Since 800,000 federal employees are probably now receiving their furlough notice instructions today, this will include human resources specialists and hiring managers. It’s time to think about how the shutdown will affect federal hiring and federal job search for thousands of jobseekers. Remembering the furloughs of 1995 and 1996, here’s what happened with federal job hiring due to the furlough and the lack of a government budget. Here’s what’s already happening with today’s hiring due to a potential furlough and the Continuing Resolution that continues today.
CURRENT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED FOR USAJOBS ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE NOW AND WILL BE FURTHER STALLED: For thousands of active federal jobseekers who currently have applications submitted on USAJOBS, their applications will be further stalled for weeks and months if the human resources specialists are furloughed. The federal hiring process is long and complex, even without a furlough. The furlough will be very difficult for human resources specialists and managers who are trying to hire for new positions.
CURRENT POSITIONS THAT ARE POSTED ON USAJOBS WILL BE CANCELED: Many current vacancy announcements will be cancelled, due to the time of the deadline of the position closing, the lack of time to review the applications and manage the hiring process. If the HR Specialists are furloughed, they cannot handle the new applications efficiently or at all. The positions will eventually be re-posted, but it will be a couple of months from now, in order to catch up with hiring activities that are in progress at the time of the furlough. Many jobseekers who have applications in process will check their application status and find that the position is cancelled. This is happening now.
