Case Study: Recruitment, Selection, and Promotion

1. My name is Rebecca Anderson; I am a Public Administration major at CSU Chico. My

anticipated graduation date is Fall 2018. I transferred to CSU Chico from Shasta

Community College in Spring 2017. While I attended Shasta, I made the Dean’s List and

graduated with honors. At CSU Chico, I have also made the Dean’s List. I am a member

of the Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society. I am currently interning as a paralegal intern at

Community Legal Information Center (CLIC). Through writing intensive courses I have

sharpened my research and analytical skills. I have been fortunate to research my area of

interest: homelessness. Through different research projects regarding homelessness, I

have come to understand the issue better, and discovered beneficial solutions and

policies, such as Housing First. As I am in my senior year at CSU Chico, I have been

utilizing the Career Center; it is my goal to find a career by the time I graduate.

2. As I will be graduating soon, I looked up Tehama County government jobs. I would love

to work at Tehama County Community Action Agency, which is a division of Tehama

County Social Services. I have four years of experience with the P.A.T.H. Homeless

Shelter in Red Bluff. Working with the Community Action Agency would allow me to

make a career out of my passion: serving the homeless community.

The contextual parts of a case manager include: interviewing clients to assess their needs

to identify and provide social services; assess reports; develop and carry out treatment

plans; refer clients to other community resources for direct services; interpret agency

policies, rules, and regulations to clients; participate in training and staff development

activities; provide community outreach; and maintain client confidentiality (Merit

Systems Services, 2018).

Contextual factors were not the only things listed on the job posting. The competencies

required for a case manager is one of two options: Either graduation from a four year

college, or at least thirty college credits completed in social or behavioral sciences, and at

least one year of full-time experience working in Social Services (Merit Systems

Services, 2018). The competencies listed are objective.

The job description is straightforward; it does not convey attitudes or beliefs; this may be

due to this being a merit systems job. Our chapter says that "the acquisition function

reflects conflict among the competing values of responsiveness, efficiency, individual

rights, and social equity as the basis of allocating public jobs. The goal of most public

employers is to hire and promote those with the best knowledge, skills/abilities, and

personal attributes to perform the job" (Llorens et al, 194). I think that the job description

of the case manager for Community Action Agency is in line with this statement. It is a

merit systems job; they have testing as part of the acquisition process.

While it is clear that testing is part of the application process, it is not clear that social

equity or demographic changes are a priority for hiring. What the site does say at the

bottom is: "Equal Opportunity Employer / American with Disabilities Act Compliant /

Veterans' Preference Policy / Drug-Free Work Place" (Merit Systems Services, 2018).

However, our text states that demographic shifts are taking place in the work field:

"Demographic shifts taking place within the American work-force represent some of the

most critical challenges for public employers seeking to maintain a stable employment

base" (Llorens et al, 180).

Demographic shifts may not be obvious on the job listing. However, the job description

lists contextual factors which our text defines as "important but non-task related factors
connected to productivity in the work environment" (Llorens et al, 181). An example of a

contextual factor is conflict resolution skills. Web- based recruitment is utilized more

today: "The contemporary recruitment environment, however, is characterized by an

increasing reliance on agency and third-party recruitment websites that permit employers

to reach a much larger applicant base" (Llorens et al, 188). I found this job posting on the

web. Test validation is "any device used to separate qualified from unqualified

applicants for selection or promotion" (Llorens et al, 193). As part of the application

process for a case manager with Community Action Agency, you have to take a test.

So, yes there will be a test required to attain this position. Our chapter states that social

equity advocates are in favor of tests: "In seeking to remove barriers to equal opportunity

based on discriminatory hiring criteria, social equity advocates have been responsible for

general acceptance of the merit system principle that job applicants are to be chosen on

the basis of job-related criteria" (Llorens et al, 193).

Testing is part of the application process for this merit systems position. The selection

method will come after the application process of a potential employee. Our test states

that selection methods vary (Llorens et al, 187). Of the four methods described in our

chapter, Community Action Agency uses two: web-based recruitment and outsourcing. I

described the web-based recruitment above. Outsourcing may eliminate personnel

services. Our chapter states that "[organizations] are likely to use employment services

for hiring temporary employees, or executive search firms for professional and

managerial recruitment" (Llorens et al, 189). On the homepage for Community Action

Agency, it directs perspective employees to the Merit Systems Services site as well as the

Tehama County Job Training Center.

 3. Community Action Agency may use the two selection methods. I wonder how long the

whole recruitment process takes. I also wonder at what point I should start applying. Do I

need to wait until I have my degree, or can I state I am earning it?

Merit Systems Services. 2018. "Job Class Title Case Manager." cpshr.us Accessed April 6, 2018.

https://secure1.cpshr.us/mss_jobs/JobClassDetails.aspx?Postings=1513