Section 10: Understanding Assessments in the Federal Hiring Process

Federal hiring increasingly relies on objective, job-related assessments to support fair, merit-based evaluation. Most NIST positions require at least one assessment, and many include multiple assessment components. Assessments may be administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), NIST Human Resources specialists, and/or trained Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

USA Hire Assessments

Most NIST positions require USA Hire assessments administered by OPM. USA Hire assessments measure general competencies that apply across the federal workforce.

These competencies may include:

• Critical thinking and decision-making
• Reasoning and problem solving
• Reading comprehension
• Situational judgment
• Work styles and behavioral preferences

If USA Hire is required:

• You will receive instructions by email after submitting your application
• Applicants typically have up to 48 hours after the announcement closes, or after receiving a personalized assessment link, to complete the assessments
• Deadlines and system requirements are provided directly by OPM

NIST does not administer USA Hire assessments, set assessment deadlines, or approve reasonable accommodation requests for USA Hire. All assessment-related instructions and accommodation requests are handled directly by OPM.

Practice questions are available at:

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/assessments/#practice

Structured Résumé Review By Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

Many NIST positions use trained SMEs to conduct structured résumé reviews to determine whether applicants meet the specialized experience requirements.

In this process:

• HR verifies eligibility and basic qualification requirements
• SMEs evaluate résumés against the specialized experience described in the vacancy announcement
• Only information clearly documented in the résumé may be credited

SMEs do not infer experience from job titles or assumed duties. Applicants must clearly describe their experience in their résumé.

Additional Assessments

Some positions may require additional assessments beyond résumé review and USA Hire, such as:

• Structured interviews
• Writing samples
• Job-related exercises or case studies

These assessments are typically conducted after applicants are referred to the hiring official.

How Assessments Affect Your Application

All required assessments must be completed by the stated deadlines. Failure to complete required assessments or follow instructions may result in removal from consideration.

Assessment results are used in combination with résumé review and eligibility determinations to decide whether an applicant is referred for further consideration.

Optional Short-Answer Questions (OPM Merit Hiring Plan)

Some NIST vacancy announcements include short-answer questions developed in alignment with the Office of Personnel Management’s Merit Hiring Plan. These questions are optional and are intended to give applicants an opportunity to provide additional context beyond their résumé.

These responses function similarly to a cover letter and are not used to determine whether an applicant meets minimum qualification requirements or specialized experience.

How These Responses Are Used

Short-answer responses:

Are not scored or ranked

Are not used by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to assess technical qualifications

Do not affect quality grouping or referral eligibility

However, responses may be reviewed later in the hiring process by selecting officials or NIST leadership to better understand an applicant’s perspective, communication style, and alignment with public service values and mission priorities.

Tips for Applicants

If you choose to provide responses:

Write in your own words

Respond thoughtfully and clearly

Focus on your experiences, motivations, or perspectives rather than restating résumé content

Follow any length or formatting instructions in the vacancy announcement

Responses are optional, but applicants who submit them should ensure the content is accurate and reflects their own experiences and viewpoints.