RE: Midrange Knowledge test

[QSRVBAS <qsrvbas@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

midrange-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

>   3. Re: Midrange Knowledge test (James H. H. Lampert)
>
> All levels of Civil Service, from Federal down to the local school
> districts, have been largely on a mandatory competitive exam basis for
> permanent hires for decades now. It works extremely well. Most civil
> servants I know are extremely well qualified, and dedicated enough to
> stick with their jobs despite pay rates that are often much lower than
> what they might find in the private sector.

The best I've run into was a municipal government IS interview 
procedure. The group that resulted was very close, partially because we 
all knew everyone had run that guantlet and succeeded. It was also a 
very good group.

And after some 12 years working city/county/state positions, it's nice 
to see a positive comment about civil servants. The single biggest issue 
I saw was that every few years, you have a total change at the top. New 
philosophies, "new" solutions, out with the old, in with the new. Drop 
all your plans and schedules and start over. Completely. "We have a 
mandate from the people!"

Once you've been through a couple such cycles, you realize you'd started 
in that direction a number of years ago... hmmm... don't those plans 
still exist? Dust 'em off and spruce 'em up. There's no chance of any 
other way to get it looking like it's gonna fly before the next 
legislative session/council meeting/planning commission hearing on the 
subject.

It's no wonder government bogs down. It doesn't matter if the civil 
servants are good. So much for tests there. (Personal thought only; I've 
learned to respect civil service.)

Tom Liotta

--
Tom Liotta
The PowerTech Group, Inc.
19426 68th Avenue South
Kent, WA 98032
Phone  253-872-7788 x313
Fax    253-872-7904
http://www.powertech.com