Tips on applying for federal job?

[Free4Life11]

I've been scouring USAJOBS.gov and found a few good positions, but I seem to recall someone telling me they do keyword searches so your resume should be as descriptive as possible. Is this correct?

Do you have any other tips you can share?

Thanks in advance. I'm losing my current job in about 7 months so I am trying to have something lined up before that!

 

[olena]

They love lots of info, so my friends at the CDC tell me.

Be prepared for a possibly lengthy process. DH just got a rejection letter from the Secret Service from a job he applied to last December. On the other end, he just got a rejection letter from NIH about a job he applied for back in April. It varies by agency obviously.

Distinguish yourself as best you can. The NIH job DH went for had over 750 applicants. The CDC job he just applied for this month probably has as many. Times are tough and the Feds are hiring, so it's a jungle out there.

This site is also helpful.

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/employ/govtjob/fedjob.htm

 

[OhMari]

The above advice is correct. Getting a Federal job can take a long time.
It is good that you are starting now, and not waiting.
My dd applied for a job in July of 07 and all the paper work, physicals and back ground checks took about 7 months, and then she heard in July of 08, that she was accepted. Within a month they called her and she had to go to the academy in GLYNCO GA.

Hopefully you won't have to be trained, but a lot of Federal jobs require training.

 

[wvjules]

You will probably have to make your resume specific for each job you apply. If job "A" has a lot of "logistics" in it then make sure you have "logistics" in your resume atleast a dozen times.

Pick up on the key words they have in the job description and use them frequently in your resume.

Also, all previous job descriptions should be in paragraph form do not use bullets. (Atleast that's how ours works.)

 

[DisneyBlonde]

Olena that site is great. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Cindy B]

Ok, I will say that I have applied and been interviewed as of yesterday for two federal government jobs. No offers yet, but I am still looking.

I did the same thing with USAJOBS.gov. I used key words and just applied to anything within a 30 mile range-- since in my case that is 3 different states, I guess I have an advantage over someone that is only in one geographical areas.

Follow the application directions EXACTLY. If it says attach a transcript, upload the files-- or you will be considered ineligible.. The applications do have tons of yes.no questions-- usually in the 60-85 question range--(at least in my case). There will be essay type questions too..

Know the GS pay scale. Certain geographical areas pay higher than others so a GS7 in Philly or New York City would pay higher than say one in Cleveland.

The interviews can be long. One interview was 4 hours long, including mock trial, mini-test, panel interviews, fingerprints, training session and four meet and greets. One other was about an hour long with a panel interview and HIGH security... Note to self: ask for permission to go to the bathroom as you enter and not before you come in, or you will have someone go looking for you and have security find you... I did this yesterday, I had no IDEA!

It will take long for someone to get back to you and even longer for the decision process. The interview I had yesterday was something I applied for back in late February/early March.

Training and travel may be necessary as well.

 

[olena]

Ok, I will say that I have applied and been interviewed as of yesterday for two federal government jobs. No offers yet, but I am still looking.

I did the same thing with USAJOBS.gov. I used key words and just applied to anything within a 30 mile range-- since in my case that is 3 different states, I guess I have an advantage over someone that is only in one geographical areas.

Follow the application directions EXACTLY. If it says attach a transcript, upload the files-- or you will be considered ineligible.. The applications do have tons of yes.no questions-- usually in the 60-85 question range--(at least in my case). There will be essay type questions too..

Know the GS pay scale. Certain geographical areas pay higher than others so a GS7 in Philly or New York City would pay higher than say one in Cleveland.

The interviews can be long. One interview was 4 hours long, including mock trial, mini-test, panel interviews, fingerprints, training session and four meet and greets. One other was about an hour long with a panel interview and HIGH security... Note to self: ask for permission to go to the bathroom as you enter and not before you come in, or you will have someone go looking for you and have security find you... I did this yesterday, I had no IDEA!

It will take long for someone to get back to you and even longer for the decision process. The interview I had yesterday was something I applied for back in late February/early March.

Training and travel may be necessary as well.

Cindy, what type of position have you been interviewing for?

 

[Cindy B]

Cindy, what type of position have you been interviewing for?

I'm going to PM you...

 

[olena]

I'm going to PM you...

Thanks!

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

The above advice is correct. Getting a Federal job can take a long time.
It is good that you are starting now, and not waiting.
My dd applied for a job in July of 07 and all the paper work, physicals and back ground checks took about 7 months, and then she heard in July of 08, that she was accepted. Within a month they called her and she had to go to the academy in GLYNIS GA.

Hopefully you won't have to be trained, but a lot of Federal jobs require training.

its actually Glynco. (short for glenn county)

LOVELY PLACE (not)

OP...

I sent you a PM.

 

[lspst8]

Like most jobs, I think it helps tremendously if you know someone at the office where you want to work. I started my federal job in February, and it was never even posted on USAJOBS because they had enough applicants from friends and aquaintances of employees that they didn't need to do any outside recruiting. So, if you know any federal employees, I would let them know you are looking for work and see if they have a direct person for you to contact.

It still may take a long time -- I emailed my resume last summer, got an interview around Thanksgiving, and was offered the job on New Years Eve. My interview was really easy, and they even told me I was their top choice during it! I do know that SSA and the VA are supposed to be doing a lot of hiring this summer.

 

[Christine]

When applying for a federal job, whatever you think about a standard resume goes out the window. As WVJules said, your application for each position is going to have to be tailored to the job description. You need to focus on the words that they use in the job announcement and make sure you hit on as many of the "important" words that you can. Your resume will go through the Resumix computer system to be sorted on key words. Then, depending on the agency, it will most likely be sent to a reviewer who knows very little about the job itself (a basic human resources person), and they will make the decision if you qualified. That batch of resumes then gets sent to the office doing the hiring.

For instance, in my office, we put out an announcement and we are VERY careful how we word it so that we know that only truly experienced people could hit upon some of the items. It then gets sorted by a computer. Then our HR person in Silverdale, Washington (we are in Washington DC), makes those selections for us. We usually received 8-10 resumes and they are ranked by points. We are pretty much forced to choose from the top 3 ranked resumes (although the procedure changes from time to time). It is not easy.

 

[wvjules]

Like most jobs, I think it helps tremendously if you know someone at the office where you want to work. I started my federal job in February, and it was never even posted on USAJOBS because they had enough applicants from friends and aquaintances of employees that they didn't need to do any outside recruiting. So, if you know any federal employees, I would let them know you are looking for work and see if they have a direct person for you to contact.

It still may take a long time -- I emailed my resume last summer, got an interview around Thanksgiving, and was offered the job on New Years Eve. My interview was really easy, and they even told me I was their top choice during it! I do know that SSA and the VA are supposed to be doing a lot of hiring this summer.

I find that hard to believe. Not calling you a liar but there is no way a federal position is going to skirt employment laws by not posting the job at all. My bosses knew exactly who they wanted to hire for a particular job but his resume didn't make the cut (damned those keywors) so they had NO choice to select an applicant that was submitted to them through the process. Government jobs don't just "appear" they have to go through a rigorous process to be approved, funded, then finally posted. Usually it is a matter of "who you know" but I don't think that helps a whole lot when it comes to federal jobs.

 

[Christine]

I find that hard to believe. Not calling you a liar but there is no way a federal position is going to skirt employment laws by not posting the job at all. My bosses knew exactly who they wanted to hire for a particular job but his resume didn't make the cut (damned those keywors) so they had NO choice to select an applicant that was submitted to them through the process. Government jobs don't just "appear" they have to go through a rigorous process to be approved, funded, then finally posted. Usually it is a matter of "who you know" but I don't think that helps a whole lot when it comes to federal jobs.

I agree. We've never been able to *not* post an announcement even if we have a specific person in mind. We do everything in our power to make sure that the announcement is tailored to the candidate(s) we want but there have been times where the one we want didn't quite get the resume words right and they did not score high enough.

I do believe, though, at least where I work, it is very important to have someone looking out for you. It does happen sometimes but we very rarely hire an unknown.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Here was my personal experience. Although all people involved, myself included, are now retired and I think any Statutes of Limitations have expired but I will still be a little vague. Previously had about 8 years of federal employment, including miltiary.

I was working as a subcontactor for Agency 1 in their Program Accounting department. The building had three federal agencies in it.

One of my income tax clients happened to work for Agency 2 in the same building. He was a drinking buddy with the Chief and Deputy Chief of the Budget and Accounting Division of Agency 3. He also knew several people in Agency 1, and was a golf buddy of the person responsible for my contract in Agency 1.

Anyway, the friend in Agency 2 asked me if I would be interested in a GS-13 position in Agency 3. I set up an immediate appointment and went down two floors and interviewed with the Deputy Division Director in Agency 3. I did give him a copy of my standard resume and he told me they would have to wait until the start of the new fiscal year in October (about two months away) until they could post the position.

Anyway I later officially put in for the job and was the one hired. Later I was talking to some other friends and they looked at the positon description as advertised and they asked me if Agency 3 had my resume in front of them when they wrote the position description.

And I did not find out, until after I was hired, how many of the people I had worked with in Agency 1 had discussed me with the people in Agency 3.

So a lot really will depend on who know you, not so much as who you know. And 16 years later I retired as a non-supervisary GS-15.

 

[mikehn]

The government loves buzzwords. If you dont know what it means, google it. You could be the dumbest person on earth, but if you know your buzzwords and can regurgitate them in your resume, you are one up on everyone else. Use their buzzwords, dont substitute your own.

When you get to the interview, dazzle again them with their own buzzwords. No guaranty you will get the job, but at least you will have a shot.

I repeat, think buzzwords.

 

[DisneyBlonde]

I've been applying for jobs from usajobs for almost 2 years now without so much as an email response of interest. I can see now it's more of a game than applying for a non-govt job would be. So, what's the consensus...do they actually ferret out the best talent using this method?

 

[Cindy B]

Well, as far as responses, it all goes down to buzzwords (like a pp stated) and eligibility grades.. I've applied to about 10 fed jobs and have gotten a NOR (Notice of Results) for most of the positions. In two of the ten I have gotten notices which stated that the position were closed and will reopen on this date...

Now AFAIK, there is a 100 point system for your application. In some cases, people are given additional preference for prior military experience, military spouse, more than 30 percent disabled, things like that.

Some of my NOR's have stated that I have received a 97, 98 or completely eligbile for the position. My sister (who is military and has given some advice on fed jobs ) tells me in some cases there is a HUGE difference between someone with 98 score and a 100 score. Of course YMMV depending on your agency, requirements and such like that.

If I am ineligible, I still get a reject stating that I was ineligible due to requirements and such like that. I find it really odd that you have received no response

 

[DisneyBlonde]

I find it really odd that you have received no response

Not a one. I just dbl-checked my jobs email folder where I save all my job search related correspondence...I have the initial response from when I set up the account, my user name creation and password, back in Oct 2007, and a password change in 2008. that's it. Now there was a link on the usajobs.com website where I could look at the positions I posted to, to get a status. But I was never asked to interview. I probably applied for 35 or 40 positions at usajobs since I moved here. More than 800 positions in the private sector.

I have a master's and 20 years experience and I'm going to end up working at Denny's or Shop Rite.

 

[lspst8]

nevermind