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.