The Federal Job Search

The Federal Job Search
How to Write a Federal Résumé,
KSA Statements, and
Find a Federal Job
The government as an employer
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The government is the largest employer in the U.S.
There are more than 34,000 job listings daily.
There are special opportunities for veterans, disabled
individuals, and students.
Some jobs repay student loans for recent grads who
qualify.
Doesn’t mean you have to live in Washington, D.C.
Only 15% of federal employees live in D.C.
More than 8 million workers are employed by state and
local governments.
Opportunities are available for all majors.
Salaries are comparable to those offered in the private
sector.
The Federal Job Search
vs. the
Private Sector Job Search
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The federal job search is conveniently online. By law,
most government agencies must post job vacancies
open to outside applicants on the Web.
Most government jobs are posted on the government’s
website, USAJOBS. Start your search on
http://www.USAJOBS.gov.
Some agencies choose to post positions on their own
agency websites. Search for these at Avue Central:
www.avuecentral.com.
The federal résumé is longer and more detailed.
Knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) statements are
not required for initial applications, but may be
required later during the job-search process.
Sometimes forms are still required. Obtain forms at
http://www.opm.gov/forms.
Federal Job Categories
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Most federal departments are on the
General Schedule (GS) pay system.
 There are 15 grades of pay (GS-1 through
GS-15).
 There are 10 steps within each salary range.
 Federal employees may receive locality pay
added to the base salary depending on the
location.
Pay Grades for Occupations for
College Graduates
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Professional – pay grades GS-5 through 15
Administrative – pay grades GS-5 through 15
Technical – pay grades GS-6 through 9
Clerical – pay grades GS-1 through 5
Other (includes law enforcement occupations,
research psychologists, social scientists, and
other occupations that do not fit the other
categories)
General Schedule Pay Scale
(Effective January 2012; frozen at 2012 levels)
Check current pay schedule at:
http://www.opm.gov/oca/12tables/index.asp
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GS-1:
GS-2:
GS-3:
GS-4:
GS-5:
GS-6:
GS-7:
GS-8:
$17,803 - $22,269
$20,017 - $25,191
$21,840 - $28.392
$24,518 - $31,871
$27,431 - $35,657
$30,577 - $39,748
$33,979 - $44,176
$37,631 - $48,917
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GS-9:
GS-10:
GS-11:
GS-12:
GS-13:
GS-14:
GS-15:
$41,563 - $54,028
$45,771 - $59,505
$50,287 - $65,871
$60,274 - $78,355
$71,674 - $93,175
$84,697 - $110,104
$99,628 - $129,517
What pay grades are suitable for
my education and experience?
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If you have a bachelor’s degree, generally
begin searching for jobs in the GS-5 to 7
pay range.
 If you have a master’s or doctorate, begin
searching for jobs in the GS-9 and above
pay range.
The three-step federal
employment process
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Search for vacancies online.
Obtain and analyze the vacancy
announcement. More analysis
is required than for a public
sector job search.
Follow the application
instructions. There are
generally more application
requirements to fulfill than for
private sector jobs.
Step One: Search for vacancies
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Nearly all federal jobs are posted online.
Start your search at these websites.
– USAJOBS.gov website: www.usajobs.gov
– AVUE Central: www.avuecentral.com
– Individual federal agency websites
Step Two: Review and
analyze the vacancy
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Review and analyze the vacancy to make sure you
are suited for the position
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Identify skills required of the position to include in
your KSA (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities)
statements. Although initial applications no
longer include KSA statements, you may be asked
to provide KSA statements later during the jobsearch process.
Step Three: Follow the
application instructions
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Follow all application instructions in the vacancy
announcement exactly as prescribed or your application
will not be considered.
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For jobs that are unique or are filled through automated
procedures, the vacancy announcement will specify forms
or provide special instructions.
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Be sure to meet the application deadline.
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Allow at least 45 minutes to an hour to apply for a job
online; allow longer if you need to create your résumé.
What is a federal résumé?
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A new federal job-application
process
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Includes special information
required of federal personnel
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Fulfills specific formats
required by government
agencies
How a federal résumé differs
from a traditional résumé
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Includes more detailed
descriptions of work
experiences
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Supervisor names and
telephone numbers are
required, and you are
asked if your supervisor
can be contacted
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Salaries for each job you
had are required
Includes references
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Asks if you are in the
military or a veteran
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Asks if you are a U.S.
citizen
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Asks you to provide the
highest career level
achieved
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Are often longer than
private sector résumés
If you send a paper Federal résumé
by U.S. Postal Service,
observe the following:
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Use the chronological
format
Use Times or Arial font
Type size: text (11 pt.),
headings (12-13), name
(14-18)
Headings: Bold, caps, or
combination caps &
lowercase
Margins: 1 to 1.25 in.
Ivory or white 20 or 24
pound weight paper
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Include your name and
vacancy number on each
page
Include the page number on
each page except page 1
Length: 2 to 5 pages
Employers, titles, college
names, and degrees may be
in bold to set apart
Creating a federal résumé
in USAJOBS.gov
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Click First Time Visitors.
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Click Create an Account.
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Fill out your personal
information in the boxes
provided to create your
account.
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On your My Account
home page, click the
Résumé tab.
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Click Build New Résumé
or Upload New Résumé.
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Store up to five résumés.
You can also choose to
upload private sector
résumés as well as using
the résumé builder in
USAJobs.gov.
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Fill out all required fields
marked by a red asterisk
and as many of the other
fields as possible.
Required information on the
federal résumé
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Personal information
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Work experience
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Education
Other information on the federal résumé
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References
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Languages
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Affiliations
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Publications
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Additional information such as
awards, honors, leadership, and
skills
Keep your résumé
confidential if you want to
Hide your contact information,
current employer’s name, and
references from recruiters
performing résumé searches.
Include Keywords
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Keywords should be included on résumés so that
they can be searched in databases by keywords.
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Research the department. Keywords relevant to
the department and job description can be
included in accomplishment statements in the
Work Experience and Additional Information
sections.
KSA Statements
(Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)
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KSA statements are no longer required for initial
applications. You may be asked to provide KSA
statements later during the job-search process.
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KSAs are supplemental statements to your
application that give specific examples of paid and
nonpaid work experience, education, training,
awards, and honors that support each major skill
area of an announced position.
KSA Statements
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A minimum of four to six KSAs are usually
included on each vacancy announcement.
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KSAs require the ability to communicate in
writing, and understand instructions, knowledge of
computers and programs, and knowledge of an
agency’s mission.
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KSAs can make or break your federal job
application.
How to write great KSAs
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Write in the first person as a narrative statement in plain
language.
Use a separate page for each KSA and include the question
at the top.
Put your name and social security number on each page.
Give at least one example for each KSA.
Use a different example for each KSA statement.
Each KSA statement should be one-half to one page long.
Do not use acronyms.
Include job-related education, courses, special training,
certifications, leadership roles, internships, volunteer work,
memberships in professional organizations, and awards.
Write about a specific situation, project, or task.
Include keywords from the questions and job
announcement.
Five approaches to KSA writing
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Describe a specific situation.
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Give an overview of your experience.
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Give an example of relevant education or training.
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Describe an award given for a specific
accomplishment.
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Describe an experience from a previous job in
history format.
Example of a KSA statement
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KSA: Applies knowledge of word processing and
computer software programs, including desktop and
web-based publishing.
In my present position, I use Microsoft Word or
WordPerfect processing software on a daily basis. In
MS Word, I recently completed a proposal for
restructuring our Branch. Using a pre-existing template, I
developed a ten-page proposal using chapter breaks,
several levels of headings and footnotes. In addition, I was
dissatisfied with some of the pre-defined styles, so I
modified an existing style to incorporate a larger font and
small capitals.
Sample KSA statement (cont.)
I also have prepared tables, merged letters, and columns, and have even
created new templates in order to simplify some of my tasks. One
template that I created and use daily defines the appropriate margins
for our office’s letterhead and has date, address, and signature blocks.
I frequently use this template in conjunction with merge letters. For an
award dinner, I developed a merge form using the letterhead template
to send letters to all interested parties. Since we had most of this
information in the Microsoft Access database I designed, I merged the
information directly from that database to the Word form. I used
similar procedures to address the 300 invitations for the dinner in a
flowing script font. This substantially reduced the amount of time
necessary for preparing the invitations that had been previously
addressed by hand.
Sample KSA statement (cont.)
I have used Microsoft Publisher extensively for desktop publishing.
When I first arrived at my office, the organization was not reaching its
constituents and employees in other locations well. Using Publisher, I
developed a new weekly publication that summarizes and reports on a
wide variety of issues. The publication is normally two pages, and
includes graphics, word art, shading, and text components. I have also
redesigned the Branch’s information brochure in Publisher, developing
a two-color shell as well as rewriting the text. I purchased existing
shells from Paper Direct, and used Publisher to lay out the text
accordingly. Finally, my most recent desktop publishing achievement
was completely recreating the Branch’s annual award dinner program
and guest list. In prior years, the program was a 4-page gray-scale
brochure sent to the printer. . . . (She goes on to describe the project.)
USAJOBS website
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Is operated by the Office of Personnel Management.
Provides entry points for students, veterans, disabled
persons, and the general public.
Provides job vacancy information, employment fact sheets,
job application forms, and online résumé development.
Allows users to create an account and store up to 5
résumés. Résumés can be uploaded private sector résumés
or résumés created on USAJOBS.gov résumé builder.
Allows users to create up to 10 job-search agents.
Automatically reformats your federal résumé to match the
requirements of different agencies if you use the
USAJOBS résumé builder .
Tracks the status of your applications.
Searching for jobs in USAJOBS.gov
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Enter keywords and locations on the
USAJOBS.gov main page.
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Click on the Search Jobs tab to
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Browse jobs.
Search for advanced and international jobs.
Search for jobs in demand.
Search for most popular jobs.
Your account in USAJOBS.gov
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Create and edit your profile.
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Create and edit up to five résumés.
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Save job searches you set up.
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Save jobs you are interested in.
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Store up to five additional documents.
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Check your application status.
Visit the USAJOBS.gov Info Center to
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Browse advice on
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Using USAJOBS.
Federal employment.
Applying for a federal job.
Find special information for
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Individuals with disabilities.
Veterans.
Students.
Senior executives.
If you are a student, visit
Pathways for Students & Recent Graduates to
Federal Careers on USAJOBS.gov to
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Find Federal Jobs by College Major
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Pathways FAQs
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A-Z List of Federal Agencies
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Volunteer Service
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Go Government
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Pathways Video Tutorial
For a successful
federal job search…
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Follow all instructions in the job announcement.
When given a choice, choose to apply by using a
federal résumé rather than a private sector résumé
or form.
Learn to write knockout KSA statements.
Take advantage of the USAJobs.gov website.
Create at least one comprehensive federal résumé.
Upload one private sector résumé to your account.
Take advantage of uploading up to five additional
documents such as a portfolio or other samples of
your work.
Information
available in the
Career Lab,
Lucina 235
Monday-Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Great Links to Explore
Click on the category “Government”
for a list of links to help you with the
federal job search.
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Resources for Careers in Government