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OPM.gov / Frequently Asked Questions / Assessment Policy FAQ / Occupational Questionnaires
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Occupational Questionnaires

Questions and answers

How you score your occupational questionnaire is up to your discretion, but it’s important to have subject matter experts (SMEs) provide input on the proficiency levels for each question (item) and the weighting for each competency (content area).  

In general, each candidate will receive a score for each item based on their response to the question.   For example, if a question asks a candidate to rate their level of proficiency in processing documents, the ‘higher’ the level of proficiency they select, the higher the score (e.g., 1 = lowest level of proficiency level chosen, 5 = highest level of proficiency level chosen).  

Once a candidate has completed the occupational questionnaire, their total score will then be used to place them in a category or may be used as part of a larger assessment process.  For more information regarding occupational questionnaires, please visit the Occupational Questionnaire page of the Assessment and Selection website:  http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/assessment-and-selection/occupational-questionnaires/

If you have further questions regarding occupational questionnaires, please contact us at Assessment_Information@opm.gov.  
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