- Why work for the Federal Government?
- What kinds of jobs are available?
- Where do I begin?
- Should I search agency websites for job listings?
- What is Veterans’ Preference?
- How is my application evaluated?
- How long will I have to wait to hear anything?
- How should I prepare for the interview?
- What happens after the interview?
- Post-Graduate Programs
- What opportunities are available for students?
- The Partnership for Public Service
- How can I decipher Government want ads?
- Sample Job Annoucement
- What is the Federal Résumé and the OF-612?
- Sample résumé
- Should I submit a cover letter with my application?
- What is a KSA?
- What are some tips for writing great KSAs?
- What to do if you lack a skill?
- Questionnaires
- Sample KSA
- Printable Version
Why work for the Federal Government?
With more than one million jobs, 400 occupational
specialties, and 100 agencies and bureaus, the Federal Government
is the nation's largest employer. Each year
hundreds of thousands of people are hired by federal agencies
at a rate of about 20,000 per month. There are many reasons
applicants seek federal employment: making a difference in the
lives of Americans; receiving federal benefits that can be competitive
with those offered in the private sector; opportunities
for career advancement; job security or the ability to move
around geographically and between agencies. Whatever the
reason, the Federal Government provides fertile ground for job
hunters. US Citizenship is required for most federal jobs.
What kinds of jobs are available?
Some people believe that most federal agency work is boring. However, the Federal Government has more than the stereotypical "paper pushing" jobs. It provides an opportunity to apply skills and knowledge to a wide variety of challenges: helping to foster economic growth, working towards national security, exploring outer space, or overseeing a museum, to name a few. Within the Federal Government, you have a chance to make a difference, as well as grow professionally.
Many view the Federal Government as a large, impenetrable monster. The perception is that the application process is too cumbersome, "it takes forever for a hiring decision to be made," and the process is too confusing and complicated. Some of these fears may be accurate. Therefore, you need to be flexible with your search. At first it might appear daunting, but you should start by searching the government job listings on USAJobs, the US Office of Personnel Management's central database, at www.usajobs.opm.gov. By law, all competitive service jobs that are not restricted to internal applicants must be posted to the public. This comprises about half of all federal job openings. USAJobs allows you to sort openings by occupation, location, occupational group, keyword, pay grade, and government agency. You can also program the site to repeat searches automatically and e-mail you the results every day or week. When utilizing USAJobs think about the agencies in which you would like to work, your salary requirements and your focus. Target agencies or bureaus that heavily employ people in your occupation or field of study. Also, consider conducting Keyword, Job Title, or Occupational Series searches, as you will be surprised by the agencies that hire people in your discipline. After conducting a few searches, you should be able to hone in on a few occupational series that closely match your interests. Be flexible with the terms that you utilize, as the Federal Government uses broad, vague, and often confusing titles. While the private sector might list a job title as "Web Designer," the Federal Government might list the same job as a "visual arts specialist," "public relations specialist," or "information technology manager." In addition to the occupational code, each job has a General Schedule (GS) Code that corresponds to its minimum requirements, level of responsibility, and salary ranges. A good site that includes information on federal jobs is Avue Central at www.avuecentral.com.
Should I search agency websites for job listings?
Most agencies or departments within the Federal Government have their own job Web sites. If you focus your job search on a few specific agencies, it is a good idea to search directly through the listings on their sites, because agencies will often provide additional information about jobs on their own sites. There are a number of agencies that are outside the traditional civil service and are not required to include their vacancies on USAJobs. These include agencies within the government's judicial and legislative branches, such as the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and excepted agencies: the US Foreign Service, USAID, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and several intelligence agencies, such as the FBI, CIA, DIA, and NSA. If you are interested in working for any of these agencies, you should be sure to check their Web sites.
Not everyone who serves in the Armed Forces qualifies as preference eligible. By law, veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military campaigns are entitled to preference over non-veterans. This is true both in hiring from competitive lists of eligibles and in retention during reductions in force. There are two types of preference: 5-Point Preference and 10-Point Preference. Applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete form SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference. Preference is awarded based on specific criteria. For more information, visit USAJobs.
How is my application evaluated?
After you submit your résumé and other requested information, you will be evaluated based on your qualifications and generally assigned a numerical score based on the information you provide. You will receive points for related education, experience, special skills, awards, and written tests (if required). The maximum points any applicant may accumulate is 100. Veterans eligible for Veterans' preference will have either 5 or 10 points added to their scores. Depending on the process being used by the hiring agency, you are typically considered through one of two methods. Under the first method, applicants will be ranked based on their scores and the selecting official will choose from the top three candidates. In this method, a non-veteran may not be selected over a veteran with a higher ranking. Under the second method, applicants are divided into two or three categories based on their scores with "best qualified" being the highest category. In whatever category a preference-eligible veteran is placed, he or she must receive first consideration for hiring and cannot be "passed over" for a non-veteran. Do not expect to be contacted for an interview for every position. The Federal Government grants very few interviews, as only the top two or three candidates are generally called in for an interview. Thus, your résumé, KSAs, and other supplemental paperwork are going to have an even greater impact on your chances for employment than in a job search within the private sector. Therefore, instead of waiting until the interview to really sell yourself, you must utilize the application to convince employers that you have the qualifications, experience, and skills necessary to successfully complete relevant tasks.
How long will I have to wait to hear a response?
As with most job offers, you will have to wait a while before hearing back about the status of your application. However, the federal government is slower than most private employers. You may hear back from them in as few as two weeks, or as long as three months after the closing date. If the employer is using an automated hiring system, you can try to check the status of your application online. It is acceptable to contact the hiring manager three weeks after the closing date for an update.
How should I prepare for the interview?
Prepare for this interview as you would for any other. You should research the department with which you are interviewing. Visit the agency’s Web site, talk with other agency employees you know, and review the job announcement. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to find the interview location and arrive early. You most likely will have to go through security and screening, and you do not want to be hurried. Bring photo ID and leave any large bags at home. You want to appear as professional as possible and look like a future federal employee. When in the interview room, be as sure of yourself as possible. Follow the same guidelines you would during any interview: use a firm handshake, make eye contact, and pose intelligent, well-researched questions that will make you stand out. Ask about the specifics of the job and about the agency. Make sure your answers highlight your unique skills.
What happens after the interview?
After the interview, send a thank-you note to the interviewer(s). This will keep you in the employer's mind, let them know of your high interest and help your chances of landing the job. It can take up to three weeks after the interview before you hear from the employer again. They may contact you by phone, mail, or e-mail. When contacted with a job offer, that is the time to negotiate a salary, not beforehand. Keep in mind that federal jobs are almost always on the GS or a similar scale, and as such there is minimal flexibility with salary. When you are offered a job, but need time to think about the offer, request more time. Employers are usually willing to wait a few days before moving to their next candidate. If you are waiting to hear about another job offer, do not accept or decline the one in hand until you are absolutely sure which you want to accept.
Another means to break into Federal Government is through post-graduate gateway programs into federal service. Many of these programs, such as the prestigious Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program, are available only for applicants completing graduate degrees. These post-graduate programs have very specific application processes, and many have very early application deadlines, in advance of graduation. PMF, which was started in 1977, provides both formal and informal training and assignments to graduates that demonstrate exceptional academic skills, capacity for leadership, potential for future professional growth, and commitment to a career in analysis and management of public policies. PMF positions last two years and are open to people with graduate degrees in any subject. Graduates generally start at the GS-09 pay level. You can find more information at www.pmf.opm.gov. The Federal Government also has a number of Federal Career Intern Programs aimed at applicants in the process of finishing graduate or undergraduate programs. Do not let the term "Intern" deter you. With most Federal Career Intern programs, interns are actually professional staff recruited at the GS-05, 07, and 09 grade levels to complete a two-year formal training and development "career conditional" program, after which they may be converted to full-time permanent positions. There is no central database for these positions; still, job seekers should check out the USAJobs and StudentJobs Web sites, as well as career Web sites for specific agencies they are targeting. A few of the agencies that utilize the Career Intern Program are EPA, HUD and USDA. Another popular program is the Department of Health and Human Service's Emerging Leaders Program, which allows participants to complete 60 to 90-day rotations within the Department for one year, and then to spend a second year working solely in their chosen career path. Federal employers may offer bonuses or student loan repayment.
What opportunities are available for students?
A great way to try out and ultimately make the transition to federal employment is through a federal internship or co-op prior to graduating. Students seeking internships should look for agencies in the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) or the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP). STEP provides students with part-time federal jobs during the school year or summer that do not have to be directly related to their major or career goals. SCEP offers experience directly related to a student's academic studies and generally requires commitments from the student, their school and the employing agency. In these jobs, students may earn school credit as well as pay. Once you have completed 640 hours of career-related work through SCEP, a student becomes eligible for conversion to permanent employment in the Federal Government. You can find internships, co-ops, and other part- and full-time jobs at www.studentjobs.gov. However, the Federal Government does not list all of these opportunities in one place. You should look directly at the student employment sites of federal agencies, look on www.students.gov and conduct a Keyword Search on USAJobs by utilizing STEP, SCEP, Student Career Experience Program or Student Temporary Employment Program as your search criteria. If you do not see internship or co-op positions available, consider a student volunteer position. These positions are unpaid, but they are a great way to gain experience in a particular career field or to try out different agencies. You may have to call an agency directly to inquire about volunteer opportunities.
The Partnership for Public Service
The Partnership is an organization that works with federal agencies, job seekers, university partners and students to help make the Federal Government an "employer of choice" for job seekers. Look at their Web site at www.ourpublicservice.org to learn more about the many possibilities for internships and employment within the Federal Government. They provide resources to help you better understand the nature and benefits of a federal service career, as well as tips to help you with your job search.
How are government jobs classified?
Federal jobs are sorted into occupational groups covering broad but related areas:
- GS-0000: Miscellaneous Occupations (Not elsewhere classified)
- GS-0100: Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare
- GS-0200: Human Resources Management
- GS-0300: General Administrative, Clerical, and Office Services
- GS-0400: Biological Sciences
- GS-0500: Accounting and Budget
- GS-0600: Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health
- GS-0700: Veterinary Medical Science
- GS-0800: Engineering and Architecture
- GS-0900: Legal and Kindred
- GS-1000: Information and Arts
- GS-1100: Business and Industry
- GS-1200: Copyright, Patent, and Trademark
- GS-1300: Physical Sciences
- GS-1400: Library and Archives
- GS-1500: Mathematics and Statistics
- GS-1600: Equipment, Facilities, and Services
- GS-1700: Education
- GS-1800: Investigation
- GS-1900: Quality Assurance, Inspection, and Grading
- GS-2000: Supply
- GS-2100: Transportation
- GS-2200: Information Technology
GS Levels by Education Requirements Alone
- GS-1: No High School Diploma
- GS-2: High School Diploma
- GS-3: One year of full-time study after High School
- GS-4: Associate Degree or two years of full-time study after High School
- GS-5: Bachelor's Degree
- GS-7: One year of full-time Graduate study, or Bachelor's Degree with Superior Academic Achievement
- GS-9: Master's Degree, Law degree, or equivalent amount and level of directly-related education
- GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate
When conducting an Occupational Series search on USAJobs, job seekers may select from a list of occupational series and job classifications, or if they know the 4-digit series number, they may type in that number, or only the first two digits to search an entire occupation group. For example, a Criminal Justice major may choose to conduct a search using the 4-digit series number for Customs Patrol Officer (1884), or just the first two digits (18) to search all occupational series within the Investigation occupation group. Each job also has a General Schedule (GS) Code that corresponds to its minimum requirements, level of responsibility, and salary ranges. Every job is assigned a grade level from 1 to 15. The higher the grade level, the more responsibility and better paying the job is. These codes are used throughout the government to identify occupational classifications of positions and the job titles. Within each grade level, there are 10 steps or sublevels. Pay ranges are increased every year and adjusted for the area in which the job is located. Updated GS salary figures can be found at www.opm.gov/oca.
How can I decipher Government Position Annoucements?
- Basic Information: At the top of every announcement are the announcement number, agency name, duty location and number of openings.
- Opening Date/Closing Date: An application must arrive at the agency by the closing date. Jobs are open for as few as five days, but most are open for at least two to three weeks.
- Salary Range: Based on the GS scale.
- Series and Grade: The GS occupational series and possible pay grades. A code of GS-1801-07/11 would mean that the job pays on the GS scale, is in the 1801 series and potential employees can be hired at/promoted to pay levels 7 through 11.
- Promotion Potential: The highest possible grade level for this job.
- Who may be considered: This states whether the job is open to Previous Federal Employees or All Qualified Candidates.
- Job Duties: Specific tasks of the job which include clues about the skills the employer is seeking.
- Qualifications: The level of education and/or experience a candidate must have to be qualified for the job. The job application should address all of these.
- How to Apply/Required Documents: This lists the materials that an applicant must provide, how they are to be submitted, and what forms are required. New graduates are well advised to submit copies of their transcript along with their federal job application, unless the announcement says otherwise. ALWAYS make sure you know exactly what forms are required. If unsure, call the human resources(HR) office for the agency. It may be necessary to obtain special forms directly from the HR office.
What are the Federal résumé and the OF-612?
For most federal jobs, applicants may apply utilizing a résumé or an Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF-612). Generally longer than the traditional one to two page résumé used when applying to the private sector, the federal-style résumé includes more information. Although the federal résumé is more standardized than the private industry résumé, it is still more flexible than the OF-612, and submitting a two to four page federal résumé is generally the preferred application format. In addition to length, a major difference between the federal résumé and the private industry résumé is that the federal résumé includes the applicant's social security number, supervisors's names, employer address and salaries. Also, if the résumé is submitted online, formating such as underlining, italicizing, bolding words or bullets can cause technical problems. ALL CAPS and white spacing can be used to have section titles stand out and for readability.
What is included on a Federal résumé?
- Contact Information: At the top you should include your full name, address, telephone number, social security number, and country of citizenship. See Section A of sample résumé on page 5.
- Job Facts:List the announcement number, position title, and grade level for the job being applied for. See Section B of sample résumé on page 5.
- Education:
- College:Give names, addresses, degrees, dates, and majors for any college/university attended. Also, give the number of credits earned in a subject related to the position for which you are applying. 24 credits in an area are often considered equivalent to a major. If still working toward a degree, give the number of credits earned and your expected graduation date. See Section C of sample résumé on page 5.
- High School: Provide name and address of the last high school attended, along with your graduating certificate (Diploma/GED) and the month and year you graduated. Nearly all applications for federal jobs require high school information.
- Academic work: If you received academic credit for work (internships, etc.) and it contributed to the completion of a degree, it cannot be credited as professional experience.
- Coursework: List courses that are job related. Describe the work done, projects completed, and awards received.
- GPA: Provide your GPA if you think it will help. Applicants can qualify for higher pay or special programs because of a high GPA, class rank, or membership in honor societies.
- Skills: Mention relevant skills not obvious elsewhere in the résumé, such as language and computer skills. See Section E of sample résumé on page 6.
- Work Experience: This section is most like a private sector résumé. Give the job title, starting and ending dates, employer's name and address, and major duties and accomplishments. Try to use the same words found in the vacancy announcement to emphasize that you are a match for the job. Also, show the average number of hours worked per week or simply state "full time." Furthermore, include salary earned, your supervisor's name, address, phone number, and whether he/she can be contacted. Also, be sure to mention relevant volunteer experience. Be sure to list your jobs chronologically, starting with the most recent, and put your most important and relevant duties first. The length and quality of your experience can determine your GS level and salary. Also be sure to include awards and cite achievements using specific numbers, as well as job training and certifications. See Section D of sample résumé on page 6.
- Important: Résumés should be neat, readable and professional. Do not mass-mail your résumé; submit your résumé only in response to specific job openings. Some agencies have their own automated résumé builders that are required. The easiest way to complete these is to copy-and-paste information from a word document into the appropriate forms. Agencies may scan for keywords that match those in the announcement.
- Note: The OF-510 Brochure entitled, "Applying for a Federal Job," has all the information you need to include on your federal résumé. This item can be found at www.usajobs.gov/forms. USAJobs also provides a résumé builder that allows you to submit and update your résumé quickly and easily.
Should I submit a cover letter with my application?
Although a cover letter is generally not required with the federal application, a good cover letter can add important information as well as draw attention to and elaborate on certain items in the résumé. The cover letter should demonstrate your enthusiasm for the position and/or agency. It does not need to be long, generally no more than one page, and should not just duplicate material that is on the résumé or in other parts of the application.
KSAs are Knowledge, Skills and Abilities statements. Federal job announcements may ask you to write KSAs to show how you meet the specific requirements of the job. It is not uncommon for an announcement to ask for 4-6 separate KSAs, although KSAs are not always referred to as such in position announcements; they may be called “Placement Factors” or “Quality Ranking Factors.”
Some KSA topics may be very broad and general, such as “skill in written and oral communications,” the most common KSA topic. Others may involve knowledge very specific to the discipline or the job, such as “familiarity with issues in biomedical imaging and bioengineering research” or “knowledge of crisis management practices, procedures and regulations and principles of emergency management in accordance with the National Incident Management System.” It is important to take the exercise of writing KSAs seriously, as these responses are a key component of your application.
What are some tips for writing great KSAs?
KSAs are generally one-half to one page in length, single-spaced, and written in paragraph form. Put each KSA on a separate page. The announcement may have specific instructions regarding their length, format and content. Regardless of topic, you should utilize specific examples, clear language, and precise wording to highlight your best accomplishments concisely. If possible, demonstrate your specific qualification utilizing more than one example, preferably 2-3 per KSA, to demonstrate the variety of ways you meet the qualification.
Your examples may pertain to a team activity. See page 8 for a sample KSA. If so, write in the first-person detailing your personal contributions to the team (what you did to contribute to the success of the activity). Do not limit yourself to work examples; it is fine to include examples that come from classes, papers, presentations, group projects, workshops, job training, and volunteer activities. When considering examples, demonstrate complexity, recency, and impact. Think broadly at first. Then narrow down your list to only the strongest, clearest examples of the most difficult, successful, and/or responsible work. Consider how the examples relate to the skills needed for the job in question.
To shape your statements, write down details about each of your main achievements. Think about the context in which the situation occurred, the task or challenges, what specific actions you took, and the results of those actions. This is commonly referred to as the STAR method, or Situation, Task, Actions, and Results. Look for accomplishments that highlight qualifications such as awards, special projects, and problems solved. If writing about a paper, describe its length, complexity, audience, research, and results (grade, publication, impact). Do not just summarize the achievement. Be sure to explain why the work was important, how you fixed the problem, the outcome, and demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Finally, as with any application materials, make sure you proofread your work thoroughly. Poor grammar and misspelled words will quickly ruin your chance for a great job. Edit out irrelevant examples and excess words. Ask a friend to read over your statements. Another set of eyes will help you catch mistakes. If what you have written is not clear to your friends, it will probably not be clear to the employer.
What do I do if I lack a skill?
If you lack only one or two skills out of many required for the job and you feel you make up for those weaknesses with strengths in other skill areas, it is probably still worth your time to apply for the job. However, you should address these weaknesses directly. Be sure to talk about strengths related to the skills in question. Discuss how you have indirectly used the skill or learned from someone who has.
An employer may ask you to fill out a questionnaire in addition to or instead of your KSA. They may ask you to rate your levels of experience and education. When possible, be sure to supply details to back up your ratings and always be truthful. Give examples of your experience and education. Employers will most likely use your résumé to verify your answers, but your answers will be read before your résumé, so they should be able to stand on their own.
