FEDERAL HIRING PROCESS MORE DIRECT FOR QUALIFIED APPLICANTS

Washington, D.C. -- In fulfilling another recommendation of the Clinton Administration's National Performance Review, U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Jim King today announced the elimination of two barriers to federal hiring at the entry-level for professional and administrative occupations.

One action eliminates registers, or the "central lists" of applicants maintained by OPM and used to refer job candidates to agencies needing to fill entry-level jobs. The other action taken by OPM eliminates the reliance on a written test as a single examining method and provides agencies with additional examining options based on their specific needs. Mr. King said that these changes to the Administrative Careers With America (ACWA) examinations will result in a skilled, committed and diverse work force.

"Ridding our system of obstacles will make it easier on job applicants, while allowing government to expedite the hiring of employees in professional and administrative occupations who provide service that the American public demands and deserves," said Jim King.

Under the modified examination, applicants will apply for specific job openings rather than broad occupational groups. While written tests will continue to be used for some jobs, taking a test will no longer be the compulsory first step, or hurdle, in the examination process. Instead, applicants will complete computer-scannable questionnaires detailing their qualifications and job-related experience. OPM will score the questionnaire responses to determine the most highly qualified candidates. Hiring agencies will then receive from OPM a list of the best qualified applicants for the job. In addition, agencies may require qualified applicants to take the written test for specific occupations.

Job seekers can find out about available job openings by calling 1-912-757-3000, or contacting their nearest OPM Service Center. The application questionnaires are straightforward and easy to complete. Applicants apply for specific job openings of interest to them and in locations they wish to work. No longer will they languish on a central list waiting for an agency to contact them.

The changes take effect on November 20, 1994. People who already have taken the written test and whose names are now on the central lists will receive a letter explaining that they will need to apply for specific vacancies in the future. They will not need to take the test again, however.

These changes to the ACWA examination implement recommendations in recent reports by the U.S. General Accounting Office and the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.

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Web page created 2 December 1997