What is the Federal Application Process?

The Federal application process can overwhelm even the most aggressive job seeker.   Here is a summary of the process: 

             1. Apply using www.USAJOBS.gov:

•   Most of the jobs are available on this website.  There are a small number of agencies that are not on USAJOBS.gov and they can be found here: http://www.federaljobresults.com/federal-career-resources.html

       2. HR Rates and Ranks Applications

• They are looking for Key Words, Self-Assessment Questionnaire responses and a well-written Federal Resume

• They will put you into one of three categories: Not Qualified, Minimally Qualified, Best Qualified.  You want to be in the Best Qualified category. 

3. Top Applicants Referred

•  The top applicants move forward to the next step, which is to be “referred” to the hiring official for consideration.

4. Panel / Behavioral Interview

• Applicants whom the hiring manager wants to interview will be contacted.  Generally, the interview will be a panel with three individuals asking behavioral interview questions.  It is a test – and very competitive – so be prepared!

5. Contingent Job Offer Made

• Once you are interviewed and they decide they love you, they will generally extend a tentative job offer.  You will have to complete a background check.  The extent and type of check will depend on the level of security of the job.  You do not have to be perfect, but you need to be making strides in that direction.  Your eligibility for employment will depend on agency policy, how serious the incident was and how long ago it occurred.  Whatever the circumstances are, be honest in your responses to any questions you are asked because an agency can terminate your employment immediately if you are not completely honest during the investigation process. 

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal application that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at www.FederalJobResults.com.

Networking Your Way to a Federal Job Through the Holidays

Use the holiday flutter to network your way to a Federal hiring official.  What is networking and can it work for you?  Networking is the ability to leverage your constellation of friends, professional colleagues, neighbors and people you know to obtain advice, information and referrals.  Can it work in the Federal arena?  Of course it can!  It can be beneficial to have someone on the inside looking for your application to come through the system, but there are several steps that you want to master first:

• Research – learn about the field (agency) and how you fit in 

• Targeting – determine who to target and with whom you should meet (start at modest level and move up)
• Presentation – learn about agency’s needs and how you could fit in. 

Once you’re confident in your approach, practice what you say so that it is clear and concise.  Set a goal for the number of contacts you’ll make each week and follow through.  Determine a specific time of day during which you can make your networking calls.  If the phone seems overwhelming, start face-to-face with those you know, then move to the phone with some practice under your belt. 

Most importantly, have your 30 second commercial ready and rehearsed

–     What can you can tell someone about yourself in 30-60 seconds?

–     What differentiates you from others? 

–     Think of a unique perspective that they will remember

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal application that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at www.FederalJobResults.com.

Can I Apply to a Federal Job if I Have Bad Credit or a Legal Issue?

If you have had a minor altercation with the law or some financial hardships, you may still be eligible for Federal employment.  Your eligibility for employment will depend on agency policy, how serious the incident was and how long ago it occurred.  Whatever the circumstances are, be honest in your responses to any questions you are asked because an agency can terminate your employment immediately if you are not completely honest during the investigation process.  Even more importantly, you must disclose all of the event details and the progress you are making to move forward.  For example, if you owe Uncle Sam back taxes, make a payment arrangement and stay on track; show your proof of payment during the background process.   In some instances, there may be hurdles of which you should be aware.  For example, if you can’t manage your own checkbook but are applying to positions in which you would be managing Uncle Sam’s checkbook, it is probably best for you to look for other types of positions.  Similarly, if you have a history of drug abuse, the Drug Enforcement Agency is not interested in you applying to positions within that agency.  (I once had a seminar participant tell me that they should be interested in having individuals with experience apply.)  Fortunately for us, they are not.     

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal resume that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at www.FederalJobResults.com.

KSAs or no KSAs in the Federal Application?

Most agencies (96%) are no longer requiring that you submit KSA essay responses the initial time you apply to a Federal job.  However, if your application appeals to the HR Specialist, you may  receive a request to submit KSA essays after you've applied.  They may ask you to submit your essays before an interview is extended to you, or you may be asked to bring your KSA essays to an interview.  Alternatively, you may be asked to write your essays in the actual interview (probably after a successful interview)!  The bottom line is that the KSA essay has not disappeared and you may be asked to submit some written essays if you are going to move forward in the application process.  The reason is simple.  The work we do in the government requires writing – an email, report to Congress, etc.  The agencies interested in you want to make sure you can put some sentences together to get your point across using proper grammar and plain language. 

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal resume that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at www.FederalJobResults.com.

Why is it so Hard to Get a Federal Job?

There are three main reasons. First, many people apply to Federal jobs without a tight Federal resume — it is usually not in the proper Federal format and, more importantly, is not written with the HR Specialist’s perspective in mind. They are looking for skills and competencies and most applicants focus on accomplishments. Second, many people apply to jobs for which they may be qualified, but not best qualified. HR Specialists in the Federal government will not move your resume forward in the hiring process unless they find that you are one of the highest qualified applicants for the position. They use a technique we call the “80% rule.” If you’ve done 80% of the duties listed in the vacancy announcement, it is probably a good announcement for you to pursue. Third, most applicants do not include the information to support the KSA statements in their resumes. If you see the KSAs listed in the vacancy announcement, you need to address them in your resume. 

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal resume that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at http://www.federaljobresults.com/.

Federal Jobs: Which Jobs Do I Choose?

To identify actual vacancy announcements that are a good fit for your qualifications, you must carefully review the vacancy announcement language from www.USAJOBS.gov, particularly the language in the “Duties” and “Qualifications & Evaluations” tabs.  Look for a majority match between the duties listed and your skills.  For the qualifications required, make sure you possess them.  As you identify those vacancies that seem like a good fit, record the Job Series (a four digit number found on the Overview tab) for those jobs.  Keep this Job Series in mind; you can use this information as you prepare your Federal resume. 

KSAs (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities): Look for the “Knowledge, Skills and Abilities” or “KSAs” in the vacancy announcement.  Make sure you possess all of them before moving forward.    

Self-Assessment Questionnaire Review: There is usually a link in the vacancy announcement to the Self-Assessment Questionnaire.  See if you can answer the majority of the questions at the “expert” or the highest level.  If you can’t, you might consider by-passing that particular vacancy announcement. 

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal resume that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at www.FederalJobResults.com.

Federal Resume: What Information Do I Need To Get Started Writing My Federal Resume?

Employment / Work / Service History:

Information about your professional experience for the last 10 years, listing each of your jobs with month started and month finished. Place major focus on last three to four jobs. Make sure this information is comprehensive and detailed in terms of what you did at each position. Try to focus on the skills you used and the results you were responsible for making happen. Keep these questions in mind:

What skills/competencies did I use? How did I do the work?

• How did I overcome challenges – what skills did I exercise?
• Who were my customers/clients?
• How did I communicate with others?

Information for each job you have held:

• Job Title
• Company name (without abbreviations), City, State and Zip Code
• Salary (total compensation) information
• Supervisor’s first and last name and phone number

Information about your university or college education, along with the year graduated and major(s) and minor(s). If you have not graduated, please provide the number of semester hours toward completion of your degree. You can include your GPA if it is really high or you are a recent graduate.

Information about the following:

• Technical / Computer skills
•  Security Clearance – previous or current with details
•  Publications
•  Special activities
•  Community service
•  Special interests
•  Volunteer activities
•  Memberships
•  Presentations
•  Languages

Accomplishment Stories: Before you start creating your resume, develop several “Accomplishment Stories.” These are stories about things you have done, accomplishments you have achieved, changes you have instigated, processes you have improved, etc. These stories can be used to respond to KSA (Knowledge, Skill and Ability) essays. They bring validity to your skill set. When writing your “Accomplishment Stories,” provide a variety of examples. One of the best ways to do this is to review your target vacancy announcements for the KSAs (usually found under “Qualifications and Evaluations” tab). The KSAs will serve as a guide to determine which topics you may want to cover. Some examples might involve specific projects, but you can also write about job duties and responsibilities. You should use specific time, dollar or numerical values whenever possible to show the depth and breadth of your experience at a high level. Using the following formula, identify several “Accomplishment Stories” for each position you have held.

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal resume that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at www.FederalJobResults.com.

Federal Hiring: What Has Changed in the Most Recent USAJOBS Upgrade?

Most Federal job seekers know that USAJOBS.gov was undergoing a make-over.  What are the major changes that will affect applicants the most?  Here they are:

• USAJOBS has the capability of being searched by HR recruiters!  Make sure you input all of the information required for your profile (especially the 500 character personal information block).  Additionally, you can now upload a Word document version of your resume into USAJOBS to be searchable by recruiters.  In the past, only the resumes inputted or built into USAJOBS were searchable. 
• Work Experience, Training and Publications Block space has increased from 3,000 characters to 5,000 characters.  In the past, many applicants with longer resumes would have to use a workaround to ensure all characters would be included. 
• Final Resume View comes up automatically for you to quickly preview your final product and see how the recruiters will view your resume.  Make sure you use “+” instead of bullets and CAPITAL LETTERS to make essential key words stand out.

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal resume that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at www.FederalJobResults.com

Is a Private Sector Resume Different From a Federal Resume?

Without a doubt, yes!  Not only is a Federal resume longer than a one to two page private sector resume, the content is different.  What do I mean by different content?  Isn’t a resume a resume no matter how you slice it?  Not really.  A private sector resume focuses on accomplishments and results – how many, number of hours saved, number of dollars earned, etc.  For example, “Saved Company X $1B.”  A Federal resume focuses on the skills required from you to get to that accomplishment.  The Federal HR staff is looking for the skills and competencies required to get the Federal job done.  The Federal hiring manager is looking for the accomplishment.  For example, “Gathered and analyzed complex financial data.  Used knowledge of contracting regulations to identify loopholes in contracting procedures.  Saved Company X $1B.”  This is why a Federal resume is generally two to three times longer than a private sector resume.   

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal resume that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at www.FederalJobResults.com.

Networking Your Way to a Federal Job

It can be difficult to network yourself through to a Federal job, but not impossible. A simple but not often exploited concept that I like to recommend is called informational interviewing.  An informational interview is a means to obtain advice, information and referrals through short conversations with ‘warm leads’ or people you know to understand the hidden job market.  (It is NOT an opportunity to ask for a job.)  What are you asking for in an informational interview?  

•      What job series should I target in my job search?

•      Do you think my qualifications fit my job objectives?

•      Is my resume strong enough to get referred to hiring managers?  If not, how can I improve it?

•      What are the opportunities in this agency for someone with my background?

•      What are the “hot” issues with which you are dealing now?

•      Is there anyone else you can refer me to who could help me learn more about X agency or X field?

Your goal is to expand your networking by meeting new Federal employees and asking them to refer you to their colleagues.  The more people you know (and who know you), the more effective you will be in you Federal job search.

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal resume that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at www.FederalJobResults.com.

What are Federal HR Folks Looking for in my Application?

As you probably already know (or have heard), the Federal application process can overwhelm even the most aggressive job seeker.  It is daunting!

What exactly are those federal HR folks looking for?

They are reviewing your application to make certain you are qualified for the job you to which you are applying.  What are they looking at?  Three main components of your application: keywords, self-assessment questionnaire responses and your Federal resume.  As applicants, we do not know which agencies are looking for which components and in which order, so we have to be prepared at all levels. 

Keywords are important because agencies will use an electronic method or a human being to scan first for keywords before moving the application forward to the next step.  Some agencies will look at the applicant’s score on the self-assessment questionnaire to see if the score is above or below the cut-off score determined by the agency.  Still other agencies will look at the federal resume itself and gather as much information from it to qualify (or not qualify) the applicant.

The bottom line is that you have to be prepared.  Have the right keywords, answer the self-assessment questionnaire in a way that is favorable to you (but honest) and have your federal resume written well – in a way that strongly conveys you have the KSAs to do the job and that you are qualified to do it.  Many applicants make the mistake of applying to jobs for which they are not qualified.     

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal resume that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at www.FederalJobResults.com.

How Can I Ace the Federal Interview?

What is the purpose of a Federal interview?  It is a two-way communication test.  It is a confirmation of your technical skills and a test of your personality to ensure a good fit into the Agency’s environment.  It is also an opportunity for you as the interviewee to test the job requirements, the interviewer’s personality and the presentation of potential employment.  There are a few ways that a Federal job interview differs from that in the private sector. 

Ø  You will probably be faced with a panel interview (generally a panel of three).  Be prepared for three sets of eyeballs as opposed to one staring at you.  The interview is a test and it will most likely be formally scored, especially if you are interviewed by a panel. 

Ø  You may encounter behavior interview questions.  These are questions that start with the phrase, “Describe a time when…”.  The panel will attempt to determine if you are a good fit for the agency, based on your responses.  These questions allow the interviewer to explore your past behavior and probe into your responses.  The interviewer is looking for a story with “Goldilocks” detail (just enough, but not too much). 

The best way to ace the interview is to be prepared. 

Ø  Research the Department/Agency, its mission, and the unit in which you are interviewing.  Find out what they do and how they do it.  All the information you need is on the web.

Ø  Find out as much information as you can about the interviewers.  When you an interview is extended to you, ask who will be interviewing you.  Go to your social network and find out about them.  Remember, you have a short amount of time build report with the interviewers.  Do your research before the interview and use your findings to leverage relationship-building in the actual interview.  

Ø  Prepare your responses in advance.  Some typical questions might be:

“Describe a time or a situation when you…

                …were faced with a stressful situation.”

                …used good judgment in solving a problem.”

                …showed initiative to contain costs.”

                …motivated others (team or direct reports).”

                …effectively handled a difficult customer.”

                …tried to accomplish something and failed.”

For more information on transforming your background into a magnificent Federal resume that attracts the attention of HR, visit us on the web at http://www.federaljobresults.com/.

How Can I Identify Key Words to put into my Federal Resume?

This is an amazing website that I like to use to quickly and easily identify key words to place in my federal resume.  To get started, copy and paste the language from the Duties and KSA sections of the vacancy announcement into this website: www.Tagcrowd.com. This will enable you to quickly identify the key words from the vacancy announcement.  Once you see the words in larger, bolder print, you should find a place for them in your resume, if they are not already in there.  Although the agencies are probably not using this website, they are using a similar technique and this process will mirror their technique. 

What are the First Steps to Creating my Federal Resume?

Before you start creating your resume, develop several “Accomplishment Stories.”  These are stories about things you have done, accomplishments you have achieved, changes you have instigated, processes you have improved, etc.  These stories can be used to respond to KSA (Knowledge, Skill and Ability) essays.  They bring validity to your skill set.   When writing your “Accomplishment Stories,” provide a variety of examples.   One of the best ways to do this is to review your target vacancy announcements for the KSAs (usually found under “Qualifications and Evaluations” tab).  The KSAs will serve as a guide to determine which topics you may want to cover.  Some examples might involve specific projects, but you can also write about job duties and responsibilities.  You should use specific time, dollar or numerical values whenever possible to show the depth and breadth of your experience at a high level.  Using the following formula, identify several “Accomplishment Stories” for each position you have held.  You can use them to insert into your resume and to talk about during your interview.

Situation: What was the project/assignment and what was the context?

Task: For what tasks were you responsible? What was your role?

Action: What actions did you take to resolve the situation?

Result: What happened as a result of your efforts/involvement in the project?

How Long Does it Take to Land a Federal Job?

The length of time it takes to get a federal job varies.  It depends on the types of jobs you are applying to, the budget situation of the agencies to which you are submitting applications and a host of other variables.  However, the more applications you submit, the more you increase your odds of getting referred.  The usual job seeker will need to submit a few dozen applications to glean one interview.  The good news is that by that time, you are a pro in applying for jobs and you know your resume inside out and backwards.  So you are likely to have a very satisfactory and satisfying interview.  After your interview, once you receive an offer of employment, it can take anywhere from a month to several months to actually start work at your new Federal job.  Often there is a background security check that needs to be completed prior to your actual starting date. 

Federal Job Cover Letters?

Do I need a cover letter when applying to Federal jobs?

The short answer is no. More than one HR specialist has told me that cover letters are
a waste of time. They add bulk to the application package and give the HR folks more
material to review (or discard as the case may be). So is it best to save a tree? Maybe
not…

Could there be a benefit in including a cover letter in your application package? Yes. If
you have to explain something in your resume that is out-of-the-ordinary, such as a gap
in employment that is especially long (over a year) or a change in career progression,
a cover letter can be just the thing you need to explain to the reader the “why” of your
uniqueness.

And don’t forget to tailor your cover letter to the job and make it a powerful one. Be sure
you make a solid connection between the skills desired and the skills you are bringing to
the Agency. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression!

Have KSA Essays Disappeared?

So many Federal job seekers are ecstatic that KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities) essays have disappeared from many of the vacancy announcements. But have they really disappeared?

The answer is no. Many agencies will not ask you to submit KSA essays the initial time
you apply to a job. However, if they like your application materials, they may ask you
to respond to several essay questions later in the process. Some will ask for applicants to
submit essays by email. Some may ask for applicants to bring KSA essays with them to
an interview they’ve scheduled. And others may ask applicants to write essays on-site—
yes, on-site—before or after an interview with the hiring official.

Whatever the scenario, the reality is that some agencies will still want to see if you can
write. Why? Because what we do in the government is run programs and write reports.
It may be an email report to your supervisor, or a more elaborate report to Congress.
One of the best ways to determine if you can put some sentences together in a coherent
fashion is by using KSA essays.

The bottom line is that KSAs haven’t disappeared, they are just hiding from us!