USA Hire key terms

Any structured process used to gather information about applicants' knowledge, skills, abilities, or other characteristics so that hiring decisions can be made consistently and fairly.

The decision stage in which an organization compares applicants and chooses whom to hire or advance, based on assessment results and job requirements.

A systematic study of a position that identifies its duties, tasks, and the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics needed to perform it well.

The basic education, experience, or credentials an applicant must have to be considered for a position at all, screened before deeper assessment occurs.

The categories describing what a person brings to a job: what they know, what they can do, their general capacities, and traits such as dependability or teamwork.

A defined combination of behaviors and underlying capabilities that predicts successful performance in a role, often used as a standard for evaluating candidates.

An interview in which every candidate is asked the same predetermined questions, scored with a common rating scale, to make comparisons more consistent and defensible.

An interview approach that asks candidates to describe specific past situations and actions, on the assumption that prior behavior predicts future job performance.

An assessment presenting realistic work scenarios and asking candidates to choose the most and least effective responses, measuring judgment rather than factual recall.

The consistency of an assessment: whether it produces stable, similar results across repeated administrations, different raters, or comparable items.

The extent to which an assessment actually measures what it claims to measure and predicts relevant job performance rather than unrelated factors.

A situation where a selection procedure results in a substantially lower selection rate for a protected group compared with another group, which can trigger legal scrutiny.

A defined set of ordered anchors or descriptors used by assessors to score a candidate's response consistently and comparably across applicants.

A written guide specifying how responses earn points or ratings, including what distinguishes strong, adequate, and weak answers, to standardize evaluation.

Ordering candidates from highest to lowest based on assessment results so that offers can be made in sequence.

A roster of applicants who met basic requirements and were assessed, typically ordered by score, from which hiring officials make selections.

A policy that gives eligible veterans an advantage in hiring, often by adding points to scores or placing them ahead of non-preferenced applicants on a list.

Core standards requiring hiring and personnel decisions to be based on ability, knowledge, and skills, with fair treatment and without prohibited discrimination.

Actions that are legally barred in federal employment, such as discriminating, retaliating against whistleblowers, or granting improper advantage to influence hiring decisions.

The official document describing a job's duties, responsibilities, grade level, and requirements, which forms the basis for recruitment and assessment.

The process of assigning a position to the correct occupational series and grade based on its duties and difficulty, which determines pay and qualification standards.

A grouping of positions with similar kinds of work, identified by a numeric code, used to match applicants to appropriate job announcements.

The public notice of a vacancy that states duties, qualifications, application instructions, and deadlines, and which applicants must follow precisely.

The complete set of materials a candidate submits, such as a resume, questionnaire responses, and supporting documents, which must be accurate and complete.

A candidate's written summary of education, experience, and accomplishments, which in federal hiring must clearly show dates and hours to verify qualifications.

An online form asking applicants to rate their own experience and competencies, which is often used to screen applicants before further assessment.

The initial review that removes applicants who do not meet basic requirements or who submitted incomplete materials, before more intensive evaluation begins.

A professional who administers hiring processes, advises managers on rules, reviews applications for eligibility, and ensures assessments follow legal and policy requirements.

The supervisor or official with authority over the vacancy who helps define requirements, reviews qualified candidates, and makes or recommends the final selection.

The period after selection when a new employee completes paperwork, learns policies, and is integrated into the workplace and its expectations.

A trial period at the start of employment during which a new hire's performance and conduct are evaluated before permanent status is granted.

A modification to the application or assessment process that removes barriers for qualified applicants with disabilities, without changing the essential requirements of the job.