OPM Issues Recruitment Plan with Merit, Younger Workers as Key Pillars
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a new governmentwide strategic recruitment plan for fiscal years (FY) 2026-2028 with merit being the “foundation” of the plan.
OPM said the plan provides a government-wide recruitment framework for senior agency leaders, Chief Human Capital Officers, human resources leaders, and hiring managers to follow as they hire employees into their agencies and offices.
In a memo, OPM Director Scott Kupor stated that “Federal agencies should hire patriotic Americans and make hiring decisions based on merit, not proxies” adding that skills and not degrees or tenure help to predict who will be successful in a certain position.
The plan is centered on five strategic goals:
Institutionalize Merit-Based and Skills-Driven Recruitment Practices
Expand Access to Federal Career Opportunities and Build Sustainable Talent Pipelines Nationwide
Strengthen Strategic Outreach and the Federal Government Branding
Advance Government-wide Coordination and Shared Recruitment Execution
Modernize Data-Driven Accountability and Leadership Oversight
Attracting Younger Workers
Through the plan’s implementation, OPM wants to have one-third of new hires be early- career hires noting that the federal government is “exponentially under-indexed on early career talent.”
The plan calls for sustaining partnerships with educational institutions, community colleges, high schools, homeschool groups, military transition programs, and others to attract such workers.
It also calls for attracting STEM workers by leveraging coordinated recruitment strategies, shared certifications, and approved hiring flexibility.
Measuring Success
OPM said it will lead implementation of the plan by issuing formal guidance, establishing timelines, and providing standardized tools and timelines.
“Successful implementation requires unwavering commitment and disciplined execution by every agency, not just OPM,” said Director Kupor.
OPM said it will monitor progress through regular, data-driven performance reviews.
Goals include 100 percent of hiring announcements incorporating skills-based requirements, achieving time to hire in 80 days or less, and having all agencies develop strategic staffing plans that align with Trump administration objectives.
