Applicant Process; Generalized Steps - Curious on milestones through hiring process, some questions
Hello,
I have recently re-entered the job market (Talk about terrible timing), and I later received an email from my county saying I was accepted. I ended up chasing a separate lead so did not follow-up, so I got the normal rejection notice and a 1-year bar from applications.
Fast-forward two weeks, they email me again, except this is not automated, and said to disregard the rejection notice, my deadline was extended, to please fill out the same packets and follow up with them.
Yesterday, I completed both the packet and the follow-up initial assessment, and was immediately given a date to show up at the county for an in-person interview this same week. I am assuming this is the orientation interview?
Could you share what major milestones in this hiring process I should keep an eye on, and how to gauge the likelihood of this opportunity working out? For example, do most candidates wash after the first interview, what do you all find to be the most difficult portions of the process? Based on the information I shared, would you say this department is desperately trying to fill roles, and my odds are a bit stronger? How can I truly set myself ahead of the pack?
A bit about my professional background, I am a military infantry veteran, with a couple years spent in military police as well (familiarity with emergency services, dispatch etc), and I have a B.S in communications.
I started getting my FEMA and NDEMU certifications done for NIMS / ICS - among other courses like effective communicators, disaster certs. Before I dig into the longer hour courses, for successful candidates and current operators; ideally someone that works in or with hiring would you consider these to be beneficial to a candidate to have before the interview?
TL;DR
How can I stand out?
Are my odds good considering their deadline extensions?
Are NIMS/ICS/Disaster Communicator certs (all .gov), worth having?
Any training material or resources you can share with a potential candidate?
What should I be worried about, and what are the major milestones during the hiring process?
Rate the night shift vs day shift - Pros, Cons, general experiences. Is the differential worth pursuing?
Any key things interviewers look for during orientation and later interview stages?
Are pay scales / grades flexible, or is the posted pay the exact pay and not a flexible budget? Is this a negotiable number that I can say 'hey, look department in need, I have XYZ and 123; I'd like to be compensated a penny higher.' The reason I ask is that I would be taking a pay cut to come in as a Communications Officer I, and I am curious if, based on experience, we have an option to negotiate pay. They do not have a COII opening.
Appreciate you all. Hope to chat with some of you about it further. Feel free to drop reading material or resource links.