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APPLYING
FOR FEDERAL JOBS
Federal
Job Applications - Resume, OF-612, SF-171, KSAs,
Educational Opportunities -
Online degrees can lead to higher pay & promotions
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It is misleading to assume that a standard resume will land you a job with Uncle Sam.
Most private industry resumes are loosely structured and simply introduce the applicant to
the company. Follow the guidance in this section and in Chapter Six of
The Book of U.S. Government Jobs to write successful
applications and resumes for the job you want in government. The application is one of the
keys to successfully landing a federal job. You must write a professional application or
federal resume and develop job search strategies that work. This web site and The Book
of U.S. Government Jobs will help you achieve those goals.
It is important to remember that
YOU MUST SUBMIT ALL REQUIRED INFORMATION. You now have the option to
use a federal style resume format, the OF-612 Optional Application, and many
agencies now offer online resume builders. If you don't include all required
information as stated on the job announcement, your application may be
rejected or at the very least you will loose valuable rating points.
There are vast differences between industry's standard brief RESUME format and the
detailed information you must provide on the federal job resume format. The
resume that most are accustomed to is a short one to two page introduction. Uncle Sam's
resume, often three to five pages or longer, must be highly structured with
specific data. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities,
(KSAs) statements may also be required to identify the best qualified
candidate for the position.
The federal application process is complex and requires
applicants to thoroughly read job vacancy announcements, and provide
detailed work, education, and special skills and qualifications information.
Your work history and education MUST include the required Duties and
Specialized Experience listed in the Job Announcement to rate high enough on
the list to be called for an interview.
The format and content is critical.
The federal government rates applicants on their work experience, education,
and special qualifications. The
personnel specialist rating your application is a generalist in most cases
and rates you either eligible or ineligible based on the
Federal Qualification Standards. The qualification
standards describe the general and specialized work experience and
education required for each pay level within a job series. You
must have a certain number of years of both general and specialized experience
and/or education to be rated eligible for the position's pay grade. Past work experience and training must
be presented in your resume or optional application in sufficient detail to
receive a rating.
If your application is rated eligible, you will be ranked against all applicants and the
best qualified candidates will be referred to the selecting official. The selecting
official picks from the top rated applicants. Interviews are optional; however,
typically the top rated applicants are interviewed. Refer to Chapter Six of
The Book of U.S. Government Jobs for guidance on how to complete
your application.
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Applicants can either compile
and write their resume / application
independently with the proper resources and
knowledge, hire a professional federal
resume writing service, or use Quick & Easy Federal Jobs Kit
software that generates the OF-612 Optional Application For Federal
Employment form, Resumix, and other resume formats. Quick and Easy Federal
Jobs Kit is a comprehensive set of tools for writing your application.
This Windows 95/98/2000/ME, XP & VISTA software includes the OF 612 and
OF-306 optional forms, the original SF-171
application, and it will generate resumes and applications from entered data.
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Write Your Resume
Using
Proper Guidance and Samples
When writing your resume you have to consider
many things and include all required information. Format is also important especially with
RESUMIX and online submissions. If you are good at
putting your thoughts down on paper and have the time available you can complete your resume
application as long as you fully understand the application process. I wrote
many federal applications during my 35 + years of government service with great
success. I was also a trained and certified federal rating official and reviewed
and rated thousands of job applications. One of my very early job changes in
federal government was from a DOD avionics technician position in Topeka Kansas
to a similar DOD job in Pittsburgh, PA. I was selected for the job and shortly
after reporting to work, one of the specialists I was working with stated, "The
guys in the shop thought they would just throw away their tools when I reported
for work." I asked him why they would think that, and he said that the
supervisor had left my application out on his desk and all had read it.
The application and resume process isn't
formidable, however it is detailed and you have to know what to focus on so that
rating officials will be able to easily find the key duties and specialized
experience that is required for the job. With a little coaching and samples that
are provided in
The Book of U.S. Government Jobs and The
The Federal Resume Guidebook,
you too can get though this. Entry level job applicants can expect to spend at
least 4 to 8 hours on their application. Midlevel applicants can easily spend
several days just compiling key information in preparation for completing their
resume. This is why I encourage all who apply to complete their resume OFF
LINE. I don't recommend completing your resume through an agency or USAJOBS
resume builder because of their limitations. It is best to write your resume
and/or application on your word processor and take your time to compile the info
you need, draft your work experiences, spell check and insure that you have ALL
information that is required in the Job Announcement. After you complete your
federal style resume offline, it is a simple matter to copy and paste your resume
into online resume builders.
A word of caution. Once you have your
resume completed and posted on USAJOBS or one of the many other agency resume
builders, it's easy to submit that same resume to apply for other job vacancies.
That can be a mistake that can cost you a possible job. Before resubmitting that
same resume for another job vacancy READ the job announcement thoroughly to
insure that other duties and specialized experience are not required for the new
position. If you find different requirements, and you possess the new duties or
specialized experience, incorporate them into your resume. It is not unusual to
apply for the same job series and find other requirements, or new or additional
KSA statements.
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These resources have
everything you will need to find job vacancies, determine what's available, and most
importantly what you need to do to get your foot in
the door and
land a high paying and secure
government job. You will
also discover the secrets to preparing a
professional federal style resume that will get the
attention of rating officials and get you HIRED.
Everything you need to pursue a high paying and
secure government career is included in these two
highly acclaimed books by the two best known
government career book authors.
Kathryn Troutman, the author of
The Federal Resume Guidebook is known as the
"Federal Resume Guru" is a well known
career counselor.
Dennis Damp, the author of
The Book
of U.S. Government Jobs, retired from federal service in 2005 with 35 years
and 7 months service. Damp knows first hand what it takes to go from job
hunter to hired, and everything in between.
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Agency
Forms
(OF-612, Declaration For Federal Employment, and OPM Form
1203)
Two new optional forms are now available. The "Optional Application for Federal
Employment Form OF-612" is a simplified application for individuals who prefer a
form. It is particularly useful for applicants who do not have extensive job-related
qualifications, such as recent graduates or applicants for entry level or wage grade
positions. This optional application contains information considered to be the minimum
necessary to determine an applicant's qualifications. Federal agencies could not require
all applicants to use the optional application, except where the agency had developed a
computer-compatible version of the optional application. Forms are available from the same
sources listed above.
If you decide to use the
OF-612 form, Quick & Easy Federal Jobs Kit
software generates the OF-612, Resumix, and other resume formats. This
software provides a comprehensive set of tools for writing your application
and is Windows 95/98/2000/ME, XP & VISTA compatible. It includes over a
dozen federal forms including the OF 612 and
OF-306 optional forms, the original SF-171
application, and it will generate resumes and applications from entered data.
It automatically expands as you enter your work experience, KSAs and
educational background.
The second form, "Declaration for Federal Employment", OF-306 is used primarily to
collect information on conduct and suitability, and also on other matters, such as receipt
of a government annuity. Agencies have the option of asking applicants to complete this
optional form at any time during the hiring process, but it is required by all appointees,
those selected for a job. It is anticipated that only the final few applicants who have a
good chance of receiving a job offer would complete this form. This form also warns
applicants of the consequences of submitting fraudulent information and to ask them to
certify the accuracy of all of their application materials.
OPM Form 1203, Form C, assists agencies when computer-assisted techniques are used to rate
job applicants. Applicants must complete OPM Form 1203, an optical scan form designed
or optional online Occupational Questionnaires to
collect applicant information and qualifications in a format suitable for automated
processing. Different version of the forms are used, depending on the occupation or
automated system being used. Most of this data is now submitted online
through Occupational Questionnaires.
Three
OF-612 downloadable versions of this form are available on this
site.
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KSA (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics)
(Click on this banner to explore your options)
KSAs are also referred to as Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other
Characteristics (KSAOs). They are required for the selecting official to identify the best
qualified candidate for the position. Most look at writing KSAOs as drudgery, however it
is a necessary part of your employment application, if requested on the job announcement.
To qualify for a position you must meet two types of factors; Selective Factors and
Quality Ranking Factors.
KSAOs are attributes needed to perform a specific job function that are demonstrate
through qualifying training, education and experience. The following definitions will help
you understand what the selecting official is looking for when reviewing your submissions:
If you prefer, our professional
federal resume writing service can complete your resume, KSAs and cover
letters for you. Click
HERE for
complete information.
Knowledge - An organized body of information, usually of a factual or
procedural nature, which if applied, makes adequate performance on the job possible.
Examples include knowledge of:
Federal Regulations and Directives
Operational systems and procedures
Budget and accounting principals
Engineering practices
Environmental Compliance Law
Administrative practices
Skill -
The manipulation of date, things, or people through manual,
mental or verbal means. Skills are measurable through testing, can be observed, and
quantifiable. Often referred to expertness that comes from training, practice, etc.
Examples include skill in:
Keyboard data entry
Motor vehicle operation
Computer software proficiency
Electronic or computer repair
Carpentry, plumbing and/or HVAC repair
Second language proficiency
Ability -
The capacity to perform a physical or mental activity at the
present time. Typically abilities are apparent through functions completed on the job.
Abilities and skills are often interchange in KSAOs. The main difference is that ability
is the capacity to perform where a skill is the actual manipulation of data, things or
people. You may have the ability but unless observed through actions that ability may not
transfer to a skill set.
Examples include the ability to:
Organize and plan work (observed at work)
Analyze situations, programs and problems
Communicate orally and in writing
Coach and mentor others
Other Characteristics -
Mental or physical attributes or characteristics
that don’t fall under the other areas.
Examples are:
Proactive - takes initiative to get things done without prompting
Copes well in stressful environments - handles complex tasks
Reliability - assigned work is completed ahead of schedule and the quality of work
is exceptional
Multiple work assignments - capable of successfully handling various and sundry
tasks
This factor is required for jobs that to a greater degree encounter these
characteristics such as jobs with the Federal Aviation Administration in air traffic
control, work at nuclear power plants, and careers in law enforcement.
This information is excerpted from the all new
9th edition of
The Book of U.S. Government Jobs. This new
title provides specific guidance on how to assess each job announcement and write
effective KSAs that will get the selecting officials attention. This book will help you
complete a dynamic and professional application.
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(Click on this banner to explore your options)
RESUMIX® generally refers to the products of Resumix corporation. These products are
designed to use software and artificial intelligence to review large amounts of resumes,
index them, and determine which ones meet the requirements of a position and are suitable
for further review.
Resumix is being used for filing most U.S. Appropriated Fund positions within the
Department of Defense, the Air Force, and the Veteran’s Administration. It is
designed to streamline and expedite recruiting. The system is being used successfully in
many larger private sector organizations including Continental Airlines and Disney
Corporation. The DOD intends to use RESUMIX for recruiting current federal employees
within the DOD, transferees from other federal agencies, or former federal employees
seeking reinstatement. The DOD recently announced that it will no longer accept any other
forms of applications for recruitment of status employees, current federal workers. U.S.
Citizens currently not employed by the U.S. Government would use the traditional
competitive application methods mentioned earlier in this chapter.
With RESUMIX resumes are E-mailed to a dedicated computer where the format is reviewed.
After the review, properly formatted resumes are forwarded to the RESUMIX database. The
same procedure applies to resumes received via mail except those are scanned directly into
the database. The computer reads your resume and identifies information such as your name,
address, education, and your unique skills.
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Tailoring Your Resume to the Job
Announcement The key to landing a job with Uncle Sam is to tailor your federal
style résumé and application to the core duties and responsibilities listed in
the job announcement. Those who take the time to develop a comprehensive and
properly formatted tailored application package will improve their rating and
get the attention of the selecting official.
Read the job announcement thoroughly for the position you
are applying for and pay attention to the required Duties and Responsibilities.
Look for special skills or other evaluation factors that are needed. Highlight
the key duties and responsibilities and then incorporate them frequently in your
work experience, occupational questionnaire and KSA write-ups. You must provide
specific examples of the work experience you have that is relevant to the job
you are bidding on. Detailed step-by-step guidance on how to tailor your federal
style resume to the job announcement is available in Chapter Six, starting on
page 130. This section takes you through an actual job announcement and shows
you how to identify key information to tailor your resume.
Don’t use the exact same application for all jobs that you apply for. The key
is to read the job announcement and then tailor your application to that
specific job. Detailed guidance on how to tailor your résumé is included in this
chapter. Jobs within the same series from different agencies often have
different skill sets or required experience. Read the announcement and ensure
that your application includes the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
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