First Shot in the Hiring Wars
Okay, that's a little dramatic headline-wise. But Sens. Daniel Akaka and George Voinovich, who have long been concerned about the glacial pace of the federal hiring process, have introduced a reform bill to change it. I'll have a fuller story on this tomorrow, but this puts a lot of pressure on the Office of Personnel Management and the agencies to come up with serious reform efforts of their own, or be forced to accept a new set of mandates.
COMMENTS
Post a Comment
By using this Service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Although GovExec does not monitor comments posted to this site (and has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems to be in violation of this rule.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Government Executive Staff Correspondent Alyssa Rosenberg takes a look at news affecting the management and operations of the massive federal bureaucracy.
It will not matter, agencies higher who and how they want anyway. If they would just higher the best qualified for the position it would be the simplest solution.
Jeff Posted Monday, March 30, 2009 10:02 PMI believe it is important for a person of Senators Akaka and Voinovich to be reforming the hiring process; anyone of their grand stature and vast understanding need "Fuller" powers. Do either have an education.
Victor H Posted Tuesday, March 31, 2009 6:56 AMThere is no good reason why it takes so long to hire a government employee. With most application systems automated, the amount of human interaction from the employee submitting an application to the system spitting out a register with qualified candidates should be minimal. Human intervension should be on an exception basis only. Selecting officials should act quickly once they have the register. In my experience, I've seen a selecting official sit on a register for weeks before making a decision. If you really want to fill a position, you have to help move the process along!
Clancy Posted Tuesday, March 31, 2009 8:07 AMI only ask that the fine gentlemen (Senators) look at their own staffs first and set the example for streamlining government workers be they appointed or not!
Grsoka Posted Tuesday, March 31, 2009 10:47 AMThe Federal hiring process is a joke. USAJobs is filled with opportunities. However, you fill out the application, submit all the supporting documentation, fill out supplemental essay criteria, review to be sure it is complete, and hit send. You might get a notification that your application was received (if you are lucky). The most likely scenario is that you never hear a word. And there is no one Agency that is to blame. Applications to FEMA, DOD, EPA, Treasury, it doesn't matter. How hard is it? People want to work, and they want to work for the Feds. We owe them the courtesy of a reply and a follow-up.
Lisa Posted Tuesday, March 31, 2009 2:12 PMFrom an HR standpoint, the biggest roadblocks to speeding up the hiring process is the multitude of OPM regulations and agency policies we have to work with before and after a hiring selection is made. And the time it takes to become a seasoned and well-trained HR staffer is about 3 yrs. OPM and federal agencies have created a monster.
Christie Posted Wednesday, April 1, 2009 10:30 AMIt seems that when a job is announced, it is already intended for a specific individual. Those jobs get filled quickly.
The other jobs can take forever because: The SES in the chain of command over the hiring official wants to see all the BQ resumes but never gets around to reading them OR
The funding gets cut and the job is cancelled then reannounced later.
I don't see how Voinovich or Akaka will solve either problem.
Charlie Posted Wednesday, April 1, 2009 10:46 AM