The Selection Process for the Filling of Vacancies in the Public Service

1
The Selection Processfor theFilling of
Vacanciesin thePublic Service
2
Background to the Presentation

• As from 1 January 2010 the practice of appointing
  Panel Members on Selection Boards was
  discontinued
• The Head of Department concerned nominates, for
  the approval of the Public Service Commission, a
  Chairperson and two or more members to form part
  of a Selection Board
• Directors Corporate Services and Human Resources
  Managers have a new advisory role in dealing with
  queries of a procedural nature made by Selection
  Boards Members

August 2011
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Aims of the Presentation

• To provide participants with a brief exposure to
  the machinery used in the making of appointments
  in the Public Service through selection
  exercises
• To elaborate on the duties of the Selection Board
  in staff selection processes

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Constitutional Provisions (1)

• In exercising their functions, the Prime
  Minister, the Public Service Commission, the
  Principal Permanent Secretary and Heads of
  Department are subject to the Provisions of
  Chapter X of the Constitution of Malta and to the
  Public Service Commission Regulations, 1960

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Constitutional Provisions (2)

• Article 110 (1) of the Constitution states that
  power to make appointments to public offices (and
  to remove and to exercise disciplinary control
  over persons holding or acting in such offices)
  vests in the Prime Minister, acting on the
  recommendation of the Public Service Commission
• Provided that . . .

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Constitutional Provisions (3)

• . . . the Prime Minister may, acting on the
  recommendation of the Public Service Commission,
  delegate in writing through an Instrument of
  Delegation, any of the powers referred to in this
  subsection to such public officer or authority as
  may be specified in that Instrument
• E.g. to the Principal Permanent Secretary to
  recruit Public Officers following a selection
  exercise carried out under the auspices of the
  Board of Local Public Examinations

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The Public Service Commission Regulations

• Recruitment to public offices, both from within
  and from outside the Service, is to be carried
  out in accordance with the Public Service
  Commission Regulations normally following the
  issue of an appropriate call for applications

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Principles Governing the Making of Appointments

• Appointments are to be made strictly on merit
  (individual and relative)
• Assessment must be fair and as far as possible
  objective
• Competition must be open and well publicised
• The whole process must be carried out in an
  expeditious manner

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Other Rules Governing the Selection Process

• Additional rules, policies and guidelines are
  issued from time to time in Circulars by the
  Principal Permanent Secretary or by the Director
  General PAHRO, in consultation with the Public
  Service Commission. These are codified in Chapter
  1 of Public Service Management Code

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Appointment of Selection Boards (1)

• Regulations 14 and 15 of the Public Service
  Commission Regulations state that-
• In considering the making of recommendations
  for the appointment or promotion of an officer in
  the public service the commission may
• (a) consult with any other person or persons
  and
• seek the advice of a selection board
  constituted by the commission who may appoint to
  it members of the commission and other persons
  who are not members of the commission.
• 15. In order to discharge its duties under these
  Regulations the commission may determine the
  procedure to be followed in dealing with
  applications, including the proceedings of any
  selection board appointed by the commission to
  interview candidates. The commission may approve
  the forms to be used in connection with the
  discharge of its functions.

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Appointment of Selection Boards (2)

• This means that a Selection Board is part of the
  machinery of the Public Service Commission and is
  therefore accountable only to the Commission.
• Hence, Selection Board members-
• must maintain a certain detachment from
  departmental interests or biases
• must resist any improper attempts to influence
  their assessment
• should refer any queries on the selection process
  directly to the Executive Secretary, Public
  Service Commission

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Appointment of Selection Boards (3)

• A Selection Board is composed of a Chairperson
  and two or more members nominated by the head of
  department where the vacancy occurs

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Appointment of Selection Boards (4)

• Nominations on the composition of Selection
  Boards are submitted by the head of the
  respective department to the Public Service
  Commission concurrently with the call for
  applications
• Officers nominated by the head of department must
  be at least one grade higher than the
  post/position to be filled at least one officer
  nominated on the Selection Board must have a
  sound technical/professional knowledge of the
  responsibilities of the post/position advertised

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Appointment of Selection Boards (5)

• As appropriate, substitute Chairperson/member/s
  are also nominated for the approval of the
  Commission in case any of the board members
  become ineligible to form part of the Selection
  Board when the list of applicants is known
• In such an event, the head of department is to
  take immediate steps to appoint the substitute
  Chairperson/Member on the Selection Board,
  without reference to the Commission, subject that
  such substitutions may only be made
• On the sole grounds of conflict of interest, and
• Before the start of the interviews

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Establishing the Selection Criteria

• The respective head of department will also
  propose a set of criteria and weightings to be
  followed by a Selection Board in assessing
  eligible applicants for a given post, and will
  forward his/her proposals directly to the Public
  Service Commission concurrently with the call for
  applications
• Selection criteria should only be adopted by the
  Selection Board after they are formally approved
  by the Public Service Commission
• The criteria are not to be altered without the
  prior approval of the Public Service Commission

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What happens after the closing date? (1)

• Immediately upon the closing date for receipt of
  applications, the head of department will furnish
  the Chairperson and each Member of the Selection
  Board with
• A list of all applications received by the
  deadline, including details concerning name,
  address, grade and Department (if any), date of
  birth, I.D. number, qualifications, etc. of every
  applicant
• A similar but separate list of late applications

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What happens after the closing date? (2)
The Chairperson and Members of the Selection
Board are to ensure that they satisfy the
conditions laid down in the standard PSC
Declaration Form No. 6- Conflict of Interest,
which is available for download at the address
http//mpo.gov.mt/downloads.html and are to
submit immediate notification should they not be
in a position to sign the form or otherwise
consider that their serving on the Selection
Board could create a conflict of interest
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What happens after the closing date? (3)
The head of department will also furnish the
Chairperson of the Selection Board with the
completed application forms as well as
accompanying documentation
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Preliminary Meeting (1)

• Once appointed, a Selection Board should hold a
  preliminary meeting. During the preliminary
  meeting, the Selection Board should-
• Sign the Declaration Form No 6
• Familiarise itself with the contents of the call
  for applications
• Vet the applications with the view of determining
  which applicants are eligible and those who are
  not
• Ensure that it fully understands the selection
  criteria and weightings
• Prescribe a set of sub-criteria for each approved
  criterion with corresponding allotment of marks
• Discuss how to proceed during the interviews
• Decide on whether the oral interview is to be
  supplemented with additional mechanisms for the
  assessment of candidates

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Preliminary Meeting (2)

• The Selection Board should read the call for
  applications carefully and take note of
• The closing date and closing time for the receipt
  of applications
• All the eligibility requirements contained in the
  call for applications (e.g. citizenship, grade
  when applicable, salary scale when applicable,
  academic/professional qualifications, warrant,
  experience, ability to communicate in the Maltese
  and English languages, etc.)
• Any specific request for further information
  requested with applications (e.g. the inclusion
  of a copy of Certificates and/or Testimonials on
  Qualifications and Experience claimed by
  candidates, Form GP 47 (signed by a Principal or
  higher Officer), Certificate of Conduct issued by
  the Police or other competent authority within
  the stipulated period, etc.)

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The Service and Leave Record Form (GP 47)

• The service of Public Officers detailed with
  Public Sector Entities is reckonable as service
  in the grade
• BUT
• No account is to be taken of appointments to
  grades with Public Sector Entities when
  determining the eligibility of Public Officers
  applying for vacancies in the Public Service
  through internal calls for applications
• BECAUSE
• Public Sector Entities have a separate legal
  personality from the Public Service and hence,
  appointments to grades with such Entities do not
  have a bearing on the substantive grade of the
  Public Officer in question

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Preliminary Meeting (3)

• In vetting the applications, the Selection Board
  should ensure that every application
• Is signed by the applicant and relates to the
  post/position advertised
• Has been received in time
• Has been acknowledged by the Department concerned
• Contains copies of documents and/or other
  information requested in the call for
  applications
• Meets the various eligibility requirements listed
  in the call for applications

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Limitations (1)

• Letters of reference submitted by applicants are
  acceptable provided that-
• they were not drawn up by any person forming part
  of the Selection Board in question
• they were drawn up specifically in connection
  with the filling of the posts/positions in terms
  of the call for applications under consideration
• they do not exceed a maximum of three (3) letters
  of reference
• one (1) letter of reference should be drawn up by
  the Officers current supervisor (unless s/he is
  sitting on the Selection Board) if s/he has been
  supervising the officer for at least a one-year
  period or, if this is not possible, the most
  recent supervisor with whom the candidate has
  served for a minimum of one year
• the supervisor making the reference must hold a
  post/position at Scale 5 or higher

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Limitations (2)

• All eligibility requirements must be met by the
  closing date and the closing time for the receipt
  of applications
• Applicants who fail to meet any of the
  eligibility requirements by the established
  closing date and time should be deemed ineligible
  for the post/position in question, even in cases
  where applicants subsequently fully meet such
  requirements after the closing date for
  applications

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Limitations (3)

• Should there be difficulties in establishing
  whether a candidate satisfies the eligibility
  criteria, that candidate is not to be summoned
  for an interview by the Selection Board before it
  is ascertained that the candidate is, in fact,
  eligible

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Setting the Sub-Criteria (1)

• Sub-criteria (and the corresponding allotment of
  marks) for every criterion approved by the Public
  Service Commission are to be set by the Selection
  Board and submitted to the Commission prior to
  the commencement of the actual interviews and are
  to be applied uniformly to all candidates
• Sub-criteria should be specific to the area
  covered by the call for applications and should
  reflect the type of expertise, particular
  experience and specific qualities required for
  the post/position

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Setting the Sub-Criteria (2)

• Sub-criteria should be set for every criterion
  approved by the Public Service Commission

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Setting the Sub-Criteria (3)

• Insofar as the criterion Qualifications, or
  Related Qualifications or Relevant
  Qualifications is concerned, no marks are to be
  awarded for those qualifications presented by an
  applicant which form part of the eligibility
  criteria and on the basis of which the applicant
  is considered as being eligible as indicated in
  the relevant call for applications
• In such cases, marks may be awarded for the
  ranking obtained in the relative degree or other
  qualification
• However, marks given for ranking should not
  exceed 25 of the total mark for the criterion
  approved by the Commission
• (Further details regarding marks to be awarded
  for qualifications may be found at Section 8 of
  the Guidelines for Appointments in the Public
  Service available at http//mpo.gov.mt/downloads.
  html)

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Setting the Sub-Criteria (4) an example

• The approved marking scheme for a particular post
  included the criterion experience to which were
  allotted 25 marks out of a total of 100.
• The selection panel defined the criterion as
  incorporating three elements
• years of service in the next lower grade two
  marks per completed year of service, to a maximum
  of 10 marks
• years of service/experience in other relevant
  public or private sector employment two marks
  per completed year of service/experience, to a
  maximum of 10 marks
• special assignments in the trade requiring
  exceptional skill or expertise bonus of 5 marks

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Supplementary Selection Mechanisms

• May include office skills tests, short tests of
  writing proficiency, multiple choice questions or
  IQ tests
• To be undergone by all eligible candidates, and
  not as a qualifying stage on the basis of which
  candidates could be excluded from the interview
• Selection Boards are to seek Public Service
  Commission approval of their proposed selection
  mechanisms additional to the interview at the
  stage when they propose the sub-criteria for the
  Commissions consideration

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Recognition of Experience

• Selection Boards are to keep in mind that
  previous accredited experience, whether gained
  within the Public Service, or with a local /
  foreign employer, is reckonable for the purpose
  of satisfying eligibility criteria when a person
  is applying through a public call for
  applications for a post or position in the Public
  Service and is also to be taken into
  consideration when awarding marks during the
  selection process

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Late Applications
IF . . . the Selection Board receives a late but
otherwise valid application THEN . . . the
applicant should be clearly informed of his/her
shortcoming in writing and that he/she cannot be
considered for the post/position on account of
the closing date and time established in the call
for applications
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Applications by Ineligible Candidates
IF . . . the Selection Board receives an
application that does not satisfy one or more of
the eligibility requirements THEN . . . the
applicant should be clearly informed in writing
that he/she cannot be considered for the
post/position, specifying the eligibility
requirements of the call for applications not met
by the applicant
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Applications with Missing Information
IF . . . the Selection Board receives an
application which does not contain copies of
documents/other information requested in the call
for applications THEN . . . the applicant
should be asked in writing to provide the missing
information by a set date (minimum ten working
days). Should the missing information represent
an eligibility requirement, the Selection Board
should not decide on the applicants eligibility
until the lapse of the allowed time period
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Summoning Eligible Candidates (1)

• After the Selection Board fully determines the
  eligibility, or otherwise, of all candidates for
  a given post/position in terms of the respective
  call for applications, it should notify eligible
  candidates well in advance, preferably not less
  than ten (10) working days, of the place, date
  and time of the holding of the interview. Only
  eligible applicants are to be called for the
  interview.

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Summoning Eligible Candidates (2)

• If an applicant, owing to a justifiable reason,
  fails to attend for an interview on the date and
  time notified, the Selection Board may at its
  discretion allow the applicant concerned to be
  interviewed on another occasion which is suitable
  to the Chairperson and Members of the Board

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Summoning Eligible Applicants (3)

• If an applicant is unable to physically attend
  for an interview, the Selection Board may carry
  out the interview by video-conference.
  Conducting interviews over the telephone,
  however, is not permissible.

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The Interview

• The purpose of face-to-face interviews is-
• to validate information in a candidates
  application
• to probe for information behind the declared
  facts
• to discover what the application did not reveal
  about a candidate
• to explore not only what a candidate
  accomplished, but how those results were achieved
  and what they promise for the future.
• The time available to a Selection Board during an
  interview is limited - usually, only 15 to 30
  minutes. It is therefore necessary to use the
  time effectively by asking quality questions that
  bring out new and/or additional information about
  each candidates skills, abilities and
  motivation, relative to the job demands.

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Structuring an Interview (1)

• Opening an interview-
• Each candidate should be put at ease - this helps
  with the quality and quantity of information
  which may be obtained. Introductions should be
  brief but cordial this is the Chairpersons
  responsibility.
• One of the members of the Selection Board must
  scrutinise the applicants ID Card or other
  Identification Document (e.g. Passport) to verify
  identity, date of birth, nationality and any
  other stipulated requirements and reconcile
  photocopies of qualifications, certificates,
  diplomas, testimonials and other documents
  presented by the applicant against originals.

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Structuring an Interview (2)

• Exploring the educational background-
• The candidates description of their educational
  background can provide relevant information
  concerning traits and competences, such as
  flexibility, goal orientation, reaction to
  authority, independence and so on.
• Exploring work experience-
• During this stage, the Selection Board seeks to
  explore the relevance of the candidates past
  job(s) to the post/position for which they are
  now being considered, including competency and
  behavioural traits that are critical to success
  in the post/position.
• Exploring candidates self-assessment-
• This stage involves the use of probing questions
  about the candidates judgement and ability to
  candidly explore their own strengths and
  development needs.

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Structuring an Interview (3)

• Giving information about the department and job-
• The Selection Board needs to represent the
  employing department and the job accurately and
  attractively. It should help candidates find out
  what they need to know to make a balanced
  judgement about the post/position.
• Closing the interview-
• The Chairperson should advise candidates about
  what will happen next.

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Interviewing and Assessing Eligible Applicants (1)

• A Selection Board is required to assess eligible
  applicants for a given post/position only on the
  basis of the criteria and weightings approved by
  the Public Service Commission for that specific
  case
• Some of the usual criteria approved by the Public
  Service Commission typically include
• - Qualifications - Command of Subject
• - Experience - Personality

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Interviewing and Assessing Eligible Applicants (2)

• Assessments should be free from any form of
  discrimination on any grounds including gender
  and/or family responsibilities. OPM Circular No.
  37/90 and the Public Service Management Code show
  how to avoid gender bias and how to promote
  equality of opportunity

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Interviewing and Assessing Eligible Applicants (3)

• Immediately after each interview, the members
  review and rate that candidates performance, and
  allot marks jointly against each of the approved
  selection criteria
• Records of interviews, including brief notes on
  information and general impressions left by
  candidates, should also be kept by the Board in
  case any queries or petitions originate

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Establishing the Order of Merit (1)

• The award of fractions of a mark in the final
  result is not allowed
• Ties (i.e. the award of the same mark in the
  result sheet to more than one candidate) are only
  allowed in exceptional circumstances

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Establishing the Order of Merit (2)

• While retaining the approved selection criteria
  in the same proportion as that approved by the
  Commission, Selection Boards should automatically
  increase the marking range as follows
• Where the number of applicants is up and
  including 25 applicants, the range of marks is to
  be 0 to 100
• Where the number of applicants is between 26 and
  50, the range of marks is to be 0 to 200
• Where the number of applicants is over 50, the
  marking range is to be 0 to 300.
• Should the Board feel that a further increase in
  the range of marks of a particular interview is
  justified, the specific approval of the
  Commission is to be sought

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Establishing the Order of Merit (3)

• Cases such as those resulting in ties, or where
  the difference in ranking order is that of
  one/two marks, especially where the difference is
  in selection criteria that are subjective in
  nature and in particular where Personality is
  involved, or borderline failures, require
  specific scrutiny
• Selection Boards should keep notes and workings
  related to the selection process
• Selection Boards should be in a position to
  comment on any points made by applicants in
  eventual petitions to the Public Service
  Commission

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Establishing the Order of Merit (4)

• The order of merit of candidates who obtain the
  same total mark is determined according to MPO
  Circular BI No. 1/95, as amended by MPO Circular
  53/2003

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The Selection Board Report (1)

• The Selection Board report should include the
  following information-
• The total number of applicants, distinguishing
  between eligible and ineligible applicants
• Reasons why any applicants have been considered
  ineligible
• Cases of absentees/withdrawn applications -
  applicants who withdraw are expected to confirm
  in writing and the letter of withdrawal is to
  form part of the report
• Any comments that the Board may wish to submit

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The Selection Board Report (2)

• The following should be submitted as appendices
  to the report-
• The PSC Declaration Forms 6 and 7
• A statement showing the sub-criteria and
  weightings thereon, as determined by the
  Selection Board
• c) An assessment sheet indicating the marks
  allotted to each candidate under each criterion
  and sub-criterion

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The Selection Board Report (3)

• d) two (2) copies of the Result Sheet of the
  interview showing the set maximum mark and pass
  mark, the names and ID numbers of the eligible
  candidates in order of merit and the final mark
  given. In the case of candidates who fail to
  obtain a pass mark, the name is to be left out
  and the letter F is to be inserted in the
  Order of Merit column. These result sheets are
  to have the full signature of the Chairperson and
  members of the Selection Board on each page

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The Selection Board Report (4)

• The Selection Boards report and all accompanying
  documents should be typewritten and not
  handwritten.

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The Selection Board Report (5)

• A specimen Selection Board report, assessment
  sheet and result sheet may be downloaded from the
  website of the Resourcing Directorate, PAHRO at
  the address
• http//mpo.gov.mt/downloads.html

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The Selection Board Report (6)

• Minority Reports-
• In its report, the Selection Board should also
  state whether the members were unanimous in their
  conclusions
• If not, the dissenting minority should state its
  views and the reasons for dissent (such minority
  reports are exceptional - most differences of
  opinion may often be resolved by discussion and
  goodwill)
• Minority reports are to be transmitted separately
  to the Commission and the majority report should
  not be signed by the dissenting minority

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The Selection Board Report (7)

• The Chairperson and Members of the Selection
  Board should include their full name and
  signature at the end of every copy of the report
  and appendices
• Every page forming part of the main text of the
  report and appendices should be initialed by the
  Chairperson and Members

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The Selection Board Report (8)

• The report and appendices are to be submitted
  directly to the Executive Secretary, Public
  Service Commission under confidential cover
• A copy of these confidential documents should
  also be transmitted to the Head of Department
  where the vacancy exists
• The Selection Board should also retain a
  confidential copy of the report (incl. workings
  thereto) and should only refer to the report if
  so required by the Commission

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Candidates who Request Breakdown of Marks

• A breakdown of the result is given by the
  Executive Secretary of the Public Service
  Commission, or by the respective Head of
  Department, only at the specific request of a
  candidate and only in respect of his/her
  performance during the interview
• Those candidates who, in addition, request to
  know the marks given to them for the sub-criteria
  set by Selection Boards in respect of the
  selection criteria approved by the Commission,
  are to be given the information requested

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Accountability

• The members of a Selection Board are accountable
  to the Public Service Commission and are jointly
  and severally responsible for ensuring that
  approved selection procedures are faithfully
  observed and that candidates are assessed fairly

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Confidentiality

• As Selection Boards are part of the Commissions
  machinery, their members are subject to the
  restrictions on disclosure of information laid
  down in the Public Service Commission Regulations
• Indeed, members may not divulge the report or
  proceedings of the board to other persons, nor
  discuss the selection exercise with candidates,
  public officers, or other persons
• Unauthorised disclosure of information
  constitutes a breach of discipline

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Further Information

• Further information is available in the
  guidelines for Appointments in the Public
  Service. The guidelines, as well as an
  electronic copy of this presentation, may be
  downloaded from the website of the Resourcing
  Directorate, PAHRO at the address
• http//mpo.gov.mt/downloads.html

August 2011