MSPB says well-planned technology can help hiring process
Technology can help the federal hiring process, but only if it is accompanied by an effective strategy and competent human resources personnel, according to a report released this month by the Merit Systems Protection Board.
"We found that automated hiring systems can be beneficial to both agencies and job applicants when used wisely," wrote Neil McPhie, acting chairman of the MSPB, in a letter to senior lawmakers. "These systems can help agencies streamline the application process, assess applicants fairly and thoroughly, and reduce hiring time."
The report warned repeatedly, however, that technology without an overarching plan and firm guidance would be of little benefit.
"Investments in information technology alone do not guarantee these results," McPhie wrote. "Agency leaders must also invest time and money in implementing an automated hiring system to ensure that selection criteria and assessment methods are valid and effective. Federal managers and human resource professionals must also continue to identify assessment criteria, select and use appropriate assessment tools, and exercise informed judgment throughout the hiring process."
Earlier this month, the Partnership for Public Service held a press conference announcing results of a study on assessment in the federal hiring process. During that event, several experts said that automated assessment and hiring is an essential next step for the federal government.
"The competition for talent is not mere rhetoric, it's real," said David Pfenninger, CEO of the Performance Assessment Network consulting firm. "Proctor and Gamble uses automated assessment to sift through applicants and increase their hit rate."
Experts also said that federal agencies that do not use technology in hiring - or that use it poorly - can leave a bad impression on job seekers and chase top talent away.
"If you do it right, if you show them that it is actually meaningful, then you are not going to chase them away," said Max Stier, president of the Partnership.
The MSPB report recommended that federal agencies ensure that they invest sufficient resources in the design of technology and use automated systems to support existing practices - but not replace them.
"Whether automated hiring systems contribute positively to government performance does not depend on the technology itself," the report said. "It depends on how federal agencies use that technology and whether leaders of federal agencies make the investments in recruitment, assessment tools and people."
At the Partnership forum, Stier made the same point: "You should be investing a whole lot more."
Post a Comment
To post a comment, you must provide a name and a valid e-mail address. Messages must be limited to 400 words. By using this Service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Although Government Executive does not monitor comments posted to this site (and has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems to be in violation of this rule.