What is competitive service?
Competitive service jobs refer to all civil service positions in the executive branch of the Federal Government (with some exceptions). They use a competitive hiring process that follows civil service laws established by Congress. All applicants complete competitive examining, which varies based on the position, to determine eligibility for the position.
Some positions require written testing. The competitive portion also includes assessing candidates’ education, experience and other relevant attributes based on the job’s responsibilities.
The idea is to ensure competition and hiring processes are fair and open to people of all societal segments, helping to create a diverse workforce. By using competitive examining methods, the process focuses on applicants’ skills, knowledge and abilities.
Candidate sourcing can vary for competitive positions. Sources mainly consist of:
- Competitive candidates: This list includes the job seekers who applied for the position, met job requirements and passed the competitive screening process.
- Civil service status candidates: Current civil service employees might qualify for merit promotion procedures due to their current appointment in a competitive service position. This noncompetitive appointment can be considered a promotion, reassignment or transfer. Certain former employees may be reinstated under this option.
- Noncompetitive appointing authority candidates: Some candidates qualify under law or executive order based on their previous service or a specific attribute. A common example is the Veterans Recruitment Appointment, which allows certain veterans to receive an appointment. Other examples include Peace Corps volunteers, individuals with disabilities and former federal employees.
Competitive service hiring process
While all competitive service jobs must follow certain standards, the specifics can vary based on the role’s demands. The following steps outline the hiring process for competitive service positions:
- Job requisition: A job requisition serves as the official approval to fill the position and initiates the process.
- Job announcement: USAJOBS is the official location for federal job announcements. Each posting includes an overview, job location, duties, requirements, required documents, benefits and information on how to apply.
- Applications: Qualified job seekers complete the application process, including the competitive examination that’s required.
- Applicant screening and rating: Applicant screening starts with the human resources department, where team members review applications. Candidates receive ratings and rankings based on their qualifications for the position.
- Hiring manager review: The manager receives the applications of the highest-ranking candidates. This person is responsible for selecting which candidates will move forward in the hiring process.
- Interviews: Hiring managers conduct a series of interviews, which might include initial screening interviews, to evaluate the candidates.
Examples of competitive service positions
Competitive service jobs make up the bulk of federal positions, which means this category includes a wide range of careers. High-level executive positions usually fall under the senior executive service while specialized positions usually qualify as excepted service. Some examples of competitive service positions may include:
- Social worker
- Quality control
- Marketing assistant
- Administrative assistant
- Technical writer
- Shipping clerk
What is excepted service?
Excepted service positions don’t use the standard competitive hiring process. Each agency that hires for excepted positions creates the qualification requirements and hiring processes. They also have more flexibility regarding appointment processes, pay and classifications. It includes all positions that don’t fall under competitive service or senior executive service.
Despite not using the same competitive processes, jobs that fall under excepted service typically have more rigorous requirements. They’re often specialized positions that require high levels of education or expertise.
Due to those specialized requirements, the standard competitive procedures don’t accurately evaluate a candidate’s qualifications. By classifying positions as “excepted,” you can customize the hiring processes to be more suitable for each position.
Excepted service hiring process
There are several ways to be appointed into the excepted service. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) can define an authority, like the Veterans Recruitment Appointment, or appoint a specific position it defines as excepted, such as an attorney.
The excepted service hiring process can vary significantly based on the details of the position. Many of the general processes are the same, including creating a job requisition, posting the job, screening applicants and conducting interviews.
However, the positions might involve other forms of evaluation or steps. Referring to your agency’s procedures can help clarify what steps the HR department and hiring manager must take to fill a vacancy.
Examples of excepted service positions
Many positions in the judicial and legislative branches fall under excepted service. Some specific careers that are usually considered excepted include:
- Intelligence officers
- Attorneys
- Chaplains
- Administrative law judges
- Technical experts
What is senior executive service (SES)?
This category of federal employees includes executive-level team members. They are appointed because of their exceptional leadership skills. Senior executive service positions were created as part of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 to find top senior executives for various federal agencies.
These positions can be general or career reserved. All appointment types, including career, non-career, limited term and limited emergency, may qualify for general positions. A career reserved senior executive position allows only career appointees. A career appointee is someone who has worked for at least three years in a permanent competitive service position.
Senior executive service hiring process
The hiring process typically starts with your federal agency submitting a request to the OPM. OPM approves a certain number of senior executive service positions for a two-year period. Your agency decides how to use those allocations to put people in the executive positions you need.
When your agency is ready to hire, you can use one of several methods, including:
- Job announcement: This traditional method involves using the job announcement process to collect applications.
- Reinstatement: A former employee who served in a senior executive service position can be reinstated when they meet certain eligibility requirements.
- Reassignment: You can move a current senior executive employee into a different executive role within your agency.
- Transfer: This similar option happens when a senior executive service employee moves from one agency to another.
- Candidate development program graduate: Through the candidate development program, various federal agencies identify promising leaders and develop their competencies. After graduating and becoming certified by the OPM Qualifications Review Board, these employees may receive a senior executive service appointment.
The specific recruitment processes vary based on the type of hire. Generally, the OPM has to approve the appointment in some way. For instance, the Qualifications Review Board must approve the executive core qualifications of a career appointee. The OPM approves noncareer appointments on a case-by-case basis.
Examples of senior executive service positions
Positions under this type of service typically manage an entire organizational unit and are responsible for the success of specific projects or programs. They supervise the work of other employees and handle various executive functions, such as creating policies and managing organizational goals.
These roles focus on leadership rather than technical expertise. Some possible titles under this category include:
- Executive director
- Director
- Associate director
- Chief financial officer
- Chief operating officer
- Program manager
FAQs about types of civil service jobs
Can current employees easily switch between competitive and excepted service positions?
Employees in competitive service positions can transfer to other competitive positions without going through the competition process again. Excepted service employees can face challenges in transferring to competitive positions because they haven’t gone through the initial competitive hiring process.
Some federal agencies offer agreements that make it easier for excepted employees to move into competitive service roles without the extensive hiring process.
Can one agency have different types of civil service jobs?
Yes, the same government agency can hire a mix of competitive and excepted service jobs. Determining the type of position for a job depends largely on the duties and level of specialization needed. Agencies also typically have some senior executive service employees who guide the department. Evaluating your agency’s needs helps you determine which types of government positions are required.
