There is a form of corruption in City Government that is insidious and is undermining the Civil Service process. As a tax payer, you have the right to expect that individuals being hired and promoted within the Civil Service Process are the best candidates, the most qualified, the best bang for your tax payer’s buck. All too often this is not true, due to a form of corruption known as favoritism. Here is how a works
Hiring: A person who has enough power and influence can engineer the hiring process to ensure that a friend is selected over a more viable candidate. The can be don because the hiring authority permits that influential person to write the job specifications. Those specifications will be written in such a way that the friend” become very qualified. The same influential person then inserts him or her self into the selection process up to and including interviewing and recommending. That person then writes, or causes to be written, the hiring recommendation, with the friend as the first choice. From that point forward the recommendation is rubber stamped as approved because those who must approve make an erroneous assumption that the recommendation is ethically being made.
Promoting: Should a manager of a work group desire to see a member of that work group promoted, here is what must be done. First step is to create the position. Second step is to create specifications for that position that is written so as to include the desired candidate and exclude all others. The final step is then to recommend the promotion. From that point forward the aforementioned rubber stamping occurs, just as in the hiring process.
The Civil Service process is designed to ensure a fair and balanced methodology for hiring and promoting employees. Unfortunately, this process is all too frequently sidestepped through a process called “Exceptional Appointment”. With exceptional appointment, an exam is not required to show aptitude or qualification for hiring. With exceptional appointment, an exam is not required for the promotion. The is no competition or effort made to find the most qualified candidate for the position.
Favoritism is corruption pure and simple. We as taxpayers have the right to expect the most qualified person is hired and the most qualified person is promoted. THIS JUST AIN’T HAPPENING!. Wake up Civil Service Commission, the wool has been pulled over your eyes for way to long. It is time to eliminate the exceptional appointment concept. It is time to get back to entrance exams and promotional exams. There is a big difference between Exceptional Appointment and Appointing the Exceptional.
These are my thoughts, what are yours?