Traditionally, GAO has recruited its professional staff from all over the world for assignments in Washington, D.C., and in the regional offices. A recent issue of The GAO Review listed new staff member from the London School of Economic the University of Puerto Rico, and campuses throughout the United States. This diversity of employee affords GAO an ever-broadening per pe live; helps insure objective approach to issues; helps GAO avoid tilted, hackneyed, parochial thinking; and promote creative problemsolving. The selection process, while beneficial to the organization, can create difficulties for the candidate

Acocella, Austin J

Zacchea, Nicholas M

English

Molloy College: Digital Commons @ Molloy

Molloy College DigitalCommons@Molloy Faculty Works: Business Winter 1977 Pre-Employment Orientation, an Adjunct to Recruiting Nicholas M. Zacchea Austin J. Acocella Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.molloy.edu/bus_fac  Part of the Business Commons DigitalCommons@Molloy Feedback I NICHOLAS M. ZACCHEAand AUSTIN J. ACOCELLA Pre-Employment Orientation, an Adjunct to Recruiting How the New York regional office helps prospective employee m4ke informed decisions about a career with GAO. The Issue Traditionally, GAO has recruited its professional staff from all over the world for assignments in Washington, D.C., and in the regional offices. A recent is-sue of The GAO Review listed new staff member from the London School of Economic the University of Puerto Rico, and campuses throughout the United States. This diversity of em-ployee affords GAO an ever-b roadening per pe live; helps insure objectiv ap-proach to issues; helps GAO avoid tilted, hackneyed, parochial thinking; and promote creative problemsolving. The selection process, while beneficial to the organization, can create dif-ficultie for the candidate. Frequently, students from a campu m one part of the country ar inter-viewed for positions in another. For ex-ample, a student from a campu in Al-bany, New York, might be interviewed for a position in Washington, D.C., or New Orleans. More frequently, candidate are re-cruited for positions at a regional office which can be well outside of commuting distance. Students from school in Syra-cuse, or Buffalo, New York, aT inter-viewed for positions with th N w York regional office in New York City-hun-dreds of miles away. The Problem Under these circumstance prospec-tive employees when considering GAO' offer, not only assume a re pon ibility for selecting a career but mu t lode-Mr. Z cch'" lin audil mana~er in Ih(' l\{'\o\ York rt'~ilJn81 office, has 8 B.B,A. degr e in lit '<Ju nt· iug ftor!' l John's niver:,t HIIlI all M.B.A. degn'e in lIIanagement from Long Island niH' r' ~it . HI' i • mt'mtll,'r of the Arnrriran Managelllt'nl A ~ (It'iatiull, the Federal ASl>ncialinn of Ma'l-a~t'm III Analysts. and thl' Socil'ly for Advanremt'nt uf Managl' lIIl'lll. HI' rereivl'd th GAO Meri· tori U f'rvice Award ill 1967 and has had artidl's publishl'd in Th,. GAO R,.vif'K! an~, Th,. f'edt'r· aJ AccountanL 70 Mr. Aro ell., a manaRl'nll'nt auditor in thl' I"'t'\o\ 'ork rt'l~illnal uffin', liB!> D D.B .A, dt'grt'£' in pub· II admini lration from Baruch Coilq(I' anti i~ no\o\ \o\orkin~ to\o\artls an M.P.A, !i£'Krc£' in pul'lir admini lralion al thl' City ' lli\t' r ~i t) of Nt'w York . HI' i" past ('hairmon 01 Ihe Junior Staff oun· cil, Ih· Illh:rnah' rl'~innal offirl' rt'prt'!\t' ntativl' to thl' Comptroller G('neral's Youth Ad i ory Cummittl'l'. ant! a f1wlllhn 01 tilt' Americall ' OCil'ty I"r Puhlir Administration, cide whether to pick up roots and select a new place to live. Two big, very big de-cisions indeed, especially when con-sidering the length and depth of the average on-campus interview. The decision concerning career selec-tion is often aided by the student's knowledge of, or access to, information about GAO. This knowledge may be based on conversations with the GAO campus recruiter, GAO employees, col-lege professors, placement officials, or campus counselors, and available litera-ture. The candidate may also compare the information obtained about GAO with other readily available data: previous employment experiences; the results of other campus interviews with other organizations; and discussions with family, friends, and associates. The other decision that must be made-whether to relocate-and per-haps the most difficult and more trau-matic of the two. must be made without this kind of assistance. Information readily available to the candidate from Belmont, Massachusetts, about New York City and its environs is likely to be scarce and probably not as reliable or a complete as if it had come from a native of the city. Where one should or should not live upon reporting to the Chicago regional office from Brooklyn, New York, may pre ent perpl xing, confusing question to even the most sophisticated prospec-tive employee and could result in an uninformed decisio'l. At best, it is a con· fusing but important time in which a candidate ne ds all the help possible. The Solution The New York regional office has be-gun helpillg prospective f>mployees both GAO Rf'vjf'ul/ ~'int,., '77 PREEMPLOYMENT ORIENTA nON during thei r deliberations and after they elect GAO as a career. The office is try-ing not so much to encourage a candi-date to accept employment but to help him/ her make an informed dl!c i-ion-one which will not be regretted. This assistance i in the form of pre-employment orientation provided !:>y Junior Staff Council members Austin Acocella, T'Jny Carlo. and Hank Titone as an adjunct to the recruiting effort. When a job offer is extended, one of the e staff members contacts the candi-date. Whatever assistance can be given and is needed, is offered-for example, an invitation to visit the regional office, answers to questions about the type of work and work environment the candi-date can expect, a suggested tour of the city, and the classified sections of local new papers. In general these staff mem-ber- try to allay apprehensions and clear up doubts. Recently arrangements were made for a prospective candidate, interviewed by the Boston staff, to visit New York City. Two members of the staff, including this article's co-author, met the candidate and spent a few hours providing him with insights not usually available to potential employees. They explained GAO's history, missi n, and organiza-tional structure; discussed typical GAO and regional office assignments; and an· swered questions about fir t-year prof -ional responsibilities, travel, train ing, promotion, career opportunities, and professional development. The candi-date joined the members of an audit taff working nearby for lunch. A lively di cussion en::med starting with living condilio'1s in and around the it anrt moving to job assignm nls, r 'port ft.'fer-encing, employee benefit, rents, neigh-borhoods, and ubways. The visit nded - - - -- - -PREEMPLOYMENT ORIENTATION with a meeting with the regional manag-er and the assistant regional managers. The Benefits The program's benefits are quite clear: all interested employee has the op-portunity to leisurely and frankly dis-cuss his or her professional interests and aspirations with recent CAO recruits. Thi eliminate surprises and better arm ~ him or her to make a good career decision. Making an informed decision creates a sense of security and confidence and frees the individual tu assume profes-sional responsibilities without distrac-tion. The New York regional office hores this practice will lead to recruit decisions which are in the best interest of both the candidate and GAO. Yes, there is a distinct possibility that a prospective candidate will decide against a career with GAO and, in fact, this has happened. However, this in it-self is not without benefit. The costs in-volved in spending a few hours with a candidate are far less than hiring, ori-enting, training, and then exit interview-ing a candidate who has made a less than fully informed cart!er hoice. Epilog Local candidate!' receiving offer which will require relocation to anoth r region will now be offered help. A candi-date living in New York and off red a 72 posi tion in Los Angeles will be provided portio~s of the orientation program by New York's Junior Staff Council mem~ bers. For example, an in~depth se ion about GAO as an organization, includ~ ing promotion, training, travel, and relo-cation policies, might be in order. Like-wise, a thorough discussion of GAO work, the reporting and referencing process, and other such general it ms would do much to prepare the candidate for work upon arriving at the Los Angeles office. In addition, a modified ver ion of this orientation is being used by the New York region in helping tho who trans-fer from other regions. When the r gion knows that a GAOer will be transferred to New York, regional office taff mem-bers immediately contact the per on to make the move as smooth and conven~ ient as possible. Anything available to the New York ~taff anti thought to be useful to the tral. ferees is forwarded as soon as possible. For example, cia j. fieds, special real '!state Ii tings, train and bus schedules, Ulotor vehicle regis-tration and license forms, data on local and State income tflxes, and Knicks, Rangers, Giants, Jets, and Mets ch d· ules made up one rec nt package. Guitles to hopping, dining, ightse ing, and entertainment in and around ew York City made up another. A regional offi 'e staff roste . copies of the offie 's n wslelter, and map, of lh New York CilY subway -y~ I ~m made up ye t another package. GAO Rrvitwl Winl tr '77 

Pre-Employment Orientation, an Adjunct to Recruiting

https://digitalcommons.molloy.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1072&amp;context=bus_fac

Pre-Employment Orientation, an Adjunct to Recruiting

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Molloy College: Digital Commons @ Molloy