CIOs to hold online job fair for technology workers

Technology executives from throughout the government are joining forces with the Office of Personnel Management to put on the first-ever online federal job fair.

The job fair, which will run from April 22 to April 26, will seek out information technology specialists to work in federal offices around the world, OPM spokesman Michael Orenstein said this week. So far, the Agriculture, State and Treasury departments have committed to posting job announcements. Fourteen other agencies have expressed an interest in the fair. OPM and the Chief Information Officers Council are hosting the online event and will bear all of its costs.

"This virtual IT job fair is intended to save agencies time and money in recruitment while widening the doors of federal employment to top IT talent," wrote Ira Hobbs, acting Agriculture CIO, and Richard Whitford, acting associate director for employment at OPM, in a recent memo to CIOs and human resources chiefs at federal agencies. Hobbs is the co-chairman of the CIO Council's Workforce and Human Capital for IT committee.

Potential candidates will be able to log on to www.usajobs.opm.gov, find technology jobs they like and complete an online self-assessment that will tell them whether they qualify for the jobs based on their knowledge, skills and abilities. If they pass the self-rating test, the sponsors hope they will then submit official applications.

Officials aren't sure how many jobs will be included in the fair, since some agencies are still deciding whether they want to participate. Jobs will be in information technology positions at the GS-7 through GS-13 pay levels, with salaries ranging from $32,000 to $81,000.

CIO Council officials have pledged to promote the job fair.