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Frequently Asked Questions:
1) How can I become a Tennessee Park
Ranger, Interpretive Specialist, or Park Manager?
Please see the .pdf files in our download section. Each Job
category tells the necessary requirements and educational
fields required.
2) Can you tell me how the hiring process works?
*This has recently changed see link below*
The first step in the Career Service employment process is
to complete a State of Tennessee Employment application form
and submit it to the Department of Personnel for processing.
For each job classification you apply for, your application
will be evaluated to determine whether you meet the minimum
qualifications (e.g., education, experience) required for
the job. If your application is approved for a job
classification requiring a written or computer-administered
test, you will be sent a testing admission letter in the
mail (usually within about two to three weeks of date you
applied for the job). For most job classifications, testing
is not required. A score is calculated for you based on a
rating of the education and experience information you
provided on your employment application. If you have applied
for a job requiring a rating of education and experience,
your rating results will be mailed to you (usually within
about four to six weeks from the date you applied, but the
wait for results could be significantly longer during
periods of heavy application activity). Once you have
obtained a passing score for a job classification (from
either a rating of your education and experience or by
passing any necessary written or computer-administered
tests), your name is placed on a list of eligible applicants
for that job classification. This list is available for use
by State agencies as vacancies occur. Agencies must hire
from among the top five eligible applicants who are willing
to accept a particular vacant position when making an
appointment to a competitive Career Service position.
** Applications are now done online. Open
positions are also posted online you must check to see when
openings are available. Online application can be
found on the right side of screen. Keep in mind some
positions are promotional only and not entry level. (see
link below)
Department of Human Resources - Job Opportunities
3) I have LOTS of experience, do I
really need a Bachelor's Degree?
Yes. There is no way around this. You MUST
have a Bachelor's Degree or you are not eligible to be a
Tennessee State Park Ranger or Manager.
4) Does it really help to take a seasonal
job before trying to become a park ranger?
It most certainly does. All experience
will help but working for parks is hard to beat in the
experience department. You will make many contacts,
experience park life, and learn park policies and
procedures. You also may qualify on a promotional register
to advance from seasonal to park ranger. If you are
interested in a seasonal position, please contact
david.haggard@tn.gov
(west Tennessee), john.froeshauer@tn.gov
(middle Tennessee), or
april.welch@tn.gov (east Tennessee).
5) Why should I join the Rangers
Association?
To support one another , to strengthen the field and its
professionalism, and to take action on common concerns by
being able to vocalize the voice of the majority.
6) What has the Ranger Association done
to help its members so far?
By striving towards the vision of the Association, the TPRA
has accomplished the following: 501c6 status, fitness
initiative, emergency contact planners, newsletters, ranger
of the year award, housing supplement, monetary compensation
plans, central office personnel infrastructure, memorials,
policy implementation, service weapon retention, civil
service status reinstatement, elevated job requirements,
interview process review, legislation review and support
(such as currently trying to defeat handguns in the state
park legislation and increase of retirement compensation and
dependants in the event of an officers death), retiree
acknowledgements, emergency donation fund, social
gatherings, and a spiffy new web page for better
communication.
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