Women municipal leaders discuss interview process

On June 23 in North Reading, Women Leading Government, an initiative of the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association, discussed strategies for “owning” the interview process in local government, both as interviewers and interviewees.

A panel of six local government professionals discussed their career trajectories, interview practices they’ve established in their communities, and interviewing advice.

Westford Town Manager Jodi Ross, who recently announced her upcoming retirement, discussed the path of her career, which coincided at times with raising a family and getting a master’s degree in public administration. She endorsed promoting from within whenever possible. She also shared that, when she has encouraged women to apply for promotions, they often express uncertainty about being qualified, but when they participate in interviewing applicants for that position, they often realize they are in fact well-qualified.

“If you want to move up … every day show up and ask what is not working and what you can do to help with that,” Ross said. “Be part of the solution.”

Ross recommended being open with supervisors about career ambitions, so they can help you get there and to find a city or town that is a good fit.

Sandwich Town Manager Bud Dunham said his team always considers three things when a position opens up: examining and improving the job description; seeking open-minded, big-picture thinkers at all levels in the organization; and actively considering how a person would relate to coworkers outside of their team within the small town. For example, he said, during the pandemic it was invaluable that the public health nurse knew the police chief by name.

Dunham recognized that municipalities are struggling to fill high-level finance positions, an issue Sandwich faced recently when their finance director/treasurer/collector decided to relocate to Florida.

“It is so hard to find that three-headed unicorn, so we decided to retain them as finance director and they will work remotely from Florida — to try and think outside the box,” Dunham said. “We will only need to find a treasurer/collector.”

Brookline Town Administrator Mel Kleckner, who has announced his retirement at the end of this summer, described his career trajectory as “the most traditional there is.”

“One thing we all have in common is we want to help people,” Kleckner said. “We are working in local government and the public sector for a reason.”

He discussed using screening committees for interviews, and said it’s important for job candidates to know in advance who will be on their panel and for them to do some research about the town.

Kleckner noted the challenges municipalities are facing with recruitment and hiring, noting that employees are moving from one community to another, and managers are looking for possible recruits from other communities.

“We are looking for different ways to hire people,” he said. “It used to be that applications would just pile in. We have to be more proactive about recruiting.”

Stow Assistant Town Administrator Dolores Hamilton stressed the importance of providing in-service training on interviewing practices in order to prepare a panel for what they can or cannot ask, with a focus on competency-based and situational questions. She suggested redacting identifying characteristics from applications — even the candidate’s hometown — to avoid any bias and to encourage diversity.

A common thread was the importance of a thoughtfully chosen and thoroughly prepared selection committee or panel for the interview process. Dunham, Kleckner and Hamilton all recommended including a select board member on the panel for certain jobs; establishing and discussing interview questions in advance; and considering the diversity of the panel.

“We are always looking for diverse candidates, and it’s important that your panel reflects that,” Kleckner said.

When pursuing a new opportunity, Molly Kean, then the human resources director in Norwood and now the assistant town administrator/HR director in Westwood, suggested reaching out to colleagues who have recently hired someone for the type of position you are interviewing for, to get a sense of the types of questions that will be asked. Then, prepare answers to questions, and practice the responses. She also recommends asking in advance who will be on the interview panel.

Rowley Town Administrator Deborah Eagan discussed the importance of having a strong application package, backed by a strong interview. With applications or during an interview, she recommends submitting work products that display necessary skills and achievements. Eagan said a basic understanding of municipal law is a huge value for a candidate.

The meeting kicked off with a discussion of the book “Huddle: How Women Unlock Their Collective Power” by Brooke Baldwin, which includes strategies for formulating groups for professional and personal support. The discussion was led by Needham Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick and Southborough Assistant Town Manager Vanessa Hale.

The mission of Women Leading Government is to encourage and support women in appointed staff positions in local government.