CITY OF RENTON WASHINGTON

• Check the Renton Job Opportunities webpage for openings. Match your skills and interests to jobs you’re excited about. The qualifications listed in the “Education, Experience, and License Requirements” on the job announcement are there to help you make a match.

• If you don’t see a posting that you are interested in at this time, sign up for Job Alerts. When signing up, select the box next to each job category you would like to receive an email notification for and click “Subscribe.” That way you will receive an email notification each time we advertise positions based on your selection. These do expire after 12 months, so you will need to resubscribe accordingly.

• Please be aware that we only accept applications for open positions.

• The City of Renton is dedicated to building an inclusive, informed city, with opportunities for all. In alignment with that goal, the City has adopted an anonymous application process that prevents hiring managers from seeing personal identifiers, including names, addresses, and other similar information. This eliminates the possibility of unintentional or implicit bias during the initial screening of applications. For that reason, you will not have the ability to attach any documents to your application, including a cover letter or resume.
• On occasion, a hiring manager will request a resume, cover letter, and/or writing sample as part of the application review and/or interview process. You will receive a notification via email if this is an additional requirement after applying.
• Since you will not have the ability to attach any documents to your application, it is important that you submit a complete, detailed, and updated job application. When applying for a position, you must thoroughly complete the education and work experience sections of your application and provide a thorough response to each of the Supplemental Questions. Failure to do so may result in elimination from further consideration.
• For technical problems with the online application system, call NEOGOV Applicant Support at 1-855-524-5627.

• After you submit an application, it is reviewed by the recruiter, a real human being.
• The recruiter compares the requirements of the job with what you provide in the application.
• If you meet the qualifications for the position, and have submitted a complete, detailed, and updated job application with a thorough response to each of the Supplemental Questions, the application is forwarded to a Hiring Manager for additional review.
• The Hiring Manager reviews the applications, keeping in mind the following:
  • Qualifications of the position
  • Responses to Supplemental Questions
  • Goals for this position, the division, and the City
  • Number of candidates the panel can interview based on time constraints and other factors

• We primarily communicate via e-mail during the recruitment process. E-mails from rentonwa.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders.
• Whether selected to move forward in the recruitment process or not, we make every effort to notify each applicant via email of their application status.

This is how we typically interview:

• In person or by video conference.
• Panel of at least three staff, representing the City.
• Interviews are scheduled for 30-60 minutes depending on the position.
• The interview questions are provided to the candidate 30 minutes prior to meeting with the panel. The panel may ask additional questions during the interview related to your work experience.
• You will have an opportunity at the end of the interview to ask the panel questions.
• Interviews are a combination of behavioral based and scenario-based interview questions.

If you are selected for an interview, here are some ways to prepare:

• Learn about the City and the department for the position you are applying to work with. There is a plethora of resources about the Renton on the City’s website and additional sites.
• Review the job announcement and learn more about the job responsibilities.
• Practice your responses to interview questions out loud. It is also a good idea to video record yourself so you can watch and learn how you can improve to answer your questions.
• Prepare a list of interview questions you think the panel may ask. There are many samples online.
• Create a list of your top skills and recall past work experiences when you utilized these skills to use during your interview question responses.
• Come prepared with questions you may want to ask the panel to learn more about the responsibilities. Tips on asking good questions during an interview are also available online.

Video Conference Interview

• If the interview is going to be conducted via video conference, the recruiter will notify you ahead of time and provide additional details via a confirmation email.
• Make sure you are prepared and visit our “Tips for a Video Conference Interview” document.
• A copy of the interview questions will be sent via email 30 minutes prior to the interview start time.

Day of the Interview (for an in person interview)

• The recruiter will confirm with you via email the date, time, and location of your interview.
• Give yourself plenty of time to get to the interview and make sure to arrive promptly at the time provided in the confirmation email.
• Upon arrival, you will receive a copy of the interview questions 30 minutes prior to meeting with the interview panel.
• You are welcome to bring a resume with you to the interview, although it is not required for most positions.

• Senior leaders review what was learned about the candidates during the interview process.
• One or more candidates may be brought back for an additional interview.
• If you are selected to move forward, the recruiter will notify you via email and provide additional details about next steps for the specific position you applied for.
• If you are not selected to move forward, the recruiter will notify you via email as soon as possible.
• For all positions, we conduct background checks to include a criminal background check utilizing our background partner, Alliance2020.Please note that conviction of a felony or misdemeanor is not an absolute bar to employment, we review every situation individually and carefully based on the position. 
• Some positions may be required to have additional background checks, such as a fingerprint background check, financial credit check, employment verification, driving record check, and drug/alcohol testing.
• Please note that positions requiring driving will require a recent driving abstract.The abstract submitted for review must not be older than 1 month from the date of the interview.
• The recruiter will also conduct a professional reference check. The recruiter will get the candidates permission to conduct the reference checks prior to doing so. In most cases, we will want to contact a recent supervisor as part of this process, and we may request this contact information if it is not provided on your application.

• Congratulations! Depending on the position you are being offered, you will receive an official offer letter, or a conditional offer if additional backgrounding processes are needed, such as a drug/alcohol test.
• The recruiter will discuss the offer details with you either over the phone, or via email, prior to sending the offer.
• Once acceptance of the offer is made, and/or all backgrounding processes have been completed, the recruiter will discuss a start date with you and send the official offer letter via email.