There are processes in place that require multiple units within an agency and other units outside an agency that all have a piece of the hiring process. You have an agency generate a personnel action request from the unit that needs the help. The agency HR and Fiscal teams need to review it. Funding for the position must be secured, usually with input from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). DCAS needs to participate in providing hiring lists or generating tests if needed. Decisions on whether to hire provisionally or wait for a test need to be considered.
A potential candidate can get very frustrated because they usually can’t see these processes in action and it may seem that nothing is moving.
Keep these 5 “P’s” in mind that will help in understanding the hiring process and perhaps reduce your anxiety while awaiting responses from the city.
Posting
When you apply for jobs make sure you THOUROUGHLY read the posting.
Let’s use this for an example:
Do you have the years of experience (Under Minimum Qual Requirements)? Do they expect that you have taken a city exam (Under Additional Information)? Can you provide a receipt? Can you meet the residency requirement and are you ok with it? If it requires that you live in the city you will be asked to provide proof.
The same goes for the Notice of Examination. If you file to take a test make sure you can meet the requirements as listed. It might have some leeway where the requirements are needed by time of appointment. Others may require the experience by the date of filing. Each NOE is different and must be read thoroughly.
Pay
The pay is usually non-negotiable. Even though in this Auto Mechanic example there appears to be a range, I’m confident there is a number that has already been selected by the agency. If, by some chance, it does offer a range you MUST get the best deal at the time of offer! This is especially important if you are looking at a management title (Auto Mechanic is not). Merit raises are extremely rare and bonuses are non-existent. The deal you cut is the deal you will live with. For a long time.
Prepare
If called in for an interview make sure you prepare ahead of time. Bring multiple copies of your latest resume. If you need proof that you took a particular exam, bring it. Figure out how to get to the interview location: will you take mass transit and how close is it to the location? Is there parking? On the street or is there a parking garage?
Dress like you want the job! Unless they advise you otherwise, dress professionally. Expect several people from the agency to attend the interview. In my last interview I had three persons in the room and two on a conference call.
Persistence
If you took an Education and Experience test and was deemed unqualified by DCAS, you may want to appeal it and defend it. Perhaps you provided too much information. Maybe you could have provided a better explanation for certain experiences. Make sure you check out my posting on how to handle this – it seemed to have helped several colleagues turn around disqualifications – once they knew how to phrase their experience where DCAS could understand it.
If you took a multiple choice exam, you can file a protest if you thought a particular question or two had a better answer – and can prove it. Although filing a protest “sounds” harsh, it will not be held against you in any way. You may want to do this for a few reasons. If you’re called down to review the question you might get a peek at all of the answers and get a better idea where you scored. If they accept your explanation for your particular question it may get you that extra point needed to get an edge on the list. The protest process is a bit detailed. You can get more information on paper and pencil multiple choice tests here and for CTAC tests here .
Patience
A friend of mine, who was a former boss, had an expression that he used regularly and was very accurate.
“The wheels of the city turn very slowly, but they do turn”.
I see many concerns from candidates who think they have been forgotten. They file for a job posting and get no call. Or there is an initial contact from someone from the agency and then nothing. Or they receive a DCAS Notice of Results in the mail and never hear from anyone.
Now, don’t misunderstand this. Until you get a real confirmed offer from DCAS or the agency’s HR department, you can’t assume anything. Do not leave your job until told to do so; there is no contract or commitment from the city just because they spoke with you and/or you passed a test.
But, if you sat for an interview and the hiring manager is ok with it, you can periodically check in to see if there are any updates. Sometimes things change along the way – budgets change, the agency restructures internally, positions close. This happened to me many times. I felt bad for the candidates but it was out of my hands. I recall interviewing several candidates for a particular position; one who flew in from Florida to meet me. Just as I was going to select a candidate, I was advised that the position was closed.
In most cases though it’s just the long hiring process. Once a candidate is selected it might go through HR and Fiscal again and maybe even another check for OMB funding. Background checks, credential checks, reference checks, all gears in the wheels that turn.
The process is s-l-o-w… of all things you must be patient. Typically – TYPICALLY – from interview to hire is 4 to 6 months. It could be shorter or it could be much longer. A list that is generated from a test usually lasts for four years. It is not unheard of for an agency to call a 3 year old list. And then, if someone is selected, run those 4 to 6 months more for the processing.
The reward is worth it though – once you’re hired you have access to benefits, savings and pension plans, medical and dental.
And a career of providing public service – a career that you can be very proud of.
Comments and questions are welcomed below.
