How can you make your selection within 16 days to meet OPM’s T2H Measure? PLAN AHEAD! There is no need to wait until you receive your certificate of eligibles to plan and schedule calendar placeholders for your interviews. Follow this process to ensure timely scheduling of your interviews and selection of your ideal candidate.
Contact your HR Specialist to discuss general timing on when certificates will be issued. There are many factors driving the issuance of certificates. Your HR Specialist will provide you with a general timeline that is specific enough to allow you to plan and schedule your interviews with your identified panel members. Please access the Supervisor’s Toolkit for more information on the 9 Steps of the Hiring Process, to include what actions and documentation are required at each step throughout the process.
Select Interview Panel Members and Prep Interview Questions
- Check to see if your office/bureau has a policy or specific requirements for interviews.
- Identify panel members and verify availability.
- Prepare the interview questions and scoring criteria.
Resources
- DOI Hiring 101 Guide
- IBC Interview Guide
- OPM has established resources to ensure your interviews are successful:
- OPM Structured Interviews
- OPM’s “Hiring Managers: 3 Steps to a Successful Interview”
- Already have interview questions in mind? Access the training video on learning how to develop and conduct Structured Interviews to put those questions to work for you!
Keep in mind that these interview tips are useful for both in person AND virtual interviews over Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.
Pre-Schedule Interview Blocks
- Request day and time availability of panel members for interviews (recommend adding a back-up option in case it is needed).
- Determine if interviews will be virtual or in-person.
- Create a shared folder and add the position-specific documents to it (Position Description, Job Analysis, interview questions, etc.).
- Share folder with all panel members.
- Create calendar invites to block off days and times for the interviews; link shared folder above in calendar invites.
- Reserve conference rooms and bridge lines if needed.
Who will be responsible for reference checks?
- Decide who will be completing reference checks.
- Identify questions to be asked.
- Schedule a day within the 16-day metric and schedule the time to complete the reference checks.
Resources
16 days to Conduct Interviews, Complete Reference Checks, and Make Selections
- Notify panel members that the certificates have been received and they can begin their review of the application packages.
- Review application packages and identify applicants selected for interview.
- Call or email applicants to schedule interviews and assign specific day/time slots to applicants selected for interview and update pre-blocked calendar invites with applicant’s name.
- Discuss with panel members and agree on logistics for conducting the interview (who will ask questions, take notes, etc.).
- Conduct Interviews.
- Conduct reference checks.
- Make selection.
- Complete organization/hiring approval for selection process (if applicable).
- Annotate certificates with the appropriate audit codes and return ALL (e.g. Merit Promotion, Delegated Examining, Pathways etc.) certificates to HR via USAS.
- Provide supporting documents to HR.
- Documentation for withdrawals, failed to reply etc. to your servicing specialist (if applicable) For example, email correspondence or write-up if verbal withdrawal.
- Due Weight Form (if applicable).
- Shared Certificates Form (if applicable).
Resources
- USAS HM Guide – Page 14 “Reviewing Applicant Lists after the Certificate has been Issued”