I learned about the job from a friend. I was already on the State's employment roster for positions in the category for which I interviewed, so that lessened the time it took to get the ball rolling considerably. There was one interview with the head of the hiring department, who was knowledgeable, experienced, and honest about the job and what it entailed. Although I was fairly certain midway through the interview that my skills were not a good match for the position, I was glad that I took the time to do the interview. I received a letter about a week later, saying that the job had gone to a more qualified applicant. The entire process was handled professionally. My sense is that the work "culture" depends on the department and the manager(s) in that particular department - and is also driven by the current State administration/governor.