Just in case you missed the big hoopla last week about the announcement by OMB to overhaul the federal hiring process, I have included the full article from FedManager.com here. This is big news!
Article from: www.fedmanager.com/current_e-report.php#1659
OPM and OMB Unveil Major Overhaul of Federal Hiring Process
Last Tuesday, OPM Director John Berry and U.S. Chief Performance Officer Jeffrey Zients unveiled a major overhaul of the federal hiring process, outlining reforms ordered by President Obama. Speaking at OPM headquarters alongside Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, Berry detailed President Obama’s initiative to bring a 21st century approach to the federal hiring system. The announcement was made before an audience of high-ranking officials from the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs, as well as federal employees and private sector human resource experts. The announcement came shortly after President Obama issued a memorandum to federal agencies directing them to overhaul their hiring procedures within 180 days.
“Federal workers fill crucial roles that defend Americans from terrorism, infectious diseases, food-borne pathogens, forest fires and countless other threats. We can’t afford delays in filling these jobs, nor can we rely on a system that causes qualified candidates to give up in frustration. President Obama and I believe that we must cut the red tape clogging the Federal hiring process in order to bring aboard outstanding applicants quickly,” OPM Director John Berry said at the announcement event. “President Obama has undertaken a series of reforms today that aren’t so much steps, as leaps forward. I understand the frustration of every applicant who previously has had to wade through the arcane federal hiring process. If qualified applicants want to serve our country through the federal service, then our application process should facilitate that. These reforms are concrete, broad, and will help us do just that. They honor core merit system principles and the sacrifice of the men and women serving our country by preserving their veteran’s preference. And, these reforms will save the American taxpayer money and free up scarce resources that will allow Federal agencies to better serve our nation.”
“The best talent doesn’t wait around for 140 days – they find another job,” said Chief Performance Officer Jeff Zients. “We need to streamline our hiring process to make it more competitive and candidate-friendly. Across twenty years in the private sector, I’ve seen that the best performing organizations focus on people as their most important tool for improving performance. It is time for the federal government to start doing the same.”
At the announcement event, Director Berry outlined steps that President Obama has taken to reform the federal hiring and recruitment process.
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