If you’re interested in applying to COLSA but would like to understand the application process before you get started, this blog post is for you. Here, we outline the expected timeframe it should take to fill out one of our applications and all the necessary information needed for completing the process.  

Step 1: SilkRoad Application

The first step to beginning your career at COLSA is to submit an application through our SilkRoad portal. Filling out a SilkRoad application is easy and fairly quick, taking about an hour. Every job posting on SilkRoad has multiple large, “APPLY” buttons, and clicking one will take you to the first page of our application.  

Application Process:  

• Page One: A brief form asking for your contact information.  

• Page Two: Where you share two copies of your resume—a file upload and a backup plaintext copy pasted into a text box.  

• Page Three: Let us know your job preferences—location, start date, and salary range.  

• Page Four: Fill out details about your clearance status. 

• Page Five: Answer any additional screening questions created by the hiring manager to find the most qualified candidate for the position.  

• Submit: At the end of the form, the last “NEXT” button at the bottom of the page will instead say “SUBMIT”. 

The only document necessary at this stage is an accurate resume. Some job applications may request other documents, such as some internship applications requesting portfolios.  

What makes for a good application? “We obviously love great people, but we want to see a great resume!” said Patricia Mace, a COLSA Talent Acquisition Partner. The most important element to a great resume is accurate dates. 

Quick Tip: COLSA also offers an “Apply with LinkedIn” feature. Whether you’re applying to a job from LinkedIn or clicking the button on our SilkRoad portal, this will fill in any information LinkedIn has stored about you in your LinkedIn account. It’s a nice way to save some time when applying for a job with COLSA! 

Step 2: Qualifications Review

Each application is reviewed by a real member of COLSA’s Talent Acquisition team. “We check every single resume,” confirmed Patricia Mace, a COLSA Talent Acquisition Partner. Resumes and applications are typically reviewed within 24 business hours of receipt. 

After a resume and accompanying application form have been reviewed, qualifying resumes will be sent to the COLSA hiring manager who posted the job listing. Applicants will get an email at this point letting them know that their resume is with the hiring manager. 

If an applicant is not qualified they will not be notified until the job is filled, which may take several months. Applicants that email to ask about the status of their unqualified application will be given a polite rejection note from the COLSA Talent Acquisition Partner overseeing that job posting. 

COLSA’s Talent Acquisition team and hiring managers may suggest applicants for other open positions that they may be a better fit for. The Talent Acquisition Partner overseeing the initial job posting may email applicants who may be a better fit for other positions asking them to apply for the other position. 

“We want to fill all of our open positions all the time!” – Patricia Mace 

Step 3: Interviews

Hiring managers will reach out to applicants whose resumes have made it past the initial qualifications screening for an interview. Hiring managers are typically the direct superior for the position they are interviewing candidates for, making them highly motivated to find the right person for their team. 

Most interviews are about an hour long and can be conducted virtually, over the phone, or in-person. Hiring managers are often looking for a mix of personality and technical skills. 

Christina Guthrie, COLSA’s Corporate Talent Acquisition & HRIS Manager, sums up the ideal candidate: 

“COLSA looks to hire talent who can not only assist with solving the unique technical challenges of our diverse customer base, but who exhibit long-term potential, are enthusiastic and passionate about what they do, and are driven to go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction, which is the cornerstone of our corporation.” 

Step 4: Offer Letter

Once the hiring manager has made a decision, they must fill out paperwork for each applicant that made it past the qualifications screening before an offer letter can be generated. Because each applicant is given this deep level of consideration, an offer letter often takes 3 or 4 business days to generate. 

An official written offer letter in an email is the only real offer sent to the chosen candidate. Verbal offers during an interview are not final. Applicants are given a certain timeframe from the Talent Acquisition Manager to review their offer letter and respond with their answer.  

Upon returning a signed offer letter, employees receive an online onboarding program to initiate before their first day at COLSA. 

Apply Today

Now that you know what to expect from our hiring process, we encourage you to browse open opportunities on our website!