Final answer:
Federal jobs were required to be determined by a merit system based on civil service exams due to legislation like the Pendleton Act of 1883, with ongoing adjustments to account for a candidate's overall qualifications.
Step-by-step explanation:
Issues such as the evolution of the federal hiring process led to legislation that changed how federal employees were hired and required government jobs to be determined by a merit system based on civil service examinations. Over time, this system has incorporated an evaluation of the applicant's education, background, knowledge, skills, and abilities, or KSAs, but for certain positions, civil service exams are still required. The Pendleton Act of 1883 and the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 were significant pieces of legislation that shaped this merit-based selection process.