Federal authorities officially finalize new regulation, dubbed the 'Rule of Many', intended to increase flexibility in federal job recruitment procedures.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has published a final rule to end the "rule of three" in federal hiring and implement the "rule of many." This significant change, which originated from the fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, is part of a broader effort to modernize federal hiring practices.

Under the "rule of many," federal hiring managers are required to score each job applicant on relevant job skills and rank them based on those scores. This approach aims to provide a fairer and more inclusive hiring process, allowing agencies to consider a broader pool of qualified candidates when making competitive and excepted service appointments.

The GS-2210 job series, which includes mission-critical, in-demand technical positions such as product managers, software developers, and AI specialists, is at the forefront of this transformation. OPM is conducting a pilot project for incorporating skills-based recruitment practices as agencies hire IT managers, with the goal of transitioning the government's job series for IT management to "fully skills-based hiring" by the end of this year.

Agencies are encouraged to use technical assessments for candidates in place of self-assessments, with at least one technical assessment required, and it is strongly encouraged for agencies to use two alternative assessments to create lists of eligible job candidates. Hiring managers can choose a cut-off number, score, or percentage to pare down the applicant pool and reach a list of qualified finalists.

The Chance to Compete Act, which became law in December 2024, prioritizes sharing certificates and embeds skills-based recruitment and technical assessments into hiring practices. OPM is setting expectations for agencies to move away from self-assessments on federal job applications, with a deadline of Sept. 30 for agencies to completely stop ranking candidates based on self-assessments.

During the Biden administration, many agencies took advantage of OPM's pooled hiring announcements for recruitment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Agencies are also permitted to use the "category ranking" system under the new final rule, but OPM recommends the use of the "agency talent portal" available through USA Jobs to share certificates and engage in cross-government hiring actions.

It's important to note that the binding date on which the "rule of many" regulation legally takes effect and must be implemented by federal agencies depends on the specific legal context and jurisdiction, which is not provided here. The final rule takes effect on Nov. 7, and agencies should be in full compliance with the "rule of many" by March 9, 2026.

The Trump administration is continuing to encourage the use of shared certificates in the federal hiring process. Agencies can continue using self-assessments for positions at or below level 4 on the General Schedule, seasonal jobs, some Federal Wage System jobs, and for more basic application information like veteran status.

The transition plans for the GS-2210 job series include updating the qualifications guidance for IT managers, with the IT manager pilot serving as a prototype for other federal job series moving forward. OPM is telling agencies to immediately begin implementing the new expectations of the Trump administration's "merit hiring plan."

The four essay questions on most federal job announcements are mandatory for agencies to ask, but candidates should not be disqualified for not answering them. Agencies are still permitted to use the "category ranking" system under the new final rule. Resumes on all federal job applications are limited to two pages at the most.

These changes represent a significant shift in federal hiring practices, aiming to make the process more efficient, fair, and inclusive. As the government continues to modernize its hiring processes, it's an exciting time for both job seekers and hiring managers alike.

Federal authorities officially finalize new regulation, dubbed the 'Rule of Many', intended to increase flexibility in federal job recruitment procedures.