Modernizing and Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal Job Candidates
Executive Order 13932, issued June 26, 2020, directs a shift in federal hiring away from a heavy reliance on college degrees toward skills- and competency-based hiring. The goal is to improve merit-based selection, make federal jobs more accessible to a broader pool of qualified candidates (including those with nontraditional education and direct experience), and better reflect the actual duties of positions. To implement this, the order requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to lead reforms in job classifications, qualification standards, and candidate assessments, with concrete deadlines for public dissemination of changes and for implementing new practices across agencies. It also emphasizes ongoing evaluation of assessment methods to protect the integrity of hiring. In short, the order seeks a more modern, inclusive, and competency-focused federal hiring process by revising standards, broadening what counts as qualifications, and ensuring assessments measure real skills rather than relying primarily on educational attainment.
Key Points
- 1Shift to skills- and competency-based hiring: Agencies should assess candidates using methods that measure knowledge, skills, and abilities relevant to the job, not just educational credentials.
- 2Revisions to job classifications and qualifications: OPM, with key agency leadership, must review and revise all competitive-service job standards; changes must be publicly available within 120 days and take effect within 180 days.
- 3Limited role for formal education: Agencies may require minimum education only when legally required for the job; otherwise, education can only count toward qualifications if it directly reflects the necessary competencies.
- 4Improved, multi-faceted assessments: Agencies must develop or identify assessment practices beyond self-rated abilities and ensure candidates pass multiple assessment hurdles beyond just education; ongoing evaluation of assessment effectiveness is required.
- 5Clear definitions and general provisions: Key terms (assessment, competitive service, education, qualification) are defined, and the order preserves agency authority and legal constraints while not creating enforceable rights.