Recruitment and Selection in the Public and Nonprofi t Sectors 185Despite the well - deserved criticism of centralized personnel offi ces,
they have begun to change with the times. Technology has made infor-
mation more accessible to job seekers. Personal - computer - based kiosks
provide job seekers with current job information at the touch of a fi n-
ger. At the federal level, job seekers can access USAJobs, an automated
employment information system in which all federal jobs are announced
by telephone, fax, personal computer, and touch-screen kiosks. This system
includes vacancy announcements and application forms and is available
around the clock. Applicants can search for job opportunities using a vari-
ety of criteria, such as job title, key word, agency location, and pay. They
can create a federal r é sum é , store it on the site, and in some instances use
it to apply for multiple federal jobs (U.S. Merit System Protection Board,
2008). The U.S. Merit System Protection Board surveyed new employees
to determine if different recruitment strategies attract different types of
applicants. It compared the responses of new employees under thirty years
of age to those over thirty years of age. For both groups, the largest num-
ber of survey respondents found out about their job through a friend or
relative. New employees thirty years and older relied on the Internet, using
USAJobs and agency Web sites. New employees under thirty years of age
relied on college - related sources such as job fairs and college placement
offi ces. Federal agencies can access USACareers, an automated package
that they can use to help employees affected by downsizing to determine
training needs, develop career paths, and fi nd new jobs.Recruiting for Local Governments and Nonprofi ts
Recruitment efforts for local governments and nonprofi t organizations
should begin with a review of the competencies and skill levels of the posi-
tions that need to be fi lled. After these elements have been identifi ed, the
government or agency needs to develop a recruitment plan and target
the local, regional, or national labor market. Clerical, trade, and techni-
cal positions can typically be fi lled by the local or regional labor market.
Executive, scientifi c, and medical positions such as executive directors of
nonprofi ts, directors of development, city managers, police chiefs, and
directors of large departments such as personnel, community development,
public health, and fi nance may be recruited nationally. Some national
recruitment sources used by the public and nonprofi t sectors are general
professional journals and newsletters such as the PA Times, International City
Manager ’ s Association (ICMA) Newsletter, IPMA - HR Nonprofi t Times , and the
Chronicle of Philanthropy. They are also available in digital versions.