The federal hiring process is broken, and at the inconvenient time given the need for the government to compete for top talent with the private sector. While a 30 day time-to-hire metric is standard in the private sector, it takes, on average, more than 100 days to fill a government position—a timeline that puts agencies at a severe disadvantage in the competition for top talent. At the same time, federal workers face mounting uncertainty due to shifting policies, hiring freezes, and bureaucratic inefficiencies that hinder career growth and mission effectiveness. The recently issued Executive Order, Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service, offers a critical opportunity to address these issues.
By modernizing hiring, agencies can not only attract top talent but also bring much-needed stability and efficiency to the workforce. A key step is adopting best-in-class, commercially available hiring technology—already used by large, complex global enterprises—to streamline hiring, reduce bottlenecks, and improve candidate experience. These reforms, done right, will strengthen the federal workforce rather than disrupt it.
Reducing hiring time: A necessary step for workforce stability
Excessive hiring delays hurt both applicants and existing employees. Highly qualified candidates, unwilling to endure months of uncertainty, opt for private-sector opportunities instead. The Executive Order rightly establishes a goal of reducing time-to-hire below 80 days—a target that is not only achievable but essential to ensuring agencies can meet their missions.
In 2012, OPM published the “Hiring Process Analysis Tool,” stating a best practice timeline for federal hiring of 81 days. However, nearly 13 years later, agencies remain far from this goal. Rather than the people or the process, this suggests that the technology that underpins federal hiring has failed to keep up with that available in the private sector.
Early-adopter agencies have already demonstrated that modern recruitment marketing CRMs, applicant tracking systems, automated scheduling tools, and AI-driven hiring platforms can significantly accelerate recruitment. Those already FedRAMP-certified and built to meet federal security standards have been battle-tested and continually modernized to meet the needs of large, complex, global enterprises and are readily available for federal adoption. The challenge is not a lack of tools but a reluctance to abandon outdated, inefficient hiring systems and tools long endorsed as the federal standard. Agency leaders must break the mold and prioritize the rapid adoption of best-in-class, scalable hiring technologies to achieve the Executive Order’s goal and transform federal talent acquisition.
Naturally, modernization must be implemented thoughtfully, with input from federal employees who will work alongside these new systems. A more efficient hiring process will benefit not only new recruits but also current civil servants, reducing workforce gaps and operational strain.
Enhancing candidate communication: Respecting applicants and employees
A major flaw in the federal hiring process is the poor experience it creates for applicants from the time it takes to complete a job application, to the void of communication thereafter. Candidates often face months of uncertainty, with little to no communication. This lack of transparency discourages top talent from considering federal service and has damaged the federal brand in employment.
Modern hiring technology offers a solution. Automated status updates, real-time notifications, text messaging, and automated communication tools enable agencies to keep applicants informed throughout the process. These capabilities have transformed private sector hiring, reducing dropout rates and strengthening employer reputation.
For federal agencies, improved communication won’t just attract better candidates—it will also relieve administrative burdens on HR teams and hiring managers, creating a better experience for all involved. In today’s climate, where uncertainty in federal employment is already high, demonstrating that agencies respect candidates’ time and value their interest in public service is critical.
Leveraging technology to support a resilient workforce
Federal hiring remains burdened by legacy systems that slow processes, limit workforce planning, and prevent data-driven decision-making. The Executive Order recognizes that a modern workforce requires modern tools, and agencies should seize this moment to implement AI-powered hiring solutions that improve efficiency in providing the decision advantage through data.
By leveraging these advanced digital platforms, agencies can harness analytics to forecast workforce needs, identify hiring trends, and optimize job postings. Intelligent automation can assist with resume screening, reducing bias while ensuring merit-based selection remains central to federal hiring. Importantly, these improvements must be implemented with transparency and accountability to ensure they support—not replace—skilled federal professionals.
A balanced approach to reform
This Executive Order provides a critical inflection point—one that federal leaders must approach with both urgency and care. For too long, outdated hiring practices have made it difficult to attract and retain top talent. The private sector has benefited from cutting-edge recruitment technologies, and the federal government now has an opportunity to close the gap.
However, this modernization effort should not be framed as simply an efficiency initiative—it is also about strengthening the federal workforce in a time of disruption. By implementing the best technologies available today while ensuring existing employees have a voice in the process, agencies can meet the Executive Order’s ambitious objectives and reinforce public service as a competitive, stable, and mission-driven career choice.
The tools exist, the directive is clear, and the need is urgent. Now is the time to act—not just to accelerate hiring, but to ensure that the federal workforce remains resilient, responsive, and ready to serve.
