DoD takes 10 steps to improve hiring process

DoD is making progress in changing how it hires civilian employees. The Pentagon said the new process has been beneficial to the applicants as well as the hirin...

By Courtney Thompson
Federal News Radio

The Department of Defense implemented a 10-step process to meet a goal to decrease the time it takes to hire civilians by almost 50 percent.

In a little over a year, DoD has reduced the hiring process by 25 percent from an initial time of 150 days to 116 days, said Pat Tamburrino, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for civilian personnel policy at DoD, during an interview on In-Depth with Francis Rose Friday.

“We’ve made the whole front-end preparation process the first step,” Tamburrino said about the successful implementation of new hiring objectives at the Pentagon.

But, he said, the goal of an 80-day hiring process will not compromise the quality of applicants.

Within the in first step of the modified process, the team integrated “a really robust discussion between the hiring manager and HR office,” which, he added, will yield a good position description and job opportunity announcement so that applicants have a better understanding on how to respond to job requirements.

During his 30-year career, Tamburrino said the lack of preparation for job vacancies is a typical problem for hiring managers. In an effort to simplify the process, resources such as the hiring manager’s tool kits, which are available on his office’s website, will help hiring managers plan jobs, structure interviews and conduct screenings to expedite the hiring processes. He said that upfront planning will create a pool of resumes that will be “a better match and a better set.”

“Getting a good hire starts with good planning,” he said.

DoD’s aim in streamlining the hiring process is to ultimately produce a good experience for both the applicant and hiring manager while efficiently finding new employees.

Additionally, the team has been successful in finding employment for veterans, wounded warriors and family members of servicemen and women. Tamburrino said DoD had exceeded its goal in the number of veterans hires for the first fiscal quarter of 2011 through an assortment of services, including resume writing, interview opportunities, webinars, job fairs and intern programs.

Courtney Thompson is an intern with Federal News Radio.

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