Federal Jobs

Find and Apply for Full-Time Work in 2011

October 26, 2010

Presenters

Your Hosts:

Jennifer Close

Amanda Davis

Your Panelists:

Lora Allen

• Department of Education

Erin Swain

• General Services Administration

Housekeeping Items

We will open up the phone lines for questions at the end of the call. In the meantime, we encourage you to type questions into the Q&A box.

The recording of today’s presentation, as well as the accompanying handouts, will be emailed to all registered participants later this week.

• This information will NOT be posted on Partnership Connect.

Handouts

Resources Handout

Sample Full-Time Jobs

How-To Guide: USAJOBS.gov

Agenda

Partnership for Public Service

Why Federal Jobs?

Now What?

How to Apply

Next Steps

Q&A

Partnership for Public Service

Nonpartisan and nonprofit organization

Good government starts with good people

Revitalize our federal government by inspiring a new generation to serve and by transforming the way government works

Why federal jobs?

PROFILED: Real Federal Employees

Federal Jobs are Everywhere

16% in the Washington, D.C. metro

region

Plus 50,000 jobs overseas!

Federal Pay and Benefits: An Introduction

Competitive compensation packages

Additional perks

Federal Pay and Benefits: Compensation

The General Schedule (GS) is the pay scale for most federal jobs • Grades 1-15 • 10 steps within each grade

Keep in mind: • Locality Pay will vary by region • Some occupations have separate pay scales (i.e. IT and

engineering)

Grade Qualifying Education

GS-4 Associate’s degree or 2 years above high school

GS-5 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor’s degree OR a bachelor’s degree

GS-7 Bachelor’s degree with one of the following: • Class standing (upper third of class)

• 3.0 or higher GPA; 3.5 or higher GPA in major • Honor society membership

GS-9 Master’s degree

GS-11 PhD, JD or professional degree

Federal Pay and Benefits: Compensation

Federal Pay and Benefits: Compensation

City GS-4 GS-5 GS-7 GS-9 GS-11

Atlanta $29,248 $32,722 $40,534 $49,581 $59,987

Chicago $30,672 $34,316 $42,508 $51,995

$62,909

Seattle $29,865 $33,414 $41,390 $50,628 $61,255

New York City $31,560 $35,309 $43,738 $53,500

$64,729

San Francisco $33,136 $37,073 $45,923 $56,172

$67,963

Washington, D.C. $30,456 $34,075 $42,209 $51,630

$62,467

Student loan repayment assistance • Some agencies may repay up to $10,000 of your

student loans per year • In 2009, 36 agencies provided 8,454 employees with

$61.8 million in assistance

Flexible schedules and generous vacation packages

Training and professional development

Competitive health and retirement benefits

Excellent advancement opportunities

Ability to make a difference

Federal Pay and Benefits: Additional Perks

Straight from the Source

What unique opportunities and experiences do employees at your agency have?

What do you believe are the most important or best benefits associated with federal employment?

Now what?

Now What?

Do your homework

Start your search

Do Your Homework

Department Department Department Department Department Department

Independent Agencies and Government Corporations

Legislative

Executive

Judicial

Agency 1 Agency 2 Agency 3 Agency 4

Agency 1

Agency 2

Agency 3

Agency 4

Agency 1

Agency 2

Agency 3

Agency 4

Agency 1

Agency 2

Agency 3

Agency 4

Agency 1

Agency 2

Agency 3

Agency 4

Agency 1

Agency 2

Agency 3

Agency 4

Agency 1

Agency 2

Agency 3

Agency 4

Tip: Start your federal job search now!

Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP)

What: • Full-time, 2-year position • Eligible for all salary and benefits of a regular federal employee

Who: • Student who has received a degree from an accredited degree-

granting institution

More information: • Fulfill the academic and skills-based requirements set forth by the

agency • Not required to be posted on USAJOBS.gov

Start Your Search: Student Programs

Tip: Google “Career Intern Program” to find a variety of FCIP positions across government!

Start Your Search: Student Programs

Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF)

What: • Government’s most prestigious fellowship program • Students complete a 2-year rotation within an agency or between

agencies as full-time fellows

Who: • Student who has just completed a master’s program

More information: • Apply during the fall of the final year of graduate school • Application generally opens in early October • A candidate must be nominated by his or her institution

Tip: Visit pmf.gov to sign-up for the PMF listserv!

Start Your Search: Resources

Use these resources to target agencies of interest:

• Makingthedifference.org

• Wherethejobsare.org

• Bestplacestowork.org

• USAJOBS.gov

• USA.gov

• Individual agency websites

Straight from the Source

What types of opportunities does your agency have available now? In December? In May?

When do you recommend that applicants begin searching for and applying to positions?

Where do you post your full-time jobs?

How to Apply

Get Ready to Apply

Impact of hiring reform on your application

Familiarize yourself with job vacancy announcements

Build your federal résumé and update your non-federal résumé

Prepare for assessments

Impact of Hiring Reform on Your Application

As per a memorandum issued by President Obama in May, agencies are required to implement the following changes by November 1, 2010: • Eliminate KSAs from the

initial application process • Allow individuals to apply

with a résumé and cover letter • Improve the quality and speed

of hiring • Notify applicants about their

status during the process

Visit opm.gov/hiringreform for additional information

Job Vacancy Announcements

Tip: Learn more about how your major will translate into a position with the federal government using the

“Federal Jobs by College Major” list.

Résumé Tips

Create an account on USAJOBS.gov

• Store up to 5 federal résumés, each tailored to a different federal opportunity!

• Upload your non-federal résumé to the Saved Documents folder

Carefully review the job vacancy announcement or position description

• Focus on the “duties” or “responsibilities” section, and customize your résumé accordingly by identifying and including key words and phrases

Build Your Federal Résumé

FEDERAL RESUMES

NON-FEDERAL RESUMES

Federal and Non-Federal Résumés

Prepare for Assessments

Application Questionnaires

Essays (KSAs)

Cover Letters

Application Questionnaires

Length: 25-125+ questions

Type: Varies and can include yes/no questions as well as those meant to determine your level of experience in different areas

Tip: Preview questions using a link found in the job vacancy announcement

Federal Essays

What: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities essays (KSAs)

Length: ½ page to a full-page in length

Tips: Address key words and phrases mentioned in the position

description, use rich and substantive examples, tie your personal experiences to each KSA, focus on outcomes to which you directly contributed, and avoid acronyms

Specifically address each KSA in your

application, providing examples of how your

experiences have prepared you for a

role.

Federal Essays: Sample Response

Ability to Communicate in Writing

Context: As the Newsletter Editor in my living-learning community, I was responsible for writing articles and editing all submissions published in our monthly newsletter.

Challenge: Our community wanted to use the newsletter as a means for reaching out to alumni of the program with the goal of increasing their involvement in the community. Before I started as Editor, we had never had a submission from an alum.

Action: I decided to focus the first newsletter of the year entirely on the accomplishments of our alumni, with a message throughout encouraging alumni to submit articles and pictures.

Result: Over the course of the academic year, we received an average of five alumni submissions per newsletter. Additionally, alumni and program participants rated the quality of the newsletter higher than any other year.

Straight from the Source

What do you look for in résumés?

Which assessment tools does your agency use?

What do you look for in cover letters?

What other advice do you have for students and jobseekers filling out federal applications?

Next Steps

Next Steps

Stay on top of your application

Prepare for federal interviews

Navigate the security clearance process

Stay on Top of Your Application

USAJOBS.gov

• Track your status using the Application Manager

Agency Websites

• Contact the agency within two weeks after submitting your application to confirm its status

Prepare for Federal Interviews

To make the most of your federal interview, be sure to do the following:

• Do your homework;

• Prepare answers to common questions in advance;

• Have questions ready to ask interviewers; and

• Dress the part.

Bonus: Arrive early, and demonstrate your passion for public service!

Security Clearances

Most full-time positions will require applicants to go through the security clearance process

Begin gathering relevant information now

• Check out the SF-85 and SF-86 to determine what you should be collecting

Tip: Be honest!

Straight from the Source

How do you prefer that candidates follow up with your agency after submitting their applications?

Do you have any advice for candidates that are preparing for federal interviews?

Do you have any recommendations for candidates going through the security clearance process?

Questions?

Don’t forget …

Fill out our brief survey online!

Visit makingthedifference.org for more information about finding and applying for federal opportunities.

Still have questions? Email us at calltoserve@ourpublicservice.org.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!

Good luck with your search.

makingthedifference.org