ICMA - MEMBER RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIPS A GUIDEBOOK FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 11:27:36 GMT

MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIPS A GUIDEBOOK FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Buy Now: $100.00

Effective internship programs provide an excellent opportunity to make use of very talented people and assess them as possible full-time employees. These programs also provide an opportunity for managers to demonstrate to interns the potential of a career in local government administration. This resource is intended to help local government managers and MPA programs work together to develop meaningful internship opportunities that benefit both students and the local governments, and encourage students to explore local government careers. Content highlights include:

Choosing the Type of Internship
Attracting the Best Talent
Compensation and Financial Considerations
Supervising and Evaluating Interns
Top Ten Best Practices
Creating a Remote Internship Opportunity
Testimonials from Interns, Fellows, and Supervisors

Visit MEMBER RESOURCES to see additional products in this category.

Recruitment Guidelines for Selecting a Local Government Administrator

Thu, 9 Oct 2025 11:54:26 GMT

Recruitment Guidelines for Selecting a Local Government Administrator
Buy Now: $100.00

Recruiting and selecting a local government manager or administrator is one of the most important responsibilities of a local governing body. It requires careful planning, astute evaluation of candidates, and a clear understanding of the relationship between the local government and the administrator.

This handbook presents guidelines to help council members conduct a successful recruitment process. While no two jurisdictions require precisely the same qualifications and responsibilities from their chief appointed official, the guidelines outlined here provide the basis for determining priorities. These guidelines will enable local government officials to go about recruiting and selecting the best possible professional for their needs.

This handbook includes a discussion of:

Resources available to assist in the process conducting the recruitment
Reviewing applications
Identifying and interviewing finalists
Negotiating compensation
Handling the transition

Exhibits present resources and publications available, suggested interview questions, and a summary checklist and timetable.

Visit MEMBER RESOURCES to see additional products in this category.

ICMA Model Employment Agreement (Editable)

Thu, 9 Oct 2025 11:29:17 GMT

ICMA Model Employment Agreement (Editable)
Buy Now: $100.00

This document serves as a model employment agreement template for administrators of municipal governments. Complete in its content, the agreement covers a wide array of topics including business expenditures, performance evaluation, relocation expenses, indemnification, and many more. Provides additional language on various topics, allowing local governments to choose the option which best fits their organization.

This copy is editable (in Microsoft Word format) for your use in customizing the agreement to fit your needs.

Visit MEMBER RESOURCES to see additional products in this category.

ICMA Job Hunting Handbook for Local Government Professionals

Thu, 9 Oct 2025 11:21:50 GMT

ICMA Job Hunting Handbook for Local Government Professionals
Buy Now: $100.00

Job hunting can be time-consuming and anxiety-producing, and this guide will help you in your hunt with background and strategies developed by local government management professionals. ICMA’s Job Hunting Handbook walks readers through all aspects of the job hunting process for local government professional managers. The guide reviews preparing resumes, cover letters, references, managing social media profiles, and doing good research, how to navigate the selection process, how to negotiate job offers or what to do if the job is not offered, and negotiating compensation.

The guide is intended to assist new and tenured professionals make sense of job search, and help the process be less stressful and more successful!

This handbook includes:

Planning your job-hunt
Finding job vacancies
Creating your resume and cover letter
Managing social media
Working with search firms
Preparing for interviews
Negotiating compensation and benefit, and more

The handbook was updated to include information for recent graduates and young professionals, as well as experienced managers. This publication is a benefit to ICMA members.

Visit MEMBER RESOURCES to see additional products in this category.

Human Resources Recruitment Handbook: Hiring Veterans for Local Government Positions

Thu, 9 Oct 2025 10:22:59 GMT

Human Resources Recruitment Handbook: Hiring Veterans for Local Government Positions
Buy Now: $100.00

The Human Resources Recruitment Handbook: Hiring Veterans for Local Government Positions is a treasure trove of information. For local government human resources managers, it is also a secret weapon in the recruitment and career management of a highly capable and well-tested talent pool. Military veterans are well-trained, disciplined, and experienced and they have a demonstrated heart for public service. Tapping into this workforce to fill the civilian ranks of public service in local government makes perfect sense.

Visit MEMBER RESOURCES to see additional products in this category.

MANAGERS AS TEACHERS: A PRACTITIONER’S GUIDE TO TEACHING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Thu, 9 Oct 2025 10:14:37 GMT

MANAGERS AS TEACHERS: A PRACTITIONER’S GUIDE TO TEACHING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Buy Now: $100.00

Visit MEMBER RESOURCES to see additional products in this category.

ICMA Guidebook for Assistant and Deputy Managers

Thu, 9 Oct 2025 10:03:32 GMT

ICMA Guidebook for Assistant and Deputy Managers
Buy Now: $100.00

In many regards, the role of the ACAO changes from dayto day, depending on what the organization and community need at that time. Thesize and culture of the organization, as well as the strengths and weaknessesof the chief administrative officer (CAO), help determine the professional lifeof an ACAO.

Some ACAOs aspire to be the CAO, and the deputy perchis a key position on that flight upward. Others treasure the prospect ofserving their entire career as the ACAO. One step back from the perch,they can leverage their leadership and management skills to advance theorganizations work to serve the community. Wherever you want to be on thatmanagement tree, this guide was prepared by the ICMA Assistant and DeputyTask Force to help every deputy or assistant succeed in his or her role,and with his or her career aspirations.

Inside this guide, you’ll find four sections designedto answer some of the questions our focus groups of ACAOs wanted addressedmost:

Roles of an ACAO
Effective ACAO Skills
Mentoring for an ACAO
Managing with Multiple ACAOs.

This guidebook can be helpful to you if you haveserved in another community as the ACAO, if you aspire to an ACAO role, if youwant to check yourself in your current ACAO role, or even if you are a CAOlooking to create a new ACAO position or to support your current ACAO(s).

Visit MEMBER RESOURCES to see additional products in this category.

Resources for the Interim or Acting Manager

Thu, 9 Oct 2025 09:52:11 GMT

Resources for the Interim or Acting Manager
Buy Now: $100.00

When the localgovernment manager's position becomes vacant, someone is bound to be tapped toserve in an acting or interim capacity. Often, the acting manager is selectedfrom within the organization, and he or she is suddenly faced with anunfamiliar set of roles, responsibilities, and expectations. The decision toaccept the role of interim manager can be a difficult one, requiring thoughtfulconsideration of where you are and where you’d like to be in your professionaland personal journey.

In Resources for the Interim or Acting Manager, you'll learn how to:

Decide if the interim manager role is right for you.
Put into writing the terms of agreement for the position.
Conduct an assessment of the community and the organization and succeed through your interim position (60-day checklist).
Define your role as (interim) manager.
Be the interim manager during the search process.
Garner the support of colleagues and staff for success.
And more!

Visit MEMBER RESOURCES to see additional products in this category.

ICMA First-Time Administrator's Handbook

Thu, 9 Oct 2025 09:41:31 GMT

ICMA First-Time Administrator's Handbook
Buy Now: $100.00

To assist managers with their daily challenges, ICMA'sFirst-Time Administrator Task Force prepared this concise yet comprehensiveguide that both emerging leaders and veteran managers can benefit from thishandbook's suggestions.

At some point in your career, you’re likely to face adecision whether to seek and/or accept a position as a chief administrator in alocal government. Perhaps you want to advance to the next step on your careerladder—or maybe you’ve been offered a chief administrator position because theCAO in your community resigned, or because a recruiter identified you as acandidate for the job.

The First-Time Administrator’sHandbook is for professionals likeyou who are embarking on—or contemplating—a first position as a localgovernment CAO. It offers advice and perspectives on the transition, whetheryou’re a recent MPA graduate, a current assistant/deputy manager or department head,or a manager in a private-sector or nonprofit organization or the military.

This handbook also contains useful advice for managerswho serve as a community’s first appointed professional CAO, although it doesnot cover some of the unique challenges of that position—such as educating thegoverning body and the community about the role of an appointed administratoror navigating the changes in responsibility and authority that may accompanythe introduction of the CAO role.

Each chapter and section is organized to help youquickly access information. First, a high level “airplane view” gives aquick glance at the material. Second, a “bird’s-eye view” outlines importantprinciples to give you an overview of the topic. Next, a “beach view” providesa lengthier discussion. Finally, a “deep dive” section provides additionaldetail and links to online resources that will help you enhance your knowledgeand advance your career.

Visit MEMBER RESOURCES to see additional products in this category.

Veterans Guide to Finding a Job in Local Government

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 08:48:42 GMT

Veterans Guide to Finding a Job in Local Government
Buy Now: $100.00

In 2024, ICMA established a task force to update the Veterans Guide to Finding a Job in Local Government. This guide is designed for both veterans exploring career opportunities and local government hiring authorities. The initiative aimed to expand the talent pipeline by encouraging consideration of those who have served in the military. The guide reflects the collective efforts of ICMA member volunteers over the past year.

Although there are numerous approaches to writing resumes and conducting job searches, careers in local government are often overlooked by veterans. At the same time, hiring managers may unintentionally dismiss veteran candidates due to their limited direct experience in the local government field. While this guide does not cover every aspect of the job search process, its primary goal is to spark dialogue and reflection as we work toward attracting and retaining top talent to serve our communities.

Visit MEMBER RESOURCES to see additional products in this category.