AGENCY CLERICAL PERSONNEL RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, UTILIZATION, AND ATTRITION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01826R001100070025-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 30, 2002
• Sequence Number: 25
• Content Type: REPORT

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AGENCY CLERICAL PERSONNEL
R,ecrultmetlt, TM, " t lization, and At
The purpose of this paper is to present certain conclusions
h have been reached as a result of a review of the Agency's
present situation with respect to obtaining, training, utilizing, and
retaining clerical personnel. These conclusions an presented in
the following paragraphs.
The only selective test which recruiters administer to candi-
dates for clerical employment is one which was developed specifically
for this purpose and which requires only 15 minutes. There is no other
testing of personality, Intelligence, or other factors until after the
candidate enters on duty. The validity of this short test is high, and
score appears to be correctly establlsheed. If we were to
raise the out-off score, the Agency would be denied the services of
quite suitable clerical personnel. If we were to lower the cut-off
score, the Agency could recruit more clerical employees but would
increase its attrition rate because of the subsequent performance of
scoring applicants. There appears to be no need to change
t or its cut-off scam at this time.
3. With respect to such clerical skills as typing and stenographic
abilities, the recruiters follow the Agency minimum standards. In the
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many oases where
Iters cannot arrange for the candidates to take
proficiency tests of these skills, the recruiters accept the skill
certifications (test scores) provided by schools. It is true that some-
times the certifications indicate a higher level of skill than the candi-
dates later demonstrate on the Agency's proficiency tests. Such
disparities on test scores usually are not great, and the Agency is
readily able to impart the small increase which is necessary to meet
our standards. For this reason it is not believed necessary to alter
the procedure of accepting school certifications as a part of the
recruitment process.
4. It is believed that other screening and selection Judgments
used by the clerical recruiters are realistic and responsive to the
needs of the Agency at this time. They do not appear to be too
restrictive and should not be lowered by the Agency just because the
highly competitive market makes it difficult to recruit adequate num-
bers of persons.
5. The Inspector General's report on training describes some of
the problems which make it difficult to recruit clerical personnel.
These problems
tes should not lead to a lowering of Agency
standards since persons who do not meet present standards would
cause other problems. For example, selecting persons of lower
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stenographic Or Ming skills would obviously lead to the need to
Provide extensive fundamental training in these skills rather than
essentially refresher training as is now done. Selecting
persons with lower scores on the 15 minute screening test would,
cases, lead to acquiring employees who -uld not learn,
or would have difficulty with, various parts of their job duties. It
at none of our clerical problems would be truly solved
Bring our selection standards, PaMcularrly since it is reported
t personnel recruited under these standards during the last two
years have been described as very satisfactory by their supervisors
in their first Job aaaignment8.
6. Instead of lowering its selection standards, the Agency should
achieve the position of recruiting adequate numbers of clerical personnel
who meet or exceed its present standards. Action to reach this position
was taken after the inspector
the clerical recruiting
ral's report on training was completed;
en increased to permit recruitment of
, .s - _-_ _- -
new clerical personnel are placed in, a holding
0" They remain in this status while awaiting
security clearance, medical examination, and other induction processing.
is period they receive orientation and "induction" training,. the
ng keeps them productively occupied and increases
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occupational skills and knowledge. Such training end experience as
they receive while required to be in the pool increases their value to
the Agency.
8. The induction training given to clerical personnel while in
the Interim pool normally is not
xtensive (ordinarily 40 hours of
instruction, approximately) . At least on paper, the clerical personnel
have already met our minimum performance levels for typing and steno'
graphic skill, and their induction training is considered to be "refresher,'
in nature. In addition, these skills frequently have deteriorated some-
what since their proficiency was last tested, and the induction training
restores the loss.
9.
d earlier, a number of the
clerical personnel
achieve lower scores on the Agency's proficiency tests than were
reported on the school certificates accepted by the recruiters. This
discrepanr,4y may be explained In scene cases by lack of recent use
s as is indicated above. In other oases, the lower scores
may attributed to differences In test scoring procedures, to certain
practicing techniques used by some schools, to unfamiliar test sur--
induction training, offered while new clerical personnel
or to other circumstances which are beyond our control.
are In the interim assignment pool, increases the qualifications of
this type of person to Agency standards, normally without extensive
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iz3structicsn. Thus the c3~acic~aT training offered is refr+e~hher and
remedial rather than fundr~menta~l, and hence is believed quite re~
sponsive to the present situation and nat. excessive,
:t~. sent Tiracticea !~' acaarnpll,shing the initial, assigrerxt
t~f nc~w clerical p+ersc~nnel asp believed tea be g~e~ r~uite satisfa4tary
~cst to deploying available skills its rse~;t the requirements of
~~abs, The exis#ing~ placemnntt systesr~s end placement personnel prevent
asty signff'iQ+snt wasting of skills, and su,pes'visc~rs have indicated their
sat4sfaction, 'T'here are occasitsns when, despite such l~nr~->range
is passible, dab requirements cannot be suet because new
rsonnel ere simply not availab3e frcasn the pip+slisae and cause
overstr~Tth situations a~ not permitted. This situet#an f~ undex can-
;+~ntion, however, and the recent inexeese in the clerical recruiting
i help tQ ensure that n~nr personnel rare isx the pfpeline to me+st
ted and planned recri-.irernents.
il. The initiml assignment csf clerical personnel might be made
svsnewhat mare selectfvely if th?se involved in the placement pass
d soaks c: use of the treselts of the test b~-ttery administered to
new c
they ~snter on duty. This iraprovesn?r3t,
haw~~vesr. wcsuld only ~ pQS~ible if there wire a supply of clerical
personnel which: was cxsnpletaly adequate f?r all new, end if sufft~sient
time cold be taken teo octnsider the test saQres of ail prier to avc?rn-
pliahing allttions and rnsare selective placements.
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tial esslg~mex~ts of clerical persc~nrtel a accomplished,
is a~ fr~creasad passibility chat some of the ski3ls of
caI employees rar~y not be utilized productively at difi'ere~t
t~ns$ dur#~z~ their employment. Analysi8 of the situation indicates that
this c~csianal wake of skids is lar~eiy in situations ~rherein a sears-:
gaited ts~ uses het' shorthand skill. It is ?~~rth~r believed
that these situations our pri~-~erily in the ~la-rtdestine Services
although they do occur to sarx~e degree within I~D,/~ and D~3/< c~a~nl-
oXi~i. ~t is probable t}aat the very nature cif she babe is Stich that
the dab incumbenta~ are u~tblt~ tc~ dictate material to their sea~taries.
In comer sttua.#~ans the ~c~b irt+cumla~ents could dictate but. do rwt.
t~~ers and panels cot~c+err-ed with per,~onnel placement, tcgecheY
wrifih a ~vb classificatiwa~ specisiists, diving fairly close atte~n-
ti+c~n to identifying secretarial positions fl?~C requiring shorthand caira-
i}ilitYr aRd LO av~aidfng tie ~~~~ ti# stenographic skills in Such pc~siti4n~,
pct tti another alternative 0f identifying the Officers whose
nographers but who do nat. give cttctatic~n to their
secretaries by chAice ~r by inability to dictate, there is a great+~r
~rc~blenx. ~+tifithin the Giandestlne Services, z~tat#on of officers is a
way life. ,~ sesCretary a g~:n Mice may work fckr a differ~:nt
c~ficer +svery t~rc years ~ anti c~ccasioazally mere quently. is
adtniinistratively quite difficult #c- determine in every case ## th+s
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officer assigned key s new p~siti:on de#in9~te2y will ~ give dictatican
~~ ;,~ ,~ettaty for a minimum amount. 4f time each week, and to
x?a~,~fgn the setaYy if ~e officer were tc- admit mat stena~ra~hic
skill way n~ regv~ir+~d in his mffic~e. Further, continuous Aget~cy~widt~
survc~y~ tm verify that set~ries were using their stena~rat~hic skills
during ~ rzertain gercenta~?~ Qf t~aa3.r ~vorlc tittle, and td ~~+ r~aa-ssign-
meat ~a#' incase secretarfes wtic~ ~enily did not, wed Arent cet~tain
problems; muc~i time ~vc~uld r~aquired for the in~resCi~ations, ~m-~
ply t~athful answers csau3~d ncat expected in everlr use, and ~
gat de~-1 caf ob~eation and resistancze by Agency c~.cers ta~iQht be
a~nttnip~cted. This wcaulc~ l~ pra~ticuiaxly true to the ~la~iestine S+erv~ces
rotat~:on and reassi~nsr~ant of eat#o~r~ i~ ao giant that it 2~
feat that. situations invalvin~ such waste. of stenographic skills will
~dL themselves in ,~ tnsLtex taf tune.
~. Pleca+a~n+snt pan+~ls and personnel are well aware ih~t sortie
t~ situations whew their ste~nog~iphic smell ~~ not being
uaad. and axe matcii~g a continu+~xit? conscious eff td achiievs tmprcved
ion of ste~raphic skills. fn this effcnt they also indoc~
't~p~t'Stist'~'s at ai}; le~rel
belia+~ t~h$t ih+~rc~ Mill ~ nca l+~t-dcwn
~eYM f/~~X ~~ ~~~~ .
until well qusiifiad
aeo~ta~ry-stenca~raphers sre readily availab7~a foie the aski, and most
sup+arvist~rs kno~r that such is ncat now the case.
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i9, It ,~~ net believed that ~ afgni~.cent pc~ttion of the Agency's
txftan Ong clerical employees is due ka weste ~~ s~tlls in iavv
~-s~ig~atnetxts < It is #~ute Chet college graduates in ciericei v~r
pastians have e~cpressed dissntig~actfan c>ccasf+axu~-ily;
such cases ~. re~ediesd ir~ternaily in r-eeril- e~ instsn+ce. Further,
.e cf the etkrition t~~te is atkxutahle to the situetians discussed
ceding paragraphs in v+rhich secrets,ries dca not use their
ster~grap~3ic akills; little d3ss$tlsf$cvn has be+~n expressed by such
persox~nel~ and those v+rha ~sosnplain a~ given m suftable as~sig'taam~ants
fn
the- ~tency's ntrQl. There #.s no +~tie way tc~ rr~eet
cc~ngetitic-n, nor can ltvln~t casts aid conditian~ ~ tae i'hshi~tan
stenos < 'khe due ca~u;se~s of mast cif the ettrttion arr~
IViast ltWtpts~ks.ntly~ ~e re~uikrrs have nok been
~e ks accelar~-te their rsrc~v3kment in $ highly- ep~~~ue market of
those whc- wauid meet atandaxda~ ~whicsh eht~uld n?~t be lowered ,
wha tlct i~CC#9pt dur not unusually attraotive +~mplc~ent situation,
wit who would be teas susaepti~iie to marr#,ape c~r- 3f mar~rled, child-
hea~ng~the c~u`iter not ~u hcrw to scree~a f thus Witter
i5. In summery with respect tQ the cle~riaal aktrit~on rate ~ the
lass ?f cl+~?3cal persoxsn+sl is high fat shc~ulc~ not k~ ct~nmid~ed a onuse
far al~ssm< At present, the A+pency*s attrition rate fc~ clerical p~rsc~nnei
is less than. that of khe rest of Government despike v~arking cc~dikic~ns
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~d ~uxround~.ngs wrhfah #'re~quent~y are not c~ptilmal. It
d that
tMe enC"y`~c rate o~ Mass actu~ly tea aarnewhat skendard, pred3et~.ble,
a~ 3,n~;vitable. We cQraper~sate far these expected ~~sses by p~nnt
tea advance ar~d enaurtng that a?tequate replacem~ants are to the pipelfne.
3~e~nttlCtf3, peFSKlnn~~i c~~#trs, career dev~rlapment g~`C+ttps,
~ttpe~'iac~rrs pure ce~nsgaus that the atlrrttion does take p~ae~:, end are
attempting tQ pre~rent ic~sses to the degree to which they can dry someW
~nQ abut it.
16. when t~i~ Agency`s c1er9,Gaz lnduation t~afl~tiq pi"~glram
w+sighed !n the broader c+c~nCext of ci?rfcai rect~tment, )+~b asstgr~ment,
tti#z~tton, and attrittan, tt would appear that. ~e present training
~~~ is cite in haumt~z~~ vviEh a:~d apprQprfate to the present personnel
~ttumtton. This training prt~cam c8n be altex+~d xeediiy vuhene~ve~r there
reQuirentenCs or a change An the ct~~t~,ce~ reviewed
~r
l~'. ~n conclusion, there a n4 apa+cif3c recaa~mende:ticans fc~r a
e~`~otive syst+~~ ~ cl+~;~cal wage and train3rrg at this time. This
ns frnpli+~a that tlae present system is pet~ect; the tn~peator
~~fl~T~~~ r~3~1l~rt cited ~ ~u~b~r t3f CQntYtliting j>~Ub~~27k.'~, and there tlt'e
~ paper presents no speci~ic~ ~recammcndxxttana ic~r the rvasan
Chat clerical rectul,tmez~, ttatntng, uttli~at3on, and atltrtti~n ate under
sni.~stant study and bays been. sty fvr y'eara. The prc3bZems invc~lv+ad are
eyes of many and cannot ~ tgncred. The factors involved
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~p~:+~cency ter tnatkent#vn mn anyone's p8rt. The overall leak at .~
#~ ~ supply a~xd demand ~#tu~tlan Gould rtQt germ#t the bre~dtaag of
r#xne #ndicates Ehat, #n ~ aEmasg~te-re tat coa
~,??~????,.~;..~.. wdsa cr:~,cj,~zctc~~~,i [sirs tigf:ACy'$ ~iT'e$@~'2C y~t,TJ~: at'+D 8~?~'C)`~'
A'~,,,.o~a. ~~~
cht~n+~e
situat#c~n #n v~rh#ch the A~genoy f#nd~ #ta+~lf at tie anc~ment.
-nmvre
th+~rs is, and y w#I]. be, $ de.tiberate
cc~n~sten# search far ways to ach#eve~ a moxe a?f~ottv+e system fQr
c~bCa#n#ng and keep#ng the rtoal perscarittel ~+-h#ch the agency n+~eds .
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