Working for Hawaii

There was plenty of interest in the dozen positions DLIR was recruiting for.

Our personnel office did a great job putting together the presentation and

the take away information for potential applicants

I participated in the Job Fair at the Capitol last week (That's me with the pony-tail).  WSD is still recruiting for one Labor Law Enforcement Specialist (LLES) position on Oahu, and we expect to have a vacancy in Kauai in early 2017.  I am always impressed with the range of qualified individuals who appear, what I am surprised at is the lack of understanding on how you get hired for a State civil service job in Hawaii.  I have worked in public service  for the people of Hawaii for about 26 years, part of that time as an exempt employee and part as a civil service employee.  It has taken me  a long time to figure out some of the most basic concepts, so I'd like to save potential employees some anguish and share some tips on how the State civil-service process operates in hopes that some very qualified people explore these opportunities  little bit harder.

Civil Service
There are usually lots of vacancies in the State, just go to the Department of Human Resources and Development's (DHRD) job site and you can see the list of all types of jobs.  Today the list showed 265 civil service jobs, the job we're recruiting for is there as of the writing of this blog, and still labeled "new", but was posted April 12.  Usually jobs have a limited open window, generally about 2 weeks.  That means an open job could be posted and removed in 2 weeks, so if you aren't checking regularly, you might miss the job of your dreams.  Our LLES position is also posted on our Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) website because it is a position exclusively found at the DLIR, unlike an Office Assistant position which can be found in all departments and agencies so you need to apply at the State DHRD site.

The application, whether on the Department website or the DHRD website can be lengthy and is the main piece of information that first evaluators will determine whether or not you meet the minimum qualifications (MQs) for an interview.  First evaluators are human resource individuals, so may not have the subject matter expertise someone in that particular area may have, so taking the time to fully explain your responsibilities to show you have the Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs), is worth it.  Be sure to specifically correlate your knowledge, skills and abilities with the position KSAs with examples. If you get on the interview list,  someone will contact you to set up a time, you'll be interviewed most likely by a panel of three.  The questions and grading of the practical exam, if there is one, are reviewed by the personnel office and an offer is made to the highest point-getter, assuming a minimum scoring threshold is reached.

Another important thing to understand about civil service jobs is that most of the higher positions are first offered internally to employees already working in the civil service system as opportunities for promotion.  If you really want a career in public service take the lower job, get in the system and then you can progress from the inside through Internal Vacancy Announcements (IVAs). Most positions are in series, like our LLES.  We generally have to hire from the outside at the entry level LLES I and then train individuals through the series to its full potential LLES IV.  Our series training usually takes at least 2 1/2 years to go from a LLES I to LLES IV.  Other positions may have different training periods. 

The pay scales and series descriptions can be found on the DHRD website under Classification and Compensation page.  See Classification Specification and Minimum Qualification Requirements.  Compensation is based on the determined Salary Range (SR), our LLES positions range from SR 16 for LLES I to SR 22 for LLES IV, which currently correlates to $38,772 to $72,648, annually.  These figures do not incorporate benefits which can be found on the DHRD website as well. (Note the retirement program currently takes 8% from an employee paycheck towards their individual retirement, returnable if you leave before you are vested or eligible for retirement.)

Exempt
Positions exempt from civil service usually don't have as rigorous a hiring process, and more closely resembles the private sector.  Exempt positions are also not part of the union but usually mirror many of the benefits that were collectively bargained for by the union and are usually "at-will" employees.  These are the type of positions that you may want to provide your resume to the head of the agency or person recruiting.

Finding open exempt positions is not as easy as the civil service positions, some may be advertised on the DHRD site, although most will have notices on the agency website or be word of mouth.  I was hired in my first State of Hawaii exempt position after cold-calling the legislative reference bureau (LRB) and asking about opportunities. I started working for them shortly thereafter as a part-time temporary job-sharer that lasted five years before I took a full time job with LRB.  So my advice is to make contacts in places you think would be a good fit for you and keep checking in.

A Rewarding Career
Whether you're looking for a first job or a change in career, working for the people of Hawaii can be a rewarding career.  Stay positive and ask for assistance.  The DLIR has a whole Division dedicated to Workforce Development that provides job search help and job training.  Contact them to see if you qualify for their assistance programs.  The 24/7 HireNet is always available free of charge.  Looking forward to meeting the new hires in the elevators!