ORAL EXAMINATION OF APPLICATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01826R000600190052-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 27
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 13, 2001
• Sequence Number: 52
• Content Type: MEMO

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%IOW.. Examination of Applicants"
This material consists of t
ao A staff study recommenling the creation of
tes, Examination Boards, my one for SeeitioV
Officers 0S.12 and above and one for Junior
and Intermediate Officers 138-7 through OS.031
in place of the present Professional Select.,
tion Panelo
b. Comments on the above by
the MVP Career Service Board
the Assistant DWI
the Director of Trsdrdng
the lesiststrb Director for Comeerdeations
the Professional Selection Panel
The commutes memo to be that the tero taw Boards
ahould not be created but thel the existing machinery
i7,13e Professional Selection Panel ? should be retained?
A possible tIourse of action by the Board might be to re?
tryst the Professional thsleotion Panel to recoleile the
,tarious comments and mite specific recommendations to
Board at its next meet/ago
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3 February 1953
IMOIZZIDIXT FOR s Deputy Director (Pelrei nifirtration)
EMU): Assistant WA:motor (Personnel)
("'IMAJECT Ora Examtnation of ApplicantsQ
rROBLETIT To develop maehinery through etaLch oral examination procedures
nqe be applied to determine and to advise the Aseistant Director for -
Peesonnel on the suitability of applicants to fill junior* intermediate*
aad high level positions in the Central Intelligence Agency's
ASSIETTIOVS: (a) All of the means employed by CIA for the 'selection of
preesonnel should be aimed at bringing into the Agency highly competent*
loyal employees whe are well motivated to join in performing the Agencyls
miesiono
CO Sieve a major objective of the career serVice program of CIA
eie to provide opportuniti s for grunth and advameament to individual
employees* it is important that incoming personnel have potentialities
mbactkpeasure ep to the opportunitiee available*
(c) Criteria of suitaldIitymust be adapted to the career field
within, mhich a prospective employeeve development and advancement will
be made poseible*
(d) Forming the beat possible stleate of an applicants BMIA-.-
thnitifor career employment is subject to limitations no matter how
eon applieants from outside are screened* investigeted* and tested
Provide= for oral examination or intervieving of applicants* conduOted
by officials with experience in and knowledge of the Agennes intelligence
operations and req rats, eill increase the possibilities of employing
or those persons who can be relied on to be effective members of
the Agencyls neck forces -
FACTS: (a) The Career Serviee Committee adopted and included in its
final report the recommendation of its working group on. Trainees that
a Professional Selection Panel be established under the direction of.
the Career Service Board to ',review section standards* ineluding
radical standards* for and the grel4fications of all candidates up to
and including the grade GS-11.for overt and semieCovert professional
poeitions* The Panel till also* when reepested by eeLAssistamt Director.
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arrange fur the testing of a candidate in the 0842 through CIS-35 tate-.
gory, reviser his qualifications and make recomesniations to the request-
25X1A ing Office." (Tab E? CIA
(b) The schedule of employment piecceasing operations proposed by
the Career Service Committee provided for the Professional Selection
Panel to hold interviews with candidates in the categorise defined above
subsequent to torriams, personnel screening, medical eleerances and
security approvals but in advance of the individual's entry on duty.
(e) In developing its operating plans, the Professional Selection
Panel has omitted any proposal for eondueting interviews with applicants.
The Amalie position appears to have stemmed from the belief that the
workload entailed in the adoption of the intervierraing step would impose
peohibitive demands upon the tine of the =bare, and mull entail an
undue expenditure of funds to provide transportation for applicants to
oone to Washington for the interviewn.
(d) Pursuant to instructions given it by the Career Service Boards
the Panel is coneentrat-ing its activities upon (a) the formulation of
criteria concerning over-all suitability to work in CIA on a career basis,
and (b) the examination of individual oases of applicants or trial service
employees Idlers doubt is east on suitability to work in CIA on a career
basis as a result of administrative or marginal information developed by
the Inspection and Security, Tiediealv and Personnel Offices and the Office
of Training. Its reoceenendations with respect to each case are forwarded
directly to the Assistant Director (Personnel),
(e) The operations of the Board of ataminers of the Foreign Service
ware cited by the Career Service Committee in its final report to the DTI
as supplying an analogy to the proposed role of the Professional Selection
Panel. Actually, oral examinations of Foreign Service applicants are con-
ducted not by the Board members but by the utive Director of the Board
with the assistance of a group of Deputy Examiners athossi annually by the
Board, These Deputy Examiners are chosen plainly for their skill in oral
testing. (Tab A)
14 DISCUSSION* (a) Pest estimates which can be made 'with respect to the
25X1A entry on duty of personnel in ado este as from Gs4 through
Gevel5, predicated on an AgoncY ceiling are as tonsts31 25X9A2
(1) GS-4 through OS-31 (irclud-
ing G$-9 s veto we appointed
to junior officer positions) o 60
(2) (15-32 through GS-1,5 . ? . 30
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An average allotment of one hour per intervievr would, therefore, cowriae
25X1A an lextervieuing load of at least 60 and 30 haws for groups
examining these two categories resp be
ectively, It cal?, assumed that some
applicants inould not survive the interviewing stem accordingly, world/Jed
estimates would be expanded by this factor.
(b) The unwillingness of the Professional Selection Panel to assume
Use rola of an oral eccamining body can be appreciated, taking into amount
the fact that the appointed members would have to perform this function?
Sixty hours of interviewing time?in addition to their full Um duties
and responsibilitieseewoull have represented a substantial harden for
these members?
(o) The workload of interviewing candidates for positions in
grades G3-7 through as-3.3. would be considerably less burdensome if
distributed anaong a larger group than the five voting webers of the
present Selection Panel, by designating Agency officials to serve
as interviewers for relatively short periods of tine,
(d) The Career Service Committee reconnended that the jurisdiction
of the panel include individual candidates for positions from 03-12
through GS-15 when requested by the Assistant Director concerned? Ikreaver,
the criteria applied in oral examinations of applicants for middle
wet senior level position" weed be substantially different from those
used for junior officer candidates ? For the latter group, the interviel,
should be used to furnish the basis for an appraisal of the individual's
promise for career develoement within the area of opportunities ;afforded
by the Agency. For the more senior personnel, the interview must yield
an appraisal of the applicant's all-enetnid capabilities and qualifications
for intelligence functions? The establishment of separate examining
bodies for each of these two categories of applicants would perhaps
accomplish improved interviewing results. Senior level applicants should
be evaluated by high level Agency officials whose respcnsbilities have
given than broad perspective of the Agency's requirements?
(a) The present Professional Selection Panel does not appear to
rest on sound organizational principles? It is now an appendage of the
Career Service Board vthich itself has no contend. ft:motion or authority?
25X1A Nonetheless, fliailArMatrate in the Penal authority to "finally
approve on be selection of all professional per-
sonnel" up to OSell? In effect, this statement of function disperses a
command responsibility (i.e.,ppointment authority) to a ocanteittee-type
Panel whieh does not =Sart within the Agency line of command? However,
25X1A under the provisions of CIA the Panel's present respon-
oiletlity is advisory instead of fiil with respect to the employment of -
individual. applicants
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(f) Problems emeounteredby the Foreign Servioe appear to he
relevant for CIA 0 The Foreign Service's Board of EXaminers was estab-
lished by legislation to fUrction under the general supervision of the
Board of the Foreign Service? A report (Tab A) prepared berths Menage-,
ment 3te2f of the State Deperienent points out that the present diversion
of personnel recreitment and examining responsibilitybeten the Board
of ID:mamma on the one hand, and the Personnel. Office on the other has
not been conducive to realizing a positives cohesive personnel program.
OONDLUSIONSa (a) Improved personnel selection could be expeoted to
result from instellation of a program for interviewing applicants for
noneclerieal positions by representative groups of Agenee officials
(b) Beoaume of differences in emphasie on selection oriterias
separate bases of renberehip for the interviewing bodies should be
established for applicants for junior and intermediate positions on
the one hands and senior positions on the othero.
(c) The interviewing bodies should be so organized that the
-effectiveness of their operations will net be impeded by the demands
made epon the time of officials serving as intervienerss
60 RBZ072221DATIOIBt (a) That there be eetablished (12) a Senior 0?f'ficer
Exaaination Board eith examining jeriedictioa for grades GS-12 and
above s and (2) a Junior and Intermediate 'Eeemination Boards for grades
GS-7 through MAI (end lower grades when the candidate is to be a
trainee for &professional position) Theta Boards meld have reepen-
aibiliterfor considering the employmset euitability of all epplicants
faillelvadthin the ereocribed grade ranges, Dime the operations of
the Professional Selection Panal,vould be deplleatede the Panel shoal
be disoortinuado
(b) That the Senior Officer ReardeatIon Board be constituted as
an advisory body to the Assistant Director for Personnele to-wham
reseonsitaliterfor exeroiaing the aapointamt function toe been delegated?
Ilembership should be dram from among chiefs of major organizational
comporants (office head level) and other senior officials occupying
positions of not less than grade GSe17, The Board should compriee at
least three meMberso EbMbers should be appointed to same for six
months tours), 'with eppointmenta staggered to provide for ccritinuity?
The nambership of the Board should be as bromgy representative of the
Agency's najor organizational elements as is possible? lhenever deemmi
necessarys the Beard should be :authorized to call upon &earl:dance from
personnel with specialized backgrounds? Utetinae should be held at least
once meekly The Assistant Director (Persoreel) -would designate a Per-
sonnel Officer to serve as Board Secretary end to be available for teche
nical personnel advice and assistance The Director of Central Intenigence
and the Deputy-Directors could at their or.asion participate in the pro-
ceedings as exeofficto ubcra
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(c) That the Junior and Intermectiate Examination Board also be
constituted on an advisory basis to the Personnel Office? This Board
would comprise threezeubers designated from such parts of the Agency
as will assure a reasonable degree of Ageneyeeide repreeentation0 As
with the Senior Board, umbers would be appointed for six mouths, with
staggered tours Ifernbership should be limited to Agency officials in
not less than grade t19.15, The Board should be convened on a weekly
basil' to dispose of all pending cases. A Pereonnel Officer would be
named to provide Secretariat duties and to give such technical personnel
advice as might be required. As in (b) above, the Board should be
authorized to call upon expert assistarce. Similarly, the Director of
Central Intelligenee and the Deputy Directors could participate in the
work of the Board on an ex-officio capacity's
(d) That instructions issued to establish the Boards insure regular
participation by the appointed members; although the workload will un-
avoidably add a sizeable burden upon Board members, the effectiveness of
the oral examining program uitU depeaxl heavily on the quality of the
Board's wor1c0
(a) That where the Assistant Director (Personnel) feels a course
of action should be taken which would be different from that recommended
by either or the two boards proposed above, be would present the ease to
the Deputy Director (Administration) for final decision.
(f) Rocca/1%1re that the oral examination represents another step
in the employment precessing operation, applicants should be, brought to
Washfulgton at Oovernezert expense for the purpose of appearing before the
appropriate oral exaatring Board. Although the polygraphing of applicants
prior to oral interviews with the Board mould sometime eliminate the
neceesity for further examination, it would also run the a:tisk of upsetting
some persons prior to their appearanee before the Board? Polygraphing,
hewievers should be handled before the individual returns to his hones
Derogatory information elicited through the polygraph process might, of
courees require reconsideration of the applicant by the Board? Trees-
portatien expenses to carry on this program would entail an estimated
annul Agency expenditure of 0180,0000
W0 11, 110 Berrie, Jr0
W. H. 110 1131162S, JR.
Assistant Director (Personnel)
esirdiregaglialim
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STAFF STUDY
Prepared by the Danagement Staff
Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Adadidstwation
LELDRANDULT FOR A -
SUBJECTS Board of &min= of the Foreign Service
This memorandum has been prepared in accordance with your request
that A/1S examine the present functions and mesibership of the Board of
Examiners of the Foreign Service. Particular attention has been given
to the reletionehip of BE X to the planned expansion of the ISO category
and implsmentation of other provisions of the directive to belsemed
pmrsuant to the Rowe Report.
Competition for Foreign Service appotntments by vwitten exaMination,
aAministered by a body siallar to taX0 has been looked upon for more than
50 years as a. basic guarantee of a, career sereice.free from political
influenoe, The Foreign Service Act of 19!i6 first establisheda statutory
beee for the BEI,. providing that the Board of Examiners shall "Jet accordance
116th reeulations prescribed by the Seoretary and under the general Oper-
vLsion of the Board of the Foreign Service, provide for and supervise the
conduct of sudh examitstions as maybe given to candidates for appointment
es Foreign Service officers in accordance with provisions of Sections 516
and 517, and to any other person to whom an examination for admission to
-
the Service shell be given in accordance with this or litly other Act."
(section 212).
The membership of the Bowl of Examiners is not specified in the
Ant except for the provision of Section 222(0 of the Foreign Service Act
that the meMbership of the Board of Examiners of the Foreign Service,
ret more than half of Which shall consist of Foreign Service Officers,
eeall be constituted in accordance with regdlations prescribeiby the -
Secretary". The present meMbership include's five representatives of the
Department of State, four of vbattrn serve az officio and representatives
&: the Department of Labor, Commerce, Agionitrne, and the Civil, Service
Cemmission.- A listing of the present membership and biographic sketches
other agency representatives is included as Tab A.
Sitting as a consultative body, BE determines examination and
:lectionpolicies for the Forage Service Officer category. The Executive
Director- of Bali with the assistance of a small staff, perform the actual.
operations required to carry out the examination program,. The Eduoational
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Testing Service grades the essay portions of the written examination on a
coutrwt, baste* Oral eraminations are conducted by the Emeoutive Director
with the assistance of a group of Deputy aminers chosen aurally by the
Board of Examiners* Although an effort is made to ensure adequate repre-
sentation on the oral examining panels from the SEX meniber,egenoiess Deputy
&miners are chosen primarily on a persona basis for their &dal in oral
testing
The Board of Examiners has delegated to the Chief of FP by formal
resolution responsibility for the administration of Foreign Service examinations
except those required by Sectiore 516 and 517 of the Foreign Service Act*
An Advisory Cottee on the Foreign Service trealareti02211 esollagUng
a public meaters with special competence in this fields assists the Board
of Examiners in the preparation and review of the examination program*
tienbership of the Advisory Cottee is attached as Tab BA
The problem presented by BEI and its staff is one of integration of
their operations with the recruitment programs of the Department and the
Foreign Service* BM discharges its limited function, involvieg a high
degree of public interest, with administrative propriety* It is not
oriented, however, to give optdmesa service to the growing personnel needs
of the Department* There are a number of steps which can be taken immediately
within the present organizational framework to produce a better integrated
recruitwnt program? Among these are:
(1)
(2)
(3)
Be-alignannt of the Departmental representation in the BEL, which
is now too heavily weighted with PM officers, to provide for
greater participation by officers with experience in and femilierity
with the functional end operating areas of the Department?
Establishment Of provisions for adequate', representation of
Departmental interests on the oral Examining Panels?
Preparation of precepts for the E:numining Panels each years
reflecting the personnel needs of the Foreign Service?
The long term solution of the problem of developing a sound a.ni
coordinated recruitment program, however, requires a basic regrouping of
recruitment and examination factions within the Office of Perm nnel* The
Rowe Report contains several recommendations concerning this aspect of
personae managements many of which are applicable under the meified
provisions of the directivet
(2) Development of a long term inventory of personnel needs as
the basis for a positive recruitment program;
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(a) Ltoditioation and study of the 'SO emanation to provide
for inereased emphasis on the Social Soleness and
specialized aspects of foreign affairs through (a) use
CC subjectematter options; (b) develcpment of practical
methods for determining qualities of emotional stability
in candidates; and (a) consideration of the use of
language aptitude testing in addition to achievement tests*
(3) Increased emphasis on Departmental recruitment' at the
jandor mcfessional grades through such devices as an
expanded Intern Progrank
(4) Strengthened selection and emanation premieres for the
MS category*
(5) Adeceeete provision for lettere' entry into the ?maga
Service through liberalization of Section 53.7 recruitment,
The present dispersion of recruitment and erandnation fteetions
is not conducive to the derelopment of a positive and coordinated program
022ViSi011ed by the Report. There is now added reason to stress effective
recruitment because of two circumstances not contemPlated by the Conmattee?
First, the Department is not accepting the recommendation of the Conmatte,
for an nmalgaeated Foreign Affairs.Service* The basis for a fuller inter-
change between the Department and the field in fitters years, however, can
be laid now by a careful program of recruitment and executive dervelontent,
ethich will bring to the Department in increasing numbers young people
adequately trained and oriented to dual-service careers* Secondly, the
Depart atent is facing a period of increasing manpower shortages:, and is
already encountering serious difficulty in recruiting adequate numbers of
VP-lined Personnel for its staffing requirementse It is consequently of
great importaree to provide the orgatdzational basis for a vigorous end
aggressive reoruitrnnt program?
There are a miter of alternative* available to deal with this
prebleme each of which should be carefully eniplored before any definite
action es re0ossanded0 At first glare., the course of action which
appears to offer the pastiest benefits would be consolidation of the
recruitment and examination functions presently conducted by DP? FP, and
BM into a atingle Division of Exananations and Recreifamarb in PEEte This
change tiOuld be consistent with the reccemendation of the Rowe Report that
MR be reorganized on a functional basis, and would provide a single focus
for the formulation and executd.on of anearessive recruitment program con-
aistent with the requirements of the Department and the Foreign Service,
Crider such an arrangement, the Board of Examiners would be recon-
stituted in a purely advisoey capacity, and probably should be restricted
to State Department membership* Representation should include PM, and
3 or 14, mentere selected annually from the operating bureaus ond functional
offices of the Department* Policy decisions of significant, concern to the
Foreign Service should be cleared interdepartmentally through the Board of
the Foreign Service*,
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The Advisory Committee on Foreign. Service EximainatIonta mould con-
tinue at the discretion of the Chief of the Division of Examinations and
riscruitcent to provide advice in matters of policy or aramination tech-
niques or juntor-grade recruitment to both the Departmental and Foreign
Service*
Charles E* Johnson
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LEXIIAUDILI FOR $ Executive Secretary
CIA Career Services Board
is
Staff Study "Oral
dated 3 February 190
23 February 1953
tion of Applicants',
1? Reference staff stuctr was considered by the BOP Career
Service Board?
2o? This Board agreed that a system for the oral examine..
tion of applicants should be instituted in the Agency? It felt,
hornever, that the recommendations made in reference staff study
were not adequate to handle this problem at least as far as the
DWP elements are ooneerned? The Board was of the opinion that
further detailed consideration be given to this problem with a
view to placing the responsibility for oral eaussinations on the
various Career Service Boards of the senior staffs of DB/Po
This proposal would have the advantage of spreading the work-
load entailed in such examinations and placing the responsibility
on individuals knotledgeable in the personnel requirements of the
various activities? It is recognized that details would have to
be worked out for a proper imp.lementation of this idea, but it
is felt that such a procedure would come closer to setting the
requirements of the 10/P organization than having the work per..
formed either by the Professional Selection Panel or the Boards
of Ezzominers proposed in the reference staff stutly?
Chief of Operations,
cog CAC
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24 libruary 1953
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Secretary, CIA Career Service Board
SUBJECT : Staff Study, "Oral Examination of Applicants,"
dated 3 February 1953
1. In my opinion, the recommendations set forth in subject staff
study are unrealistic and unnecessary for the following reasons:
a. The present interviews conducted by Branch, Division and
frequently by Office Chiefs constitute an adequate oral examine..
tion toward determining suitability for career employment.
b. The GS-17 and other Agency officials reCommended as
examiners are of more value to the Agency pursuing their primary
responsibilities which, for the DD/I.Offices, leave little or no
time for additional administrative duties.
c. The estimated cost of $180,000 per year for travel alone
seems prohibitive.
d. The primary recruitment task should be viewed realistically
as one of persuading top.tlight persons to accept positions in the
Agency rather than as one of setting up all possible exclusionary
barriers.
2. The meohanism now extant in the Professional Selection Panel,
is adequate to assist the Offices in selection of Career employees and
should be encouraged to continue to increase its competence toward
this end. I recommend that this Panel be kept separate from the
nOommend line," and be advisory to the Agency Career Board rather than
to any single element of the Agency.
/8/
ROBERT AMOR!, JR.
Assistant Deputy Director/intelligence
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24 February 190
Immo= F0R2 CIA Career Service Board
FROLI: Director of Training
SUBJECT: Oral Examination. of Applicants
REFEREUCE: limoramdum 3 February 1953 from Assistant
Direator (Persormel) to nerdy Director
(Administration), Same Subject
le In commenting upon the above reference, it mill be helpful
to review existing "machinery" for oral exednatlJon of applicants
and which maybe exploited to advise the Assistant Director for
Personnel on the suitability of applicants for positions in the
Agway,. Stated teiefly? current practice in the handling of appli-
cants provides oral exatanation or interview by a recruiting officer
at the time of original contact, and thereafter by (a) a placement
officers, (b) a personnel officer or assistant of the office believed
most likely to employ the applicant, and (c) the chief of the organiza-
tional component of the office having apparent paramount interest in
the applicant? Should an applicant be "passed over* at am' point, he
might then, be referred to other branches, divisions, or offices until
he is (a) selected, (b) rejected, or, (c) no longer available for
interview, In some officeS, final selection is made by the chief or
deputy in which case an applicant tentatively selected at branch level
vould be interviewed successively at each level up to and including
the offical authorized to make final selection for the office,
2, All applicants who are selected by an office and whose
appointment as employees is initiated are thereafter subjected to
oral examination in the course of (a) medical examination and (0
security examination, /law applicants are further interviewed and
examined orally in conneationeith psychological testing and assess-
ment,
3* It may be seen, there that fee applicants are intereiemed
less than six times in the course of becoming employees of the
Agency and some are interviewed and "orally examined" many more
times during the process,
4. Establishment of the several proposed IN-0, nation Boards
eould not eliminate nor significantly alter or amend the existing
machinery for oral examination outlined above, It is believed that
bettor utilization and exploitation of the nnmerous interviews can
be achieved by (a) regularizing the entire process (b) formalizing
the scope and purpose of interviews at each level, (a) assuring that
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interviews are conducted only by persons competent to elicit and evaluate
oral evidence of Skills, abilities, motivation, character, demeanor, etc.,
and, (d) assuring the immediate preparation and central recordation of
reports of oral examination.
50 The recitation of facts set forth in paragraph 3(d) of reference
does not make clear that eny office Egl refer cases of doubtful suitabili
for consideration by the Wafessiowelection Panel (
8 DeceMber 1952) but that the Inspection and Security, / cal, Porsonne
and Training Offices must refer to the Panel any information suggesting
unsuitability of an iMICant for employment or of a trial-service employee
for retention,
25X1A
6. Reference meremnuedum fails to come to grips with the problem basic:
and precedent to establishment of an oral examining board, namely, that of
(a) identifying suitability factors, and, (b) establishing valid criteria
for measurement of those factors. It is difficult to imagine anything
mere certain to result in chaos than an oral examining board operating
without well defined objectives and firm criteria unless it be two such
boards,
7* It is stated that" criteria applied..0..for middle and
senior level positions would be substantially different from those used
for junior officer candidates." (Paragraph 6(d)) Authority for the
conclusion is not cited, As far as is known, no criteria for judging
suitability have been finally formulated nor has the CIA/CSB approved or
promulgated any such criteria, It is not readily apparent why different
criteria would be proposed for different levels unless it is intended to
have employees re-examined orally as prerequisite to moving from junior
to middle to senior level.
6. The discussion of "command functions" and "authority" and
"responsibility" (paragraph 4(e)) seems to avoid the fact that the provisions
of the Career Service Program as approved by the Director of Central
25X1A Intelligence and announced does establish a perfectly
valid system for determination of suitability for "career" employment*
9, The discussion (paragraph 4(f)), citing a report of the Management
Staff of the State Department, states that "problems encountered by the
Foreign Service appear to be relevant to CIA." Mother the entire
generalization is correct is not known, but if it is accepted as applicable
to the limited subject of the referende memorandum, then certainly the
report of the State Department Management Staff should stifle any enthusiasm
for (a), (b), and (c) of the recommendations set forth in the reference
memorandum. For if the cited report bears witness to anything, it is the
horrors of two examining boards, two systems, two criteria for selecting
members of a single service.
" 2 -
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10. The Professional Selection Panel established pursuant to Notice
25X1A is authorized to conduct oral examination of both applicants
for appointment and trial. service employees. It has not dons ea because
the Panel judged (a) the cost to be prohibitive at this time, and, (b)
that firm determination of suitability factors and criteria should precede
mandatary oral examination. The CIA/CSB affirmed those judgements.
11. The reference memorandum does not demonstrate failure of the
Professional Selection Panel to carry out the directives of the CIA/CSB
nor that those directives are at variance with the Career Service Program
as approved by DCI. Therefore, the reference memorandum does not establish
need for the recommendations submitted to the Board.
12. It is recommended that the CIA/CSB disapproved the recommendations
of the reference memorandum. It is further recommended that:
(a) the Board reaffirm its directive to the Panel as set
25X1A forth and,
(b) the Board instruct the Panel to consider and evaluate
all proposals regarding oral examination as a technique for
determining suitability of applicants and to report to the Board
at an early date its judgement as to whether, when, and how such
technique should be utilized by CIA.
/a/ Matthew Baird
MATTI= BAIRD
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mettIVALIDULI FOR:
utive Secrelane, CIA
Career Service Board
24 February 190
FROU s Assistant Director for Communications
SUBJECT s Comments Concernieg Staff Study- "Cral &animation of
Applicants'? dated 3 FebruarY ISO
1. The following comments concerning the above subject are forwarded
as requested in your memorandum of 16 February 19530
20 I concur in the principle established by the staff study and
appreciate the care and attention with which the study was prepared. The
validity of "oral', examination, whether informal or formal in nature, is
unquestioned as one element in the selectionemocesso I do question,
howeewe the application and membership of the proposed eee A: on Boards.
30 In considering the parallel of the Foreign Service Board of
Examiners and the proposed N *44 nation Boards in CIA the following points
are mades
(a) The purviewrof the Foreign Service Board is limited to Foreign
Service Officer candidates. Thus, its purview is limited to &career corps
of foreign duty personnel wherein duties are well organized and requirements
well knewn, In. CIA the Clandestine Services' intelligence officer corpse
not yet career established as in State, is the only group which can be
considered similar to the FSO list. The intelligence and intelligence
seppart fields, by their very nature, are more encompassing and intensive
than the Foreign Service. An _ Board in the Clandestine Services
field alone might thus have a task considerably greater than the BM of the
Foreign, Service. Too, it is noted that BE K operations have not been without
valid criticisne
(b) As recognized in State, the Foreign Service personnel requirements
and standards are often Quite different from Departmental personnel criteria.
It occurs to no that at for the present, seleetion criteria (including
oral examination content and procedure) may very considerably between candi-
dates for the following components of CIA; DD/P, DD/I, DD/k? AD/COLTand, to
a lesser extent, 01120 Individual component &iming Boards mould, I believe,
effectively verve to meet the principle of oral examination and efficiently
advise the Assistant Director for Personnel concerning personnel seise-time
A single board, with high level membership, is required within each. component
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4. I believe that a complete set of selection criteria, of which
oral examination is but an element, should be established by the components
enumerated in paragraph 3 (b) above. Such a detailed set of criteria will
greatly aid any selection board and will do much to insure an equitable
and effective Career Service. The absence of a true career delineation in
CIA complicates the application of existing and proposed selection criteria.
5. I wonder if the application and satisfaction of the one-year
probationary period plus acceptance of professional officer candidates on
the basis of detailed selection criteria, including oral examination by
Compment Examining Boards, would not answer our problem for the immediate
future?
25X1A9a
for
25X1A9a
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20 FEB 1953
DSLIDBANDUIfFeRs Career Service Board
Faou t Chairman, Professional Selection Panel
SUBJECTi Oral Examination of Applicants
REFIZIEHCE : Ilemorandum dated 3 February 190 to the AWAY
Director (Adninistration) from the Assistant
Director (Personnel), same subject
?
le The subject memoraaeusit&ing been referred to the Professional
Selection Panel for comment and presentation to the Board, the Panel
has reviewed it and presents the follomings
The Career Service Program, established in June provided for
a Professional Selection Panel and outlined certain Iwocedures and
responsibilities for ite The Panel early recognized that oral oxen.
ination of all applicants would be impossible for the Panel as then
constituted and pointed this out in seeking Guidance from the
Career Board? The Panel recommended at that time that oral examina?
tions not be attempted until such time as experience had formed a
foundation on mbidh they could be conducted in a manner which
meld justify the great expenditure of time and money?
The Panel has dimes recognized that oral examenation: is essene
tial in the determination of suitability, Any system of oral =mime
tionvdiee as in:the Foreign. Service, necessitate the establishment
of a Board of Examiners? The referenced paper is eholly =realistic
in recommending a Senior Panel, in:that a Board of Assistant Directors
would not or could not take the time to meet ones many oases as
should be presented, As the preblem then is the establishment of a
Board of Exaniners to conduct oral examinatiovme it is not necessary
to scrap the present machinery but rather to give it the tools with
leach to verke
The Panel agrees with the principle that under ro circumstances
should any such Selection Board come within the command line but
mould extend the statement and say that such a board should never
be subjected to pressures and should be required to make its
determinations objectively and without regard to any special interest?
The experience of the Board of Examiners for the Foreign. Service
has borne out the validity of this position* The proceedings and
the findings of the Beard on any ease are confidential to the Degaby
Examiners sitting on the case and are closed* Should agy erne/fling
panel be subject to cone:ends, it will of necessity lose objectivity
and will be unable to perform the very function for vthich, it was
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establiehed* A rubber.ertamp panel would in the end fail EMU to
gime an aura of respectability to nelection delimitations*
A premise vith which the Panel does take objection is that
criteria for selection must necessarily and yill be different for
high and law grade personnel* It is agreed that evidence of and
methods for determining suoh evidence of suitability may be easier
in the more mature experienced, senior people but the flutdamental
qualities with idai:h the Panel is attempting to deal are the sane
throughout the grade range* Likewise, and fox. the same reason, it
is equelly important that yyung people be selected by Ageney
officers of broad experience as that candidates for senior positions
be so selected*
Finally, the Panel's position may be summarised by saying that
however oral examinations are to be conducted, there already exists
a mechanism which requires only the tools, 5.0e*, funds and the
atthorLty to establish a Board of EXaminers from among the experienced
officers of the Agency*
The Panel recommends that, if such a system of oral examinations
ie etwted, the applicant should, while in Washington for the '
examteation also bo assessed, medically =maned and polygraphedo
as Wen as interviewed by the Selection Panel* Alternative4o
considozation might be given to the application of such proeedures
prior to the expiration of an employee's trial service period,
All of these are screening devices abich logically Gould be
applied at the same time and, as such, in the total package would
be acceptable to the applicant*
SIGNED
25X1 A9a
irn
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S et- Information
3 February 1953
LELIPAIDIfel FOR: DepuV Director (Administration)
FROM' Aseetant Director (Personeel)
SD134TD.7? Oral Eeramination of Applicents-
1110131Ent To develop reachinery throug.b. %ehich oral examination procedures
resze be applied to desterrOme and to adviee the Assistant Direator for
Personnel on the suitability of applicants to fill junior, intermediate,
and Hee level positions in the Central Intelligence Agency*
ASSTRITIONS2 (a) AU of the means employed by CIA for the selection of
peesonnal should be aired at bringing into the Agency highly competent,
loyal employees who are well motivated to join in performing the Agency s
misW.on*
(b) Sieve a major objective of the career serape program of CIA
is to ecrovide opporbunities for greateth and adeaneement to individual
employees, it is important that incoming personnel have potentialities
wIelch Measure up to the opportImitiee available*
(c) Criteria of stectatility must be adapted to the career field
Tri:Ain which a prospeetive employeews developluent and advancement will
be made possible*
(a) Forming the best possible estimate of an applicants suit-
atelitt for career employment is subject to limitations no matter how
applicants from outside are screened, investigated, and tested*
Providon for oral examination or interviewing of applicants, contteted
by officiale with experience in and knowledge of the Agences intelligence
operations and reauimments increase the esibilities of employing
onler those persons who cat be relied upon to be effective members of
the Aganoes work forcee
FAOTSz (a) The Career Service Committee adopted and included in its.
final report the recommendation of its -norking group on Trainees that
Professional Selection Panel be established under the direction of
the Career Service Board to "review seleotion standards, ireluding
medical standard.% for and the qualifications of all candidates up to
and including the grads GS-11 for overt and El exte-40vert profeesional.
poreitionso The Panel will also, whcm requested by an Assistant Director
5ervegle