1. http://www.govexec.com By: Emily Long April 20, 2011

2.  New online tool developed by The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to replace KSAs.  What are KSAs? Testing tools for applicants to 12 job types:  Security adminstrators, human resource managers, administrative assistants, accountants, budget analysts, contracting officers, information technology workers. Tests job specific competencies:  Problem solving, math reasoning, reading comprehension, decision-making skills. ASSESS

3.   Used to streamline federal hiring process  Intended to increase timeliness and focus on quality  Agriculture Department Farm Service Agency in Kansas City, Mo. First to pilot  Defense, Health, Human Services, Justice, and Veteran Affairs to follow  OPM will collect feedback from applicants and hiring managers to evaluate assessments and ensure scoring 1 year pilot phase

4.   No two versions of the online, unproctored exams are identical.  Thousands of questions and scenarios are already available and more are in development.  The goal is to spread ASSESS to other agencies  OPM hopes to develop specialized tests for nurses, engineers, etc. Test’s uniqueness and future

5.   Increase in the importance of test taking skills?  Hiring a test score and not a person?  Decrease in the importance of writing skills?  Increase reliance on computers and importance of computer savviness?  Sacrifice depth for efficiency? Implications