1. What is Career Opportunities System (COS)?
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COS is an on-line recruitment system that will allow applicants to search and apply for merit job openings.
2. What are the benefits of COS?
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- You can view and update your personal information, work history (application), etc. on-line.
- You can search for job openings.
- You can apply on-line 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- You can create a “search agent manager” that will notify you by e-mail when there is a job opening you are interested in.
- Your personal information is secured using state-of-the-art technology.
- You can submit up to five resumes and the system will store them for you.
3. Do I have to use a resume?
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No, hiring agencies use your application but if applicants have resumes, agencies may review them as well. This system provides a resume tool to assist you in building your resume.
4. Can I use a resume instead of completing the COS application?
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No, applicants must complete the application as resumes are not considered official by regulation. The information listed on the application is used by the Personnel Cabinet to determine if the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the job vacancy in which they are applying. So, it is to your advantage to be as detailed as possible in completing the application.
5. Do I have to create an application in COS if I already had one in the old system?
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Yes, COS is a new and separate system from the old one and there is no exchange of information between the two. Applicants should create a complete and thorough application in COS. The Personnel Cabinet can provide you with a copy of your previous application to assist you in entering your work history. To request a copy of your application or application update(s) please submit the application request form found here. (PDF - 17 KB)
6. Can I create an application without applying to a job vacancy?
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Yes, applicants can create an application after they create a COS account by clicking on the “edit your profile” link on the welcome screen. Each of the required fields, as noted by an *, must be completed before the application may be saved. Once saved, an applicant can complete the remaining fields at any time thereafter and the application can be accessed by returning to “edit your profile” not “saved drafts”. During the process of completing the application, you should save the application periodically so that your information is not lost due to such things as an interruption of your Internet connection.
7. What should I double-check before I save my application?
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Be sure that fields that require numeric answers do not include alphabetic text. For example, do not include text in the blank for listing the number of college hours earned. Also, do not list dates that do not exist such as February 31st in your work history dates.
8. The COS application has space to list 12 job histories and I have more than 12. How should I list my work history?
Your work history listed on your COS application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum requirements for job classes by the Personnel Cabinet. It may also be used by agencies to make decisions in their recruiting efforts. With that in mind, you should include any work history that pertains to the type of experience required to qualify for future job classes. For example, an applicant may have been a lifeguard in high school 20 plus years ago. If the applicant does not apply to any positions for which this experience would be needed to qualify, they would not need to list it on their application. Applicants may also use the space at the end of the job history portion of the application, called “skills and abilities” to list additional work history. Applicants should list dates of employment and average hours per week worked in association with any specific work history listed in this box.
9. The directions for completing the work history section on the COS application instruct the applicant to list their work history in reverse order from the old application. Why is this?
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By listing your work history in reverse order you will be able to update your application when you change positions by adding the new information to bottom of your work histories. Otherwise you would need to cut and paste all your work history to “move” them down a space to allow for the new information.
10. Why does my name, address, phone # etc. not display on the Application page/tab?
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Your name, address, phone #, etc. will be displayed when you complete the Application and then click the Save button the first time.
11. Do I have to complete an application if I am being considered for a reclassification?
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Yes, the Personnel Cabinet must review your application in COS to determine if you meet the minimum requirements for the job class for which you are being considered for reclassification.
12. Will I have to travel to Frankfort to apply for a position?
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No, you can apply on-line, 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the convenience of your own home or anywhere you have internet access. (Did you know that the public libraries in Kentucky provide free access to the internet?)
13. How is COS different from the way the state government formerly hired?
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You now have a better understanding of the required/desired skills needed for the job because the hiring agency can post more specific information about the job. You may be asked to answer questions called preferred skills questions which allow agencies to easily identify applicants who have the skills and abilities they are seeking. In addition, hiring agencies now have the ability to conduct an electronic search of candidate information on applications based on desired/required skills, education and experience.
14. If I was already qualified by the Personnel Cabinet for job classifications, will my name still go out to agencies for vacant positions?
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Until March 26, 2008, your name will be sent to the agencies for every job opening that you were on prior to November 26, 2007, the date of COS implementation.* However, after March 26, you will have to apply to job openings in order to be considered by the hiring agencies. Doing so allows you to highlight your education, skills and abilities and will allow agencies to conduct an electronic search of candidate information based on desired/required skills, education and experience. Because this new system will also allow you as the applicant to access your application and manage your contact information, such as updating your home address, we encourage you to complete your application as soon as possible. *Once you create and save an application, even if you do not apply to a job vacancy at that time, your name will stop being sent to agencies unless you apply to their opening.
15. How does the COS job search work?
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You have the ability to search on vacant jobs by selecting one or more areas such as job title, salary range, work counties, 37.5- or 40-hour work week based on your preferences, and the system will notify you by e-mail when a job opens that matches the areas you have chosen. For example, your search agent manager can send you an e-mail notification each time there is a vacancy posted for pay grade 14 and above in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services in Jefferson County. You can then choose to apply to the position by clicking on the link in the e-mail notification.
16. Is there a limit as to how many jobs I may apply to?
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No, there is no limit. However, you must apply to each job vacancy for which you would like to be considered. Only applicants who apply to and meet the minimum requirements for vacancies will be considered by the hiring agencies.
17. If the vacancy requires a written examination, will I need to travel to Frankfort?
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Applicants applying to job vacancies in which there is a test required will need to take the examination and score among the top 5 scores. Applicants who have applied to a vacant position are allowed up to three business days after the posting end date to take the examination in order to be considered by the hiring agency. Currently, testing is offered at our Frankfort office Monday through Friday except holidays. Applicants traveling to Frankfort to take an examination prior to receiving approval notification may do so with the understanding that they must meet the minimum requirements and be approved prior to being allowed to take an examination.
18. What is the expected turnaround time for response after I apply to a COS vacancy?
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Applicants applying through COS will receive immediate e-mail confirmation that their submission was received. Applicants will receive additional e-mail notifications based on their status relating to the job vacancy for which they applied. The Personnel Cabinet has from the time the vacancy is posted until the register is certified to review all applicants who apply to the posted title. Applicants will receive notification by email with regards to whether or not they met the minimum requirements and, if approved, their status at the time the register is certified.
19. Why am I not receiving emails after I apply to jobs?
Many email providers filter ‘junk e-mails’. Their filters mistakenly categorize emails from the Personnel Cabinet as ‘spam’. To correct this problem you need to add the email address donotreply@Kenexa.com to your email address book. This will tell your email provider not to divert emails from the Personnel Cabinet.
20. How secure is my personal information submitted through COS?
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Your privacy and security are our highest priority. Ensuring electronic access to state government information and services while maintaining privacy is a guiding principle of the state's Direction of Enterprise Information Technology. The Commonwealth of Kentucky collects only the personal information necessary to provide enhanced services to our citizens and customers. Please note that all non-exempt information collected by Kentucky.gov services may be subject to public disclosure under KRS 61.870, the Kentucky Open Records Act (PDF - 8 KB). However, public records containing information of a personal nature are protected from disclosure by the personal privacy exemption of state law. Personal data in our possession is maintained and used in ways that respect individual privacy. The Commonwealth educates our employees about the importance of protecting personal information and consumer privacy, and only authorized employees have access to personal information. COS and its software provider, Kenexa Recruiter BrassRing, respects individual privacy. COS/Kenexa Recruiter BrassRing strives to collect and use personal information in a manner consistent with the laws of the countries in which it does business. Kenexa abides by the Safe Harbor Principles developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the European Commission.
21. When can I test for a position?
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You may only test for a currently vacant position after you have received notification through the COS system that you are authorized to test. Although you must apply to any tested position while it is posted, you will be allowed up to 3 business days to test in Frankfort once the posting has closed.
22. Several individuals share an email account in our household. Can we all use that email address to create our account?
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No, your email address is your unique identifier as part of your protected COS account. Therefore each of you will need to create your own email account and then create your own COS accounts. Creating multiple accounts using the same email address will cause errors in processing. You can create your own email account by using one of the free email providers on the web, including Yahoo, Gmail, Windows Live Mail, or AOL.
23. What are the recommended system requirements for COS?
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This search tool performs optimally with the following web browsers: Internet Explorer 6 and above, Netscape 7.1, AOL 7.0 and 8.0, Mozilla Firefox 1.5 and above, and Safari 2.0 and above. It is recommended that users running Windows 98 or Windows ME download and install Mozilla Firefox 2.0. Additionally, you will need to disable popup blocking for this site and add this site as an allowable/trusted site in your browser’s internet options.
For instructions on how to do this for Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, click here to visit the Microsoft Knowledge Base.
For instructions on how to do this for Mozilla’s Firefox, click here to visit the Mozilla Firefox Knowledge Base.
For instruction on how to do this for Apple's Safari, click here to visit Apple Support.