Human Resources
Human Resources supports the City’s efforts to attract, develop and retain a diverse, well-qualified and productive workforce that is capable of providing quality services to the citizens of Bryan. The City of Bryan offers an excellent benefits package to its employees, including health insurance; TMRS and ICMA retirement plans; paid vacation, sick leave and holidays; and a career progression pay plan.
We are responsible for the following areas:
- Recruitment
- Benefits (excluding insured plans)
- Training & Educational Opportunities
- Classification & Compensation
- Civil Service (Police & Fire)
- Employee Relations
- Personnel Records
Police, Fire & 911 Dispatchers
Police Officer (Entry-level Non-Certified or Certified)
The City of Bryan is currently accepting applications for Police Officer. Certification is not required. The application deadline is Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Visit the link below and follow the steps provided to apply.
Firefighter (Entry-level Non-Certified or Certified)
The City of Bryan is not currently accepting applications for the position of Firefighter (Non-certified or Certified). The next entrance exam date has not been scheduled. Sign up to be notified when the application period for the next exam date opens.
911 Dispatcher
If you are interested in a 911 Dispatcher position, please contact the Brazos County Emergency Communications District (911) at (979) 779-0911 or visit www.bc911.org. These positions are not City of Bryan positions; they are employees of the Brazos County 911 District.
Benefits
The City of Bryan offers a variety of competitive benefits for regular full-time employees. The Human Resources Department and the Risk Management Department share oversight of employee benefits. Benefits include:
Human Resources Functions
Risk Management Functions
- Health Insurance (including):
- Medical Coverage
- Mental Health Coverage
- Prescriptions
- Dental Coverage
- Eye Exams
Vacation
Full-time employee shall be entitled to accrue vacation leave. The amount accrued is based on the number of years of service. Part-time and temporary/seasonal employees do not accrue vacation time.
Sick Leave
All regular full-time employees accrue sick leave at the rate of 10 days per year (80 hours). Maximum sick leave accrual is 120 days (960 hours). Classified Fire & Police shall accrue sick leave and be paid for any unused sick leave in accordance with Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 143. Part-time and temporary/seasonal employees do not accrue sick leave.
Paid Holidays
The City of Bryan offers full-time employees 12 paid holidays per year:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving
- Day after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
- Two floating holidays
Life Insurance
The City of Bryan provides basic life insurance for all full- time regular employees at no cost to the employee. Coverage is effective on the 1st of the month following 30 days of employment.
Employer-paid Basic Life
Coverage Option: Two times base salary, subject to a maximum of $400,000. Includes matching Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)benefit. Coverage decreases at age 70 to 50% of the coverage in force prior to age 70.
Employee-paid Supplemental Life w/AD&D
Coverage Options: $10,000 increments with maximum coverage $750,000. $300,000 coverage is guaranteed for new employees if elected within 31 days of initial eligibility. The accidental dismemberment benefit is based on the type of loss sustained. Coverage decreases at age 70 to 50% of the coverage in force prior to age 70. Premiums are based on age and amount of policy.
Employee-paid Spouse Life
Coverage Options: $20,000 or $50,000. All coverage is guaranteed if elected within 31 days of initial eligibility. Additional $100,000 with approved medical underwriting. Coverage decreases at age 70 to 50% of the coverage in force prior to age 70.
Employee-paid Child Life
Coverage Options: $10,000, $15,000 and $20,000. All coverage is guaranteed if elected within 31 days initial eligibility. Coverage from live birth to 26 years.
Short-Term Disability Insurance
The City of Bryan offers a short-term disability income insurance policy that helps replace a major portion of your income when you are sick or injured and unable to work. Some people think of it as “paycheck protection.” Others view it as a way to protect their home since a mortgage payment is often a family’s most significant expense. Your ability to earn an income may be your most important asset. Most people wouldn’t think twice about insuring their home, automobile or health. However, many do not recognize the need to insure their income.
Long-Term Disability Insurance
The City of Bryan provides long-term disability insurance to all full-time regular employees. The coverage is intended to help assure an income when an employee is unable to work due to illness or injury. It covers disabilities on or off the job that last longer than six months. Employees may be eligible to receive a basic monthly benefit of up to 60% of their base salary.
Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS)
The Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) is the qualified, deferred, retirement plan for all City of Bryan full-time employees and those part-time employees who regularly exceed 1,000 hours in a calendar year. These employees contribute 7% of their pre-tax pay that is matched on a 2-to-1 basis by the city. Participation is mandatory. Employees may qualify for retirement with 5 years of service at age 60 or 20 years of service at any age. Employees having public service at another entity may apply for time credit.
457 Deferred Compensation
The City of Bryan offers a supplemental retirement option that is fully employee-funded. Full and part-time regular employees may enroll, stop deductions and/or make changes at any time.
Training and Talent Development Program
The City of Bryan offers a holistic approach to training to focus on future development of each employee’s talents. This program was designed to promote and provide educational development and training to all City of Bryan employees that is strategic, measurable, and effective; thereby, improving and transforming quality and performance to meet the needs of citizens now and into the future.
Education Reimbursement
The City of Bryan offers Education Reimbursement to employees for eligible tuition and other education-related expenses up to a maximum of $1,500 per semester (dependent upon availability of funds) based on course grades.
Spot Bonus
The city’s Spot Bonus Program recognizes and rewards contributions of employees, essentially “on the spot,” rather than waiting to incorporate the reward into an annual review of performance, pay, or other recognition initiative. Recommended awards may vary from a low of $50 to a maximum of $500; other amounts may be considered based on circumstances and merit.
Longevity Pay
The City of Bryan offers Longevity Pay as a benefit to further incentivize and reward employees for their tenure and dedication. Employees “earn $4 per month for every year of service (after year one); i.e. a one-year employee would receive $48 annually, not to exceed $1,200 annually (cap is at 25 years, $100/mo.), paid in an annual lump sum.
Fitness Membership
In an effort to minimize health costs and promote wellness, the City of Bryan offers a discounted fitness membership for its employees. For enrollment information, please contact Risk Management at 979.209.5055.
Employee Assistance Program
The City of Bryan Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential service designed to help employees and their immediate family members with problems such as relationships, legal, finances, drug/alcohol, depression or anxiety. Employees and/or immediate family members are allowed six (6) free counseling sessions per issue per year unless long-term care is recommended, then sessions will be applied toward health insurance. Legal assistance consists of a free 30 minute consultation with an attorney per issue per calendar year and/or a 25% price discount of the attorney’s hourly rate. Call EAP at 1-888-881-5462 or visit their website at www.supportlinc.com.
Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation is a state-regulated insurance program that pays your medical bills and replaces a portion of you lost wages if you become injured at work or have a work-related disease or illness. In the event of death, benefits are paid to eligible family members.
Flexible Benefits
The City of Bryan offers a Flexible Spending Account Plan that allows employees to have money taken out of their paycheck pre-taxed and set aside to use for medical and/or dependent care expenses.
Health Insurance
The City of Bryan offers medical health coverage to all regular full-time employees. Coverage is effective on 1st of the month following 30 days of employment. See complete section on health insurance for more information.
Health Insurance
The City of Bryan offers medical health coverage to all regular, full-time employees. Coverage is effective on the first of the month following 30 days of employment. Blue Cross Blue Shield is the claims administrator for the City’s self-funded health plan. Blue Cross Blue Shield is the Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) for medical care in the Brazos Valley and surrounding area. A list of network facilities/providers, medical claim forms, and other benefit-related information are available on line at the Blue Cross Blue Shield website. Employees may also come by, call or e-mail Risk Management to pick up the forms or have them mailed to you.
Medical Coverage
PPO Plan:
The Plan pays 100% after a $30 co-pay for in-network office visits. There is $60 co-pay for Specialist/Urgent Care Office Visit. The hospital emergency room in-network co-pay is $300, and coverage is 80% after meeting deductible. The co-pay is waived if admitted. There is a calendar year $1,000 individual / $2,000 family deductible applied to most other in-network expenses. The Plan then reimburses at 80% of eligible charges.High Deductible Health Plan:
There is a calendar year $1,500 individual / $3,000 family deductible then the Plan reimburses at 80% of eligible charges. The family’s medical and prescription costs are combined to meet the deductible.Prescriptions:
Prescriptions are covered through Blue Cross Blue Shield/Prime Therapeutics. There is a $10 co-pay at participating pharmacies for generic prescriptions. The co-pay for preferred brand prescriptions is $25 or 20% of the price, whichever is greater, and for non-preferred brand prescriptions it is $40 or 20%, whichever is greater.Dental Coverage
Dental coverage has a $50 individual deductible, limited to $150 per family. Preventative dental care includes two cleanings per year and is reimbursed at 100%, deductible waived. Basic care is reimbursed at 80% and Major care is reimbursed at 50% after the deductible is met. The maximum benefit per calendar year is $1,500. Orthodontics is reimbursed at 50%, after deductible, and there is a $1,500 lifetime benefit.
Eye Exams
Each participant is allowed one routine eye exam per year. The annual eye exam is reimbursed at 100% and no co-pay applies. Participants must go to a Blue Cross Blue Shield provider for the in-network benefit.
Mental Health Coverage
Serious mental illness is covered on the same basis as any other illness. Other mental health treatment is covered as follows: In-network in-patient/day facility care at 80% after the individual deductible is met.
Applying for jobs with your online account
Creating an account
Select Create Account from the left menu and follow the instructions. If using a mobile device, select the menu icon and then Create Account. You will need to provide a username and password that you will remember (your username and password can’t be the same) and an e-mail address. People with accounts on the older version of our recruitment site will need to create a new account to use our upgraded careers site.
Logging onto your account
Select Log In from the left menu and enter your username and password. If you forget your username or password, click on Forgot your username or password? You can then enter the e-mail address you used to create your account to receive your username or enter your username to set a new password.
Searching for jobs
Select Search Jobs from the left menu and navigate down the page to view the current position openings. The list of available position openings changes often, so if you do not see something currently posted, please check the website frequently.
Click on a job posting title or select View Details (at the bottom of the posting) to learn more. Be sure to carefully review the minimum requirements, including any required licenses/certifications.
Once you’ve opened up a posting, click on Apply for this Job at the top right. You can save a posting for later by selecting Bookmark at the bottom of the listing.
Completing a job application
Once you choose to apply for a position, you’ll be asked to provide information about yourself and your educational/work background. The more information you provide at the time of your application, the easier it will be for the hiring committee to effectively evaluate your skills, abilities, and qualifications.
We recommend you gather all of this information before beginning the application process. You can copy and paste text information from existing documents directly into the appropriate fields of the application form. Check the formatting of things you copy and paste into designated fields.
When applying for a job you will need to:
- Confirm the personal information on your Account such as your name, address, phone number, and e-mail. Some fields are required and you won’t be able to confirm the page without completing them.
- Complete the required education and employment information – one entry for each is required.
- Complete the optional information such as references, including contact information.
- Attach any optional or required documents.
- Go to the final page of your application. Check for Errors and Submit.
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- Pages that are completed fully will have a Green check mark, and pages that are missing data will have a Red X. A summary will be shown at the top of your application indicating the pages that have missing data. You can select the Red text or X to be taken directly to the page that needs your attention.
- Once the final page Check for Errors and Submit shows no errors/omissions, you can confirm your application and sign off on the accuracy of your information. Your application is not considered complete until you have attached all required documents, answered the supplemental questions, and received a Confirmation number.
Saving your application & finishing later
As you proceed through the application process, you may move systematically through page by page using NEXT or by using the drop-down menu at the bottom or top of the page and hitting GO to complete various pages/sections of the application form. You don’t have to SAVE each page if using NEXT, as it will be auto-saved if you leave it and move to the next page.
If moving between pages using the drop-down menu and GO, you will need to SAVE the page before leaving it.
If you close your account page before completing your application, you may return to it at any time by Logging in to the recruitment system. Select Your Applications from the left menu and any incomplete ‘In Process’ applications will be indicated.
Can I submit an application without applying for a specific position?
No. Applicants must identify a specific position for which to apply. Applicants must select Apply to this Position and certify and submit application materials to be considered. Applicants will receive a confirmation number when an application is successfully submitted.
Do I complete a new application for each position that I apply for?
No. Once you have completed your online application, it is stored electronically. As you select positions to apply for, you will have the option to update your online application before applying. Additional information which may be necessary for the specific position for which you are applying, such as a resume, cover letter, and/or responses to supplemental questions, will be noted in the posting details for each position.
It is important to carefully review your application each time you apply to a posting to ensure your information is up to date, particularly any changes to your work history or contact information.
Confirming that your application has been submitted
To confirm that your application has been successfully submitted, select Your Applications on the left menu and you will see all the postings you have applied for, and the status of ‘In-Progress’ will be shown.
Checking your application status
After you log in, select Your Applications on the left menu. This will show you all the postings you have applied for and the status of each one. The most common status you will see is ‘In Progress’. If you see a status of ‘Does Not Meet Minimum Qualifications’, you did not meet the minimum education and experience outlined in the posting. If you see a status of ‘Not Selected’, ‘Interviewed-Not Selected’, or ‘Position Filled’, it means the recruitment process is complete and you were not selected for the posting.
If your application status indicates ‘Incomplete’, you are missing some required information that will allow us to further access your application and determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the posting. For further details, please call the Human Resources Department at (979) 209-5060.
Can I add additional information to my application after it has been submitted to a posting?
If you realize pertinent information was left out of your application materials after submission to a posting, you may request your application/documentation be made available for you to update. If the position is still open to receive applications and it is deemed appropriate, your application may be updated and resubmitted. If the position closing date has passed, then updates to application materials may not be made in the system.
To request your application/documentation be made available for updating contact the Human Resources Department at (979) 209-5060.
What happens after I submit my application?
When an applicant applies for a position and has met the training and experience requirements, their application will be submitted to the hiring supervisor for further review. If an applicant does not meet the training and experience requirements, their application will not be referred to the department.
Candidates that are selected for an interview will be contacted by the Hiring Department by telephone or email to arrange an interview. Only candidates who have been selected for an interview should expect personal communication regarding their status.
How do I print a copy of my application?
Select Your Applications on the left menu. Select the posting title and View Your Application at the top of the page. Select Print Version at the top of the page.
If I have previously applied for a specific job posting, do I need to reapply if the job posting becomes available again?
Yes, if a position is re-posted, you will need to submit your application for consideration. If you attempt to apply for the same posting, the system will indicate you have already applied for the posting.
Withdrawing your application
After you log in, select Your Applications on the left menu. This will show you all the postings you have applied for and the status of each one. In the status column, select the underlined link Withdraw Application.
You will be asked to confirm your withdrawal by clicking Confirm. You will not be able to reapply for the same posting once you withdraw.
Resume and Interviewing Tips
Your Resume: Make a Good Impression
A resume is your first, and usually only, opportunity to get your foot in the door for a job interview. Managers have very little time to spend combing through every resume they receive for positions. If your resume includes errors, you probably won’t be contacted. Here is a list of the most common resume mistakes, and the biggest ones to avoid.
Important: All the tips listed here also apply to an employment application. You want to make sure the application is as error-free as your resume and that proper formatting is maintained. Also, make sure the work history on your resume and the application match. If an employer requests an employment application in addition to a resume, please do not skip over sections of the application or state ‘see resume’. Fully complete the application. Quite often, hiring managers refer to the application first. You do not want your experience to be overlooked. There may also be details requested on the application that are not included on the resume.
Things NOT to Include or Do on a Resume
Personal Information
Aside from contact information, there’s no room for personal information on your resume. The majority of personal information you would include are items that would be illegal for a potential employer to ask during an interview such as age, race, religion, marital status, and whether you have children – therefore, you need to leave this information off of your resume/application. Resumes are strictly designed to outline your professional qualifications for a job.
It’s also important to avoid putting unrelated information on your resume; this includes listing hobbies, volunteer activities, and religious organizations. Listing these types of things should be avoided unless it is somehow directly related to the position for which you are applying.
Personal Photo
Unless you are in the entertainment industry and a headshot is part of the job, you should never include a personal photo on a resume. Photos distract the hiring manager from looking at what’s important: your qualifications. A resume is supposed to highlight career accomplishments and how you can provide value to the company for which you are interviewing. Employers don’t want or need to be drawn into a situation where a subtle bias based on appearance could come into play.
Dates
Although some dates are necessary on a resume, such as dates of employment, remove unnecessary dates. For example, although you need to list the school(s) you have attended and the type of degree(s) you received, leave off your graduation year/date as it can reveal age. The only time you may want to include the graduation year on your resume is if you’re young and have very little work experience. Those who have just graduated from college usually don’t have much work experience so including the graduation year shows the hiring manager that you were occupied with school.
Also, keep in mind that often employers will disregard a resume if you leave off exact dates of employment. Always include month and year in your dates of employment.
Grammatical Errors and Typos
“The closest to perfection a person ever comes is when he fills out a job application form.” – Randall
According to a Career Builder survey, 58% of employers identified resumes with typos as one of the top mistakes that led them to automatically dismiss a candidate. Using the correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation in a resume/application is essential. Everyone makes mistakes, but certain aspects of life really should be faultless. What does it tell the hiring manager about your work quality when they are presented with a document riddled with errors? Your resume/application is your best chance to present yourself in writing as the ideal candidate for a job, so scrutinize it (and have someone else scrutinize it) for accuracy before sending it in.
Not Including Relevant Experience
When you’re writing a resume, the experience section of your resume provides detailed information about your employment history. This is the real heart of your resume, and the more years you are employed, the more decisions you will have to make about what to include and what to leave off in this section. You do not have to include every job that you have held. Typically, a resume will have information about your most recent 10 to 15 years of experience. Beyond that timeframe, you do not need to include details unless the positions are relevant to the position for which you are applying. Entry-level employees, who do not have a lot of on-the-job experience, should include every job possible, including internships and summer/temporary jobs.
Failure to Tailor Your Resume
You may be tempted to attach the same resume to ten different job applications, speedily applying to jobs into the wee hours of the night. Break this habit if you want to increase your chances of getting hired. It is vitally important that you tailor your resume to the position description, and use the appropriate keywords. This doesn’t mean copying and pasting the job description keywords into your resume and hastily adding them. Instead, think of relevant accomplishments that describe these hard skills. For example, proving you’re “detail-oriented” translates into “Organized a contact database of 3,000 clients to leverage direct sales.”
Poor Resume Formatting
A traditional resume is a simple, straightforward document. To stand out, some people go overboard with multiple colors, numerous typefaces, excessive bolding and/or italics, unusual bullet points, and more. As a rule of thumb, stick to one or two typefaces. It’s common to use one typeface for headers and one for the body text. Whether you use one typeface or two, be sure to choose common, polished-looking fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, Georgia, or Times New Roman. Simplicity is the key to legibility.
A few additional items to keep in mind
- Responsibilities/Achievements: Use a bullet point format, not paragraphs, to list your job responsibilities/achievements. Use action verbs at or near the start of each statement. Provide proficient details about your current and previous job responsibilities to allow the hiring manager to determine if you have the experience and skill set needed to perform the job.
- Tense: As a general rule, use the past tense if an action or accomplishment on your resume is in the past. However, use the present tense if you are speaking about a current role and accomplishments. Hiring managers cringe when they see this mistake on a resume, so as you’re editing, be sure to use the correct tense: manage vs. managed, deliver vs. delivered, execute vs. executed.
- Capitalization: While proper nouns—names of companies, managers/supervisors, and schools, for example—should be capitalized, common nouns should not. Some job seekers have a tendency to capitalize certain common nouns for emphasis, but this is a mistake and should be avoided.
- E-mail Addresses: If you do have an email address that seemed catchy when you created it, but now leaves you slightly embarrassed, set up a separate professional email address for your job hunting. It would be a big mistake to use an old email address like BeerLover123@gmail.com or CuteChick4life@yahoo.com.
- Consistency: Although it may not immediately spring to mind, catching errors in consistency is an important part of proofreading your resume. Check to make sure that the dates have all been formatted in the same way (i.e. month/year). Ensure that if you bolded your job title, you did so every time. If you notice extra spaces, remove them—this includes extra returns between paragraphs or spaces at the beginning of a line. Ideally, your resume should be consistently formatted, easy to scan, and laid out logically.
- References: Be sure to list at least three (3) professional references on your application and resume. Include people who are aware and can speak highly of your accomplishments, work ethic, skills, education, performance, etc. Make sure you list their name, phone number, email address, and professional relationship (i.e. boss, co-worker, etc.). Avoid listing family members or friends as a reference.
- Delivery Format: You’ve spent hours formatting your resume and getting the bullet points to line up perfectly. Don’t lose that perfect format by sending/uploading a resume as a Microsoft Word doc. Use a PDF to ensure a clean delivery.
Interviewing Tips
- When invited to an interview, you will want to write down the following information:
- Name and phone number of the person contacting you
- Title of the job for which you are being considered
- Time and place to appear for the interview
- Familiarize yourself with the job posting details.
- Arrive 15 minutes early.
- Allow sufficient time for the interview.
- Be appropriately dressed.
- During the interview:
- Be prepared to discuss your education, training, and/or work experience, and how they relate to the job for which you are interviewing. Don’t forget to mention professional certifications, licenses, organizations, etc., if applicable.
- Listen carefully to the questions, and give balanced responses, i.e., not too little, not too much. If need be, take a moment to think before responding. If a question has multiple parts, be sure to address all parts. Ask to have the question repeated if necessary. For all questions, give concise, yet complete responses in a logical and organized manner. When possible, give examples to support your responses. Avoid giving personal information that is irrelevant to the selection process.
- Speak clearly and loud enough to be heard. Make eye contact when responding to questions. Be aware of your body language. Be confident and enthusiastic!
- Remember, you are trying to convince the interviewer (or interview panel) that you are the best person for the job, so sell yourself accordingly.
- If you need to reschedule due to an emergency or are unable to attend the interview, contact the hiring department as far in advance of the interview as possible. Failure to do so may be viewed as unprofessional and cause hiring supervisors to limit their consideration of you for other positions.
