182 Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofi t Organizations
Before recruitment for candidates begins, the human resources man-
agement (HRM) recruiter and the unit manager should review the quali-
fi cations needed for the vacant position or positions. This review enables
them to identify the KSAOCs they will be looking for in the applicants,
and it will guide them in developing an accurate job bulletin or advertise-
ment. They should also identify different career patterns that can fi t within
the department or agency ’ s framework. Many prospective employees have
different expectations, needs, and interests from previous generations,
which means agencies must offer a wider variety of employer - employee
relationships and recruit differently (U.S. Offi ce of Personnel Manage-
ment, 2006).
There is good news for public and nonprofi t employers and prospec-
tive employees. In 2007, Congress enacted the College Cost Reduction
and Access Act of 2007, which makes college more affordable. That part
of the act received much attention. The law also contains a measure that
provides special relief to those who enter the public and nonprofi t sec-
tors. The Education for Public Service Act allows graduates with direct
federal loans and consolidated federal loans to obtain immediate reduc-
tions in their monthly payments as well as loan forgiveness after ten years
in public service. A public sector job is defi ned as a full - time job in which
the employer is a federal, state, or local government agency or intergovern-
mental authority, or an organization that is described in Section 501(c)(3)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under
Section 501(a) of such act.Internal Recruitment
Public sector agencies often look at current staff fi rst to fi ll vacancies. In
fact, many public agencies give extra credit or points to employees already
working for the organization. In some cases, there may be collective bar-
gaining agreements in place that stipulate that incumbent employees should
receive preferential consideration. Preference for incumbent employees
may also exist in many nonprofi t agencies in which program stability and
connections to the community and funding sources are important. In these
cases, employers fi rst consider the internal labor market.
For internal recruitment to work, agencies need to be proactive and
incorporate strategic planning into their human resources practices. Orga-
nizations need to track the KSAOCs needed for the various jobs within the
organization. Employees who possess those needed skills, whether adminis-
trative, managerial, or technological, should be identifi ed. Human resources