Ysi Professional Series Manual
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This section contains the group coverage qualification standards, associated individual occupational requirements (IOR), and individual qualification standards covering white collar occupations in the Federal competitive service. These standards describe the minimum qualification requirements (for example, educational, medical, age, experience, etc.) for each occupational series. You may search for information about specific qualification requirements using either the Index by Series Number or Index by Series Title.
The standards are written broadly for Governmentwide application and are not intended to provide detailed information about specific qualification requirements for individual positions at a particular agency. Such information (i.e., a description of the specialized experience requirements for a particular position) should be included in the vacancy announcements issued by the agency. Information about the work performed in a General Schedule occupational series is contained in the Handbook of Occupational Groups & Families and the Introduction to the Position Classification Standards, and is not repeated on this site.
Many occupations or positions that are covered by a group coverage qualification standard also have Individual Occupation Requirements (IOR). Some series are covered by a separate stand-alone individual qualification standard.
They should be used in conjunction with the appropriate qualification standard for the specific occupational series. For example, an agency may plan to recruit for a supervisory computer scientist position. In this situation, the agency should use the qualification standard for the 1550 occupational series in conjunction with the Supervisory Guide.
This qualification standard covers positions in the General Schedule that involve the performance of one-grade interval clerical and administrative support work. It contains common patterns of creditable experience and education to be used in making qualifications determinations.
NOTE: Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels and positions for which both education and experience are acceptable. Proficiency requirements are described below.
Some of the occupational series covered by this standard include both one- and two-grade interval work. The qualification requirements described in this standard apply only to those positions that typically follow a one-grade interval pattern. While the levels of experience shown for most positions covered by this standard follow the grade level progression pattern outlined in the table, users of the standard should refer to E.3.(o) in the "Policies and Instructions" section for guidance on crediting experience for positions with different lines of progression.
General Experience (All positions except Reporting Stenographer, Shorthand Reporter, and Closed Micro-phone Reporter)--Progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled.
Specialized Experience (All positions except Reporting Stenographer, Shorthand Reporter, and Closed Micro-phone Reporter)--Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Applicants who have the 1 year of appropriate specialized experience, as indicated in the table, are not required by this standard to have general experience, education above the high school level, or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements.
Experience for Reporting Stenographer, Shorthand Reporter, and Closed Microphone Reporter-- One year of experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level using the skills and equipment appropriate to the position to be filled is required for all positions. Following is a description of qualifying experience for these positions.
Successfully completed education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite is creditable at grades GS-3 through GS-5 for all positions except Reporting Stenographer, GS-5. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school.
As a general rule, education is not creditable above GS-5 for most positions covered by this standard; however, graduate education may be credited in those few instances where the graduate education is directly related to the work of the position.
Intensive Short-Term Training-- Completion of an intensive, specialized course of study of less than 1 year may meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. Courses of this type normally require completion of up to 40 hours per week of instruction rather than the usual 20 hours per week, and are usually of at least 3 months duration. Such courses may have been obtained through a variety of programs such as those offered by business or technical schools, and through military training programs. To be creditable, such a course must have been designed specifically as career preparation for the work of the position being filled, and must have provided the applicant with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work.
Combining Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements at grades GS-5 and below, except for Reporting Stenographer, GS-5.
In addition to meeting experience or education requirements, applicants for these positions must show possession of the following skills, as appropriate. Applicants may meet these requirements by passing the appropriate performance test, presenting a certificate of proficiency from a school or other organization authorized to issue such certificates by the Office of Personnel Management local office, or by self-certifying their proficiency. Performance test results and certificates of proficiency are acceptable for 3 years. Agencies may verify proficiency skills of self-certified applicants by administering the appropriate performance test.
skill in operating an alphanumeric data transcribing machine,
or 20 words per minute typing speed1 for GS-2 transcription duties
or 25 words per minute typing speed1 for GS-3 and GS-4 transcription duties
40 words per minute typing speed1 and either
80 words per minute dictation speed2 for GS-3 and GS-4 stenographic duties
or 120 words per minute dictation speed2 for GS-5 stenographic duties
NOTE: The level of proficiency for stenographic and data transcribing duties required by positions with parenthetical titles is based on the grade level of those duties and not necessarily on the overall grade of the position. For example, a position classified as Secretary (Stenography), GS-318-5, may require either 80 or 120 words per minute dictation speed depending upon the level of difficulty of the stenographic duties. A position classified as Payroll Clerk (Data Transcription), GS-544-4, may require either 20 or 25 words per minute typing speed depending upon the level of difficulty of the transcribing duties. Therefore, before filling positions of this type, first determine the grade level of the duties that require the additional skill, and then determine the skill level required.
Applicants for competitive appointment and inservice applicants for initial assignment to these three positions at all grade levels must demonstrate the specific skill and level of proficiency required by the position to be filled. Also, inservice applicants for promotion to positions that have a higher proficiency requirement than the position previously held must demonstrate the higher level of proficiency. Applicants may demonstrate that proficiency by either passing a dictation test at the required speed or presenting a certificate of proficiency showing speed and accuracy equivalent to those used in the Office of Personnel Management performance tests for these positions. The certificate must show that the candidate demonstrated the required proficiency, i.e., dictation speed and accuracy, to a teacher of stenography, shorthand reporting, or closed microphone reporting, within the past year. Applicants for these positions may not self-certify dictation proficiency.
Selective factors must represent knowledge, skills, or abilities that are essential for successful job performance and cannot reasonably be acquired on the job during the period of orientation/training customary for the position being filled. It is unlikely, for example, that a requirement for experience with a particular brand of word processing software could be justified as a selective factor for an Office Automation Clerk position. Since knowledge of that software may be desirable, such knowledge could be appropriately used as a quality ranking factor. On the other hand, proficiency in the correct use of medical terminology may be needed immediately to perform the duties of a Medical Records Technician position to provide continuity in an agency's medical records program. If that is the case, knowledge of medical terminology could be used as a selective factor in filling the position.
The maximum number of errors allowed in a dictation sample equals 10 percent of the required dictation speed (80 words per minute or 120 words per minute) multiplied by the number of minutes in the sample.
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