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Anyone work for your local government?

chihlidog

chihlidog

Senior member
If so, please share with me your hiring process.

I'm anxiously waiting to hear back after an interview last week. If I get this job, it would be a one and done deal, I'd retire from it and the salary would be, by my standards, excellent.

It's driving me batty just waiting, not knowing.
 
One thing to consider is that the position you interviewed for may already be "filled" internally. They still have to go through the process of posting the job opening and interviewing candidates even though they already know that they are going to fill the position with a person already working for them in another department. Hopefully that is not the case for the position you interviewed for but it is very common in local government but at least the interview allows you to meet people and make an impression so you can keep applying as new positions are posted.

This actually happened to me when I did my first interview to work for the school system. They had a person internally they knew was going to fill that position but legally had to post the job and interview candidates. When a different position opened 2 months later I interviewed and was given an offer the same day as one of the people that interviewed me had been part of the team that interviewed me for the previous position.
 
it took me like a month to hear back from an interview (fed).. local is prob the same.

as far as the job being filled already, that can be true - usually on usajobs.gov if the position only was 1 single spot - then there's prob someone already picked out -BUT doesn't necessarily mean that you can't jump over them and get the job yourself.
 
dbk said:
it took me like a month to hear back from an interview (fed).. local is prob the same.

as far as the job being filled already, that can be true - usually on usajobs.gov if the position only was 1 single spot - then there's prob someone already picked out -BUT doesn't necessarily mean that you can't jump over them and get the job yourself.
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Don't the Feds use some kind of point system as part of the hiring process? I have lived in the DC area my entire life and never have figured out the Fed's hiring process. I always found it easier to work for them as a contractor.
 
Linflas said:
One thing to consider is that the position you interviewed for may already be "filled" internally. They still have to go through the process of posting the job opening and interviewing candidates even though they already know that they are going to fill the position with a person already working for them in another department. Hopefully that is not the case for the position you interviewed for but it is very common in local government but at least the interview allows you to meet people and make an impression so you can keep applying as new positions are posted.

This actually happened to me when I did my first interview to work for the school system. They had a person internally they knew was going to fill that position but legally had to post the job and interview candidates. When a different position opened 2 months later I interviewed and was given an offer the same day as one of the people that interviewed me had been part of the team that interviewed me for the previous position.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I know all too well how often there are internal candidates or candidates already otherwise chosen.

My resume is VERY well suited to this position, and my interview went fairly well. 2 people there and made a great connection with each of them at different points, so even if there IS an internal candidate, I feel I still have an outside chance.
 
momeNt said:
What relative do you have in government already? Or are you government virgin?
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No relatives for local government. My dad has worked for the state for 30 years, but that will not affect my chances either way.

My city has a nepotism policy which prevents direct relatives from assuming positions most of the time.
 
Not sure what the US of A does, but it's probably similar to what they do in Canada.

Long story short, hardcore anti-<whatever> policies in place that obviously don't work perfectly or get circumvented anyways, "by the book" interviews, HR reviews and approvals, etc. The idea behind it all is to be completely fair and based on merit. You can guess how it works out in reality.
 
Imp said:
Not sure what the US of A does, but it's probably similar to what they do in Canada.

Long story short, hardcore anti-<whatever> policies in place that obviously don't work perfectly or get circumvented anyways, "by the book" interviews, HR reviews and approvals, etc. The idea behind it all is to be completely fair and based on merit. You can guess how it works out in reality.
Click to expand...

I assure you I am under no illusons about the difficulty of getting hired without someone on the inside. I do think there is a chance, however. Killing me to wait and see. I think if there ISNT an internal candidate, I probably DO have the job, If there IS someone internal, then of course I'm up the creek.
 
Those merit/fairness policies and scoring systems work both ways... One government manager told me that if they weren't evaluating for a specific skill, which would come in very handy, they couldn't give points or base a hiring decision off that.

Also, if the merit policy is followed by the book, a 60 year old with tons of experience and capability about to retire could have a very good chance.

The takeaway I got was that managers tried very hard to avoid being sued by people who didn't get the job.
 
Never worked for the local government, but I did work for a local public utility...that was considered under California law to be a quasi-governmental agency. (they had rights to eminent domain among other things)
Their hiring process was quite convoluted. First, MOST non-entry level jobs were posted in-house. If no one met the qualifications then the job was re-posted for the public to apply as well. Application process usually took two weeks...then for "working" jobs, there was a preliminary interview...if that went well, you had to take a written test...if you passed that, there was usually a "field test" where your skills were tested...then the final interview in front of a panel of management. In all, it took about two months from application to final interview...and your start date could be anywhere from the next day to 60 days out...depending on the needs of the department and the applicant's status. (giving notice to current employer)
 
BoomerD said:
Never worked for the local government, but I did work for a local public utility...that was considered under California law to be a quasi-governmental agency. (they had rights to eminent domain among other things)
Their hiring process was quite convoluted. First, MOST non-entry level jobs were posted in-house. If no one met the qualifications then the job was re-posted for the public to apply as well. Application process usually took two weeks...then for "working" jobs, there was a preliminary interview...if that went well, you had to take a written test...if you passed that, there was usually a "field test" where your skills were tested...then the final interview in front of a panel of management. In all, it took about two months from application to final interview...and your start date could be anywhere from the next day to 60 days out...depending on the needs of the department and the applicant's status. (giving notice to current employer)
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Interesting....sometimes my city will post jobs that are ONLY for current employees. This one, of course, wasnt. I wonder if that means there really isnt an internal candidate. That would be....incredible. I'd say my chances are good at that point.

I made the eligibility list based on my resume, then made the interview stage. Oddly, I signed release forms for background checks which typically are sent (per written city policy) with a conditional offer packet. I'm hoping I have a good shot.
 
Linflas said:
Don't the Feds use some kind of point system as part of the hiring process? I have lived in the DC area my entire life and never have figured out the Fed's hiring process. I always found it easier to work for them as a contractor.
Click to expand...

Yes from my experience, they award points based on various things (being a veteran, having a graduate degree, being certified, etc.). Often times, you're required to fill out a questionnaire where your answers based on a number scale as well (1 to 5). Then the hiring manager will refer the top candidate to the agency HR person). I think that's the way it's usually done.
 
chihlidog said:
Unfortunately, I know all too well how often there are internal candidates or candidates already otherwise chosen.

My resume is VERY well suited to this position, and my interview went fairly well. 2 people there and made a great connection with each of them at different points, so even if there IS an internal candidate, I feel I still have an outside chance.
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Yea same thing with me.. I thought I had the job! but alas, no callback.. I did get a notification saying that I didn't get the job like 7 months after the interview from USAJOBS.. LOL
 
chihlidog said:
I assure you I am under no illusons about the difficulty of getting hired without someone on the inside. I do think there is a chance, however. Killing me to wait and see. I think if there ISNT an internal candidate, I probably DO have the job, If there IS someone internal, then of course I'm up the creek.
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What kind of job is it? What are your qualifications?
 
Rakehellion said:
What kind of job is it? What are your qualifications?
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Administrator (not I.T. administrator, public administrator).

I've worked for a minor constituency for many years. I know city codes, I have small office experience, I've managed staff, I've directed public space management efforts, I know the workings of most City agencies already, written, and published RFPs and overseen implementation of the resulting contracts including the negotiation, tracked statistical data and broken it down for annual reporting, and various other things. I already report to a psuedo-tax-paying membership base. My writing skills are top-notch (when not posting on AT, of course), and I have name recognition within the community which would be beneficial to then represent the City department I applied for. (This is part of the job description.)

The job would be a different focus but require many of the same skills.
 
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I've been looking hoping to find something, I would love to work for a local government if they had a good opening. People I've spoken to say they have great benefits but it can be very difficult to get in the door. Trying to find someone I know who has an inside track.
 
It's usually who ya know and how high up they are a lot of times in a lot of these things.

Not to be jaded about it, but it is a bit pathetic, as I have never pursued that one myself.

Even when I was on Unemployment for the first time in my life, I was amazed at a few of the people I see in these jobs that don't do much everyday.

I still get calls from the uncoordinated VA guys sitting on their ass pulling down a paycheck, a year and a half after I got my last one, a year after I gotten one a decent one, asking me if I had found one yet.

Then he started asking me for details and I hung up.
 
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I've had a few state jobs, not local. In my experience and from what I've seen it comes down to what number are you in terms of interviewees, if they already have an internal candidate picked out and are just playing the game, and exactly how bad they want you. Assuming there are no internals, no problems with the funding or position, and you were the last one to get interviewed then 2 weeks to 5 weeks to get contacted. If you were the first one they called, be ready to wait.
 
chihlidog said:
If so, please share with me your hiring process.

I'm anxiously waiting to hear back after an interview last week. If I get this job, it would be a one and done deal, I'd retire from it and the salary would be, by my standards, excellent.

It's driving me batty just waiting, not knowing.
Click to expand...

Don't hold your breath. The job was already promised to someone's brothers cousin
 
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