Federal Job Search Basics

The US government needs a wide variety of skills for its jobs. Many of its jobs offer a real opportunity to make a difference in areas that are important to you. They also offer more responsibility at earlier career stages than most companies do. But, despite reforms instituted under the Clinton administration's streamlining government efforts, job search in the federal arena is still a long, time-consuming process. Be prepared to compete with lots of other applicants. Recognize it is likely to take 5-6 months to get hired. Here are some of the basic steps you need to become a civil servant in the GS ranks.

The federal GS hiring process is designed to hire the best qualified applicants. However, the process is not particularly 'applicant-friendly.' It, like many large companies, is driven by legal and compliance concerns. There are federal laws which govern the process, eligibility, and requirements.

In outline, a job gets filled like this:

• The hiring is approved for a specific position with detailed requirements and this is posted.
  
  
• The vacancy announcement lists requirements and often references a position description for additional information. All vacancy announcements list who is eligible to apply and any deadlines.
  
  
• After the application deadline, a personnel staffer checks each application received to make sure the application is fully completed.
  
  
• Fully completed applications are then reviewed to see which meet minimum qualifications and these go forward to a panel.
  
  
• A panel of subject matter experts (SMEs) reviews each qualified application and rates the knowledge, skills and attributes (KSAs) on each. SMEs are people in the same field as the open position but in more senior roles.
  
  
• Following the panel's work, the best qualified applications are sent forward to the selection official who then selects the applicants who will be interviewed.
  
  
• Applicants are interviewed, ranked and hired.
  
  

Step 1: What exactly do you want to do?

Start your research by looking for all the jobs in all the agencies that may interest you. This means you have to look at what you want to do and then figure out what those jobs may be called and what agencies have such jobs. Obviously, some types of work may exist in most agencies but others are very specialized.

The largest single listing of open federal positions is at usajobs.opm.gov. However, it does not list every opening. The site also offers basic information on the process of finding a federal job. Almost every agency also has its own open jobs listing. And some are posted on jobboards or in local papers. Don't think only in terms of common civilian job titles. Base your research on the skills you have and want to use. Then, as you find jobs that interest you, add those titles to your potential list when searching all the sources.

While you are doing your research, start your networking. Find some people who work for the government and ask about the process of getting hired, the jobs available and the titles.

Step 2: Develop your KSAs and resume

As you research the jobs you are interested in, you will see a pattern of knowledge, skills and attributes that are required. You need to develop your own KSAs to meet these requirements – using your past experiences, education, and skills. These will become the basis for your application for any federal job. It is critical that you learn the language used by the agencies which interest you and incorporate it in your KSAs. Developing these is often the most difficult part of applying for a federal job. But once you have them, you will be able to use them for multiple positions. There are a variety of resources to help you do this, including agency sites and the OPM site above. A popular one is Kathryn Kraemer Troutman's series of books on federal job search – check her website at www.resume-place.com for more info.

In developing your KSAs, key words are as critical as in most corporate environments. Read the announcement and position description carefully. Look at any other information on the specific agency. Pull out the key words these all use and use them in your answers. A good KSA is a mini-story like those we discussed in the behavior-based interviewing column. It describes a specific situation and task you faced, what actions you took, and the results.

Many people have difficulty answering the KSAs which relate to specific knowledge within the agency. You must still answer each so do this by using your past experience in a related activity. Perhaps it speaks to knowledge and implementation of policy – you can talk about your knowledge and implementation of similar policies at a company you worked for. Or it may ask about your ability to communicate orally or in writing. Here you could discuss the type of briefing or writing you did, for what audience, and within what review parameters. Think of any training you have delivered or presentations to any groups or speeches to a conference – all these would help you answer that requirement.

Many agencies want to see your resume as well as your KSA answers. Here too you need a resume tailored to their specific needs. Use those keywords you have found in the vacancy announcements and on their website. Select the experience, achievements, and education you have which is most relevant to the position.

Talk to government employees you know, or have found through networking, about your responses and use their feedback to improve your chances.

Once you have created your KSA answers and resume, you can use these both for hard copy and electronic applications. Cut and paste these into whatever application method the agency prefers. Remember that electronic submissions generally must be in plain text – no formatting, italics, etc.

Step 3: OK, let's apply!

Identify all current vacancies which interest you and follow the instructions. Recognize that you may have to apply for many positions to get one interview – and there is no restriction on applying for multiple vacancies.

In applying for any federal position, it is critical that you do exactly as requested. If your application is not complete or you send it in after the deadline, you will be automatically excluded from any consideration. Federal applications are quite different in some respects from others. For example: you must provide your social security number, you must give supervisors' names and phone numbers. A large number of first time applicants fail to complete every question asked, address every KSA and provide everything requested – and so they never make it to even being considered.

Scrutinize the vacancy announcement and use every part of it to improve your chances. Put those keywords into your replies, tailor your KSAs to each requirement. Don't worry about being repetitive. Network your way to someone in the organization that has the vacancy and ask for information to help you 'ace' the process. Learn if they can refer you to the selection official after you complete the application. While the civil service is designed as a meritocracy, having an employee contact is still useful. Political connections are not in most cases.

Write a cover letter which describes your interest/passion for the agency's work and the vacancy's role. Highlight some of your experience that is most relevant.

Develop a way to track your applications. Although some federal agencies have tracking information available to you, many do not. You need to track what is happening and be ready to check on your progress.

Finally, remember that getting a federal job is a matter of understanding what is available and selling your skills for whatever you target. If you need additional skills or education, start now. Check out classes at the USDA Grad School (grad.usda.gov) as well as local colleges. Network with current employees to learn as much as you can to improve your chances. Use this information to put your most relevant skills and experience into the right words.

The process is longer and more demanding than some in the corporate world. However, once you have developed the basic understanding of how to apply and have established your KSAs, you can easily apply for anything that interests you. Given the high degree of competition, that is the smart plan anyway. And the rewards include a good job, a chance to make a difference in an area important to you, good compensation and career growth opportunities.

Back to Top