United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office General Government Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-03-30 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:GGD-94-103 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-103 P0b002ee180392751 f:gg94103 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-103 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-103 GGD-94-103 Human resources utilization Hiring policies Personnel management Personnel recruiting Eligibility determinations Fair employment programs Federal agencies Employment discrimination Federal employees OPM Central Personnel Data File OPM Administrative Careers with America Program Outstanding Scholar Program OPM Bilingual/Bicultural Program Letter Report GGD The Administrative Careers With America (ACWA), the government's most recent program to test applicants for entry-level jobs, was established by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in 1990 to replace an examination system that had allegedly limited hiring opportunities for minorities. Many agency officials prefer not to use ACWA because it is so time consuming. Although agency officials promptly receive ACWA certificates from OPM, it can take weeks to contact the job applicants, receive and review their resumes, conduct interviews, and verify education and employment experience. Furthermore, the law requires agencies to choose from the top three candidates on a certificate and gives hiring preference to veterans. Because most veterans are men, agencies have difficulty meeting affirmative actions goals for women through ACWA certificates. Many job applicants are also frustrated with the ACWA hiring process, in part because they are not contacted about openings after they have taken the ACWA exam. Further, applicants often overestimate their chances of obtaining government jobs because they receive little or no information from OPM on hiring patterns. Under changes being considered by OPM, applicants would apply for specific vacancies rather than be considered for potential openings, agencies would help decide the criteria used to score applicants, and the ACWA exam would become optional. In addition, OPM has started providing applicants with more specific information on openings, including the number of eligible candidates who have applied for the job and the average scores of candidates hired from certificates. But seven of the largest ACWA job categories, such as Internal Revenue Officer, Customs Inspector, and Social Insurance Claims Examiners, are exempt from the changes. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-103/html/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-103.htm GAO/GGD-94-103 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-103 Letter Report GAO/GGD-94-103; Federal Hiring: Testing for Entry-Level Administrative Positions Falls Short of Expectations; Human resources utilization Hiring policies Personnel management Personnel recruiting Eligibility determinations Fair employment programs Federal agencies Employment discrimination Federal employees OPM Central Personnel Data File OPM Administrative Careers with America Program Outstanding Scholar Program OPM Bilingual/Bicultural Program