2008 Survey of the Senior Executive Service

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) today issued the government wide results from the 2008 Survey of the Senior Executive Service (SES). The Survey was administered on-line in January and February to all SES and focused on the new SES pay-for-performance system, executive development and general attitudes toward work. The survey had a 65 percent response rate.”The results of the survey show the SES is a committed and qualified group of people dedicated to their work on behalf of the American people,” said OPM Director Linda M. Springer. “It also points out that the federal government has work to do in order to continue to develop and attract a highly qualified executive workforce.”

Findings from the Survey include:

• Senior Executives as a group are proud to be in the SES, they feel a sense of accomplishment through their work, and feel their talents are well used. These are some of the highest rated items on the survey (87-97% favorable).
• SES respondents believe their pay should be based on performance and feel they are held accountable for achieving results, as well as the fact that they participated in the development of their performance plan (89-93% favorable).
• Most believe their appraisal fairly reflected their performance (68%–down from 74% in 2006 Federal Human Capital Survey (FHCS).
• However, communication with executives needs attention: 63% of respondents received a briefing or training on the performance management system, and only 35% of respondents received the overall results of agency ratings, awards and pay adjustments.
• On the plus side for executive development, it appears that executives are open to the prospect of continuing learning and networking, and many believe in the benefit of job changes (55% – 75% favorable based on questions 31, 32, 33).
• Most respondents are satisfied or very satisfied with their pay (61%–down from 73% in 2006 FHCS).
• Just over half (55%) are satisfied with developmental opportunities.
• Over one-third (35%) of executives indicated that their developmental needs are not assessed, and over a third (37%) have not engaged during their SES tenure in any of the six activities commonly used for developing executives.

The Survey may be found online at www.opm.gov/surveys/results/index.asp.

OPM Initiatives Will Improve Hiring/Recruitment Process

U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Deputy Associate Director for Talent and Capacity Policy Angela Bailey today outlined for Members of Congress actions OPM is taking to ensure the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce. Testifying at a hearing coinciding with Public Service Recognition Week, Bailey told the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia about initiatives to improve the hiring process, streamline job announcements for entry-level positions, and selection methods for the Senior Executive Service (SES).

“We are well aware the Federal hiring system has evolved over many years into a cumbersome process and hiring takes far too long,” said Bailey.  “That is why we have expanded our efforts by partnering with several agency Chief Human Capital Officers to launch a new, holistic and systemic view of the hiring process.”

This initiative focuses on five interrelated components – workforce planning, recruitment, hiring, suitability and security, and orientation – that work in concert to create an efficient and effective hiring process.  By September, OPM will issue a Governmentwide standard for the hiring process, along with a “how to” guide that includes successful practices, templates, and scripts for communicating with applicants.

As a subset of this initiative, OPM is also streamlining job announcements and creating templates agencies may use when advertising for entry-level positions.  “We have replaced the legalese and pages of extraneous information that were not necessary to announce a job,” said Bailey.  “It also advertises upfront two of the most important issues of concern to new professionals – pay and benefits.”  Pilot projects are also underway to attract seasoned executives in the Senior Executive Service SES whose resumes clearly demonstrate the extent of their experience and accomplishments.

To help agencies better address their hiring needs at both ends of the employment spectrum, OPM sent Congress a legislative proposal to allow agencies to rehire annuitants on a part-time and/or time-limited basis, without a salary offset.  These experienced workers, with their institutional knowledge can help the next generation of employees integrate into an agency’s workforce by serving as mentors and knowledge management facilitators, thus providing a seamless transition from generation to generation.

Bailey concluded, “If anything, OPM believes these efforts will prove it is possible to challenge difficult and esoteric processes, and, more importantly, create solutions that do not compromise our principles.”

OPM Issues Standardized Federal Vacancy Announcement Templates for Certain Positions

Today the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) demonstrated to the Chief Human Capital Officers Council standardized vacancy announcement templates for three of the top 30 ranked occupations. These announcements will be easy to understand and use by applicants seeking entry level jobs.”We expect that as agencies begin announcing their positions using these templates the quality and number of applicants will increase,” OPM Director Linda M. Springer said. “By standardizing the vacancy announcements, applicants will be able to submit the same application for multiple positions within these occupations, making the application process less onerous for prospective employees.”

The templates are streamlined, easy-to-understand, standardized vacancy announcements agencies can use to help attract a broader pool of qualified applicants for secretarial, accounting and accounting technician positions. Use of the templates will also be easier for agencies since they will now simply need to insert limited information concerning their specific jobs such as the name of their agency, what the specific duties of the position are, and where to send the application.

Written in plain language, the vacancy announcements include basic qualifications requirements for the position up front and standardized ksa’s.

Federal HR staff will be able to access these templates through USAJOBS (Employer Services tab) and USAStaffing. Use of the templates is optional; however, OPM believes such standardization should reduce applicant frustration and improve the federal hiring process.

Free Tax Help for the Military

If you, or your spouse, are a member of the military, you may be eligible to receive free assistance with the preparation and filing of your federal tax return. The U.S. Armed Forces participate in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). The Armed Forces Tax Council (AFTC) oversees the operation of the military tax programs worldwide, and serves as the main conduit for outreach by the IRS to military personnel and their families. The AFTC consists of tax program coordinators for the Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, Navy and Coast Guard.

Military-based VITA sites provide free tax advice, tax preparation, return filing and other tax assistance to military members and their families. The volunteer assistors are trained to address military-specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits.

Military commanders support the program by detailing members of the military to prepare returns and by providing space and equipment for tax centers. The IRS supports these efforts by providing tax software and training.

To receive this free assistance, you should bring the following records to your military VITA site:

• Valid photo identification
• Social Security cards for you, your spouse and dependents or a social security number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration
• Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents
• Current year’s tax package, if you received one
• Wage and earning statement(s) — Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R
• Interest and dividend statements (Forms 1099)
• A copy of last year’s federal and state tax returns, if available
• Bank routing numbers and account numbers for direct deposit
• Total amount paid for day care
• Day care provider’s identifying number
• Other relevant information about income and expenses

If your filing status is Married Filing Jointly and you wish to file your tax return electronically, both you and your spouse should be present to sign the required forms. If it isn’t possible for both to be present, a valid power of attorney that allows tax preparation can be used to sign and file the return.
For more information, review IRS Publication 3, Armed Forces’ Tax Guide, available on the IRS Web site at IRS.gov or order a free copy by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

Remember that for the genuine IRS Web site be sure to use .gov. Don’t be confused by internet sites that end in .com, .net, .org or other designations instead of .gov. The address of the official IRS governmental Web site is www .irs.gov.

Link – Publication 3, Armed Forces’ Tax Guide (PDF 1010.5K)

Scholarships for Military Children Program

If your mother or father is active duty, reserve/guard, or retired military personnel or you are the survivor of a deceased member, and you have a military dependent I.D. card you can apply! You must be planning to attend a college or university on a full-time basis.

The Scholarships for Military Children Program was created to recognize the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force and to celebrate the role of the commissary in the military family community.

Only dependent unmarried children under age 21 (23 if enrolled as a full time student) of active duty personnel, reserve/guard and retired military members, or survivors of deceased members, may apply for a scholarship. Dependent children of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), Public Health Service, other federal or military related agencies or activities, or DoD civilian employees are not eligible unless they meet the above requirement. Applicants should ensure that they, as well as their sponsor, are currently enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) database and that they have a current ID card. The DEERS database will be the primary method of verifying eligibility.

Applicants must be enrolled, or planning to enroll, in a full-time undergraduate degree program at an accredited college or university in the fall term of 2008. Applicants who have earned an undergraduate degree or who are enrolled in a graduate degree program are not eligible. All applicants must also have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 basis) to be eligible to apply. The minimum GPA requirement applies to both high school and college students. Students attending a community or junior college must be enrolled in a program of studies designed to allow the student to transfer directly into a four-year program. Applicants who receive an appointment to one of the U.S. Military Academies (or affiliated preparatory schools) or are awarded a full scholarship at any accredited U.S. post-secondary institution of higher education are not eligible to receive funds from this program. A full scholarship is usually defined as one that provides for payment of tuition, books, lab fees, and other related expenses.

Applicants, or their sponsors, need not live at an installation that has a commissary. Applicants may submit their application at any commissary, however it is recommended that they submit the application where their sponsors normally shop or closest to where their sponsors live. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure the commissary receives the application.

If it is not possible (due to distance considerations) for the applicants to submit their applications in person, they may also mail, UPS, or FedEx their completed applications to the commissary nearest to where their sponsor is stationed. Applicants who choose this method must contact that commissary and obtain the name of a person to whom the package will be directed. (A complete list of commissaries, along with phone numbers, can be found at www.commissaries.com).

Note: Do not request a application via mail. Either visit your nearest commissary for an application or download one from this website. Click here

USAJOBS Connects with Major Search Engines

Initiative raises visibility of Federal job postings

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Linda M. Springer announced USAJOBS has initiated a new data feed with vacancy announcement information being made available to major Internet search engines. As a result of the initiative, users of the major search engines will have enhanced access to information about Federal job vacancies posted on USAJOBS.

“By doing this, we’re making information about the tens of thousands of Federal job openings posted at any given moment on USAJOBS as broadly accessible as possible on the Web,” said Springer upon announcing OPM’s latest outreach effort for the U.S. government’s central vacancy-posting portal.

Using the data feed from USAJOBS, Internet search engines will be able to provide their own users with access to information previously only available through a keyword search on the USAJOBS website. For example, someone who types in a job title on Google or other engines, such as “IT Specialist” or “Electrical Engineer”, will now also see links to Federal vacancy announcements in those fields.

“The result is we’re reaching an ever-wider and more diverse universe of qualified prospects for Federal employment, providing access to the information people need in order to be aware and consider the opportunities that are available,” said the OPM Director, who indicated the enhanced access became effective on December 1,2007

USAJOBS currently features over 60,000 vacancy announcements from throughout the Federal government. The site averages over 10 million visitors each month, who generate over 123 million monthly page hits. USAJOBS has over 5 million active job seeker accounts and has over 2 million resumes on file.

Best Places to Work in the Federal Government

The “Best Places to Work”, 2007 is the third is a series by www.bestplacestowork.org.

Geared toward a broad audience of job seekers, researchers, federal employees and government leaders, Best Places to Work draws on responses from more than 221,000 civil servants to produce detailed rankings of employee engagement across 283 federal agencies and subcomponents.

The Partnership for Public Service and American University’s Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation use data from the Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Human Capital Survey to rank agencies and subcomponents. Agencies and subcomponents are ranked on a Best Places to Work index score, which measures overall employee engagement. The Best Places to Work score is calculated both for the organization as a whole and also for specific demographic groups.

In addition to this employee engagement rating, agencies and subcomponents are also scored in 10 workplace environment (“best in class”) categories such as effective leadership, employee skills/mission match and work/life balance.

Best Places also offers a snapshot overview of each agency and subcomponent, trend data on changes since 2003 and 2005, tips and information for job seekers, and expert analysis of what the results mean.

Download the 2007 Best Places to Work Rankings Brochure

http://bestplacestowork.org/BPTW/assets/global/BPTW2007_brochure.pdf

OPM Director Appoints Kevin L. Marshall as Director of the Federal Executive Institute

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Linda M. Springer has named Kevin L. Marshall as Director of the Federal Executive Institute (FEI). FEI is the federal government’s center for executive development located in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“Kevin is a dedicated public servant who is well equipped to lead the FEI into the future,” said Springer.

As Director of the Coast Guard Leadership Development Center, Marshall worked with its staff to increase student enrollment. He also conceived, developed and implemented an enterprise-wide, web-based leadership tool.

Marshall’s previous work experience includes a number of positions within the Coast Guard. He most recently served as Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard’s Eighth District, where he was responsible for its operations, administration and strategic planning.

The Leadership Journey: Competency-Based Learning

At OPM’s Center for Leadership Capacity Services (CLCS), we believe that great leaders are made, not born. With 40 years of experience, we have come to know and appreciate virtually every challenge faced by Federal managers and executives along their Leadership Journey. Compared to private sector training companies, we better understand Government leadership training needs because we are Government.

The five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), based on an OPM study of 8,000 Federal executives, managers, and supervisors, form the foundation for all CLCS programs and services. Today these core qualifications, and the 28 competencies they comprise, are used throughout Government as an essential part of an agency’s selection, development, and performance management system. For the individual Federal manager or executive, the ECQs represent the guideposts along the pathway to career and organizational success — The Leadership Journey.

A Phased Approach to Higher Performance

While CLCS does not recommend any single developmental pathway for individuals or groups, we have over 40 years’ experience in needs-based curriculum development for Federal Government agencies. Our Core Leadership Curriculum stands as one of the most successful training programs ever conceived for Federal managers. In this multi-phased approach, participants are engaged in a career-long process of leadership development, from the pre-supervisory level through preparation for the Senior Executive Service SES.

Beginning with the Leadership Potential Seminar and culminating with the four-week Leadership for a Democratic Society program, leaders continually and sequentially prepare for higher levels of responsibility, while providing their agencies with a blueprint for succession planning. These seminars and programs make up CLCS’s Core Leadership Curriculum.

OPM’s USAJOBS Continues to Attract Large Numbers of Job Seekers Who Want to Work for Their Country

Washington, DC – With millions of job seekers looking to find their “perfect” career, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) USAJOBS website continues to experience great success.

“USAJOBS is an example of a hugely successful internet job site, one that helps people identify opportunities with the federal government,” said OPM Director Linda M. Springer. “USAJOBS offers the American people a useful access point to federal jobs, and it helps them remain updated as to ‘what is out there.’”

During Fiscal Year 2007 (October 2006 through September 2007), a record 94,324,604 visitors went to the USAJOBS site, generating over 1 billion page hits.

“I am committed to USAJOBS and the helpful options it provides,” said Springer. “For those interested in federal employment and the benefits it provides, there is no better place to go.”

Since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2008, visitors to USAJOBS have equated to another record 10,000,000 per month; and, they have generated an average 124,000,000 monthly page hits. Should that trend continue unabated or further increase, FY 2008 will be yet another banner year for USAJOBS.

USAJOBS can be found at www.usajobs.gov.

The 411 on the Federal Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF)

What is the 411 on the Federal Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF)?  According to President George W. Bush, “The purpose of the Program is to attract to the Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.”

PMF was established in 1977 by the Executive order to attract outstanding men and women from a variety of career paths and academic disciplines to the Federal service.  The common thread is an interest in and commitment to excellent leadership and managing public programs and policies.  PMF brings in graduate students from various social and cultural backgrounds to effectively face the challenges of serving the public.

PMFs will receive at least 80 hours of training each year of their fellowship with an Orientation Training Program held by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). PMFs will follow a written outline of technical skills and core competencies called the Individual Development Plan (IDP) before being converted to a target position with at least one other rotational assignment to another functional area.

Applying for these coveted fellowships may be done through the USAJOBs website and requires applicants to follow federal specifications for submitting a resume.  Hiring a professional resume writer who is familiar with federal specifications is a solid investment in your future and can mean the difference between landing that fantastic fellowship or just wishing you had.