Year in Review: Federal job application changes 

This year brought many changes to the federal job application process, transforming how candidates navigate applying to careers in public service. In this edition of the Year in Review, we’re taking another look at 2025’s biggest application changes and what they mean for job seekers. 

Merit Hiring Plan reforms 

In 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced the Merit Hiring Plan in hopes of addressing inefficiencies in the federal hiring process and prioritizing merit-based recruitment. Key reforms included: 

• Asking candidates to address their merit, competence, and commitment to the U.S. Constitution in free-response questions as part of the job application process.  
• Eliminating unnecessary education requirements in favor of skills-based technical and alternative assessments.  
• Decreasing time-to-hire to under 80 days by streamlining background checks and using talent pools and shared certificates.  
• Increasing use of analytics to identify workforce gaps and improve recruitment strategies.  
• Enhancing Veteran recruitment through strategic partnerships. 

Job seekers can plan for these updates as they apply to federal jobs by tailoring their resume to highlight job-related skills and preparing responses to the essay questions that address how they plan to improve government efficiency, support the Constitution, and demonstrate a sold work ethic. 

For the full list of changes, please visit VA Careers.

A briefer resume  

Resume length got a makeover in 2025; all federal agencies will now only accept resumes up to two pages in length in accordance with Executive Order 14170 and the Merit Hiring Plan. This change applies to all federal positions, with the exception of Title 38 and Hybrid Title 38 positions.  

At VA, Title 38 employees would include health care professionals like physicians, nurses, and physician assistants who deliver crucial care to Veterans. These employees operate under flexible hiring and compensation systems established to help VA attract and retain top clinicians.  

Current federal employees looking for a new opportunity in the government can revise their resume to focus on relevant skills as mentioned in the Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA) while still including required information like security clearances, licensures, etc.  

Work at VA 

Interested in a rewarding career serving Veterans? Keep the above changes on your radar as you look for your next opportunity at VA.