their benefits and policies to find out.
What will happen after you click apply for a role at BHP?
Having found the role that works for you, you can then follow the format outlined by the company for the vacancy, provide your details and follow the steps advised by the recruitment team.
A common conundrum people face when first sending in their application, is if I need to have a cover letter prepared for this role? This is why we think it’s great that BHP state clearly on their website that,
“A cover letter is not required as part of the BHP application process. But if you wish to include one, submit it as part of the same document as your résumé/CV and uploaded as one file.”
In most cases, after successfully submitting your application, you’ll be very quickly sent an email invitation to take part in a virtual assessment.
In the modern landscape of hiring practices, video or virtual assessments offer a powerful avenue for fostering inclusivity and fairness in the recruitment process:
- They give individuals with disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, or other commitments – a fair chance to pursue opportunities despite any constraints or setbacks.
- It removes subjective and unconscious bias. Questions cannot be worded differently among candidates. And body language (like head nodding) can’t influence responses or confidence of the candidate.
- The addition of game-based assessments in this format also makes this process a more enjoyable experience, as much as a more accurate assessment of your skills and merits.
However, if these accommodations don’t help, BHP again makes it clear that they are open and interested in alternative approaches to help you be your best, offering a direct email address to contact – inclusion@bhp.com.
A top tip for anyone going into this stage, is to take a look at the checklists and explainer videos BHP provides for each step of the journey on their website.
Interviewing for a role at BHP
The anticipation at this point of the usual application process can be challenging. It’s a waiting game to know if you’ll make the next stage or not. But at BHP, you won’t find yourself stranded waiting for long.
BHP are great at communicating with their applicants. You’ll get emails updating you on each stage your assessment is at, and a few extra tips and pointers to help you too.
Then, when finally the email sharing your success comes through, you’ll be required to participate in one of, or a combination of, three basic interview sessions. These are in-person, online, and what are known as Engagement Centre interviews.
The first two are quite straight forward and like most job interview formats you will be familiar with. These interviews may be with more than one BHP representative.
The third possibility, the Engagement Centre, is a group session. It generally involves both an interview and a collective project in the session where participants engage in group or team-based activities or challenges to test their responses and aptitude for the role in question.
BHP recruiters were keen to tell us that they see these interviews, in whatever format, as a two-way process. Basically, their advice is, don’t think it’s just the interviewers finding out about you. This is just as much your chance to find out about the company.
Recruiters will give you plenty of chances to dig deeper into BHP and its operations, and to find out what you need so you can feel comfortable that this is a workplace that works for you.
The final steps as an applicant, and first steps on your path to success
After your initial interview, you may have a second interview, or you might progress through to pre-employment checks. This may include reference, medical and criminal checks, but the exact steps will depend on the role and location you are applying for. But like we said, BHP have a great system for keeping you up to date and clear on what and when you’ll need to provide anything at these stages.
If however, you aren’t successful to these final stages, we know it can be disheartening. It’s important to keep in mind that not being selected for this role doesn’t diminish your worth or potential for success. Your unique talents and capabilities remain valuable, and this particular outcome is simply a part of the journey toward finding the right fit.
And that right fit could still be with BHP in another role. Setting up a job alert is a great way to stay updated on future opportunities or explore more tips and suggestions for your career journey.
