Disclaimer: This is a user generated content submitted by a member of the WriteUpCafe Community. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of WriteUpCafe. If you have any complaints regarding this post kindly report it to us.

The political appointment process is one that involves an individual with both government and private sector experience. As political appointees are generally higher-ranking and already have strong ties to their departments, it is not unknown for them to be more willing to work in order to move up through the ranks. However, if they do not enjoy their position, they can often choose to resign. This allows a new administration to find an alternative candidate with similar credentials.

The process of political appointments begins with the process of reviewing personal resumes. Candidates will undergo a background and security clearance review in order to gain an appointment. The review involves both the prospective candidate and the current administration. Candidates who are unable to gain an appointment through this process will then seek to gain employment within the private sector. Government jobs are more likely to be offered to those individuals with a high level of education and a major in security clearance. Candidates seeking security clearance will be required to undergo polygraph testing and take a psychological evaluation.

The security clearance portion of the political appointment process includes a questionnaire that must be filled out by each potential candidate. This questionnaire will ask about such things as criminal history, economic history, and other questions dealing directly with the job. Additionally, security clearance checks will frequently include a polygraph test. Candidates will also be required to undergo a psychological assessment. These two steps make it possible to check the potential candidate's suitability for the position in question. While each administration will have different methods for choosing their cabinet, there are certain qualities that every individual should possess.

A political appointee should be highly qualified for the position. This means that they must have a complete understanding of the job that they are being appointed to, as well as the requirements of the position. Additionally, they should be highly knowledgeable regarding the specific responsibilities of their position and the ramifications that stem from their decisions. Candidates should be willing to undergo thorough questioning, especially in the ethics and reconciliation section of the review.

Another way that agencies must ensure that they are meeting their Merit System principles is that they hire individuals who are extremely experienced. There is nothing worse than having an inexperienced political appointee in charge of an important agency. Moreover, if the agency is going to use an election as their method of selecting their cabinet, then they should use an election as their way to ensure that the best individuals are selected. Therefore, political influence shouldn't be a part of this process. Instead, candidates that are seeking political appointment must undergo a comprehensive background review. Candidates who are looking for these types of positions should undergo a criminal background check, a financial review, and a review of their personal conduct and character.

Vacancies that are left open for an extended period of time may also violate Merit System principles. It is absolutely unacceptable for an appointing authority to knowingly leave their open positions empty because they are unwilling to fill them. This is an unethical and illegal act. If an appointing authority does not feel that they have sufficient time to adequately fill the position, they should make it clear to their staff that they expect the employee to begin the interviewing process within 60 days. Otherwise, it is perfectly acceptable for them to leave the post open.

In addition to fulfilling its duty to investigate an employee's professional history, an agency must also fulfill its responsibility to perform an ethics review prior to making any political appointment. In performing this review, agencies must take into consideration how the potential political appointee might benefit from their proposed position.

The extent of the benefits that they might enjoy should outweigh any negative impact on the country. For example, if the applicant has close ties to a particular industry, their political appointment might not be affected by any adverse industry conditions. Therefore, an ethics review must take place prior to the presidential transition team making any final decisions.

There are five basic sections that must be fulfilled when it comes to the responsibilities of the ethics department during the selection of an individual to serve as a federal employee, and these are the applicant's qualifications and education, the prospective employee's natural history, and background, the conduct of the interview and selection, and the applicant's pay and benefits. Each of these sections will cover the general standards that must be met in order to successfully fill the position. Each of these sections should also be able to reflect the specific requirements for the position for which the person was appointed.

Login

Welcome to WriteUpCafe Community

Join our community to engage with fellow bloggers and increase the visibility of your blog.
Join WriteUpCafe