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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 - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Report Tile
Finding and Applying for Jobs in the Federal
Government
United States Office of Personnel Management
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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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• Competitive health and retirement benefits
• Excellent advancement opportunities
• Student loan repayment assistance
• Training and professional development
Benefits of Government Service
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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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Grade Qualifying Education
GS-5 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor’s degree OR a bachelor’s degree
GS-7
Bachelor’s degree with one of the following:
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)
General Schedule (GS) Grade Criteria
http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e5.asp
Grade Qualifying Education
GS-5 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor’s degree OR a bachelor’s degree
GS-7
Bachelor’s degree with one of the following:
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”
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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
Selected 2009 Starting Salaries
https://www.opm.gov/oca/07tables/indexGS.asp
Starting salaries for GS-5, 7, 9 and 11
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Federal Jobs By Location
In addition, over 50,000 people work for the U.S. Government in foreign countries!
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OCCUPATION # EMPLOYEES
Medical and Public Health 54,114
Security and Protection 52,077
Compliance and Enforcement 31,276Legal 23,596
Administration/Program Management 17,287
Accounting and Budget 16,664Information Technology 11,549
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.
Source: Partnership for Public Service
Projected Federal Hiring
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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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FOR ALL STUDENTS
• Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) & Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) www.usajobs.opm.gov/STUDENTS.asp
Where to Look: Special Hiring Programs
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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Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)
• Work for a Federal agency until graduation
• Work related to academic goals
• All requirements/expectations spelled out in agreement with school/student/agency
• May be offered permanent position after graduation if all requirements are met
Special Hiring Programs: For All Students
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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
23Overview Duties Qualifications
and EvaluationHow to Apply
Benefits and Other
Information
Anatomy of a Job Announcement
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Anatomy of a Job Announcement
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Overview of the Online ProcessAfter 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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• 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
Agencies commonly require essays as part of the application to address characteristics they seek
Application Essays
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• Knowledge: The foundation upon which skills and abilities are builtExamples: Federal regulations and directives, operating systems andprocedures, budget and accounting principles, engineering practices
• Skills: The observable demonstration of proficiency to do a taskExamples: computer software proficiency, second language proficiency
• Ability: The capacity to perform a job functionExamples: organize and plan work, analyze situations, communicate orally and in writing, coach and mentor others
KSA is an acronym for “Knowledge, Skills and Abilities”
What is a KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)?
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• 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.
Note: Specifically address each KSA in your application, providing examples of how your experience prepares you for this role
KSA Example
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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 non-
competitive eligibility– http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.whyvol.profben#adv,
http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/alumni/opportunities.asp
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)
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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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• 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
Summary
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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