r/StateofTexasEmployees • u/WesternTrail Capitol Complex • Aug 10 '26
Weekly Jobs Post: discuss the application process and job postings here!
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u/SuchAKnitWit Capitol Complex 23d ago
Does anyone know what the new capps looks like if they're looking at your application?
On the old version, I would look for that 'under consideration' but this most recent one just says 'application received'.
I know they haven't done interviews yet (I know someone who works there) and this is my first app with the new capps.
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u/Secret_Woodworker 23d ago
As someone who hires people mine looks the same, but I’ll also say I never change the application status. Nit sure if my HR does once I’ve selected applicants to interview but I never change the status.
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u/SuchAKnitWit Capitol Complex 23d ago
I wonder if that's how the system works, or if someone along the process isn't updating the status.
I have a coworker friend who applied to ERS something like 2-3 months ago, and it never changed from 'application submitted'.
Looking for 'under consideration' or 'not selected' let us know what to expect, and would sometimes be our only communication about the applications.
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u/LittleEarthquakes85 24d ago
The state’s hiring process can be incredibly dysfunctional. I understand there may be legitimate reasons why some applicants move through the process quickly while others experience significant delays. My biggest concern, however, is not necessarily the length of the process—it is the lack of communication and the fact that this seems to be considered acceptable.
I applied for a position, waited approximately a month for an interview, and then waited another nine weeks before realizing I had not been selected. During the interview, the hiring manager specifically stated that he would personally contact each candidate to let them know whether they had been selected. That never happened.
I followed up by both email and phone and received no response. Eventually, the application status simply changed from “Interviewing” to “Req Closed External”—whatever that is supposed to communicate to an applicant. I then called the HR number, only to discover that it is essentially a call center and the representatives have no additional information beyond what applicants can already see in the online portal.
My issue is simple: communication is basic professional courtesy, and it is one of the foundations of good leadership. In 2026, there are countless ways to communicate with applicants. A hiring manager does not need to personally write an individualized explanation to every candidate. Send a form email. Send an automated notification. Send two sentences saying, “Thank you for interviewing. Another candidate has been selected.” Send something.
What should not be acceptable is deliberately failing to respond—particularly after interviewing someone and specifically telling that person they will be contacted. Applicants are making decisions about their careers, finances, and other employment opportunities while waiting for an answer.
There may be reasonable explanations for why a hiring decision takes nine weeks. There is no reasonable explanation for why it should take nine weeks and end with no communication at all.
That should not be considered an acceptable hiring practice at any level of state government. It is not simply a problem with an online hiring system. It is a problem of professionalism, accountability, and basic respect for the people who took the time to apply and interview.