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If you fail the DE exam, you have the opportunity to retake it after a designated waiting period. Failing the exam does not disqualify you from pursuing a career in federal employment; it simply means you need to prepare more. The Deo Handbook offers study tips and practice resources to help you succeed in your next attempt.

Delegated examining hiring authority enables federal agencies to manage their own hiring processes, allowing them to select candidates more quickly. This authority is crucial for improving the efficiency of recruitment within the government. The Deo Handbook serves as a valuable resource, providing insights and strategies on how to navigate the complexities of delegated examining hiring authority.

DE certification refers to a credential granted to individuals who have successfully completed the delegated examining program. This certification empowers you to conduct hiring processes for federal jobs more efficiently. By following the Deo Handbook, you can learn what it takes to achieve and maintain your DE certification, which ultimately enhances your career prospects.

A delegated examining certificate is an official document that allows individuals to participate in the delegated examining process. This process helps federal agencies fill their job vacancies by using a streamlined hiring method. The Deo Handbook provides essential guidelines on how to obtain this certificate, ensuring you understand the necessary steps and requirements.

OPM may delegate authority to an executive agency to conduct delegated examining, i.e., examine applicants for competitive service positions that are open to all U.S. citizens including current federal employees. Delegated examining is synonymous with competitive examining. (

Delegated Examining is ONLY used to fill positions that have been identified as hard to fill*. Merit Promotion (MP) procedures are used to fill jobs from qualified current or former federal employees with career or career conditional status or qualified employees eligible for special Page 2 appointing authorities.

Selection must be made from the highest three eligibles on the certificate who are available for the job--the "rule of three." However, an agency may not pass over a preference eligible to select a lower ranking nonpreference eligible or nonpreference eligible with the same or lower score.

The rule of three requires qualified candidates to be listed in rank order and managers to se- lect from among the top three available candi- dates. But often a number of candidates have identical ratings, and some method must be used to decide which candidates will be placed on the referral register and in what order.

Permanent appointments Normally this is the first career-type of appointment and the appointee must complete a 1-year probationary period and a total of 3 years continuous creditable service to attain a career appointment (Permanent - Career appointment).