Assessments will be administered through the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) USA Hire assessment delivery platform.
USA Hire requires a reliable high-speed internet connection without a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
What is a VPN?
A VPN establishes a digital connection between your computer and a remote server owned by a VPN provider, creating a point-to-point tunnel that encrypts your personal data, masks your IP address, and lets you sidestep website blocks and firewalls on the internet. This ensures that your online experiences are private, protected, and more secure.
One of the most widely used types of VPN for the computer, a remote access VPN, gives off-site users the ability to connect to an organization's network, or a remote server, from their personal or organization-issued device. This can be accomplished by entering your authentication credentials via a login page, which then authorizes you to make the connection through your web browser. In organizational settings, this then allows you to access company files and resources on the company’s network without having to be in the office.
Identifying if you're on a VPN
Typically, if you are on government-furnished or company-provided equipment, this equipment will automatically connect to a VPN upon startup. Each organization will use a different VPN application or provider. However, if you’re unsure if you’re on a VPN, review the steps below on how to turn off a VPN to confirm you are disconnected from a VPN before you attempt to complete your USA Hire assessment.
Turning off a VPN
There are many VPN providers and applications. Therefore, this list is not all-inclusive, but it covers the most common ways to access/turn off a VPN. USA Hire requires a Virtual Private Network (VPN) be turned off while taking the assessments.
General steps to turn Off a VPN:
- Launch the VPN application on your device.
- Locate a disconnect or turn off option, often prominently displayed on the main user interface.
- Select this button to disconnect the VPN. Most VPN applications will confirm this status change by displaying a disconnected or VPN is off message.
How to turn Off a VPN on a Mac device
- Select the Apple icon located at the top left corner of your Mac home screen.
- Proceed to System Preferences, select Network, and then VPN.
- Select Disconnect to disable the Mac VPN.
How to turn Off a VPN on a Windows device
- Navigate to Settings.
- Select Network & Internet.
- Choose VPN from the menu on the left side of the screen.
- Identify and select the VPN connection you wish to disable.
- Select Disconnect to turn off the VPN.
How to turn Off a VPN on an iPhone
- Open your device Settings.
- Tap on the General option.
- Select VPN.
- Change the VPN status to Not Connected to turn off the iPhone VPN.
How to turn Off a VPN on an Android device
- Access Settings on your device.
- Navigate to Network & Internet.
- Tap on the VPN option.
- Change the VPN status to Off to disable the VPN on your Android device.