What You Said

Lynette Thompson

Silver Spring

My son and I have been applying for government jobs for the past five years, and we have never received a telephone call, letter or an interview. The only response we have received are computerized e-mails indicating that they had received our application and transcripts. We check the online status of applications only to find out that our application package is complete.

I personally think that for all government jobs you should only be required to fax or e-mail a government résumé, KSA (knowledge, skills, abilities) questions, college transcripts and cover letter. If the person is interviewed and chosen for the position, then you request additional information. Requesting an applicant's life history before being interviewed or considered for the position is a waste of time and valuable information.

Terri Nyman

development writer,

Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture

I first applied for my current job in September 2008. My first interview was in November, second in December and third in March of 2009. I started May 9, 2009.

Rick Du Bose

Energy Department,

Washington.

I'd like to see OPM make good on President Obama's pledge to provide more government job opportunities for qualified veterans -- and not just within the entry-level positions.

Moreover, hiring supervisors must eliminate any and all biases they may have toward veterans, including those who are disabled, and provide sufficient opportunities in supervisory or management positions in keeping with the applicant's skills, training and education. Lastly, the process of screening, selecting and interviewing qualified applicants should not take longer than 90 days after the position closing date. And win, lose or draw, applicants should be apprised of their status within that time frame.

Katherine Christensen

Arlington

Don't apply to a federal job if you need a job anytime soon. I interviewed for a few of the federal jobs last summer and early fall. I wasn't too excited about the management or working conditions, so in September I started looking in the private sector, and got a good job which I started in November.

John Oberzut

retired Labor Department employee, Columbia

The biggest change that I recommend for the federal hiring process -- eliminate the need to advertise a job that is strictly for the promotion of an already selected individual. If a person is worthy of a promotion, then just promote him, as they do in private industry. The job announcements are always "clogged" with jobs that are not really open. I've wasted many hours applying for these types of jobs -- finding out that the job went to somebody who worked in the office where the opening existed.

Brandi Perry

Washington

The KSAs required are tedious, and in my opinion do not accurately gauge an applicant's skills or abilities. Human contact can better gauge skill. Plus, the KSA system is so quick to eliminate an applicant based on multiple-choice questions, many people lie on the KSAs just to make it to round two of the hiring process.