THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT JOB PROCESS
Team Redstone is always looking for new talent to add to our high caliber
staff. The potential of new jobs coming to Redstone Arsenal because of the
Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) law may bring some significant employment
opportunities in the next few years. This information paper is designed to
help you navigate the federal civilian hiring process and find the right job
for you.
The process of applying for a federal job is not easy. You have to be
persistent and be willing to devote extensive time to resume development and
job searches, but the rewards of working for the government and serving your
country are worth the time and effort. Critical to your effort is reading,
understanding, and using the unique language used by the federal government
to quantify job requirements, educational qualifications, and the knowledge,
skills, and abilities associated with the career you wish to pursue.
Federal positions are considering “competitive service”, which means that the
best and most qualified applicant for a position is supposed to get the job.
When a federal job is advertised (usually called an “announcement”) we often
get hundreds of applicants for a single position. Applications received are
screened for qualifications and then those applicants determined to best
qualified are referred to the “selecting” official for further review. These
managers have the option of contacting applicants for interviews or may
select based upon what they see in the application. Most federal jobs will
require a minimum of a Bachelors degree from an accredited institution. Many
times, experience can be substituted for education; however, you must clearly
document this job experience to get credit for it.
Many federal jobs will require security clearances. This could mean that a
formal background investigation will be conducted on you by a federal agency
to ensure that you are worthy of the trust inherent in a federal job. Even
if you are selected for a federal job, if the position requires a clearance,
you must satisfactorily undergo the investigation to retain the job.
Some federal jobs require “mandatory mobility.” The nature of these jobs
requires that the person in them routinely move to another area, typically
every two to seven years. This movement ensures career development
opportunities and provides a new “set of eyes” to enhance federal programs.
The job announcement should state if a position requires this.
There are many careers that you may be interested in pursuing. In fact,
there are 750 different types of careers throughout the Federal Government.
With all the different jobs in the government, it is difficult to know what
type of career will be a match for your skills. Fortunately, there are tools
available to help guide you in the decision process. The Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) developed a website that helps match your skills and
interests to specific jobs. The site, exploring your career opportunities, is
at:
http://career.usajobs.opm.gov/. If you have a degree and want to learn
what type of jobs you can apply for based on your degree, visit the OPM
website at http://media.newjobs.com/opm/www/usajobs/pdf/ei-23.pdf to see the
list of Federal jobs by major.
The Department of Defense (DoD) has a website devoted to finding a civilian
job. The website is: http://www.godefense.com/. As part of the service
provided by the DoD, the DoD staff provides advisory guidance on responding
to vacancy announcements. To speak with a career advisor at the Defense
Applicant Assistance Office, please call 1-888-DoD4USA.
Still don’t know what career avenue you want to pursue? You may want to
review the latest OPM report on "Where the Jobs Are, Continued Growth in
Federal Employment". This report is available at:
http://media.newjobs.com/opm/www/usajobs/pdf/WHERE_THE_JOBS_ARE.pdf. The
report shows the trends in jobs and where the jobs will be in the future.
For career planning, this is a valuable tool.
Once you decide your career path, there are two websites to find available
positions within Army -- the Army website http://www.cpol.army.mil and the
OPM website at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov. The Army website also has a job
kit designed to give you assistance in preparing your resume http://www.cpol.army.mil/library/employment/jobkit/jobkit.pdf.
If you are a new job seeker or if you have decided to start on a new career
path, you may want to consider one of Army’s premier job training programs:

The Department of Army Intern Program is an excellent avenue for
applicants to receive training both formally and on-the-job. Typically
intern positions begin at GS-5 or 7 and end as GS-11 (or equivalent).
The website is at: https://ncweb.ria.army.mil/dainterns/default.htm.

The Army Materiel Command (AMC) Fellows program is similar to the
intern program in that you start at the GS-7 and through formal and onthe-job training reach a target grade level. The difference in the
Fellows program is that the target grade is GS-12 or 13 (or equivalent)
and you go to school full-time to get a Master's Degree, as part of the
program, before you start the on-the-job training. For more
information, the website is located at:
http://www.amccareers.com/2006a/fellows/fellowsindex.php.
If you are a student, http://www.studentjobs.gov/ provides information on
summer jobs, volunteering, and other programs designed to beginning your
career with the federal government.
The government provides many benefits for its employees. For a list of
benefits available to most government employees, visit the website at:
http://www.usajobs.gov/EI61.asp.
With all the information available on the web, it would seem that you are now
ready to start searching for that first federal job, but before you do, let
me share some hints.
Once you find a job announcement, how do you know if you can apply?
you looking for in the lengthy job announcement?
What are
To determine if you can apply for the position, look at the area of
consideration in the job announcement. The area of consideration lists the
group(s) that the agency will accept applications. The job can be open to
all U.S. citizens, internal federal government candidates, veterans,
compensable disabled veterans, or other sources, as the agency desires. If
you are within the area of consideration, you are eligible to apply for the
position. Army job announcements online have an area called “expanded
definitions.” This area gives you the definition of each source so you can
determine if you meet the definition and are eligible to apply. For example:
the definition shown in the “expanded definitions” for 30% Disabled Veterans:
Prior military with a disability rating of 30% or more.
Next, you will need to determine when the job announcement closes. Each
installation differs in receipt of applications. Some require that you have
the application postmarked by the closing date; others require that the
application be received by the closing date. Since Army applications are
submitted electronically, you will need to ensure that you submit the
application not later than the closing date of the job announcement.
Next, look at the major duties listed in the job announcement. These duties
will provide you with a synopsis of the critical duties of the position. If
you possess these skills, then in most cases you should qualify for the
position.
The final section that you need to review is “How to Apply.” Each job
announcement has specific instructions and you must follow these exactly to
receive consideration for the position. Some job announcements require you
to apply online; others require that you mail your application but also
complete a self-rating of tasks associated with the critical skills of the
position. Some agencies require you to write a narrative on a variety of
skills showing how you obtained the experience in the skill. There is no one
set way to apply for positions, so make sure you read this section carefully.
If you are in the military, you may wonder if you can begin working for the
government if you are still on active duty. Members of a Uniformed Service on
active duty may not receive pay from another Government position, unless you
are on terminal leave, or unless specifically authorized by law. Many
military members go on terminal leave before retirement and in these cases,
you may begin your civilian career immediately.
On a final note, the OPM has a complete information center devoted to helping
you obtain a government position – just go to http://www.usajobs.gov/infocenter/ and among other things, you can read about
interviewing tips, resume development, job search techniques, and learn how
jobs get filled in the government.
While the federal employment process can be complex, it offers a new and
challenging opportunity for those who wish to serve their country and give
something back to their nation.