Part 1 of 3
What Are the Ten Steps to a Federal Job®?
STEP 1:
STEP 2:
STEP 3:
STEP 4:
STEP 5:
See Book
Page 7
Review the Federal Job Process
Network – Who Do You Know?
Research Vacancy Announcements on USAJOBS
Analyze Your Core Competencies
Analyze Vacancy Announcements for Keywords
2
What Are the Ten Steps to a Federal Job®?
STEP 6: Write Your Outline Format and Paper Format
Federal Resume
STEP 7: KSAs, Accomplishments, and Questionnaires
STEP 8: Apply for Jobs with USAJOBS
STEP 9: Track and Follow Up on Your
Applications
STEP 10: Interview for a Federal Job
See Book
Page 7
3
Federal Resume Writing Activity 1
How many hats
do you wear at
work?
See Book
Page 6
4
Sample Hats / Nouns / Keywords
Contracts and Purchasing
Administrative Support
Project Coordination
Schedule Meetings
Customer Support
See Book
Page 80
5
Accomplishment Freewriting
Examples of Accomplishments
Identified Deficiencies
Initiated restructuring
Improvement to Customer services
Made formal recommendations
Spearheaded more efficient processes
Eliminated duplication of data
Increased accountability
Streamlined submission
Configured streamlined processes
Managed 13.5 million items
Trained a new employee
Procured emerging technologies
6
Why Are Accomplishments So Important?
For your resume and your interview, accomplishments will:
• Help you get the job
• Set you apart from your competition
• Boost your rating
• Gain confidence (Whoa, I’ve done all those?!....)
• Help you get Best Qualified and Referred to a Supervisor!
Most importantly, they’re the basis for selection
7
1
What Are Your Federal Job Search Goals?
• Target Agencies? VA, SSA, IRS, ICE….etc.
• Target Job Titles and Series? Program Analyst,
Security Officer, Human Resource Officer….etc.
• Target Grade and Salary? GS7, 9, 11, 12….etc.
See Book
Page 11
8
1
Intelligence Community Employment Opportunities
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Central Intelligence Agency (NSA)
• Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
• National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA)
• National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
• National Security Agency (NSA)
See Book
Pages 22-24
9
1
Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) Jobs
• US Army MWR
• US Navy MWR
• NAF Air Force
• USMC Marine Corps Community Services
(MCCS Civilian Careers)
See Book
Page 25
10
1
Excepted Service Agencies
Excepted Service Agencies do not always post on
USAJOBS:
•Federal Reserve System
•Central Intelligence Agency
•Defense Intelligence Agency
•US Department of State
•Federal Bureau of Investigation
•US Agency for International Development
See Book
Page 26
11
1
What Job Titles Are Correct for You?
Occupational Groups and Series
Classification Standards for
White Collar Work
•
•
•
•
GS 000 – Misc positions - includes US Marshal and Police Officer
GS 100 – Social Science - Intelligence jobs
GS 200 – Personnel Management, including Military Personnel
GS 300 – General Administrative, including Secretary, Clerical,
Management and Program Analyst – popular analyst positions
• GS 400 – Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Group
• GS 500 – Accounting and Budget Group
http://www.opm.gov/fedclass/html/gsseries.asp
See Book
Pages 27-34
12
1
What Job Titles Are Correct for You?
Trades, Craft, and Labor Positions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2500 Wire Communications Equipment Installation and Maintenance Group
2600 Electronic Equipment Installation and Maintenance Group
2800 Electrical Installation and Maintenance Group
3100 Fabric and Leather Work Group
3300 Instrument Work Group
3400 Machine Tool Work Group
3500 General Services and Support Work Group
3600 Structural and Finishing Work Group
3700 Metal Processing Group
3800 Metal Work Group
3900 Motion Picture, Radio, Television, Sound Equipment Operation Group
See Book
Page 35
http://www.opm.gov/fedclass/html/fwseries.asp
13
1
How HR Determines Your Qualifications
IMPORTANT FEDERAL RESUME DETAILS
• Experience




Quality of experience
Directly related to the job or general nature of work
Complexity of assignments
Decision-making authority of Span of Control.
• Education



College 2-4 year, Graduate, or Doctorate
Trade Schools
Military Specific Schools – AIT & Technical
• Training



See Book
Page 36
Occupational
Career Field Focused
Apprenticeship / Internship
14
1
Qualifying Based on Education Alone
You are automatically qualified with this education:
•
•
•
•
•
GS-4 – Two years above high school (or AA Degree)
GS-5 – Based on Bachelor’s Degree
GS-7 – One full year of graduate study
GS-9 – Master’s degree or equivalent
GS-11 – Ph.D., J.D.
See Book
Page 36
15
1
Kansas 2015 General Schedule Salaries
GS
Grade
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Step 10
GS-4
$28,553
$29,505
$30,457
$31,409
$32,361
$33,313
$34,265
$35,217
$36,169
$37,121
GS-5
$31,944
$33,009
$34,074
$35,140
$36,205
$37,270
$38,335
$39,400
$40,465
$41,530
GS-6
$35,609
$36,796
$37,983
$39,171
$40,358
$41,545
$42,732
$43,920
$45,107
$46,294
GS-7
$39,570
$40,889
$42,207
$43,526
$44,844
$46,163
$47,481
$48,800
$50,119
$51,437
GS-8
$43,823
$45,284
$46,745
$48,206
$49,668
$51,129
$52,590
$54,051
$55,513
$56,974
GS-9
$48,403
$50,016
$51,629
$53,242
$54,855
$56,468
$58,081
$59,694
$61,307
$62,920
GS-10
$53,302
$55,079
$56,855
$58,631
$60,408
$62,184
$63,960
$65,737
$67,513
$69,289
GS-11
$58,562
$60,514
$62,466
$64,418
$66,370
$68,322
$70,275
$72,227
$74,179
$76,131
See Book
Page 38
16
1
Add Locality Pay to GS Salary for Certain Cities
•
•
•
•
•
•
14.16% FOR STATE OF *KANSAS
16.47% FOR RICHMOND, VA
16.51% FOR STATE OF HAWAII
22.52% FOR DENVER-AURORA-BOULDER, CO
24.19% FOR SAN DIEGO-CARLSBAD-SAN MARCOS, CA
24.22% FOR WASHINGTON-BALTIMORE-NORTHERN VIRGINIA, DC-MD-VAWV-PA
• 24.69% FORSTATE OF ALASKA
• 27.16% FOR LOS ANGELES-LONG BEACH-RIVERSIDE, CA
• 28.71% FOR HOUSTON-BAYTOWN-HUNTSVILLE, TX
*Kansas has no cities or counties for which a special GS Locality Pay
adjustment is specified. Therefore, the generic "Rest of the United States"
locality pay adjustment is applied to our state.
17
1
Pay Banding
http://www.tsa.gov/careers/pay-bands
See Book
Page 39
18
2
Step 2: Network ̶Who Do You Know?
• Why Network?
• Who Do You Know and
Why Is It Important?
• Career Expo Script
• Career Expo Resume
19
2
Networking – Who Do You Know?
• Other people, especially current and
former Federal employees, are the best
source of basic information and insider
tips.
• Who do you know?
• Can they hire you now?
• If not, how can they help you?
• What connections do you need to
make?
20
2
Networking – Who Do You Know?
21
2
Social Networking – Are You LinkedIn?
• Federal managers do look up candidates in LinkedIn!
• LinkedIn, with 250 million professionals in the network, is THE
business channel for recruiting.
See Book
Pages 46-49
22
3
Step 3: Research Vacancy Announcements on USAJOBS
• Critical Vacancy
Announcement Features
• Sample Vacancy
Announcements
23
3
Different Types of Federal Jobs on USAJOBS
•
•
•
•
•
See Book
Page 51
Competitive Service
Excepted Service
Direct Hire
Pathways
“Dual Status” Military Technicians
24
3
Easiest USAJOBS Search
Easiest search – USAJOBS home page:
• Enter keyword and geographic location
• Try to use keyword specific to your unique skill set or the
correct job title in “quotation marks”
See Book
Page 52
25
Filter Your Search Results
Veterans and Current Federal Employees
can check this box in upper left corner of
screen to see more jobs.
26
USAJOBS Advanced Search
You can quickly and efficiently refine your USAJOBS job
announcement search using the Advanced Search function.
See Book
Page 53
27
3
Critical Announcement Features
Important sections in the federal vacancy announcement:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Closing Date – New! Watch for closing after 50 or 100 applications!
Who May Apply
Duties
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities are KEYWORDS!
How To Apply (including Document Upload)
Questionnaires (this is a test!)
FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY!
See Book
Page 54
28
Position vacant
3
Don’t fill
Fill
Position description not current
Position description/crediting plan current
• Supervisor prepares position description
• Supervisor/HR classifies job, conducts job analysis and
develops crediting plan
Competitive
Supervisor decides how to fill
vacancy
Supervisor decides area of
consideration
External (Competitive Exam)
Open to all Veterans eligible
for non-competitive
appointment (VRA, 30%
disabled) can apply
Internal
•Current Federal employees
•Reinstatement eligible/ICTAP
•Family members returning from overseas
•VEOA eligible
Agency HR Office
•Prepares vacancy announcement
•Posts vacancy announcement on USAJOBS; recruits
•Receives applications
•Screens eligibility and minimum qualifications
•Rates/assesses qualified applicants
•Ranks applicants and prepares best qualified list
•Sends list to selecting official
Supervisor
•Reviews applications
•Conducts interviews
•Checks references
•Makes selection
Non-Competitive
•Reassignment
•Detail
•Temporary promotion
•VRA
•30%+ disabled vet
•Voc rehab
•Student
•Handicapped (mental/physical disability)
•PPP*/CTAP
Special hiring authorities (apply to all)
•FCIP
•Direct hire
•Presidential Management Fellows
OPM or Agency Delegated Examining Unit
• Prepares vacancy announcement
• Posts announcement on USAJOBS;recruits
• Receives applications
• Screens eligibility and minimum qualifications
• Rates/assesses qualified applicants
• Adjudicates veterans’ preference; ranks applicants
• Lists eligible candidates in order of selection (Rule of 3 or Category Rating)*
• Sends list of eligibles to selecting official
HR Office
•Makes job offer
•Conducts pre-employment checks, if needed
•Brings new hire on board
3
One Year Specialized Experience
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of
specialized experience. “Example Below”
Federal Job Announcement #1 Experience required: To qualify based on your experience, your
resume must describe at least one year of experience which prepared you to do the work in this job.
Specialized experience is defined as: experience with casualty operations; benefit
entitlements; mortuary operations; cemetery operations; creating military funeral
arrangements; and providing mass casualty support. This definition of specialized experience is
typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service GS-07.
You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency (knowledge, skills, abilities) in the
following areas:
See Book
Page 55

Knowledge of Memorial Affairs Program, Policies, and Regulations

Written Communication

Oral Communication
30
3
Keywords for Resume Success
Find the keywords in each announcement.
MATCH them in your Outline Format Federal Resume.
Job Title: Memorial Affairs Coordinator
Department: Department of the Army
Agency: Army Installation Management Command
Job Announcement Number: SWEM159286311498174
DUTIES:
Plans and executes Memorial affairs operations in support of Casualty Affairs and Mortuary Affairs
Programs. Arranges and provides personnel for all Army military funeral honors for the entire CAC
Area of Responsibility, between 1,500-400,000 square miles. The Memorial Affairs Coordinator focuses
on coordinating the use of Active and Reserve Component Soldiers, Veterans, and The Army
Preferred Provider Program in support of Military Funeral Honors (MFH). Provides Quality Assurance
to the MFH program; coordinates all interment ceremonies and exhumations on post
cemeteries for which they are the responsible Casualty Assistance Center (CAC). Assists and
provides guidance to Army Commands on the establishment of Memorials in honor and memory
of Fallen Soldiers.
See Book
Page 56
31
3
Match Your Resume…
…To the Questionnaire
1. Select the one statement below that best describes the education and/or experience
that you possess that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of a Memorial
Affairs Coordinator at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal
service.
A. I have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in
the federal service which includes experience with casualty operations; benefit
entitlements; mortuary operations; cemetery operations; creating military funeral
arrangements; and providing mass casualty support.
B. I have a master's or equivalent graduate degree OR 2 full years of progressively
higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.B. or J.D., if related.
C. I have some specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and I
have graduate-level education, but less than the level of graduate-level education as
described in B. I have computed the percentage of the requirements that I meet, and
the total is at least 100 (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)
D. I possess the specialized experience in response A and the education in response B.
E. I do not possess any of the experience and/or education described above.
See Book
Page 59
32
4
Step 4: Analyze Your Core Competencies
What are the value-added
competencies you can
offer a supervisor?
33
4
Are These Core Competencies In Your Federal Resume?
Soft skills can make a difference in your resume!
• Resourcefulness
• Innovation
• Team Leadership
• Customer Services
34
4
Office of Personnel Management Core Competencies
Add these to your duties or
accomplishments
• Interpersonal Effectiveness
• Customer Service
• Flexibility/Adaptability
• Creative Thinking
• Systems Thinking
• Organizational Stewardship
• Technical Skills
See Book
Pages 61-62
35
4
Core Competencies Differ for Each Agency
People vs. Mission Focused
Veterans Administration
Competencies
U.S. Marine Corps Competencies
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Customer Service
Flexibility/Adaptability
Creative Thinking
Systems Thinking
Support deployment requirements
Meet and anticipate training
Shape land, sea and airspace training
Support Force protection
Provide effective command and control
36
4
Where Can You Find Core Competencies?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Announcements
Mission Statements
Agency Websites
Press Releases
“About Us”
Friends and Network
Books
Profiles of Agency Leaders
37
4
Finding Core Competencies in Announcements
Can You Identify the Core
Competencies
in this Announcement?
38
4
Finding Core Competencies in Announcements
Problem solving, empathy, analysis, systems thinking,
listening, communications, good with people, patient…
Why are these competencies important to the Social Security
Administration?
39
4
Where Can You Use Core Competencies?
•
•
•
•
•
Add them to the resume
Identifying key accomplishment stories
Interviewing
Building experiences
Determining if an agency is right for you
40
4
End of Part 1: Steps 1 to 4
Questions?
STEP 1:
STEP 2:
STEP 3:
STEP 4:
Review the Federal Job Process
Network – Who Do You Know?
Research Vacancy Announcements on USAJOBS
Analyze Your Core Competencies
41
5
Step 5: Analyze Vacancy Announcements for Keywords
HOW DO I FIND KEYWORDS?
1. Find ONE GOOD target vacancy announcement.
2. You will be reviewing these sections from the
announcement for keywords:
• Duties
• Qualifications
• Specialized Experience
• Questionnaires
• Agency or organization mission
See Book
Page 67
42
42
5
Analyze Announcements for Keywords
For Your Outline Format Resume
• Stand out with keywords
• Keywords can result in
referrals, selections, and
interviews
• HR specialists read for
keywords
• Use at least 5-7 keywords,
more is better
43
43
5
How Many Keywords Do You Need to Use?
5 to 7 Keyword phrases to match your
resume to a job announcement –
Management Analyst Keywords
See Book
Page 67, 71
44
44
5
Keywords from Duties and Qualifications
Keywords from the Duties and
Qualifications Sections of the Vacancy
Announcement:
See Book
Page 68
45
45
5
See Book
Page 73
46
Keywords from a Questionnaire
46
5
General Supply Specialist Keywords from the Questionnaire
Important! Your resume MUST match the
Questionnaire KSAs
See Book
Page 73
47
47
5
Keyword HOT TIPS!
• Keywords repeat!
• Keywords are in the job title
• Keywords are essential to a person’s ability to do the
job
• If you analyze a series of announcements, the most
important keyword might be a word that is different
from other announcements
• When you read an
announcement ask
yourself, “What does this
person really do for a
living?”
48
48
6
Step 6: Write Your Outline Format Federal Resume
This step is where
THE RUBBER MEETS
THE ROAD!
The Federal Resume
“Outline Format” is great for
getting Best Qualified!
49
49
6
Private Industry and *TGPS vs. Federal Resume
*Transitioning Goals, Plans and Success
See Book
Page 75
50
50
6
Special Considerations for Military Federal Resumes
See Book
Page 75
51
6
7 Tips for Writing a Successful Federal Resume
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
See Book
Page 76
Don’t use the bullet format
Don’t use the Resumix Big Block format
Write 3 to 5 pages
Include the required USAJOBS info
Eliminate as much Jargon as possible
Add accomplishments
Add keywords
52
6
Get Started with Writing
First, collect all of your information:
• Name, address, email address, and phone
number
• SMART transcript (containing your military
training and certifications)
• Education (name of school, degree, number of
credit hours)
• Awards and honors Fitness Evaluations for the
last 10 years
See Book
Page 77
53
6
What to Include in Your Federal Resume
1. Job Information: announcement number, title, and grade
2. Personal Information: name and contact information, Social Security
number, country of citizenship, veterans’ preference, reinstatement
eligibility, and highest federal civilian grade held
3. Work Experience: job title, duties, accomplishments, employer’s name
and address, supervisor name and phone number, starting and ending
dates (month and year), hours per week worked, salary, and indicate
whether or not your current supervisor may be contacted
4. Education: colleges or universities with name, city and state, majors,
and type and year of degrees received or total credits earned (indicate
semester or quarter hours); high school name, city, and state
5. Other Qualifications: training courses, special skills, certifications,
licenses, honors, awards, special accomplishments, etc.
54
6
Resume - Qualifications Required
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
1. A resume or any other written format you choose to
describe your job-related qualifications; optional cover
letter: Your resume should list your educational and work
experience including job titles, salary, employment dates,
duties and accomplishments, experience and how it relates
to the KSAs in the job announcement.
Please Note: Responses to job questions that are not fully
supported by the information in your resume may result in
adjustments to your rating.
55