Transcript Report Tile - University of New Mexico

Finding and Applying for Jobs
in the Federal Government
Report Tile
United States Office of Personnel Management
Benefits of Government Service
•
Opportunity to make a difference
•
Influence the future of our country
•
Work/Life balance
•
Flexible work schedules and generous
annual and sick leave
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Benefits of Government Service
• Competitive health and retirement benefits
• Excellent advancement opportunities
• Student loan repayment assistance
• Training and professional development
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Federal Pay & Advancement
• Federal pay is generally competitive
across a wide range of occupations
• General Schedule (GS) is the pay scale
for many Federal jobs from Grades 1-15
• Varies by geographic location (the base
salary for GS grades does not change)
• Can progress through several grades
within a few years
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General Schedule (GS) Grade Criteria
Grade
Qualifying Education
GS-5
4 academic years above high school leading to a
bachelor’s degree OR a bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degree with one of the following:
GS-7
1) Class standing (upper third of class)
2) 3.0 or higher GPA; 3.5 or higher GPA in major
3) Honor society membership
GS-9
Master’s degree (or equivalent) GS-5 and GS-7
are considered
“entry level”
http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e5.asp
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Selected 2009 Starting Salaries
Starting salaries for GS-5, 7, 9 and 11
City
GS-5
GS-7
GS-9
GS-11
Atlanta
$32,039
$39,687
$48,545
$58,734
Chicago
$33,639
$41,669
$50,969
$61,667
Dallas
$32,418
$40,156
$49,118
$59,428
New York City
$34,582
$42,837
$52,398
$63,397
San Francisco
$36,309
$44,976
$55,015
$66,562
Washington, DC
$33,269
$41,210
$50,408
$60,989
https://www.opm.gov/oca/07tables/indexGS.asp
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Federal Jobs By Location
In addition, over 50,000 people work for the
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U.S. Government in foreign countries!
Projected Federal Hiring
By the fall of 2012, the Federal Government is projected to hire
273,000 new workers for mission-critical jobs including the
following number of people in the occupations listed.
OCCUPATION
#
EMPLOYEES
Medical and Public Health
54,114
Security and Protection
52,077
Compliance and Enforcement
31,276
Legal
23,596
Administration/Program Management
17,287
Accounting and Budget
16,664
Information Technology
11,549
Source: Partnership for Public Service
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Where to Look
• www.studentjobs.gov – Find student employment
opportunities within the Federal Government
• Agency Web sites – Visit the Web sites of agencies whose
missions interest you
• Your university’s career development center
• www.usajobs.gov – the Federal Government’s main job
information website
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Where to Look: STUDENTJOBS.gov
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Where to Look: Agency Sites
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Where to Look: Special Hiring Programs
FOR ALL STUDENTS
•
Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) &
Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)
www.usajobs.opm.gov/STUDENTS.asp
FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
•
Presidential Management Fellows Program
www.pmf.opm.gov
OTHER PROGRAMS
•
Federal Career Intern Program
http://www.opm.gov/careerintern/index.asp
•
Volunteer and Internship Opportunities
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Special Hiring Programs: For All Students
Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP)
•
Temporarily work for a Federal agency while in school
•
Schedule determined jointly by student and agency
•
Terminates upon graduation
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Special Hiring Programs: For All Students
Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)
•
•
Work for a Federal agency until graduation
•
All requirements/expectations spelled out in
agreement with school/student/agency
•
May be offered permanent position after
graduation if all requirements are met
Work related to academic goals
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Special Hiring Programs:
For Graduate Students
Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF)
• For Graduate Students
• 2-Yr Full-Time Developmental Program
• Appointed at the GS-9/11/12
• May be offered a permanent position program
• Recruitment once a year
• Targets students in last year of grad school
• Must be nominated by school
• Rigorous assessment process
• Fellows selected in March/April
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Other Programs:
Federal Career Intern Program
Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP)
• 2-Yr Full-Time Training/Development Program
• Appointed at the GS-5/7/9
• May be offered permanent position after
successful completion of program
• Agencies determine design of programs
• May or may not be named FCIP
• Agency specific recruitment/application
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Other Programs:
Student Volunteers and Internships
Student Volunteers
• May work in Federal agencies as volunteers
• Designed to give students work experience
• Must be coordinated with the student’s school
Internships
• Agency unique programs
• May or may not be paid
• Short and long term
• Look on Agency websites for specific programs
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Summary Tips to Help with the Job Search
• Network: Talk to knowledgeable sources —
family, friends, alumni, career services
offices, and current or former Feds
• Consider student employment opportunities
• Search through www.USAJOBS.gov and by
agency/location, etc. — be flexible
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What to Expect During the Process
• Applying for a Federal job requires time
and special attention to detail -- but the
rewards are worth it
• Procedures vary across Federal agencies
• Federal jobs are highly desirable and as a
result, are often competitive
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Where to Look: USAJOBS.gov
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Search by Interests
An example:
• Chicago, IL
• Social
Science,
Psychology,
and Welfare
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Anatomy of a Job Announcement
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Anatomy of a Job Announcement
Overview
Duties
Qualifications
and Evaluation
Benefits
and Other
Information
How to
Apply
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Anatomy of a Job Announcement
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Overview of the Online Process
After selecting the job for which you would like to apply,
there are usually several steps in the online application
process for you to follow:
• Create your Federal resume
• Answer the questions posed online
• Submit the complete application package by the stated
deadline
• Follow up with the appropriate agency contact to inquire
about progress in hiring for the position
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Building a Federal Resume Online
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Building a Federal Resume Online
Sections:
• Candidate Info.
• Work Experience
• Education
• References
• Affiliations
• Desired Locations
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Application Essays
Agencies commonly require essays as part of the
application to address characteristics they seek
• Can be extremely important in the evaluation process in
sorting out the best qualified candidates
• Vary depending on the job, but examples include: skill in
written and oral communications; demonstrated technical ability;
knowledge of specific subject matter areas
• Are similar to interview questions; answers should provide
concrete examples (coursework and volunteer experience count),
particularly to demonstrate quantifiable results, complexity, or
leadership
• Should be a narrative written in first person and about
1-2 pages each
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What is a KSA
(Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)?
KSA is an acronym for “Knowledge, Skills and Abilities”
• Knowledge: The foundation upon which skills and
abilities are built
Examples: Federal regulations and directives, operating systems and
procedures, budget and accounting principles, engineering practices
• Skills: The observable demonstration of proficiency
to do a task
Examples: computer software proficiency, second language proficiency
• Ability: The capacity to perform a job function
Examples: organize and plan work, analyze situations, communicate orally
and in writing, coach and mentor others
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KSA Example
Note:
Specifically address each
KSA in your application,
providing examples of how
your experience prepares you
for this role
•
•
•
•
Ability to communicate orally.
Ability to communicate in writing.
Ability to work with data on a computer.
Ability to organize the work flow of clerical
and administrative support functions.
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Summary Tips for the KSA Section
• Address key words/phrases mentioned in the
position description
• Tie experiences to each KSA
• Use illustrative examples
• Focus on outcomes to which you directly contributed
• Use plain language, without acronyms
• Review answers to ensure they are succinct,
easy to read, and grammatically correct
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Applicant Eligibility
When submitting an application, agencies request eligibility
information including:
• Past or current Federal employment
• Veteran qualifications: http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetsInfo.asp
• Disability Status
• Non-competitive appointment
– Peace Corps and AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteers have 1 year of noncompetitive eligibility
– http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.whyvol.profben#adv,
http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/alumni/opportunities.asp
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2009 USAJOBS Enhancements
• Applicant Notification – applicants receive the
following updates on their application status:
- Application received
- Application assessed for qualifications
- Applicant referred to selecting official (or not)
- Applicant selected (or not)
• Proactive Notification
• Resume Upload
• No Resume Apply (November)
Summary Tips for Applying
• Plan ahead- allow plenty of time to thoroughly
complete your application
• Select carefully- always consider using a tailored
application for each vacancy you apply
• Follow-up with an agency- contact the identified
representative to learn the status of an application
or find out more about a job
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What Happens Next
• After the closing date for applications, the agency
evaluates candidate qualifications
• From this assessment, the agency produces a list
of qualified candidates
• From the list of qualified applicants, agencies
select candidates for interviews
• At this point, agencies are like other organizations
– They conduct interviews and select the best
candidate(s) for the job
– Some jobs require security clearance
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A Note About Security Clearances
• Applying for jobs that require a security clearance is a
two-stage process:
1) Get the job offer
2) Go through a background investigation
• Most individuals selected for Federal positions undergo a
basic background investigation (Executive Order
10450) - 90% of Background Investigations are
completed in an average of 37 days
• Jobs that include access to classified information require
a security clearance, which requires a more intensive
background investigation (Executive Order 12968) - the
average time to complete a Top Secret clearance
investigation is 72 days
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Summary
• Federal agencies hire the best and the
brightest, and getting a Federal job is often
very competitive
• Increase chances of being hired by following
a few clear steps
– Research potential opportunities
– Consider various employment avenues
– Search on job websites and specific agencies
– Follow application directions carefully
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Thank You
For additional information on these
topics, please visit:
www.opm.gov
www.usajobs.gov
United States Office of Personnel Management
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Questions?
Contact Information:
David Herman
OPM Project Manager
Call to Serve Initiative
[email protected]
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