Minimum qualifications (MQs) are typically thought of as education, experience, and/or other requirements (e.g., licensure) an applicant must possess. Per the Delegated Examining Operations Handbook (DEOH), MQs may also include minimum proficiency levels on competency-based assessments. Assessments can measure MQs across this spectrum. Some examples include using a Structured Resume Review (SRR) to determine if an applicant meets specialized experience requirements; using a writing assessment to screen for minimum writing proficiency requirements; or setting a minimum proficiency cut score on a competency-based assessment. A subset of the USA Hire Standard Assessments use minimum proficiency cut scores which an applicant must attain in order to be eligible for further consideration beyond the assessment.

We were previously required to use multiple assessments according to EO 13932. When did this change?

Executive Order 13932 was released in June 2020. The Chance to Compete Act, signed in December 2024, codified EO 13932 into law, requiring high-quality objective assessments. The Merit Hiring Plan continues to support and solidify this trend towards the use of higher quality assessments. Of note, EO 13932 and the Chance to Compete Act do not directly address the use of multiple assessments, whereas the Merit Hiring Plan strongly encourages the use of multiple assessments. The use of multiple assessments is an industry best practice but has not been mandated.

USA Hire Competencies/Technical Assessment:

Would USA Hire fall under the "alternative assessment" category since it measures general competencies?

The Chance to Compete Act and the Merit Hiring Plan define technical assessments as “a position-specific tool that allows for the demonstration of job-related skills, abilities, knowledge, and competencies; is based upon a job analysis; and does not solely include or principally rely upon a self-assessment for an automated examination. 5 U.S.C. § 3304(a)(9).” USA Hire assessments meet all three of these requirements. Appendix 5 of the Merit Hiring Plan provides examples of technical and alternative assessment types, many of which are used by USA Hire assessments (e.g. the USA Hire Program and Project Management Assessment is a Work Sample/Simulation).

Are USA Hire assessments only assessing soft skills? Or do they ask questions specifically related to each of the occupations?

USA Hire Standard assessments measure general competencies. Most standard batteries measure a combination of cognitive skills (e.g., reasoning, reading comprehension, decision making), and non-cognitive skills such as customer service, flexibility, and resilience. The content of USA Hire Standard, Premium and Custom assessments were developed based on job analytic data identifying critical skills required for the job. The USA Hire Competency Lookup Tool is available to identify the competencies measured for any USA Hire Standard Assessment and the Federal Supervisor Assessment (FSA).

Are the USA Hire assessments measuring technical skills?

While USA Hire Standard assessment batteries measure general competencies, the definition of "technical assessment" in the Chance to Compete Act and the Merit Hiring Plan does not make that distinction. As a result, all USA Hire assessments meet the definition of "technical assessment" per these requirements.

USA Hire Coverage:

Will there be additional USA Hire assessments available for current series and grade levels that are not offered currently, such as a GS-0301-14 that is non-supervisory?

We are developing additional USA Hire assessments for various positions. In addition, existing Premium assessments, such as the Automated Writing Assessment (AWA) or the Program and Project Management Assessment (PAPMA) may be suitable for positions not covered by USA Hire Standard. For specific needs not covered by USA Hire Standard or Premium assessments, please contact USAHire@opm.gov.

I see Executive Assessment listed, is this for the SES?

Yes, the Executive Assessment (EA) battery is designed for selection into SES positions or SES development programs. This assessment battery measures competencies associated with the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) required to effectively lead people and organizations. The EA is temporarily unavailable while HRS updates the content to align with the new ECQs.

Are ES/SL/ST included?

We offer Premium Assessments to meet Executive Service assessment requirements. Additional information can be found on our Resource Center: https://resourcecenter-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. Contact USAHire@opm.gov to discuss options for SL and ST positions.

Are WG/WL/WS included?

Federal Wage System (FWS) positions are not included in the off-the-shelf USA Hire Standard or Premium Assessments. HRS recently developed a custom assessment for Wage Grade Apprentice positions. Use of this assessment requires a local job analysis and validation study by HRS. To learn more about the online wage grade assessment, please contact your USA Staffing Account Manager or email USAHire@opm.gov.

USA Hire Assessment Development/Enhancements:

Many job series have multiple USA Hire assessments associated with them, which can take upwards of 3 hours to complete. Is there a plan to make these assessments less cumbersome for the applicant?

Different USA Hire Standard assessment batteries have varying expected completion times. Standard batteries with two assessments are estimated to take 1 hour; three assessments between 1.5 and 2 hours; four assessments can take 2-3 hours. We have taken steps to reduce the length of some of the assessments. Also, assessment results are re-used for 12-months to lessen applicant burden (for example, if an applicant has completed two of the three assessments within 12 months, those two assessments results will be reused for subsequent job applications, and the applicant will only see the third assessment to complete). The applicant experience is an important part of the assessment development process. We are leveraging technological advancements in the assessment space to address applicant burden. For example, the new Early Career Talent Assessment (ECTA) was built from the ground up for a positive mobile experience and uses technology that allows for precise measurement using less content than the current USA Hire Standard assessments. Based on the assessment design and pilot testing, it is expected that the majority of applicants will complete the ECTA in 45 minutes or less.

Governmentwide data on USA Hire completion rates indicates that about 68% of applicants complete their assessments. If your agency is seeing substantially lower completion rates, please contact your USA Staffing Account Manager or email USAHire@opm.gov for further discussions.

Can you speak to the average amount of time it may require to build a supervisor assessment?

The Federal Supervisor Assessment (FSA) has been developed and validated for governmentwide use by OPM. We have both content and criterion validation supporting the use of the FSA. The FSA is available for immediate use for an additional fee as a Premium assessment. Agencies are encouraged to consider using the FSA before investing in building a separate supervisor assessment. The time required to build a new supervisor assessment will vary greatly based on the available assessment expertise resources, the currency and thoroughness of any existing job analysis data, access to subject matter experts, the type (or types) of assessments in the battery, and other factors. A general rule of thumb is 8 to 18 months. If an agency has a reason for a custom supervisor assessment, please contact USAHire@opm.gov to discuss the requirements.

How are agency-specific occupational series able to leverage USA Hire for these types of positions?

We typically don’t develop Standard Assessments for agency-specific job series, as they’re not available for governmentwide use. However, we can work with an agency to develop new assessment content or extend existing assessment content to new series and grades. The agency can also consider using one of the existing Critical Skills assessments (Writing, Program/Project Management) if those skills are applicable to the positions.

What about foreign language requirement assessments?

USA Hire does not offer foreign language assessments. If your agency has positions that require proficiency in a foreign language, there are third party vendors who provide these services.

What new assessments will be available through USA Hire in the next year?

There are several assessments currently in development. They include the Early Career Talent Assessment (ECTA), Data Skills Assessment (DSA), and the updated Executive Assessment.

Are there plans to provide more information to the applicant who has tested for that series within 1 year instead of them receiving the "assessments are complete" message? Something that might tell them they have tested for that series within the past year....even if it was with another agency? We get lots of questions from applicants who get the assessments are complete notices.

We are always looking at ways to improve our applicant experience. You can reach out to USAHire@opm.gov so we can work with you on gathering more information.

The "Assessments Are Complete" notification does include the following information:

What determines my completion status?

If you did not just complete a testing session, then your assessment responses were automatically reused from a previous testing session. For USA Hire assessments, your assessment responses will be reused in most instances for one year from the date you previously completed the assessment. Reuse of responses enhances test security, streamlines content management, and reduces your burden by not requiring you to complete repeat test sessions for each announcement to which you apply.

Does USA Hire plan to develop assessments that evaluate technical competencies? Or would those need to be individually developed as a custom assessment?

Yes, we are developing assessments for technical skills common across positions governmentwide. For example, the new Data Skills Assessment (DSA) will evaluate candidates’ technical skills in data analysis. We also recently completed a Technical Structured Interview assessment for the 0201 series, grades 11-13, and are currently developing a similar assessment for the 2210 series. We can also develop customized assessments or host and deliver agency-developed assessments.

USA Hire Features (Score Reuse, Cut Scores):

If an applicant applies to multiple positions, how are the scores applied to existing and new applications?

USA Hire Standard Assessment results are automatically re-used for one year. After one year, the applicant will be able to retake the assessment. Even so, the applicant’s results on the assessment do not prevent them from applying for other announcements. Other announcements may not have a USA Hire Assessment associated with the application process, may use a different combination of assessments, have a different weighting procedure to calculate the final score, or have a different cut score, depending on the occupation and grade.

Are USA Hire assessments restricted to GS pay plans or is pay banding included?

Agencies can map USA Hire assessments to their pay banded positions, provided they know the GS equivalent grade level. Instructions on how to do this are available in the USA Hire User Guide: Non-GS Pay Scale and Pay Banding Announcements.

Does the one-year reuse period apply if an applicant does not pass the USA Hire Standard Assessment?

There are currently no plans to change the 1-year reuse period.

Are USA Hire Standard Assessment scores reused across agencies (e.g. an applicant completed an assessment for CBP, will the results be reused when they apply to a position with DoD)?

Yes, USA Hire Standard assessment results for a given applicant are applied across series/agencies that use the assessments.

Since cut scores are critical to differentiate applicants, are the USA Hire assessments with no cut scores used for hiring/promotion? If so, what is the valid justification for using them?

All the Standard Assessments have been approved and are maintained by OPM for current and future use. USA Hire assessments were developed based on Governmentwide job analysis data, which supports their inclusion as part of an assessment plan. They are designed to measure general competencies such as reasoning, decision making, reading, attention to detail, integrity/ honesty, and flexibility, among others. All USA Hire assessments differentiate among applicants. Applicants receive a transmuted battery score along a continuum from 70 to 100 with higher scores indicating higher proficiency. USA Hire assessments with cut scores differentiate among those applicants who fail to meet the minimum level of proficiency versus those at or above the required proficiency, as well as the 70 to 100 continuum.