General

The DE assessment consists of 50 multiple choice questions. You will have 90 minutes to complete the assessment once you begin. You will receive complete instructions upon scheduling the assessment. When scheduling the in-person assessment, you should allow a total of two hours to include arriving 15 minutes before your appointment time to complete check-in procedures. For the live remote proctored session, you must login 10 minutes prior to your appointment time to ensure you can connect to audio and video. If you login more than five minutes after your scheduled start time, you will not be permitted to test.

The DE assessment tests your knowledge and application of the following competencies:

• Agency Staffing Policies and Procedures - Knowledge of the agency-specific policies and procedures involved in merit promotion and DE operations, for example, category rating, application processing, and reconsideration.
• Application Processing - Knowledge of rules governing the acceptance and processing of applications and resumes, including application requirements, applicant eligibility for filing late applications, and applicant notification procedures.
• Assessment Methods and Tools - Knowledge of the principles, methods, and professional guidelines for assessing job applicants; including types of assessment tools and the criteria (e.g., validity, legality, practicality) for evaluating assessment methods.
• Category Rating - Knowledge of the laws, regulations, and procedures for using category rating in the hiring process, to include category requirements, placement of candidates into quality categories, merging categories, and agency-specific category rating policies.
• Certification and Selection - Knowledge of the laws, regulations, and agency-specific procedures governing the creation of the certificate of eligibles, including interdisciplinary positions, dual certification, documenting actions on a certificate, objection or pass-over procedures for preference eligibles, and lost employment consideration.
• Hiring Authorities - Knowledge of the laws, rules, requirements, and application of the competitive service, the excepted service, and the Senior Executive Service; including the use of special appointing authorities, for example, veterans' recruitment appointment (VRA) and direct hire authorities.
• Hiring Process Management - Knowledge of the principles, procedures, and steps that make up the federal hiring process, including roles, responsibilities, timeframes, and resources.
• Job Analysis - Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools for gathering, analyzing, and using information about the content, context, and requirements of a job, including procedures to document the relationship between the tasks performed on the job and the competencies/KSAs required to perform the tasks.
• Merit System Accountability - Knowledge of the reporting and accountability requirements for staffing and DE functions to include workload reports, case file reconstruction, and annual internal audit requirements.
• Public Notice/Job Opportunity Announcements - Knowledge of the laws, regulations, and agency policies regarding public notice of vacancies; knowledge of the techniques for creating effective job opportunity announcements.
• Qualifications Determinations - Knowledge of the requirements for determining applicant qualifications, including the use of selective factors and quality ranking factors; knowledge of how to apply qualification standards when reviewing applications to credit experience, education, and other credentials.
• Recruitment/Placement - Knowledge of HR concepts, principles, and practices related to identifying, attracting, and selecting individuals and placing them into positions to address changing organizational needs.
• Technical Documentation - Knowledge of procedures for developing technical and operational support documentation (for example, case files, processing personnel actions).
• Veterans' Preference - Knowledge of the laws and regulations regarding veterans' preference, veterans' preference eligibility, veterans' preference categories, required proof of preference status, and how to credit preference in the hiring process.