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Why Work for the federal government?
There are so many reasons you should apply to work for the federal government. Government employees have amazing benefits including great health care plans, good retirement, one of the best 401k plans which is called the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), tuition reimbursement, loan repayment, bonuses, and more. Federal jobs also include family-friendly work policies, on-site daycare, and flexible scheduling including telework. Strength in diversity, which creates a strong and committed workforce, is yet another reason to work for the federal government. Finally, one of the most important reasons to apply for a federal government job is to be a part of our country and the government’s mission to secure the rights and freedoms of individual citizens.
Federal Application Process: Finding Jobs We’ll start by reviewing the Federal Application Process. The government hires employees through a variety of mechanisms targeting various types of positions including scientific, executive, administration and many other types of jobs. Not all of these positions can be found on USAJOBS, some announcements can be found today trhourgh agency blogs or publications. USAJOBS, however, is where most federal government vacancy announcements are posted and USAJOBS’ Studentjobs.gov hosts jobs specifically for students or at the entry levels.
Vacancy Announcements Before you begin writing, building, or updating your Federal resume, you must consider the vacancy announcement to which you are planning to apply. Each vacancy announcement contains information that is critical to the application you submit so it is important that you read the entire announcement before you begin. If you have questions about the position, be sure to contact the HR Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement, and always print a copy of the application for your records.
Your Federal resume Now let’s review crafting a resume to make you stand out of the pack. Unlike in the private sector, you will not want to use a short, generic resume to apply for a Federal position. In a Federal resume, specific information is required, some information is requested, and some added information will make you stand out as the best applicant.
Summary and ObjectiveHere are a few basics to remember when crafting your resume. If you choose to add a career summary or objective, or if you want to submit a cover letter for your resume, make sure that you customize the wording to target individual positions. For example, if you are applying for a position with the the National Institute of Health (NIH), instead of “Objective: To assist your organization in reaching its goals and objectives using my skills acquired in Management," target the agency and the Institute or Center you are applying to specifically. You could change your wording to: “Objective: To contribute my skills as a management analyst to the NIH mission by providing administrative support for the basic and applied research conducted there to prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases.”
Work Experience Federal resumes are different then private sector resumes for many additional reasons. For example, your work experience should be written as though you’re describing your job to someone who knows very little about it. Devote the most space and detail to describing your current position if it is the most relevant to the job you are seeking. Never assume that the Human Resources (HR) staff who are reviewing your application know how to do this job or what you may have done in a similar position.
USAJOBS allows users to store up to 5 different resumes, so be sure to target your work experience to the particular job you’re applying for.
Social Security Number and Up-To-Date InformationAnother tip to remember is to not include your Social Security Number on your resume. It makes it difficult to guard your personal information when HR transfers a resume or application to a hiring manager. Make sure you have the most up-to-date contact information on your resume, and be sure to call the HR Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement if your contact information changes during the application process.
Boost Up Your Qualifications When applying to the federal government, many applicants fail to provide enough information to qualify them for their desired position. It’s important to remember to provide as much relevant information about your qualifications, education, and work experience as possible. Read the vacancy questions thoroughly, and they will provide you with an idea of the kinds of education and experience wanted by the selecting official. Then, focus your resume on the type of qualifications the vacancy is requesting, and you’ll be sure to make your resume stand out.
Special Projects and Experience It is important to not focus solely on the day-to-day activities of the previous positions you’ve held. Much of that work is similar to other applicants who are applying for the same job, so in order to stand out, you want to list the special projects, experiences, and learning opportunities that make you different from the other applicants. Put the items that you are most proud of at the top and the day-to-day tasks further down the list. Also be sure to include start and end dates for all previous employment.
USAJOBS resume Builder Most government jobs require you to submit a USAJOBS resume, however some applicants are skeptical about cutting and pasting their well-crafted, professional looking resumes into USAJOBS because it removes all formatting. It’s important to understand that the USAJOBS resume builder serves as an excellent guide for the information that Federal human resources professionals need to know about applying candidates. Examples of this type of information include: eligibility for Veteran’s preference and displaced Federal employees, as well as any additional information applicants may leave off a private industry resume in the interest of space. In the Additional Information field, applicants are asked to detail any awards received, software proficiency, or list training applicable to the position. This field allows up to 20,000 characters.
Education and Salary Another item to include on your Federal resume is the type of education you have received. Be sure to include the name of the school, city, state, and the date you received your diploma or degree, and if you did not complete your degree, please indicate the total of credit hours you earned and indicate whether they were semester or quarter hours.
Additionally, if you’d like a salary higher than the Step 1 of the grade level you’re applying for, then be sure to include your current salary level on your resume as a reference.
Foreign Degree If you have a foreign degree, your degree must be evaluated by a nationally recognized Accrediting Agency. You must submit proof of such evaluation. For more information, see the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services website at http://www.naces.org/. This website is for informational purposes only and does not imply an endorsement of any specific agency.
Additional Tips
Include numbers, whenever appropriate, to quantify results and highlight your experience.
Your resume should be written in an-- Action, Task, Result format - For example, “In my current position as an Administrative Assistant, I increased the efficiency of our task completion rate from 55 to 86% over a one month period by revising the incoming review process.”
Your resume should include a fair amount of detail and be between two and five pages long.
Be sure to spell out all of the acronyms that you use throughout your resume.
Make sure that you include dates, as well, so that the reviewer has an idea of how long you have been performing the work.
Be sure to thoroughly read the announcement and follow instructions.
Your resume and Quality Ranking Factors or Competencies (KSAs) should mirror each other, meaning that if you submit a resume that does not match the experience reflected on your KSA responses, your overall score may be lowered or you may be disqualified from consideration.
What Happens Next?Now you have the knowledge to help you craft a resume that should rise to the top of the pack!
Remember that the Federal application and selection process can take up to 90 days after the vacancy announcement closes. You can check the status of your application through the USAJOBS by clicking on “My Applications.” Here you will see a list of the vacancies for which you have applied.
Additional ResourcesMore information about specific careers with the federal government can be found in online tutorials on our Jobs website at http://www.dreamfedjob.com/. Good luck!
Federal Application Process: Finding Jobs We’ll start by reviewing the Federal Application Process. The government hires employees through a variety of mechanisms targeting various types of positions including scientific, executive, administration and many other types of jobs. Not all of these positions can be found on USAJOBS, some announcements can be found today trhourgh agency blogs or publications. USAJOBS, however, is where most federal government vacancy announcements are posted and USAJOBS’ Studentjobs.gov hosts jobs specifically for students or at the entry levels.
Vacancy Announcements Before you begin writing, building, or updating your Federal resume, you must consider the vacancy announcement to which you are planning to apply. Each vacancy announcement contains information that is critical to the application you submit so it is important that you read the entire announcement before you begin. If you have questions about the position, be sure to contact the HR Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement, and always print a copy of the application for your records.
Your Federal resume Now let’s review crafting a resume to make you stand out of the pack. Unlike in the private sector, you will not want to use a short, generic resume to apply for a Federal position. In a Federal resume, specific information is required, some information is requested, and some added information will make you stand out as the best applicant.
Summary and ObjectiveHere are a few basics to remember when crafting your resume. If you choose to add a career summary or objective, or if you want to submit a cover letter for your resume, make sure that you customize the wording to target individual positions. For example, if you are applying for a position with the the National Institute of Health (NIH), instead of “Objective: To assist your organization in reaching its goals and objectives using my skills acquired in Management," target the agency and the Institute or Center you are applying to specifically. You could change your wording to: “Objective: To contribute my skills as a management analyst to the NIH mission by providing administrative support for the basic and applied research conducted there to prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases.”
Work Experience Federal resumes are different then private sector resumes for many additional reasons. For example, your work experience should be written as though you’re describing your job to someone who knows very little about it. Devote the most space and detail to describing your current position if it is the most relevant to the job you are seeking. Never assume that the Human Resources (HR) staff who are reviewing your application know how to do this job or what you may have done in a similar position.
USAJOBS allows users to store up to 5 different resumes, so be sure to target your work experience to the particular job you’re applying for.
Social Security Number and Up-To-Date InformationAnother tip to remember is to not include your Social Security Number on your resume. It makes it difficult to guard your personal information when HR transfers a resume or application to a hiring manager. Make sure you have the most up-to-date contact information on your resume, and be sure to call the HR Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement if your contact information changes during the application process.
Boost Up Your Qualifications When applying to the federal government, many applicants fail to provide enough information to qualify them for their desired position. It’s important to remember to provide as much relevant information about your qualifications, education, and work experience as possible. Read the vacancy questions thoroughly, and they will provide you with an idea of the kinds of education and experience wanted by the selecting official. Then, focus your resume on the type of qualifications the vacancy is requesting, and you’ll be sure to make your resume stand out.
Special Projects and Experience It is important to not focus solely on the day-to-day activities of the previous positions you’ve held. Much of that work is similar to other applicants who are applying for the same job, so in order to stand out, you want to list the special projects, experiences, and learning opportunities that make you different from the other applicants. Put the items that you are most proud of at the top and the day-to-day tasks further down the list. Also be sure to include start and end dates for all previous employment.
USAJOBS resume Builder Most government jobs require you to submit a USAJOBS resume, however some applicants are skeptical about cutting and pasting their well-crafted, professional looking resumes into USAJOBS because it removes all formatting. It’s important to understand that the USAJOBS resume builder serves as an excellent guide for the information that Federal human resources professionals need to know about applying candidates. Examples of this type of information include: eligibility for Veteran’s preference and displaced Federal employees, as well as any additional information applicants may leave off a private industry resume in the interest of space. In the Additional Information field, applicants are asked to detail any awards received, software proficiency, or list training applicable to the position. This field allows up to 20,000 characters.
Education and Salary Another item to include on your Federal resume is the type of education you have received. Be sure to include the name of the school, city, state, and the date you received your diploma or degree, and if you did not complete your degree, please indicate the total of credit hours you earned and indicate whether they were semester or quarter hours.
Additionally, if you’d like a salary higher than the Step 1 of the grade level you’re applying for, then be sure to include your current salary level on your resume as a reference.
Foreign Degree If you have a foreign degree, your degree must be evaluated by a nationally recognized Accrediting Agency. You must submit proof of such evaluation. For more information, see the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services website at http://www.naces.org/. This website is for informational purposes only and does not imply an endorsement of any specific agency.
Additional Tips
Include numbers, whenever appropriate, to quantify results and highlight your experience.
Your resume should be written in an-- Action, Task, Result format - For example, “In my current position as an Administrative Assistant, I increased the efficiency of our task completion rate from 55 to 86% over a one month period by revising the incoming review process.”
Your resume should include a fair amount of detail and be between two and five pages long.
Be sure to spell out all of the acronyms that you use throughout your resume.
Make sure that you include dates, as well, so that the reviewer has an idea of how long you have been performing the work.
Be sure to thoroughly read the announcement and follow instructions.
Your resume and Quality Ranking Factors or Competencies (KSAs) should mirror each other, meaning that if you submit a resume that does not match the experience reflected on your KSA responses, your overall score may be lowered or you may be disqualified from consideration.
What Happens Next?Now you have the knowledge to help you craft a resume that should rise to the top of the pack!
Remember that the Federal application and selection process can take up to 90 days after the vacancy announcement closes. You can check the status of your application through the USAJOBS by clicking on “My Applications.” Here you will see a list of the vacancies for which you have applied.
Additional ResourcesMore information about specific careers with the federal government can be found in online tutorials on our Jobs website at http://www.dreamfedjob.com/. Good luck!
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