Landing a Job with the Federal Government

    The federal government, despite cutbacks, remains a major employer in the Washington, D.C., area. To land a job with Uncle Sam, you need to do three things:

1. Identify the names and descriptions of positions that match your qualifications and interests.
2. Learn which agencies and departments within them have job openings.
3. Apply effectively.

Identifying Federal Positions that Match Your Major and Qualifications

    To determine the names of positions, agencies, and departments of interest, consult the following resource in the Career Library:

• Federal Jobs: The Ultimate Guide. This directory enables you to name federal positions related to your occupational interests and determine which specific divisions within agencies hire for those positions.

    Remember not to make your job search too narrow. For instance, if you want a job as a writer, don’t apply only for positions named “Writer.” Look also under the “liberal arts” occupational interest area to uncover additional position titles (such as Program Analyst) since writing is the major skill used in many of these positions. The Office of Personnel Management’s web site below also includes a list of positions by college major.

Finding Job Openings

• Accessible and easy to use, the Office of Personnel Management’s worldwide website enables you to tap into current federal jobs, including entry-level professional, summer, and part-time. You can also search by keyword, agency, and geographic area. Additionally, you can print full-text job announcements, and hard copy application forms.
• Career America Connection. Local access by phone at (202) 606-2700 puts you in touch with worldwide federal job opportunities. You may request job announcements, forms and other employment-related literature by mail or fax. A Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) is available at (912) 744-2299.
• Federal Employment Information Center. This center, located at the Office of Personnel Management, provides touch-screen computers to access worldwide federal job opportunities and online information. You can also use them to request that forms and application packages be mailed to you.
• Networking. Call persons in agencies and departments of interest. Use the article on information interviewing in this guide to assist you. Interview to learn the trends in federal hiring and to obtain feedback on your qualifications.

How to Apply

    The cardinal rule for applying effectively is to review carefully the job vacancy announcement and follow the instructions therein. Complete and send any forms and transcripts required and emphasize your skills, knowledge, and accomplishments that relate to the job requirements.

    While some agencies, such as the Central Intelligence Agency and State Department, require that you use specific forms, most agencies now readily accept a federal resume as the main application. While you usually also have the option of applying with a OF612 Optional Application Form or a SF171 Application for Federal Employment, you can achieve a more attractive, flexible, and effective application by choosing to write a federal resume.

How to write a federal resume

    The federal resume must include information that is not needed in a resume for the private sector. The Federal Resume Guidebook by Kathryn Kraemer Troutman, available on reserve in the Career Library, gives excellent step-by-step instructions and samples. Your federal resume should include the following—note that Information specific to the federal (vs. private sector) resume is highlighted in bold:

• The job announcement number, job title, and job grade of the job for which you are applying
• Your full name, full mailing address, day and evening phone numbers, home e-mail. (Work email for federal employees is inappropriate).
• Social Security Number
• Country of citizenship
• Veteran’s Preference - call (202) 606-2700 and select “Veterans,” for details
• Reinstatement eligibility (for former federal employees). If requested, attach a SF 50 form.
• Highest Federal civilian grade held, including job series and dates held
• Education: high school’s name, city, state, zip code, and date of your diploma or GED; college’s name, city, state, zip code, your majors, and type and year of degrees held or number of hours completed
• Work experience, paid and unpaid: job title, duties and accomplishments, employer’s name and address, including zip code; supervisor’s name and phone number starting and ending dates, hours per week, and salary
• Indicate if your current supervisor can be contacted
• Job-related training courses
• Job-related knowledge or skills
• Current job-related certificates and licenses
• Job-related honors, awards, special accomplishments, leadership activities, memberships, or publications

When must you use the new scannable resume?

    Federal agencies, such as the Defense Department, the Air Force, and the Army are requiring a resume that can be scanned by optical character recognition equipment. In the announcements, these agencies will state: Resumix-Only Resumes will be accepted. To produce such a resume, you will need to follow carefully the specific format in the job kit instructions sent to you by that agency.

KSA’s: Essential to Your Federal Resume/Application

    KSA’s are Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities that the federal employer considers important for performing the specific job for which you are applying. Most vacancy notices list four to six KSA’s, also called by names such as Quality Ranking Factors or Supplemental Statements. The ratings you receive on these statements determine whether or not your application advances to the hiring panel or manager.

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