Answers - Recruitment and Selection Questionnaire

1. There are many policies and procedures in place to govern the recruitment and
selection of civilian employees for employment with the federal government.
There are authorities that can be used to employ who have never worked for the
federal service before but through some other avenue have become eligible for
noncompetitive appointment (Special Authorities), there are policies that govern
how we recruit and select employees from sources internal to the federal
government (Merit Promotion Policies) and there are examining authorities that
apply and must be used when recruiting individuals external to federal service and
who do not qualify for one of the special authorities I mentioned earlier
(Delegated Examining).

• Each of these procedures come with it own set of rules and regulations to
guide managers through the selection process. Help with these is provided
by the HR Specialist assigned to service the Organization owning the
position to be filled.

2. Depending on the situation the one person within the organization who is
responsible/accountable for overseeing the Recruiting & Placement process is the
immediate supervisor or selecting official for the position being recruited. At Ft
Eustis the selecting official is aided by the help of an Administrative employee
who works directly for the organization and is assigned to assist in these tasks. So
most of the administrative task are accomplished by the person but all final
decisions are made by the selecting official.

3. Yes. Job vacancies must be authenticated and authorized by the Resource

Managers (specifically, Manpower Analyst) who study and document the
need/number of spaces required by an organization based on the mission. As the
mission and requirements change the number of authorizations can also change.

4. The way needs are identified in the Army are as follows:

• The Resource Management Directorate at the Secretary of the Army (SA)

level establishes a Table of Distribution and Allowances (TDA). This
TDA is an estimate of the number of employees, military and civilian,
required to accomplish the organization’s mission and serves as the
governing document for space authentication and authorizations. Final
approval authority is at the SA level.

5. Yes, recruitment is done proactively, from approved authorizations, as well as on

a reactive basis to cover temporary or unforeseen changes in organizations
mission.
 • Is recruitment linked to human resources planning? I would have to
answer, Yes.

6. Yes, each job is analyzed (we call it “evaluated”) and a separate position
established for each distinctively different authorization. This analysis is attached
to the description of duties which are reviewed to ensure accuracy of
responsibilities, skills, knowledge and abilities. Position descriptions are required
to be written in such a way that they accurately identify key objectives and
responsibilities, the knowledge/skill/ability required to perform the duties, the
education/experience required to qualify for the position. Etc.

7. Depending on the position being recruited consideration to internal candidates is

an option that management has when recruiting to fill a position. Management is
advised on the different sources or areas of consideration by the HR Specialist
and base on that and previous experiences make a decision on what sources will
best meet the need of getting sufficient numbers of qualified applicants for
consideration. Determination of which recruitment source to use is the decision
of the manager/selection official.

8. There is formal announcement (job posting) procedure required for all federal
position where competition is required. There are situations where positions can
be filled through noncompetitive procedures and a formal announcement is not
required. Attachment #1 for example of typical announcement. It contains a brief
description of the duties of the position, qualification requirements, conditions of
employment and how to apply.

9. Recruitment strategies are set before the announcement of a position is initiated.

Participants are Management (usually the selecting official), HR Specialist (at all
appropriated levels [to include local, regional and major command levels])
Strategies do include affirmative action and diversity needs usually at the
organization level. The Equal Employment Opportunity Office is involved with
this aspect providing information and guidance at the overall Command Level.

10. With exception of a few sources on the list organizations that I service have used,
at some point in time, the sources of recruitment you have listed. We no longer
maintain databases of applicants and routinely check them when vacancies occur
the Army does maintain a system where potential candidates can store there
resume and self nominate themselves for vacancies as they occur. Other sources
on the list that are not utilize include, direct mailing and personal networks.

11. Costs and effectiveness (especially) are of concern but are not actually measured
at my level. Higher headquarters does monitor the length of time it takes to fill
positions with an emphasis on cutting that time, thereby avoiding costs of not
having mission requirements met due job vacancies.
12. The higher headquarters group responsible for monitoring and evaluating HR
Offices procedures is the Civilian Personnel Evaluation Agency (CPEA).

13. Initial screening of candidates is accomplished by the Regional HR Office located

in Huntsville, Alabama. This office determines basic qualifications of candidates
and issues Referral List from candidates are considered and selected.

14. In many instances telephone interviews are conducted prior to personal

interviews.

15. The number of candidates interviewed usually depends on the position being
recruited and the number of candidates referred for the position. Management is
not required to interview anyone. When they do decide to interview they are
advised to review all the candidates referred, usually through the use of a review
panel. The panel should be made up of individuals considered subject matter
experts in the functional area of the position being recruited. Through a fair and
equitable process the panel determines the highly qualified applicants who are
usually interviewed by the selecting official.
16. Most interviews are conducted by the selecting official on a one-on-one basis.
There are occasions when an interview panel is used to conduct the interviews
and when concluded the candidates are recommended to the selecting official in
rank order by the panel. Final decision is made by the selecting
official/supervisor.

17. Managers received basis and other supervisory training which includes
information or modules on the interview process and possible legal implications.
Most of this is accomplished as an ongoing process by the servicing HR Specialist
who provides information on the latest governing rules/regulations that apply.

18. Reference checks are performed by the selecting official and are not done on
every candidate. Some positions that we recruit for require Agency Background
Checks and/or Investigations. In these cases checks and investigations are
performed by the Office of Personnel Management and the applicable Security
Office of the Agency.

19. Only in very limited cases are test and personality profiles used in the selection
process. As stated above there are certain background checks or clearances that
may be required depending on the position for which you are recruiting. While
not used in making the actual selection of an individual these requirements are
considered a condition of employment and if an individual cannot fulfilled the
requirement of being able to obtain a clearance or a background check reveals
derogatory information it may be grounds for dismissal from the current position
or even from the federal service.

20. Drug test are not administered to all new employees. Only those whose position
requires it.

21. No. The HR office is expected to meet whatever needs may occur, no matter the
requirement. There is no formal program to identify peak and low hiring cycles.

22. All four alternatives in question #22 have been used by the federal government at
some time in the past. Currently, we are using three of the for to include contract
outsourcing, temporary placement and part-time employment/job sharing.
Temporary Placement Pools have not been used for some time in the federal
sector.

23. Overall -5

24. Overall - 4
 Attachment #1

Job Announcement
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Vacancy Announcement Number: SCER050976502

Opening Date: November 17, 2005 Closing Date: November 30, 2005

Position: Secretary (OA), GS-0318-9

Salary: $41,772 - $54,300 Annual
Place of Work: HQ, MIL SURFACE DEPLOYMENT & DIST DMD, DCS OF OPERATIONS, FT EUSTIS. VA
Position Status: This is a Permanent position. -- Full Time
Number of Vacancy: 01
Duties: Serves as personal secretary and administrative assistant to the Deputy Commanding General (DCG) for Military Surface
Deployment & Dist Cmd. Assists the command mission by performing a wide variety of secretarial and administrative duties. Receives
telephone calls and visitors to the office. Screens telephone calls and visitors, exercising maximum tact and judgment in determining the
nature and purpose of the call and obtaining information determining what should be directed to the DCG. Relays instructions concerning
the DCGs information requirements, diverts correspondence to appropriate offices, routes suspense actions to the Administrative Officer
for suspense control, and follows up to ensure timely response. Maintains and controls DCGs calendar with full responsibility for
establishing priorities in making appointments and arranging for conferences and meetings.Manages DCGs travel plans, both CONUS
and OCONUS, arranging itineraries, reservations, ticketing, and accommodations.

About the Position: Must be able to obtain and maintain a SECRET CLEARANCE.

The work is performed in a typical office setting.

Must be able to type 40 WPM.

Who May Apply: (Click on Who May Apply)

 Department of Defense employees serving on a Career or Career Conditional Appointment in the Fort Eustis commuting area.

Qualifications: Click on link below to view qualification standard.

General Schedule
 Best qualified candidates for this job must show in their resume that they have training or experience in the following areas: 1)
Knowledge of the duties, priorities, program goals and commitments of the DCG sufficient to independently perform such duties as
schedule his/her time, screen publications for items pertinent to his/her program, and coordinate preparatory details for his/her meetings
and travel. 2) Knowledge of clerical procedures to provide administrative support, including preparing travel documents, maintaining files,
and controlling classified materials. 3) Knowledge of office automation systems to use several types of software for various office needs.
4) Knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and required formats to review and prepare correspondence.

 Typing - Any Grade: Qualified typist is required (40wpm).

 GS-06 and above: One year of experience directly related to the occupation and equivalent to the next lower grade level. Education is
not creditable, however, graduate education may be credited in those few instances where the graduate education is directly related to
the work of the position.
 The experience described in your resume will be evaluated and screened for the Office of Personnel Management's basic
qualifications requirements, and the skills needed to perform the duties of this position as described in this vacancy announcement.
 Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must meet the Time in Grade Restriction.
 Must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade (or equivalent).

Other Information:(Click on Other Information)

 Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
 Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses are not authorized.

Other Advantages: Fort Eustis, Virginia is located in Newport News, between historic Williamsburg and Virginia Beach. Transportation
includes convenient interstate and major highways connecting the city to neighboring Hampton, York County, Gloucester, Norfolk,
Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Smithfield. The Tidewater area has all the conveniences of a big city with charm of small town and rural areas.

Other Requirements:(Click on Other Requirements)

 Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.

 You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
 Further certification from this announcement may take place up to 180 days beyond the closing date of this announcement.
 Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service
Registration.
 Direct Deposit of Pay is Required.

How to Apply: (Click on How to Apply)

 Resumes must be received by the closing date of this announcement.
 Self-nomination must be submitted by the closing date.
 Resume must be on file in our centralized database.
 Announcements close at 12:00am (midnight) Eastern Time.

If your resume is currently in our central database, you may click here to Self Nominate

Click here to use the Army Resume Builder to create your resume. Follow the instructions in this vacancy announcement to apply for
the job.

Point of Contact: Central Resume Processing Center, 410-306-0137, applicanthelp@cpsrxtp.belvoir.army.mil

THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER