Final answer:
PSIs are conducted to determine if an individual is eligible for access to classified information or sensitive duties within the federal government. The appointment to federal jobs involves different stringent criteria depending on the service category, such as competitive, excepted, or senior executive service.
Step-by-step explanation:
Personnel Security Investigations (PSIs) are used to determine the eligibility of an individual for access to classified information or retention to sensitive duties. In the federal government, jobs can be categorized into competitive service, excepted service, and senior executive service. Competitive service positions require adhering to qualifications set by Congress and the Office of Personnel Management, such as work history, education, and civil service exams. Conversely, excepted service positions, which include agencies like the CIA, may have a more rigorous hiring process or require very specific skills, allowing for different pay rates and requirements. Senior executive service positions demand candidates to exhibit executive core qualifications (ECQs) such as leading change and business acumen. Various forms of testing, including cognitive ability tests like the Wonderlic Personnel Test (WPT) and personality tests, may be used to ensure candidate suitability for highly stressful jobs, such as those in law enforcement.