VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City People's Committee recently approved a plan to reform the mechanism for recruiting departmental leaders and holders of positions of the same levels in public organisations and agencies.

Young public employees at work. The city recently approved a plan to reform the mechanism for recruiting departmental leaders and holders of positions of the same levels in public organisations and agencies.

The plan allows and encourages public employees to apply for positions as departmental heads and deputy heads in public agencies and organisations, even if they come from a different unit. It also clarifies ways of applying for positions - and the recruitment process itself.

This is intended to change the selection for departmental leaders in an effort to attract more talented staff.

It is also hoped it will deal with the problem of public officials grabbing positions because of their long work experience rather than outstanding capacity.

The committee said it would be bolder in promoting young and outstanding officials.

Le Hoai Trung, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Home Affairs, told the Nguoi lao dong (The Labourer) newspaper he was convinced the new plan would also help deal with the problem of promotion through bribery and unfair lobbying.

He said the new mechanism, which boosts the competitive recruitment process, would help find the most suitable people for positions as departmental leaders.

"Aspiring officials can apply for positions and take step-by-step examinations to achieve their target, This is much fairer than promotion through internal assignment," Trung said.

He added that people attaining a position through public recruitment and examination were expected to become prouder of their work and more devoted than those achieving a position thanks to internal assignment.

According to the municipal People's Committee, eligible applicants will be required to submit an action plan that explains how they will develop the units they hope to work for.

If the action plan is voted favourably by the selection board, applicants will have to make a presentation to prove themselves worthy.

Trung said to start the recruitment process, public agencies needed to make a specific plan, outlining the criteria for eligibility, procedures for application, requirements for the action plan and costs.

After preparation was completed, the vacancy would be widely notified in the media.

He added that the recruitment process would be under the supervision of the municipal Department of Home Affairs.

The municipal People's Committee said that preparations for recruitment would be made from June until the end of the year. The recruiting process would start in the first three months of next year.

The city's public departments, underlying units, and district People's Committees are responsible for the implementation of the plan while the Department of Home Affairs will be the supervising unit.

Trung said if the plan proved successful, it would be extended to the recruitment process for higher positions, including directors, deputy directors, chairmen and deputy chairmen of public organisations and agencies.

Source: VNS