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What to expect in a state government job interview

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wkilleffer

wkilleffer

Jedi Knight
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Hello everyone,

This may seem to be a strange question, but with this large and diverse group, someone here may have the answer.

I've had a bit of unemployment recently, so in addition to attending school, I've been looking at different job options. Until this year, I'd never given much consideration to getting a job with the state, but felt like I had nothing to lose by trying. So, I took the test required for the job, got the results back, and didn't think I'd done well enough to get an interview. But a couple of weeks later, I got another letter telling me to call in to schedule an interview. That's cool, but I've never interviewed for a government job before. The interview is scheduled for next Wednesday.

How does a government interview compare to a private sector interview? Some people have told me that they can be different, and the difference is often that the interviewer has to conduct the exact interview with all the candidates for the job, with little deviation.

Can anyone out there verify this?

The job is considered entry-level, though it does require a level IV security clearance due to some of the information that the employees access.

I feel like I have just as good a chance of landing this as anyone else, and would like to be able to ace the interview. But in order to do that, I need to be able to prepare for it. If you have been through the government interview process, I'd appreciate hearing your story if you care to tell it. You can PM or send an email if you'd be more comfortable. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you,
-Bill
 
wkilleffer said:
Hello everyone,

How does a government interview compare to a private sector interview? Some people have told me that they can be different, and the difference is often that the interviewer has to conduct the exact interview with all the candidates for the job, with little deviation.

Can anyone out there verify this?

Thank you,
-Bill
Click to expand...


Bill,

Good Luck with the interview! I've worked for two municipalities over the last 19 years.

Usually yes all the questions asked have to be the same for all applicants. If not someone will claim discrimination. They can be asked in a different order though and depending on your answer it could lead the interviewer to a different set of follow up questions for clarification of your answer. Situational questions are usually the norm.
 
I don't know about state level, but I bet it's a lot like federal job interviews. They have to follow certian procedures, but mine was just like any other job interview. If they tell you that you job will entail pumping sewage off of airplanes in Alaska at midnight, act like you can't wait to get started. Just keep your nose clean and DON"T DO ANYTHING STUPID!!!!!!! Otherwise just be yourself. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
yep, be yourself. No way to prepare.
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

Basicaly it`s what impression you make on the interviewer as a person,
Having said that, when I got hired as a welder for the U.S. Govt. I really, in all reality was no where near qualified for the job. I went in for the interview with a straight forward attitude and told the interviewer exactly what experiance I had in welding, which at the time was very little with the exception of some welding courses I had taken. I also told him I was eager to learn and willing to work very hard.
His response was, "you know what"? All of the others I have interviewed have come in here and tried to seem like they were the best welders in the world and have had "Cocky attitudes"
I like your honesty and i`m going to give you a chance, come to orientation on monday.
His statement nearly floored me!
My best advice is like the others, Be yourself, don`t boast,
be sencere, If you can get a smile out of the interviewer you are on your way.
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

AweMan said:
Basicaly it`s what impression you make on the interviewer as a person,
Having said that, when I got hired as a welder for the U.S. Govt. I really, in all reality was no where near qualified for the job. I went in for the interview with a straight forward attitude and told the interviewer exactly what experiance I had in welding, which at the time was very little with the exception of some welding courses I had taken. I also told him I was eager to learn and willing to work very hard.
His response was, "you know what"? All of the others I have interviewed have come in here and tried to seem like they were the best welders in the world and have had "Cocky attitudes"
I like your honesty and i`m going to give you a chance, come to orientation on monday.
His statement nearly floored me!
My best advice is like the others, Be yourself, don`t boast,
be sencere, If you can get a smile out of the interviewer you are on your way.
Click to expand...

I thought that attitude might have alot to do with it. I'm not a cocky person by nature, and tend to come across as level-headed. As far as qualifications go, I might meet them, but might not exceed them. The position's at one of the local driver's license office. Seems like the first stage of the job is working behind a counter helping take license applications, renewals, and handling the people's money. I worked in retail for several years during high school and college, so I feel like that part's not a problem.

The part that worries me just a bit is that I've had several jobs in the past three years, not completely by my own choice. The most recent one, in-bound customer service for a small company, let me go after a year because they said they wanted to go in a different direction with the job and they didn't think I was the one they wanted for that. I think some of it's that I've made some bad choices in employers, but couldn't help it as I needed the job and thought I had something to offer. That's part of why I'm back in school, but that's neither here nor there. I just hate having to explain it.
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

Not exceeding the qualifications is a good thing. Employers as a rule dont want to hire someone that is overly qualified. The reason is the employer figures that an over qualified person is just there temporarily and will, as soon as he/she finds a job they are qualified for will move on.
I have in the past omitted from refrencing some previous employers that I knew would give me a bad refrence.
The problem with that is, with the State or Feds, they want an employment history and gaps in employment don`t fare to well.
However I did put "unemployed" in those "Gaps" and it seemed to work. But then those two employers were very short term jobs too. {One I actualy told him to shove it you know where and the other I just one day never went back. Actually I went to work for the Fed. Govt.
I lasted 30+ years there but then it was no picnic by any means the job itself was a no problem, great job as far as work goes. But the Politics O.M.G. PLEASE give me a break!
If you can overlook the political aspect of a state or fed job you`ll do great.
Kerry
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

Be careful with those "gaps". I have seen several people fired from their jobs because they omitted something. Usually something small, but be careful it doesn't come back and bite you.
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

Any gaps I have are due to unemployment, and off the top of my head, aren't more than 3 or 4 months long. That's only happened a couple of times.

I don't think that any of my previous jobs would give me a bad reference. A close friend got me the most recent one in customer service and gave me permission to use him as the site contact rather than my supervisor. The job before that let me go because they didn't have enough for me to do, and I wasn't the only one with that problem. I was self-employed for a bit before that, but didn't like it, and prior to that was four years with an insurance company.

I don't feel like I have anything to hide employment-wise, yet at the same time, the questionaire asks something I wish it didn't.

While I would like to finish my masters, I feel like this position is something I could do well, and who knows where it could go.
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

you have to be an improvement on the people we have at our local BMV, which is a political job. Hiring is influenced by who you know and how you voted in the last primary. You even need a recommendation from your local precinct committee person. They have a form to fill out for this, requiring that persons signature. My wife, who is a comittee person, signs an average of one of these a month for some job or other.
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

ccougill said:
you have to be an improvement on the people we have at our local BMV, which is a political job. Hiring is influenced by who you know and how you voted in the last primary. You even need a recommendation from your local precinct committee person. They have a form to fill out for this, requiring that persons signature. My wife, who is a comittee person, signs an average of one of these a month for some job or other.
Click to expand...

I was kind of surprised that ours isn't that way. I saw the job on the state's website and decided to apply. The application asks alot about education and work experience. They invited me to take the test, and I took it up in Nashville, and didn't think my results were high enough to warrant an interview. There'a a formula for determining who gets an interview that I don't completely understand. But a couple of weeks later, I got a packet in the mail asking me to call and schedule an interview with the manager at the office. The letter in the packet told me how much money the job pays and some expectations about how the job might require late afternoon work, and how I could get transferred to another office if this one doesn't have enough work. I also should expect to take a drug test. There's a form I have to fill out, and they want copies of the application and my college transcript and/or high school diploma. The interview is Wednesday morning.

None of this means that I'll get the job. It could end up being a political thing. We all know that governments don't always hire the best person for the job.
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

they post the jobs around here also but usually know who is gonna get it before they do. good luck!
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

Another question if I may:

Do you mention a scheduled vacation during an interview, or not until you have an offer in hand?

Back before I was let go from my previous job, we scheduled a week's vacation in the month of July. We saved for it, so we don't feel the need to cancel it just because I'm unemployed. It's the first trip like this that we've been able to do in three years, and we both feel like we need it with what all has gone on in the last couple of years.

If we needed to, we're still in the time period where we could cancel or reschedule without losing our deposit. We're willing to reschedule to later in the summer or even early September if needed. But we don't want to cancel unless there's no other way. It would be disappointing.

So, how would you handle this?

Thanks,
-Bill
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

I'd wait until an offer was made. When I was last on the market, I went through a bit of interview coaching and it was suggested to leave the details like specifics on benefts/pay until an offer was made. It's not unheard of to have a previous vacation in the works -- we just hired someone at the school district in that very position.

If they ask about it, or about when you could start, that might be a time when it would be good to bring it up.

Just one man's opinion. Good luck!
 
Re: What to expect in a state government job inter

This actually happened to me when I was offered a position on June 29th and told to start on July 1. I told them after I accepted the offer that I could not start until July 13th.

I would not mention vacation. I believe I used the term personal business or personal matters to take care of prior to actually starting employment and only after the job offer was made.

First off they may not even hire you until the vacation is over. Secondly, they may hire you to a close enough start date that you can give them a delayed start date for after you get back from vacation. If you are hired close enough to your scheduled vacation I would tell em you have some personal business to take care of and nothing more.
 
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