Washington, D.C. - U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Kay Coles James recently announced the continued efforts of OPM to streamline the hiring process. OPM is committed to ensuring agencies are aware of the various hiring options they have to fill their mission-critical positions, and in providing federal hiring managers with as much hiring information as necessary.

"America's best and brightest are ready to serve, and federal hiring managers must be knowledgeable of tools available to assist them in quickly hiring the superb talent available to the government," said James. "The training symposiums provide agency leaders and managers with instructions on how to implement existing hiring flexibilities to hire the most qualified applicants to work for the federal government. The results are better-educated hiring officials focused on their respective hiring needs and mission-critical positions."

Since June, OPM, partnering with Federal Executive Boards, has conducted 16 symposiums in cities throughout the country. The half-day symposiums feature sessions led by OPM senior officials and other agency representatives on the various hiring flexibilities, including sessions on veterans' preference, student and excepted-service employment authorities, the Pledge to Applicants, James' memorandum on the "Top Things You Can Do To Improve Federal Hiring," and the 45-Day Hiring Model.

"Providing information on bringing the best new talent on board, and on board quickly, is the primary topic at the symposiums," James stated. "We need to make it clear that applicants no longer need to put their careers on hold once these flexibilities are in place and provide for speedy hiring,." she added.

To date, symposiums were held in the following cities: Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Atlanta; Boston; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Miami; St. Louis; and Denver.  Symposiums also have been conducted in Houston; Dallas; Baltimore; Kansas City; New Orleans; Oklahoma City; and Albuquerque.

Additional symposiums are scheduled for the following cities and dates: New York City, Dec 15; Newark, Dec 16; Minnesota, Dec 21; San Antonio, Jan 11; Cleveland, Jan 19; Seattle, Jan 26; and Portland, Jan 27. Symposiums also are being scheduled for Cincinnati; San Francisco; Los Angeles; and Honolulu.

Agencies represented at the symposiums to date include the following:

Department of Agriculture

Department of Commerce

Department of Defense

Department of Education

Department of Energy

Department of Homeland Security

Department of the Interior

Department of Justice

Department of Labor

Department of Transportation

Department of the Treasury

Department of Veterans Affairs

U.S. Bankruptcy Court

Environmental Protection Agency

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

General Services Administration

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Office of Cuba Broadcasting

U.S. Office of Personnel Management

U.S. Postal Service

Railroad Retirement Board

Small Business Administration

Smithsonian Institution

Social Security Administration.