How the Hiring Process Differs Between Federal, State, and Local Government Jobs
There are both similarities and differences in the hiring process between federal, state, and local government jobs.
The federal job hiring process is a very standardized procedure with set requirements and interview questions for jobs. It is a very formal process to ensure that all candidates are considered equally for the position.
Perhaps the major difference between federal, state, and local government hiring practices is the involvement of workers unions on the state and local level.
The state government hiring process is less formal, however U.S. states are required to comply with certain hiring criteria, such as standardized requirements or testing, when selecting individuals for certain positions. But hiring for other positions is more flexible allowing for referred candidates to be given higher preference over others.
Because many positions in state government fall under a union’s collective bargaining agreement, current union employees are given preference to positions over non-union employees and out-of-state applicants.
There are also positions within state government that do not fall under a union’s contract. They may have different employment applications, job titles and salaries than those of contract employees.
The hiring process within each municipality in a state is much like the hiring process for state government. If there is a union in the city or town, union employees receive first choice of a job opening. Otherwise, all candidates who meet the qualifications for a job opening are placed on an eligibility list and the hiring manager decides which candidates to interview. Often times, qualified candidates who are referred by a municipal employee, a local official, or a person with connections to local government are granted interviews and given a higher preference in the hiring decision.
With both state and local job openings, the Human Resources Department usually reviews all applications to confirm that they meet the required qualifications. Those that do are referred to the hiring manager of the agency, division, department, or unit within the job vacancy. The hiring manager then arranges for interviews with top candidates and makes the final hiring decision. Depending on the job, approval from other levels of government may be required.
