politicizing the apolitical civil service: OPM's new 'Merit' Hiring Plan

[Anonymous]

OPM's new hiring plan calls for flag pins and few intellectuals. Or more specifically, according the Federal News Network
>
Federal hiring too often focuses on elite universities and credentials, instead of merit, practical skill, and commitment to American ideals,” the strategy states.

OPM and the White House are calling on agencies to focus their recruitment efforts on state universities, religious colleges and universities, and community colleges — and reach out to students at high schools, trade and technical schools, homeschooling groups, faith-based groups and 4-H youth programs about careers in the federal workforce.
<


Applicants for federal jobs will also be required to answer four essay questions, of which one is “How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.”


https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/05/governmentwide-hiring-plan-calls-on-agencies-to-recruit-patriotic-americans-into-federal-workforce/

[Anonymous]

Exactly which part do you hate, OP?

[Anonymous]

I dislike taking an oath “to uphold the Constitution OR intact policies of the executive branch” There should not be an “or”; it should be an “and”!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly which part do you hate, OP?

I hate that the policy conflates loyalty to the US with agreement with Trump's positions and EO's. That is assertively politicizing the civil service, thus undermining one of US's greatest assets (or what was a great asset until 1/2025).

Employees obviously have to implement laws and regulations, but setting the precendent that employees and employment practices will change with every president is destructive. It is exactly what Vought et al. want, of course, for their weird controlling purposes, but it is not good for America.

[Anonymous]

Also, the bit about "too focused on elite universities and credentials" is simply someone's opinion. Where's the analysis showing that? So then setting key priorities (eg, religious colleges) on ideology rather than facts is BS.

[Anonymous]

Another call for mediocrity and obedience over qualification and knowledge. I wish I could say that I was shocked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly which part do you hate, OP?

I hate the part where there is no question about, you know, the statutory mission of the agency …

[Anonymous]

They're too ignorant to realize that this is DEI.

I love that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OPM's new hiring plan calls for flag pins and few intellectuals. Or more specifically, according the Federal News Network
>
Federal hiring too often focuses on elite universities and credentials, instead of merit, practical skill, and commitment to American ideals,” the strategy states.

OPM and the White House are calling on agencies to focus their recruitment efforts on state universities, religious colleges and universities, and community colleges — and reach out to students at high schools, trade and technical schools, homeschooling groups, faith-based groups and 4-H youth programs about careers in the federal workforce.
<


Applicants for federal jobs will also be required to answer four essay questions, of which one is “How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.”


https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/05/governmentwide-hiring-plan-calls-on-agencies-to-recruit-patriotic-americans-into-federal-workforce/

This is so weird. So many DoD employees obtained their degrees from Regent University, Troy, American Military University, UMGC, and Phoenix University. Online Bachelor degrees for military personnel

[Anonymous]

My wife is a career fed who was hired when George W. Bush was president. Since then her job has been the same no matter which party has been in office...until now anyway.

[Anonymous]

I am old enough to remember when you had to take a Civil Service test to get a job. I had a summer job at a Social Security Payment Center when I was in college. That place was run like a factory, but the work got done. A whistle when it was time to go home.

But, all the employees could read and write.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OPM's new hiring plan calls for flag pins and few intellectuals. Or more specifically, according the Federal News Network
>
Federal hiring too often focuses on elite universities and credentials, instead of merit, practical skill, and commitment to American ideals,” the strategy states.

OPM and the White House are calling on agencies to focus their recruitment efforts on state universities, religious colleges and universities, and community colleges — and reach out to students at high schools, trade and technical schools, homeschooling groups, faith-based groups and 4-H youth programs about careers in the federal workforce.
<


Applicants for federal jobs will also be required to answer four essay questions, of which one is “How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.”


https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/05/governmentwide-hiring-plan-calls-on-agencies-to-recruit-patriotic-americans-into-federal-workforce/

This is so weird. So many DoD employees obtained their degrees from Regent University, Troy, American Military University, UMGC, and Phoenix University. Online Bachelor degrees for military personnel

I was thinking the same. Outside of some elite DOJ offices (e.g. OLC, SG) and the Foreign Service, most federal employees come from pretty average colleges or no college at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OPM's new hiring plan calls for flag pins and few intellectuals. Or more specifically, according the Federal News Network
>
Federal hiring too often focuses on elite universities and credentials, instead of merit, practical skill, and commitment to American ideals,” the strategy states.

OPM and the White House are calling on agencies to focus their recruitment efforts on state universities, religious colleges and universities, and community colleges — and reach out to students at high schools, trade and technical schools, homeschooling groups, faith-based groups and 4-H youth programs about careers in the federal workforce.
<


Applicants for federal jobs will also be required to answer four essay questions, of which one is “How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.”


https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/05/governmentwide-hiring-plan-calls-on-agencies-to-recruit-patriotic-americans-into-federal-workforce/

This is so weird. So many DoD employees obtained their degrees from Regent University, Troy, American Military University, UMGC, and Phoenix University. Online Bachelor degrees for military personnel

I was thinking the same. Outside of some elite DOJ offices (e.g. OLC, SG) and the Foreign Service, most federal employees come from pretty average colleges or no college at all.

Do you have a source for that? Because that has not been my experience with the people I know.

And, what do you consider a "pretty average college?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OPM's new hiring plan calls for flag pins and few intellectuals. Or more specifically, according the Federal News Network
>
Federal hiring too often focuses on elite universities and credentials, instead of merit, practical skill, and commitment to American ideals,” the strategy states.

OPM and the White House are calling on agencies to focus their recruitment efforts on state universities, religious colleges and universities, and community colleges — and reach out to students at high schools, trade and technical schools, homeschooling groups, faith-based groups and 4-H youth programs about careers in the federal workforce.
<


Applicants for federal jobs will also be required to answer four essay questions, of which one is “How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.”


https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/05/governmentwide-hiring-plan-calls-on-agencies-to-recruit-patriotic-americans-into-federal-workforce/

This is so weird. So many DoD employees obtained their degrees from Regent University, Troy, American Military University, UMGC, and Phoenix University. Online Bachelor degrees for military personnel

I was thinking the same. Outside of some elite DOJ offices (e.g. OLC, SG) and the Foreign Service, most federal employees come from pretty average colleges or no college at all.

Do you have a source for that? Because that has not been my experience with the people I know.

And, what do you consider a "pretty average college?"

NP. I have worked at 3 different agencies and no one I worked with went to prestigious universities. Until recently, I have been the only person with a graduate degree. The vast majority were former military. I now work with someone getting an online PhD (blew my mind but yes they have those!) but is former military.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OPM's new hiring plan calls for flag pins and few intellectuals. Or more specifically, according the Federal News Network
>
Federal hiring too often focuses on elite universities and credentials, instead of merit, practical skill, and commitment to American ideals,” the strategy states.

OPM and the White House are calling on agencies to focus their recruitment efforts on state universities, religious colleges and universities, and community colleges — and reach out to students at high schools, trade and technical schools, homeschooling groups, faith-based groups and 4-H youth programs about careers in the federal workforce.
<


Applicants for federal jobs will also be required to answer four essay questions, of which one is “How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.”


https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/05/governmentwide-hiring-plan-calls-on-agencies-to-recruit-patriotic-americans-into-federal-workforce/

This is so weird. So many DoD employees obtained their degrees from Regent University, Troy, American Military University, UMGC, and Phoenix University. Online Bachelor degrees for military personnel

I was thinking the same. Outside of some elite DOJ offices (e.g. OLC, SG) and the Foreign Service, most federal employees come from pretty average colleges or no college at all.

Do you have a source for that? Because that has not been my experience with the people I know.

And, what do you consider a "pretty average college?"

DP. Run of the mill State U. U less you’re legal at DOJ or SEC, I don’t think it matters the school as long as you’re licensed and experienced