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HHS CareersQuickHire Frequenly Asked QuestionsGeneral information General Information1. What is HHS Careers? A: HHS Careers is a software program that was created to help agencies meet the complex challenges of recruiting, evaluating and hiring the very best people. 2. How does HHS Careers work? A: HHS Careers is a service delivery mechanism that truly automates the federal hiring process. It takes the current federal hiring process content and uses the power of the Internet to build and post vacancies to the Department’s web sites. Interested applicants can review vacancy announcements and answer position-specific questions while on the web site. The system also allows applicants to create, edit and archive an electronic resumé. After the vacancy announcement closes, the Human Resources Office uses the system to automatically rate and rank candidates according to pre-established criteria. The best-qualified candidates are instantly identified and forwarded to selecting officials. 3. What types of positions will be filled using HHS Careers? A: All General Schedule and Federal Wage System positions in DHHS will be filled using HHS Careers. 4. Is the system secure? A: Yes. Even though QuickHire hosts the application, HHS Careers is run on a private secure database and DHHS is the owner of the data. 5. Is HHS Careers the only way to submit an application for DHHS positions? A: Yes. For positions advertised using HHS Careers all applicants must submit their applications online, using the QuickHire system. See question #7 for further information. 6. Can I submit my resumé/application via email? A: No. In order to apply for positions in HHS Careers, you must log into the system and apply online. See question #7 for further information. 7. Will you accept paper applications? A: Not for vacancies advertised using HHS Careers. Exceptions will be made in the instance of extreme hardship cases (e.g., applicant lives in a remote area where it would pose a major hardship for the applicant to get to a computer in any location). DHHS will assist applicants in any way possible to submit their applications online by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. Applicants who meet hardship criteria will be requested to respond to the same questions as applicants applying online and submit a signed copy to the HR Office prior to the closing date of the vacancy announcement. The HR Office will input the data into the system on the applicant's behalf for the specific job for which the applicant is applying only. 8. What if I don't have a computer? A: All participating DHHS Human Resources Offices will have computers available for your use in applying for jobs. In addition, most career resource centers, unemployment offices, public libraries, college placement centers and job search agencies have computers and Internet access for their patrons to use at no charge. 9. Why do I need email to use HHS Careers? A: Your email address is used to provide you information concerning the status of your application as well as to verify your identity. 10. What if I don't have access to email? A: There are several Internet Service Providers that offer free email accounts, such as Hotmail, Lycos and Yahoo. You can access one of these providers to register for a free email account. Additionally, a generic email box will be set up in each participating DHHS HR Office to accommodate those applicants who cannot set up an email account. 11. What if I need help applying online? A: For assistance in applying for a HHS Careers vacancy, you may contact the Human Resources Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement. If applying online poses a hardship to you, you must call the HR Specialist before the closing date of the announcement to request assistance. 12. Exactly what does it mean to apply online? A: You submit your application using the Internet. When you first access the system at the web site, you must establish an account by answering a set of core federal questions. The system will assign you a user ID and password, which can be changed. The core federal questions will be stored in the system and will be used by the system as a part of the initial screening, e.g., for determining current status, veterans' preference, highest grade held, reinstatement eligibility, minority and handicap status, email and street address, phone number, and other relevant information. 13. What if someone submits false information? A: HH Careers (QuickHire) is a Federal job application system. Providing false information, creating fake IDs, or failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely may be grounds for not hiring, for disbarment from Federal employment, or for dismissal after a person begins work. Falsifying a Federal job application, attempting to violate the privacy of others, or attempting to compromise the operation of this system may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (see US Code, Title 18, section 1001). 14. When exactly do jobs close in HHS Careers? A: HHS Careers positions close at midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. After midnight, jobs that have closed will not be available for review or application. Applicant/Employee Information15. I work for DHHS. Can I use my office computer to apply for positions in HHS Careers? A: Yes, for any positions within the HHS. 16. Is there a timeout feature in HHS Careers? Will I lose everything I have entered if I get timed out? A: There is no time out feature for applicants. 17. I am uncomfortable using my Social Security Number (SSN) to establish my account in the system. Is there any way I can apply for a position online without my SSN? A: No. Your SSN is one of the few reliable means that government agencies have of distinguishing one applicant form another. Many applicants have the same name, or may even have the same birth dates. The SSN is the identifier suggested for use by the Office of Personnel Management for Federal job applications, and is the only way we can definitively differentiate between applicants. If someone else attempts to open a new account with your SSN, the system administrator will be alerted that your SSN already exists with a specific User ID and Password and that someone is trying to establish a new account with the same SSN. 18. Why am I required to provide my date of birth? A: We ask for your date of birth (DOB) in order to verify your password if you lose or forget it. The only way we can reset your password is to first, verify that you are who you say you are by matching not only your social security number, but also your date of birth. If we do not verify that you are who you say you are, there is a risk that someone else could pose as you and change your information or access your personal data. The selecting official will never see your date of birth; only the HR Specialist can access that information after the position has closed. By requiring both the SSN and DOB we ensure the highest level of security for your information, which is why the system will not allow you to proceed without inputting your date of birth. 19. When registering for HHS Careers I was asked for a secret question and a secret answer. Please explain these. A: This information will only be used to help you reset your password. This is similar to your bank asking you for your mother’s maiden name. 20. After I have established an account, am I required to apply for a vacancy every time I go into the system? A: No. Once you have established an account, the system uses the information to determine the vacancies for which you are eligible to apply. You may scroll through each vacancy, including the questions, but you are not required to transmit anything. You can merely exit the system or return to the main menu to select other vacancies to view. 21. As an applicant, can I access the system from home? A: Yes. As an applicant, you can access the web site from any location, whether at home or at work. 22. Can I create a resumé online? A: Yes. Once you have answered the core questions and established your user ID and password, you can then create your resumé. Once created (input into the system), you can go back in at a later time and update or change your resumé. After you apply for a particular vacancy and the vacancy announcement closes, the system automatically attaches your resumé to that particular vacancy announcement. If you later apply for a new vacancy, you may wish to update your resumé at that time to correspond more closely with the new announcement. 23. I already have a resumé prepared. Can I load it into the HHS Careers system? A: Yes. HHS Careers allows you to cut and paste your resumé into a specified text box that will accept up to 16, 000 characters. The system currently allows only simple text, and does not accept special formatting, such as bold print and underlining. Applicants should remove any special formatting from their resumes prior to adding it to HHS Careers to ensure that the resume will be readable. 24. What if I want to submit a long version resumé? A: Resumés should be brief. You should only include relevant work experience, with short descriptions and your education. The resumé is a different type of document than the SF-171, which had a great deal of narrative. 25. The system says it will only accept 16k or 16,000 characters on my resume. How long is that? Is there a way to get the system to accept more? A: The system accepts 16,000 characters (including spaces), which is equivalent to about 6-9 typed pages of information. If your resume is very long, you should consider removing any extraneous spacing in order to maximize the amount of space available to you. You may use the “Check resume length” bottom to verify that your resume is not too long. 26. If the system only accepts online applications, how do I send other attachments, such as my college transcripts, SF-50's, etc.? A: Unless otherwise stated on the vacancy announcement, do not send these documents until they are requested. The hiring manager or HR Specialist may request other documentation from you through email or telephone. These documents (such as, SF-50's, DD 214's, and college transcripts) will only be requested from "best qualified" candidates. 27. What happens if I don't submit a resumé with my personal information when applying for a job? A: If your resumé is not submitted in the HHS Careers system by the closing date of the vacancy announcement, you will not be considered for that position. 28. Is it possible to have multiple identities or more than one email address in HHS Careers? A: No. You are identified in HHS Careers by your Social Security Number, your HHS Careers (QuickHire) user ID#, and your password which you enter in the registration process. HHS Careers will not allow you to create more than one account using the same email address or Social Security Number. 29. This is the first time I have ever registered in HHS Careers and the system is telling me that someone already registered with my Social Security Number. How could this be? A: No one else is using your Social Security Number. You logged out of HHS Careers before you finished registering. Login to HHS Careers as a registered user, select "Edit Personal Information" and press "Next." You can then complete the registration process. 30. I don't understand why the system won't let me in. A: Please review the procedures for logging into HHS Careers. You must be a registered user of HHS Careers before you can apply. In addition, when establishing a password, choose one that is at least 5 characters long and type it twice, making sure you use the same case both times. 31. I tried to login using my email address and it doesn't work. A: Try using your HHS Careers (QuickHire) user ID# that you received from the system when you first registered in HHS Careers. If you don't have it, you can use your email address, but you must use the same case you used when you originally typed it into HHS Careers. For example, if you originally typed your email address using all capital letters, you must use all capitals when trying to login. It is often easier to use your HHS Careers (QuickHire) user ID# instead because it is a number and isn't case-sensitive. 32. Will I receive a confirmation that my application was received? A: After you have selected to submit your application to a position, by clicking on the submit button, you will be presented with a page that informs you of the successful transmission of your application. If there were any issues, for example - if you did not answer all the mandatory questions, you will be informed that you need to select the Back button to update your application. In addition, you are welcome to review your application, check on its status, as well as email yourself a copy of the application using the Online Status option available on the log in page. 33. Can I be automatically notified of DHHS vacancy announcements? A: Yes. HHS Careers allows applicants to automatically retrieve email notification if this option is chosen when the applicant establishes an account in the system. 34. Where do I enter my knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs)? A: You will supply information on how you meet the KSAs of the position by responding to the position-specific questions in the vacancy announcement. You are rated and referred based on your responses to the position-specific questions as supported by information in your resumé. The position-specific questions used in HHS Careers are derived from questions defined by the selecting official in consultation with a Human Resources Specialist, and have been validated by Agency subject matter experts, as appropriate, for the job vacancies in HHS Careers. 35. How is my application rated? A: The responses you provide to the questions are the basis for the numerical rating calculated by the system, in accordance with the weighting of questions as determined by the selecting official or Subject Matter Expert, and HR Specialist. 36. How quickly will my application be rated? A: Your application will be rated automatically by the system one minute after midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. However, a quality review will be conducted by the HR Office before the rating is finalized. Prior to the closing date of the vacancy announcement, you can go back into the system and change your responses or update your resumé, as necessary. 37. Since the HHS Careers system will rate me according to my self-assessment and response to the questions, what prevents me from selecting those choices that give me the highest scores? A: Nothing will prevent you from doing this. However, falsifying or answering questions to mislead the system's automated process is no different than providing false or misleading information on your application under the old process. Applicants are reminded that this is a federal job application system. Providing false information, creating fake ID's or Social Security Numbers, or failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely may be grounds for not hiring you, for disbarment from Federal Service, or for dismissal after being hired. Falsifying a Federal job application, attempting to violate the privacy of others, or attempting to compromise this system is punishable by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001). 38. How will the HR Office verify my experience, education or responses to my questions? A: HHS Careers does not diminish or abolish the HR Specialist's role in verifying qualifications of individuals. The resumé, as well as the interview process can be used to address questionable situations or issues. Your answers to questions in your online application will be verified against information you provide in your resume and/or by reference checks and by requesting copies of your transcripts, veterans preference or other relevant forms. 39. Do you have any recommendations for answering the vacancy-specific questions? A: We recommend you print the vacancy-specific questions before actually applying for the vacancy. If you are unsure of which answer to select, ensure that you select the one that best describes you experience and/or education. However, do not select an answer unless you fully meet all the criteria described for that response. If your experience only partially applies to your experience and/or education, do not select it. If a question requires an essay response, we recommend you create it in a word processing document and then copy and paste it into the space provided for the response. Creating it in a word processing document before you start the application process will save you time and expedite the application process. Once you have answered all questions, select the “Finish” button at the bottom of the last screen to submit your application. 40. When filling out an application, there is a question I can answer either of two different ways. Which answer should I select? A: If you’re having a hard time deciding between two different answers to a question, make sure you select the one that best describes your education and/or experience. Do not select an answer unless you fully meet all the criteria described for that response. (Do not select an answer that only partially applies to you.) 41. How do you confidentially collect EEO data from applicants? A: Applicants have the option to voluntarily and confidentially enter demographic information when initially registering in HHS Careers. To ensure the candidate's anonymity, the data is immediately encrypted - it cannot be tied to a specific person. Once the vacancy announcement closes, a demographic report can be generated; however, neither the HR Staff nor selecting official is able to associate the demographic data to any individual. 42. How will I know whether I have successfully applied for a position? A: When you have finished answering all of the vacancy-specific questions and have selected the “Finish” button at the bottom of the last screen, a screen will appear that says, “Your application has been successfully transmitted!” If you have completed the registration process, and submitted a resume, then you have completed the on-line application process for this vacancy. 43. Can I get a copy of my answers to the vacancy-specific questions? A: Yes. After you have finished answering all of the vacancy-specific questions, a screen will appear that states that your application has been successfully transmitted. On that screen there is an option for you to select to have the questions and your answers sent to your e-mail address. 44. If I am not selected for a position, whom should I contact to find out why? A: If you are found ineligible for a particular position, you will automatically receive an email explaining the reason why. You may contact the HR Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement for further explanation. 45. Is there any way I can see which positions I have applied for or find out the status of these vacancies? A: In order to keep track of the vacancies for which you have applied, you should elect to receive an email confirmation of your application each time you apply for jobs in HHS Careers. Keep these as a record of your application and save it. You should also print a copy of the vacancy announcement itself, or at a minimum, note the name, telephone number, and email address of the HR Specialist listed as the contact person along with the vacancy announcement number and title of the position. If you have any questions about your application or the status of the vacancy, you should contact the Specialist listed in the vacancy announcement. Be sure to tell the Specialist the vacancy announcement and number title of the position. 46. Can I have my information deleted from HHS Careers? A: No. DHHS can deactivate your application, but the information must remain in the system for historical purposes. Questions and Answers for Managers and Supervisors47. Why are you changing our current recruitment process? A: Our current recruitment process is cumbersome for applicants, managers and HR Staff and does not lend itself to being competitive with private industry or other Federal agencies already using new technology. HHS Careers will help DHHS’s human resources offices to significantly improve timeliness, reduce paper and improve customer service in the recruitment process. 48. How will HHS Careers impact me as a Selecting Official and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME)? A: You will no longer be required to develop job analysis and crediting/rating plans or identify knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) for positions in the traditional format. You will select the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required for your position from the HHS Careers KSA library. KSAs will be in the form of questions that the applicant must answer when applying through HHS Careers. With the assistance of the HR Specialist, you will determine the importance of the KSA questions by assigning a numerical weight to specific questions. Applicants are rated and referred based on and their responses to the position-specific questions that the Selecting Official, in consultation with a Human Resources Specialist, identify as important to the job. The position-specific questions used in HHS Careers have been pre-loaded into the system, and validated by DHHS subject matter experts. This is a much simpler process than the current one. 49. What kind of "position-specific" questions are stored in HHS Careers? A: Questions pertain to both minimum qualification requirements as well as ranking questions (formerly referred to as KSAs). Questions can be in a variety of formats, such as Yes/No, True/False, Number, Date, Short and Long Answer, Multiple Choice/Multiple Answer, and Matching. 50. What happens if there are no relevant questions pertaining to my position stored in the HHS Careers system? Can new questions be added? A: Yes, the local site administrator can add new questions to the system at any time. These questions will be stored in the library and can be used for future vacancies. 51. I routinely send my vacancy announcements to local and national organizations. Can HHS Careers help me with this? A: Yes, the Job Notifier feature in HHS Careers allows the HR Office to load, save, categorize and store multiple recruitment sources in the system. As each vacancy is prepared for announcement, the HR Specialist can select specific appropriate professional associations, educational institutions, or community organizations to receive the vacancy announcement. The system will automatically send an email message to the designated organizations informing them of the vacancy. 52. If the system rates and ranks candidates, do I still need to designate a subject matter expert (SME) or rating/ranking panel for my vacancy? A: No. The intent is for the system to relieve the HR Specialist from having to go through the manual process of determining basic qualification requirements and to eliminate the need for SMEs and rating/ranking panels (QRBs). HR Specialists will consult up front with the manager or subject matter expert to determine the appropriate questions to be included in the vacancy, as well as the weights to be assigned. HHS Careers does not replace the need for subject matter input; it automates the time consuming rating and ranking process. 53. I understand that the system is based on applicants' self-certifying their responses to the questions. How do I verify that they are answered honestly and that I receive quality candidates? A: Applicants will be reminded in the vacancy announcement about the penalties for providing false or misleading information. Additionally, the HR Specialist will conduct a quality review on the top rated applicants prior to issuing the certificate to the selecting official. The quality review will be a comparison of the applicant's responses to the questions and the applicant's resumé. HR Specialists will also request any additional information, e.g., college transcripts, SF-50's and verification of veterans preference. The selecting official should use the interview process to ask clarifying questions, when applicants' experience and responses to questions are not commensurate with each other. Finally reference checks should always be conducted to verify information provided by the applicant prior to making a selection. 54. How will HHS Careers handle Title 42 announcements? A: Title 42 positions will not be posted in HHS Careers at this time. 55. How will HHS Careers handle Commissioned Officers? A: Commissioned Officers who wish to apply for competitive service positions under title 5 should follow the same procedures as other applications. Last revised: June 14, 2004 |
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