Usually fewer than a dozen applicants are chosen for any particular job. Appointments for interviews are normally arranged by telephone within four weeks of the application deadline. Interviews are held in person, or by telephone for candidates who are far away. A representative of the agency's Affirmative Action unit may or may not be present. Questions are intended to review qualifications and experience, as well as to assess technical and communication skills.
Candidates are free to ask questions.
A short narrative is prepared about each candidate to assess and compare qualifications and to explain the order of preference. These narratives are used internally in the approval process and are generally not made available to the candidates. The approval process begins. At each level of approval, the list may or may not undergo a reordering of the candidates. Approval is usually the most time-consuming phase of the state hiring process, taking anywhere from a few weeks to up to three months from the time of the last interview.