Hiring Without Competition in the BC Public Service. How Does It Work?
Some of the new hires(9's) in our department were brought in without a competition and are now being encouraged to apply externally for a subsequent posting.
I understand there may be circumstances where auxiliary employees can be hired without competition for up to six months. Does this practice apply across all classifications, or is it limited to certain positions? Who has the authority to approve these appointments?
Some of these hires also appear to have existing personal or family connections within the team. This raises questions about fairness, transparency, and equal access to opportunities.
Wouldn’t someone already working in the department have a significant advantage over external applicants competing for the subsequent posting?
Given how difficult it can be to get into the BC Public Service, I’d appreciate hearing from people familiar with the hiring policies. Is this a normal and legitimate practice, and what safeguards are in place to ensure fairness and prevent potential conflicts of interest?