Online Automated Recruitment System Announcements? Which Ones Can I Apply For?  What Is the Difference?

November 13, 2000

In Reply Refer To: 
Mail Stop 601



MEMORANDUM



To:     All U.S. Geological Survey Employees

From:   Robert Hosenfeld        (signed)
        Personnel Officer

Subject:  Online Automated Recruitment System Announcements? Which Ones 
        Can I Apply For?  What Is the Difference?

It has come to our attention that there is a great deal of confusion on 
the part of applicants as to which announcements in the Online Automated 
Recruitment System (OARS) system for which they can or should be applying. 
 We hope this message will clarify the options that employees have in 
applying for vacancies. These procedures are actually no different than 
they were prior to OARS; however, when all announcements are listed in the 
same place on a consolidated listing, the need to read each carefully and 
understand your options becomes greater. 

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has always advertised vacancies under 
different areas of consideration, in order to attract candidates, and USGS 
employees have always had the option of choosing to receive consideration 
under any or all of the announcements advertised.  Under the former 
paper-intensive method, candidates were obligated to submit two separate 
applications for the same announcement if they wanted to be considered 
under both Merit Promotion and Open Competition.  However, with paper 
copies, it was sometimes easier to discern which was which.  Seldom were 
all announcements listed on the same site.  Additionally, under the 
current diversity initiative vacancies are being advertised in as wide a 
manner as possible to assure a diverse applicant pool, and announcements, 
which might have in the past been open only to USGS employees, are now 
open to all qualified candidates. 

Vacancy announcements which are listed under the Public Non-Status banner 
on the OARS website are those which are open to all qualified candidates.  
Any United States citizen may apply for and be considered under these 
announcements.  They are advertised under the auspices of the Delegated 
Examining Agreement between the Department of the Interior and the Office 
of Personnel Management (OPM), and constitute Federal examining 
procedures.  Veterans receive preference points in applying for these open 
competitive announcements, and the positions are subject to all OPM 
regulations pertaining to examining and referral of candidates.  Federal 
employees may apply for these positions, and compete against 
members of the general public for consideration.

Public Status announcements are listed next on the OARS website.  These 
positions are open only to status candidates, meaning those individuals 
who are currently working for the Federal Government under a permanent 
competitive appointment, or whom have reinstatement rights based on a 
previous permanent competitive appointment.  Certain veterans may apply 
and receive consideration, as may other individuals who claim eligibility 
under some type of authorized special appointing authority.  Individuals 
who answer the questions under Personal Information in OARS upon registration 
and do not have this type of competitive status or other eligibility will not 
be shown these announcements, because they may not apply against them.  
Unless otherwise stated on the vacancy announcement, all Federal employees 
with status may apply for these announcements, and compete against other 
eligible candidates under USGS Merit Promotion Plan procedures.  Because 
competition is under merit promotion procedures that allow for competition 
within the Federal workforce (including individuals who apply under 
special authorities or those that have reinstatement eligibility), Federal 
employees with status may wish to compete in this manner in lieu of, or in 
addition to, applying under the Public Non-Status announcements. 

Finally, there is a group of announcements listed third on the OARS 
website which are internal, and are open only to USGS employees who are 
currently serving in permanent, competitive service positions or USGS 
employees serving under certain noncompetitive appointing authorities.  No 
one else may apply. 

Management can determine to use one OR more of these venues to advertise 
their vacancies.  Managers have a right to select from any list referred. 
USGS employees who have status may choose to apply for the same vacancy 
under more than one announcement and receive consideration on all 
competitions.  Doing so requires filling the same set of questions out 
more than once, but the questions generally take far less time to answer 
than did preparing narrative statements under the former method, and 
require no photocopying or mailing expenses.

Under OARS, whenever we hear that a part of this new process is confusing 
applicants, we are taking steps to improve the system and clarify 
instructions.  We are recommending to the vendor that the website banner 
include a definition of each area of consideration.  Until such changes 
can be made, we hope this memorandum clarifies employee options.