| REF: n Operating Manual: Qualification Standards for GS Positions n Handbook X-118C Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations |
Qualification standards outline the necessary basic eligibility qualification requirements for a particular occupation or a group of occupations. It specifies the minimum quality level and amount of experience required and, often allows education to substitute for lack of experience. Qualification requirements for basic eligibility may include, but is not limited to any or a combination of the following:
- General and/or specialized experience
- High school education
- Vocational/technical training
- College/university education (e.g., formal degrees)
- Specific major fields or courses of study
- Specific registrations, licensure, or certifications
- Other selective placement factors
The standards are used by personnel management specialists to evaluate internal and
external candidates' qualifications for positions. It is important to understand that
minimum qualification standards are used to eliminate those persons who are not eligible
for further consideration because they fail to meet the "basic" requirements for
the occupation. The qualification standard does not, in and of itself, identify the
criteria for determining the "best qualified" candidate.
RELATED TOPICS: Job Analysis, Crediting Plan
