United States Department of Transportation

Pre-work Strategic Converstation Worksheet

Worksheet to guide strategic conversations between you and the HR Specialist to inform the recruitment, assessment, and selection of job candidates.

MISSION

  • Have there been, or will there be any changes to the organization’s mission or goals which could impact recruitment (new skill sets needed?)

  • What are the critical challenges facing the organization in the short-term and long-term?

  • How does the position contribute to the mission of the organization?

JOB ANALYSIS

  • What is the position?

  • What are the major responsibilities/duties/tasks of the job?

    • - Approximately what portion of the person’ time would be spent on each of these key duties?

  • What specific KSAs are needed to be successful in the job?

    • How would you rank these KSAs in terms of critical importance for success in this positions?

    • What level KSAs are required?  (Rank each area basic, intermediate, expert)

  • What competencies does a candidate need to possess to be successful in this position?

  • When do you need to fill the job?

    • What is the professional development potential for this position?

    • Should the position be filled at the full performance level or it is better to fill at the entry level with promotion potential?

    • Can the position be filled at more than one grade level?

    • If so, then a Job Analysis, assessment questions, weights, and a specialized experience statement must be developed for each grade level.

  • Who are the SMEs in your organization or others who might be able to help in the Job Analysis process?

POSITION DESCRIPTIONS

  • Is the PD current?

  • Does it accurately describe the major duties and responsibilities of the job?

  • What changes are needed to the PD?

  • Is a new PD required?

  • What is the designation of the position?

IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT?

  • How would I describe my dream candidate?

SELECTIVE FACTORS VERSUS SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE

  • Are there special requirements of the job (e.g., fluency in a foreign language)?

  • Does the job require specialized experience (e.g., one-year experience in the next lower-grade level)?

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

  • Are there specific requirements for the job, (e.g., drug testing, frequent travel, overtime, driver’s license, etc.)?

ASSESSMENT  STRATEGY

  • What kind of questions might you ask a candidate to gauge their KSAs/competencies?

  • What kind of professional experience is required/preferred for the position?

  • What degrees/certifications/clearances are required/preferred?

  • Who are the SMEs in your organization or others who might be helpful in the qualification/assessment questions process?

RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES

  • Will recruitment incentives be needed?

    • Recruitment Bonus

    • Relocation Bonus

    • Superior Qualifications Appointment

    • Student Loan Repayment

    • Advanced Annual Leave

RECRUITING SOURCES

  • Where might you find the best candidates?

  • Is the position difficult to recruit? If so, determine possible recruitment strategies.

  • Were hiring official satisfied with prior recruitment efforts? If not, why?

  • Were there sufficient candidates in prior recruitment efforts? If not, why?

  • How can the diversity of the organization be improved and enhanced?

  • What other organizations might potential candidates currently work?

  • Where have good candidates been found in the past?

  • To what associations might good candidates belong?

  • Who are the contractors who have the desired talent?

HIRING FLEXIBILITIES

  • Internal and/or External Sources?

  • Are there special recruitment programs that might be used?

    • Veterans Appointing Authorities

    • Pathways Programs

    • Individuals with Disabilities

    • Peace Corps/AmeriCorps VISTA

    • Military Spouses Appointing Authorities

    • Presidential Management Interns

    • Other

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Are there special considerations or processes that you need to consider in this process?

    • Budget concerns

    • Special approvals

    • Other

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