Governmental Appointments Project

Please follow the instructions below if you are interested in serving on a statewide board or commission whose members are appointed by the Governor’s office. If you are interested in serving on a statewide board or commission whose members are appointed by other authorities, please contact their office directly to express your interest in serving. You may contact us at gap@scwomenlead.net with questions or for guidance at any point in the process.

1. If you would like to be appointed to a state board or commission, please begin by reviewing our online database to determine the boards and commissions for which you are best qualified. Consider your professional expertise, personal experiences, and passionate causes.
2. Those boards and commissions that require additional Senate confirmation will have a “confirming committee” noted in our database. Learn more about applying for Senate confirmable positions below.
3. Once you have identified the boards or commissions you are interested in, review the enabling legislation to learn more about the qualifications and responsibilities for each position.
4. Complete the application available on the Governor’s website. On the application, you will specify which particular boards and commissions you wish to be considered for. You will need to submit your resume. We recommend you include a cover letter to highlight qualifications, experience, and passion that may not be apparent from your resume.
5. Please note, applications may not be reviewed by the Governor’s office immediately. Instead, boards are prioritized by need and applications are evaluated when the board(s) the applicant is recommended for come under focus. Due to the number of boards and commissions, this may mean that your application may not be reviewed for several months.
6. Governor McMaster’s staff will review your application materials to determine if you meet the legal requirements for the recommended positions and are a good fit.
7. If they wish to proceed, the Governor’s staff will reach out to you to obtain any additional information they may need. It may be necessary to run a credit check and a SLED background check. They will call you if there are any irregularities to discuss. They do not wish to discount someone because of one moment in time. However, there are some disqualifying events, such as defaulting on a student loan.
9. If you are not appointed, you may still be considered for other positions in the future. We have created a database of qualified applicants that the Governor’s office can review at any time to find suitable candidates for any priority boards.

While most available positions posted in our online database are appointed by the Governor, some also require the advice and consent of the state Senate. These positions are noted in our database along with their corresponding Senate committees.

Please see below for further instructions on applying for Senate confirmable positions.

1. Review our online database to determine the boards and commissions for which you are best qualified.
2. Once you have identified the boards or commissions you are interested in, check to see if they require Senate confirmation. Those boards and commissions that do require additional legislative confirmation will have a “confirming committee” noted in our database.
3. If you wish to pursue a position requiring Senate confirmation, please complete the application available on the Governor’s website. On the application, you will specify which particular boards and commissions you wish to be considered for. You will need to submit your resume. We recommend you include a cover letter to highlight qualifications, experience, and passion that may not be apparent from your resume.
4. If Governor McMaster selects you for appointment to a seat that requires confirmation, his staff will contact you to start the process of putting together your confirmation paperwork.
5. In addition to background and credit checks, you will need to complete personal data and financial data questionnaires and provide five letters of recommendation. When providing letters of recommendation, consider which experts’ recommendations will wield the most influence with the committee. Generally they will be experts in your field, people with whom you share a mutual connection, or those who may command the committee’s attention.
6. Once you have been fully vetted by the Governor’s office, they will submit your information to the Senate for advice and consent.
7. A sub-committee or committee hearing date will be set for you to answer any questions the Senate committee may have for you – sometimes more than one meeting is necessary.
8. Prior to your meeting with the committee, we recommend you familiarize yourself with the committee members. Review the Senate website to determine which senators are members of the committee so you may review their legislative records, background, and personal activities.
9. Draft an opening statement for the hearing stating your qualifications, dedication to the subject area, why you would like to be appointed, and what you hope to accomplish.
10. Prepare for the hearing as you would a job interview. Consider your experience, accomplishments, recommendations, goals, and weaknesses and how best to address each when you are questioned. It is a good idea to rehearse with others who may help you plan for questions likely to be asked.
11. After your hearing, the committee will vote whether to move you to the full Senate where each member will have the opportunity to vote.