Speed Hiring

The Office of Personnel Management has created special registers for agencies to use in speeding up the hiring of mission critical personnel like IT specialists.

The new shared registers, which are part of OPM's ongoing hiring reform initiative, give agencies access to a pool of qualified applicants for current job opportunities governmentwide, allowing candidates to be considered for multiple positions through a single application process.

The new shared hiring registers apply to entry-level budget analysts (GS-5/7/9) and IT specialists (GS-9), OPM said.

"Shared registers are an innovative tool to help federal agencies address some critical staffing challenges," said OPM Director John Berry in a press release. "OPM is evolving this tool to help agencies and the high quality applicants they need to connect quickly and efficiently."

In 2009, OPM established shared registers for 12 commonly filled occupations and sought feedback from agencies. After reviewing the registers with the Chief Human Capital Officers Council, OPM decided the registers were of greatest value to entry-level applicants, particularly when targeted to specific locations and occupations.

Any agency can use the shared registers, but OPM is requesting that agencies submit a request for a certificate for either a budget analyst or IT specialist by Sept. 30. Once a certificate is requested, OPM will send a list of the best qualified candidates for a vacancy, after which an agency has 30 days to review the list and return the certificates back to OPM.

"I believe you will be pleased with the quality of applicants referred and that they will meet the critical hiring need you identified for this register," Berry said in a memo.