Work with Seattle IT

Prepare

Review the job announcement carefully to ensure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements before completing the application. When applying, make sure that your work history and achievements align with the qualifications outlined in the job posting. 

Job Duties

When listing your job duties in your application, use bullet points rather than paragraphs to create a clear and concise list. Bullet points make your accomplishments easier to highlight.

Impact Statements

An impact statement can be powerful to include with your application because it goes beyond describing what you did, it shows the value and results of your work.  Here are some examples: 

• Rather than stating a job duty "technology portfolio management," show the impact of that work. "Recommend management strategies for the portfolio of products supporting climate policies, including integration or transition of systems to align with building emissions performance standard."
• "Scheduled interviews" can become "Coordinated the availability of five interviewers to successfully schedule and execute up to 40 candidate interviews per week."
• "Contracted with shipping vendor" becomes "Negotiated new contract with shipping vendor, resulting in a 30% savings from the previous year."
• “Managed help desk tickets to provide employee support” becomes, “Resolved an average of 50+ help desk tickets per week, reducing response time by 30 percent and improving employee satisfaction.” 

Use of Artificial Intelligence 

We recognize that artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as chatbots, automated response generators, or language models, can be helpful during the job search process. If you choose to use them, please carefully review all materials before submission to ensure accuracy, as you will be required to affirm that your responses are true and correct during the application process. Submitting inaccurate or misleading information may result in disqualification. 
 
Please also note that relying on AI to complete text-based supplemental questions or during interviews may not accurately represent your skills and experiences, which are critical to applicant success. In some cases, you may be instructed not to use AI tools during the selection process. 
 
Learn more about the City of Seattle AI Policy. 

Supplemental Questions

Carefully review the supplemental questions and answer them thoughtfully. These questions are used to identify candidates who will advance. Additionally, please follow any special application instructions, as some roles require a resume and cover letter, while others do not.   

At this time, the City is only able to hire candidates who are eligible to work in the United States without visa sponsorship, or those who qualify for TN visa eligibility. We are unable to support other visa types.  

NeoGov Application System Tips

NeoGov is the City of Seattle's application portal. Below are some tips when using the job portal.

• If you need to attach a file, close the file first, and then attach it. NeoGov will not attach open files.
  Save often. The application times out every 30 minutes.
• All City of Seattle jobs close on Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. Do not wait until the last moment to enter your application. Late applications cannot be accepted.

Voluntary Applicant Accommodations

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all applicants. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please email ITD_HR@seattle.gov. The information you provide will be kept confidential and used only to determine the appropriate accommodation. 

Human Review. Not AI Decisions.

Applications are carefully reviewed by our hiring team to ensure a fair process and to confirm that minimum qualifications are met.

Subject Matter Expert (SME) Resume Review

If your application meets the minimum qualifications, it will be reviewed by a panel of subject matter experts (SME) who understand the role and can thoughtfully assess your technical and functional experience.  

Commitment to Diverse Panels

We are intentional about creating recruitment panels that reflect a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and roles across the organization. This helps reduce bias and ensures that each candidate is evaluated more holistically. We believe that diversity in our hiring process leads to stronger, more inclusive teams.

Interview Process

After the initial resume review and SME evaluation, selected candidates will move forward to panel interviews, which typically incude two rounds. Review this document (NEED LINK) for Application and Interviewing Tips.

Round 1 -- Technical/Role Specific Interview

This interview is typically held virtually via WebEx or Teams. The interview usually focuses on your knowledge, skills and experience directly related to the position. You may be asked to walk through your past work, solve real world scenarios, or complete a practical assessment if relevant to the role.

Round 2 -- Team Fit & Culture Interview

This interview is traditionally in person and typically focuses more on your interpersonal skills, communication style, and alignment with our team culture and organizational values.

For some positions, a technical exercise or assignment may be included in the first round to further assess role-specific capabilities.

If you need an accommodation for your interview, we are happy to help. To request assistance and/or accommodation due to a disability during the application or interview process, send a request via the Accommodation Request Form (NEED LINK).

Reference Check

Finalists will be asked to provide three references, two of which have supervised the finalist directly within the last seven years.

Contingent offer & Final Steps

After the reference and internal approval process, an offer is extended contingent upon a successful completion of a background check. Once all final compliance steps are complete, we lift contingencies and begin the onboarding process.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans. 

There are no open positions at this time.

To explore job listings in other departments at the City of Seattle, visit www.seattle.gov/human-resources/working-at-the-city.