workforce NEWSTVA TAlenT Sourcing And SupporT SerViceS

Issue 2 | Fall 2011

Time TO HireHow long does it take TVA to hire an external candidate?

Most managers would say, “Too long,” and they would be right.

As of June 30, 2011, it took an average of 152 days to hire someone

outside of TVA. The time-to-hire count begins the day a requisition to hire is

requested and ends when the individual selected for the position is sitting in

New Employee Experience. The average time to hire includes all categories

of employees – experienced professionals, craft trainees and

college recruits – and all TVA organizations.

We have identified a number of problems with the

hiring process and implemented some steps to help us

improve the time to hire, including:

A bimonthly review of all open requisitions – watching positions more closely to make sure they are moving forward

Automating the background/medical application process (TVA Form 1) – improving the time and process to clear incoming candidates

Going through a LEAN review process in the area of On-boarding – improving the way candidates are brought into TVA

Increasing the use of hiring events to bring in candidates in a particular pool (e.g., A-level engineers) – reducing the time to interview and select candidates over a wide range of organizations

Automating systems supporting the hiring process – improving efficiencies and effectiveness of the overall HR process

While these things are happening within the People & Performance organization, there are other things that a hiring manager can do to streamline the process. First, work with your recruiter up front when you are planning the job. This will help them target the right candidate for your position.

Second, contact your employee relations consultant when interviewing and preparing paperwork to hire. They understand the process and can make sure you have all the pertinent information so the approval process and hiring can move forward quickly.

Finally, and most important, if you are unsure about any step along the way, ASK. Both your recruiter and your employee relations consultant can help you at any time during the process and want to help you make a successful hire.

Streamlined Hiring in Action

Nick Moon, senior manager

in Operations Support & Fleet

Governance, completed the

full selection process from

start to finish in record time.

He was engaged and worked

closely with the recruiter and

employee relations consultant

to complete the process. His

requisition was created on

April 20 and posted through

May 2. Candidates were

sourced the following day,

May 3.

Nick completed the records

review portion of his selection

matrix within two days

and notified his employee

relations consultant to

schedule interviews for May

12 and 13. Once interviews

were conducted, Nick

completed his selection

matrix and submitted his

recommendations for offers.

Offers were extended by the

On-boarding staff on May 18,

with candidates reporting to

New Employee Experience

on June 20. The total process

took 61 days.

1

2

3

4

5

RecRuiting events

July 26Office of Personnel Management

Career Fair, Cocoa Beach, Fla.

August 18SACC, Seattle Wa.

August 182nd Annual TVA Community Career Fair, Knoxville, Tenn.

July 27-29Women In Nuclear (WIN), St. Louis, Mo.

While our busiest recruiting seasons are typically in the spring and fall, this summer in Talent Sourcing proved to be equally busy! There were three separate events this summer for IT collegiate interviews at Middle Tennessee State University, University of Tennessee Knoxville, and Lane College. Out of these events, more than 12 offers to join the TVA IT team were extended to qualified students.

The Fossil Power Group welcomed seven entry-level engineers this June as full-time employees. These students represented a diverse group of engineering students from various schools in the Valley. Other student-centered activities included a tour of Bellefonte

This Summer in

Talent Sourcing

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This Summer in Talent Sourcing (continued) by Alabama A&M’s “Introduction to Nuclear Engineering” class. From that tour, one electrical engineering student has been extended an offer an employment.

The nuclear recruiting team also coordinated with the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and the American Nuclear Society to conduct a Bellefonte tour and hold various information sessions with students to discuss internships and upcoming opportunities in the areas of nuclear fuels and reactor engineering.

In an effort to ensure a qualified pipeline of plant personnel, Talent Sourcing conducted three senior reactor operator interview events with over 10 offers generated for the training of future senior reactor operators at our nuclear plants.

Additionally, we have recruited for more than 10 trainee classes for student generating plant operator, combustion turbine tech, combined cycle tech, instrument mechanic tech, and hydro tech. These highly sought trainee classes offer TVA a chance to not only offer full-time job opportunities to residents of the Tennessee Valley, but also ensure we are planning for our future staffing needs.

Space Coast Job FairThe Space Coast Job Fair was held by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) July 26, 2011, at Cape Canaveral, Fla., to assist the thousands of contractors and employees laid off from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The event featured several federal private sector employers.

It seemed that since most of the contractors and employees were accustomed to federal employment, they were very interested in seeing what career opportunities were available at other federal agencies. During the event we successfully spoke with several engineers, business professionals and craft candidates about TVA and possible career paths in our company.

The TVA team consisted of Allison Bailey (recruiter), Amy Clark (Supply Chain manager) and Mark Ray

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Facts and Accomplishments

In the last 20 months, Talent Sourcing has…

13%

31%

296

1,911

2,916

10,662

increase in relocation customer satisfaction

TVA summer interns in 2011

diversity rate

candidates sourced

interviews scheduled

employees hired

This Summer in Talent Sourcing (continued) (Nuclear manager). Mr. Ray found two potential candidates for an engineering position he has had difficulty filling. Ms. Clark left with several high-potential resumes for future positions in Category Sourcing – Supply Chain.

The OPM team repeatedly expressed gratitude for TVA’s effort to help our fellow federal employees. The team also received praise from an event participant who stated she found the team “extremely professional, insightful, and very approachable.” The only negative aspect of the event was that almost half of the job seekers were unwilling to relocate from the Florida coast. Overall, the event was definitely a success and appreciated by the people of the Space Coast area.

Lane College Lane College is a four-year, historically black college located in Jackson, Tenn. In spring 2010, TVA Economic Development managers accompanied Talent Management recruiters to the Lane College career fair, resulting in the hiring of one intern. In spring 2011, recruiter Michelle Woods and three Information Technology managers conducted classroom visits and on-campus interviews where we hired three full-time employees and three summer interns.

Talent Management visited the Lane College campus again September 15, 2011, for a career fair.

Second Annual TVA Community Career FairOn Thursday, August 18, 2011, Tennessee Valley Authority Talent Management’s Talent Sourcing staff teamed up with Knoxville College to host TVA’s Second Annual Community Career Fair in Knoxville.

More than 200 candidates with diverse backgrounds such as finance, engineering and information technology attended the event. With the Talent Sourcing staff accompanied by 10 managers, TVA was able to find numerous qualified candidates and plans to bring them on site for face-to-face interviews.

TVA’s Talent Sourcing staff is thankful to Knoxville College for a great partnership which helped make the career fair a success, and we look forward to duplicating these efforts throughout the Tennessee Valley.

University of Kentucky College of EngineeringOn Tuesday, August 16, 2011, a TVA delegation traveled to Lexington, Ky., for a meeting with leaders from the University of Kentucky College of Engineering regarding our Educational and Research Partnership in Power Engineering.

John McCormick, recently appointed principal for the University of Kentucky Endowment, led the TVA delegation consisting of Jill Wallace, Ernie Peterson, Lane Bassham and Laura Paddock. The dean of the College of Engineering, Dr. Tom Lester, chaired the meeting and was joined by staffers Sharron Townsend, Dr. Kozo Saito, and Dr. Larry Holloway. Dr. Saito and Dr. Holloway, both TVA Endowed Professors, shared presentations outlining the numerous activities currently underway with both electrical and mechanical engineering students at the University of Kentucky. These include site visits to TVA sites such as Bellefonte, Raccoon Mountain, the Systems Operation Control Center and Buffalo Mountain.

Recognizing the need for additional coursework and training in power systems utilization, the University of Kentucky’s Power and Energy Institute offers certification and training in areas such as power transmission and distribution, smart grid automation and environmental consequences, to name a few.

There are currently more than 200 engineering students enrolled in these power-specific courses which provide a specialized pipeline of new engineers available to TVA that are more holistically prepared for careers in the utility industry. These students are also involved in the research and application of innovative and practical technologies specific to the power industry.

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This Summer in Talent Sourcing (continued)

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT On the workforce development front, Talent Sourcing is engaged in the Tennessee Energy, Industry and Construction Consortium, our state Center for Energy Workforce Development consortium that spearheads awareness and resources for careers in the utility industry. This statewide initiative ensures that colleges and education leaders are communicating future employment opportunities to students and preparing them with the skills our industry needs

to be successful. Janet Herrin participated in the workforce readiness roundtable hosted by the Tennessee Department of Education and Volkswagen Chattanooga in August.

We also attended the quarterly board meeting of the governor of Alabama’s Workforce Development Board to review curriculum proposals that will benefit growth industries, such as the energy sector, in both trades and labor programs and career readiness initiatives. This involvement is key to our workforce needs as we move closer to possible Bellefonte completion.

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Virginia Tech September 13-14, 2011Blacksburg, VA

University of Alabama HuntsvilleSeptember 14, 2011Huntsville, AL

North Carolina A&TSeptember 14, 2011Greensboro, NC

Lane CollegeSeptember 15, 2011Jackson, TN

Auburn September 19, 2011 Auburn, AL

University of Alabama Tuscaloosa-EngineeringSeptember 21, 2011Tuscaloosa, AL

University of Tennessee Knoxville September 22, 2011Knoxville, TN

University of Alabama Tuscaloosa-GeneralSeptember 22, 2011Tuscaloosa, AL

West VirginiaSeptember 22, 2011Morgantown, WV

UT Knoxville-MBA Fall Job & Internship FairSeptember 23, 2011Knoxville, TN

UT Knoxville-LogisticsSeptember 26-27, 2011Knoxville, TN

Vanderbilt UniversitySeptember 27, 2011Nashville, TN

Alabama A&MSeptember 27, 2011Normal, AL

University of KentuckySeptember 27, 2011Lexington, KY

Mississippi StateSeptember 28, 2011Starkville, MS

Spelman-Atlanta University ConsortiumSeptember 28, 2011Atlanta, GA

TuskegeeSeptember 29, 2011Tuskegee, AL

North Carolina StateOctober 5, 2011Raleigh, NC

National Black MBAOctober 4-8, 2011Atlanta, GA

Tennessee TechOctober 6, 2011Cookeville, TN

Middle Tennessee State UniversityOctober 12, 2011Murfreesboro, TN

University of Mississippi-Oxford October 12, 2011Oxford, MS

Auburn Co-opOctober 13, 2011Auburn, AL

Society of Women EngineersOctober 13-15, 2011Chicago, IL

NSBE Regional Conference November 12-13, 2011Jackson, MS

San Antonio SACCNovember 17-18, 2011San Antonio, TX

Power GenDecember 13-15, 2011Las Vegas, NV

Talent Sourcing in the FallPreparations for our fall and winter recruiting events are well under way as we schedule college visits and assess our hiring opportunities and intern needs for the fall. Please let us know if you are interested in attending a college career fair or a classroom visit to discuss career opportunities at TVA!

caReeR FaiRs

Questions and Answers on the Intern Program

What is the required GPA for participation in the program?The student must have at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale.

How old does the student have to be?The student must be at least 18 years of age.

Does the student have to be enrolled as a full-time or part-time student?The student must be enrolled as a full-time student in a U.S. Department of Education-accredited college or university.

How many hours does the student need to complete in order to be in TVA’s intern program?The student must have completed the freshman year of college as defined by the college.

TVA Interns

“

”

I began my internship with TVA two and a

half years ago having had little exposure

to the corporate world, but I was excited

to be part of a company that contributes

so much to the Tennessee Valley.

Throughout my time here, particularly

in People & Performance, I’ve learned

to embrace challenges as opportunities

for growth, and that communication is

critical for success. The experience I’ve

gained has illuminated a career path that

I might have otherwise overlooked and

has laid the foundation for what I hope

will be a fulfilling future.

Laura Elizabeth Gaston

Talent Management Intern Program

Highlights of the Summer Intern Program

On July 27, the interns were invited to attend a Chattanooga Lookouts baseball game at AT&T Field. Sixty-five interns attended this event.

The first week of August, the Fossil Power Group’s summer interns gave presentations. FPG had a total of 30 interns this summer. Each intern gave a presentation on what they learned and experienced over the summer as well as some key highlights.

There are requests for more than 300 interns for this fall.

Conversion of interns to full-time employees is 79 percent. Diversity is 36 percent.

Considering offering relocation benefits to your new hires or transfers? If so, did you know the Government Services Administration (GSA) has changed the Federal Travel Regulations for relocation benefits as of August 1, 2011? The matrix below highlights the changes.

Changes To Relocation Policy Effective 8/1/11

Benefit Changes Old Policy Policy Effective 8/1/11

Time Limit 2 year time limit with 2 year extension (total 4 years)

1 year time limit with 1 year extension (total 2 years)

Distance Test Distance from old and new official station must be at least 50 miles.

New official station must be at least 50 miles further from old residence than old official station.

Required Counseling No counseling required Counseling must be provided to all employees receiving relocation benefits. The counseling may take place after selection prior to acceptance of the job offer.

Temporary Living Allowance Agreement

No agreement If employee receives a temporary living allowance, the employee must occupy temporary quarters and incur expenses. If no expenses are incurred, the employee must pay the lump sum amount back to TVA.

Miscellaneous Allowance

$500 employee only; $1,000 family

Effective July 18, 2011, $650 employee only; $1,300 family

Household Goods Weight Limit

18,000 lbs weight limit Still 18,000 lbs limit but a 2,000 lbs allowance was added to cover packing materials in the shipment. Also, the employee has to choose if they want TVA to arrange and move their household goods (actual expense) or they can elect a self-move and be reimbursed for eligible expenses (commute rate). The method chosen has to be authorized on the travel order form.

Temporary Storage 90 days storage with 90 days extension (total 180)

60 days storage with 90 days extension (total 150)

Shipment of Vehicle No limit Limited to 2 vehicles - Vehicles must be in operating condition and legally tagged and titled.

Property Management Services

Not an option in our current relocation program

New program added to assist homeowners with renting their departure homes instead of selling. Third party relocation company will assist with finding renters, collecting rent payments, etc. The effective date of this program will be retroactive to January 1, 2008.

Service Agreements Agree to remain in government services for 1 year following the effective date of transfer. If there is a violation of this agreement, all moneys connected with the transfer will be recoverable as debt due the United States.

Same agreement as previously, but the following language was added: If no temporary living expenses are actually incurred, I agree to repay any temporary living allowance to TVA. I agree I have received adequate relocation counseling prior to accepting this offer. I certify that neither my immediate family nor I have accepted, and will not accept, duplicate reimbursement for relocation expenses. To my knowledge, no third party has accepted duplicate reimbursement for my relocation expenses.

Travel Order Forms and Extension/Exception Forms

TVA 586 - Nonmanagement New HiresTVA 586T - All Transfer and New Hire MGS TVA 20408 - Extension/Exception Form

TVA 20591 - Nonmanagement New Hires TVA 20592 - All Transfer and New Hire MGS TVA 20593 - Extension/Exception Form

For additional information, please contact Erical Beasley, Program Manager, Relocation Services at 423-751-4956 or edhambrick@tva.gov.

Changes in Relocation Benefits

Contractor Workforce ManagementNew Process for Requesting and Managing Noncraft

Staff Augmentation Contractors Rolled out June 30, 2011

The responsibility for administering the noncraft staff augmentation program was recently transferred from Supply Chain in Financial Services to Talent Management in People & Performance. This action will help ensure that requests for noncraft staff augmentation are aligned with the organizational workforce plans and will provide process oversight.

Form TVA 20590 (Contractor Workforce Planning – Request for Staff Augmentation Noncraft Contractor) has been revised based on several recommendations from organizations who have used the form to request staff augmentation noncraft contractors since implementation of the process on June 30. The revised form is available from the Forms Catalog on InsideNet.

Hiring managers should use the form TVA 20590 to request all noncraft staff augmentation contractors. The completed form should be emailed to CWMSupport@tva.gov for approval by the Contingent Workforce Review Team. Orders should not be entered into Elance until the hiring manager is notified by the Contingent Workforce Review Team that the request has been approved.

A team of representatives from the Fossil Power Group, Operations Support and Fleet Governance, Nuclear Power Group and People & Performance has been working to consolidate the various contractor check-in and check-out forms used by the different organizations. We anticipate the consolidated form to be finalized and available by the beginning of the fiscal year. Managers will be notified via email when the new form is available.

As a reminder, at the end of the contractor assignment, the hiring manager is responsible for completing the appropriate check-out form (TVA

17981-Contractor Required Check-In/Check-Out for non-nuclear organizations or TVA 40156-TVA NPG Employee and Contractor UAA/UA Check-Out Sheet for nuclear organizations). The hiring manager is also responsible for collecting TVA assets assigned to the contractor including computer equipment, VPN token, Blackberry, cellular telephone, pager, etc.

More emphasis is also being placed on mapping the work being performed by the staff augmentation (noncraft) contractor to the job title/job code that is most comparable to work being performed. This will help with determining the appropriate security level (both physical and logical) that is necessary for the contractor as well as for Technical Training to determine the training the contractor is required to have completed to work at a particular site. Stay tuned for more to come in this area.

For any additional questions regarding the process for obtaining staff augmentation noncraft contractors, please contact Susan Boyd in Talent Management at 423-751-6688 or Nikki Reed at 423-751-4882.

Produced periodically by Talent Sourcing and Support Services, Workforce News provides updates on recruiting, staffing and other activities aimed at ensuring TVA has the right people and the right skills in place at the right time to achieve our vision. If you have questions or comments, or would like us to

address a particular topic in a future issue, please e-mail Tempe Wagner at twagner@tva.gov.

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