OPM has many years of experience in supporting Federal agencies with the selection of candidates into Candidate Development Programs (CDP) or other agency-specific leadership development programs. OPM can assist agencies with candidate selection from beginning to end, including recruitment and branding, online announcement and application, candidate assessment, and final selection decisions. OPM recommends a multiple-hurdle approach for selection of CDP candidates, including an initial online screening, an Accomplishment Record, a Leadership Assessment Center, and a Structured Interview. The selection process is built on leadership competencies linked to OPM’s Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).
The initial screening questionnaire and written Accomplishment Record are part of an online self-nomination process which incorporates leadership competencies that are critical for the target agency. The online questionnaire screens the applicants based on their responses to a series of position-relevant questions. The Accomplishment Record for each candidate is reviewed and rated by expert OPM evaluators. Ratings from this phase are used to determine the nominees selected to participate in the final, and more precise, selection assessments (i.e., the Leadership Assessment Center and Structured Interview). Experienced OPM Personnel Research Psychologists and human resource specialists are available throughout the process to assist the agency with assessment strategy and final selection decisions.