Federal Career Guide Final Draft3 · 1. The Nation’s Largest Employer is Hiring ★ Half of the...

UGA Federal Career Guide

The University of Georgia Career Center

Clark Howell Hall, 706-542-3375, www.career.uga.edu

The University of Georgia Career Center · Clark Howell Hall · www.career.uga.edu · To schedule an appointment, call 706-542-3375 3

WHY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Reasons to Consider the Feds page 4 A Job for Every Interest page 6 WHERE ARE THE JOBS? page 8 FEDERAL PAY & BENEFITS page 10 AGENCY INFORMATION Cabinet Agencies page 13 Non-Cabinet Level Agencies page 16 OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS Fast Track Opportunit ies page 18 Federal Internships page 19 THE FEDERAL JOB SEARCH Federal Lingo page 20 The Job Search page 21 Key Websites page 22 Using USAJOBS page 23 Contacting Agencies page 24 Application Process page 32 RESUMES AND KSAS Resume Format page 26 Sample AB Resume page 27 Sample BS Resume page 28 Sample BBA Resume page 29 Writ ing KSAs page 30 Sample KSAs page 231 UGA ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Morgan Kl ine, AB page 4 Owen Highfi l l , MA page 9 Lisa McKinley, MA page 11 Tim Rhodes, BBA page 12 Chrissy Westerberg, MFR page 18 Olatoyin Akinmola, BBA page 23 Doug Canup, BS page 33

Table of Contents

People often overlook the fact that with 1.8 mil-lion employees, the federal government is the nation’s largest employer. Only Wal-Mart, which employs over 1 million workers, comes close to the number of jobs available. Agencies in every area of the government are hiring – from small independent agencies to larger cabinet-level agencies – are looking for smart and enthusiastic people to join their teams. The federal government’s official job site is USAJOBS, found at www.usajobs.gov, is a great place to look. However, there is more to the federal job search than meets the eye. This guide will help you understand more about the federal job search and equip you with what you need to successfully navigate the federal landscape! For detailed questions or to learn more, visit the Career Center in Clark Howell during walk-in hours or make an appointment with your Career Consultant.


Why the Federal Government? 1. The Nation’s Largest Employer is Hiring

★ Half of the nation’s 1.8 million federal em-ployees may be eligible to retire in the next 5 years – that’s a lot of openings.

★ Unlike some other employers, the federal government will never go out of business and will always need good people to protect the interests of American citizens.

2. There’s a Job for Every Interest

★ There are federal jobs suited to every inter-est and skill, from architecture to zoology.

★ You can combine your skills with your inter-ests – for example, use your accounting de-gree to improve the environment or combine your interest in security with your manage-ment degree.

3. You Can Make a Difference

★ The work that government employees do impacts the life of every American.

★ You can play a vital role in addressing pressing issues, from homelessness to homeland security.

4. The Federal Government Can Help Pay for

School (Undergraduate or Graduate) ★ Federal agencies may help you pay back

your student loans if you work there for a certain length of time.

★ Pursue a graduate degree, and your em-ploying agency may just pick up the tab!

5. You Can Advance Quickly

★ Federal agencies offer excellent training and development opportunities, and training can begin on your first day.

★ There are a number of “fast tracks” for stu-dents.

6. There are Federal Jobs Around the World ★ Only 16 percent of government employees

work in the Washington, D.C. vicinity. ★ Over 50,000 federal employees work

abroad.

7. The Federal Government Values Diversity ★ The federal government has steadily in-

creased the diversity of its workforce. ★ Federal agencies actively encourage mi-

norities and individuals with disabilities to consider government service through a vari-ety of internship and fellowship programs.

8. Federal Jobs Pay Better Than You Think ★ Average government salaries are com-

petetive for most professions. ★ Pay can increase pretty quickly for top can-

didates with strong education and experi-ence.

9. Flexible Work Schedules and Benefits Encourage Work-Life Balance ★ Flexible work schedules are a major upside

for those with busy schedules. ★ Federal benefits, including health insurance,

retirement and vacation, are extremely com-petitive with the private sector.

10. The Feds are a Career Builder ★ Advance your career by developing highly

marketable skills. ★ Utilize your federal experiences as a build-

ing block for an exciting and diverse career.

Source: The Partnership for Public Service

Morgan dreamed of working for the U.S. government due to the challenging work nature and prospect for ser-vice. At DCAA, Morgan travels extensively and is able to practically apply what he learned in school. To him, this has proved satis-fying overall and has been the reason

he has stayed with the feds for 6 years. Morgan suggests that students interested in pursuing a federal career start early, using resources such as USAJOBS. Further recommendations are that students remain persistent because the federal job search process can be daunting. How-ever, Morgan maintains that it is definitely worth the time given the vast opportunities to serve the country!

UGA Alumni Spotlight Morgan Cline A.B. — Russian Defense Contract Audit Agency, Atlanta


Scan the list of jobs on the following page. This list shows how different majors translate to various job titles. Keep in mind that these are suggestions and not an exhaustive list. Some of the job titles are unique to the federal government. “Program Analyst” is the most common. Workers with this title evaluate gov-ernment programs, make recommendations for change, and tell decision-makers what re-sources programs need. If research, policy analysis, or business is your interest, then Program Analyst may be the job for you! Job seekers need to be flexible in their search because titles used by the federal government are often broader than private sector ones. One title that people often overlook is Techni-cal Writer. In the private sector, that title usu-ally refers to jobs writing about science or computers.

In the U.S. Government, technical writing is any writing that requires specialized knowl-edge. The position could relate to law, educa-tion, or any other subject. Job seekers also need flexibility because titles in the federal government are often not as cur-rent as those in the private sector. For exam-ple, the federal government does not use the title Web Designer, but does hire people to do that type of work. Web designing jobs might be listed under Visual Arts Specialist, Public Relations Specialist, or, if the job requires technical computer skills, Information Technol-ogy Manager. Another strategy for finding positions is to search for different titles using broad occupa-tional group. These broad groups can be found by searching the Handbook of Occupa-tional Groups and Families at www.opm.gov/fedclass/text/HdBktoc.htm.

Top 5 Job Areas Through 2009 ★ Security, Enforcement and Compliance Assistance (37,515 new hires) Includes inspectors, criminal investigators, police officers, security/prison guards, airport screeners

★ Medical and Public Health (25,756 new hires) Includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, medical technicians and nursing assistants

★ Engineering and Sciences (23,806 new hires) Includes in engineers, biologists, physicists, chemists and astronomers

★ Program Management/Administrative (17,373 new hires) Includes program managers and analysts who monitor program operations and effectiveness to administrative staff; administrative support jobs account for a minority of the jobs in this category ★ Accounting, Budget and Business (12,959 new hires) The Internal Revenue Service is driving growth in this category, hiring revenue agents and tax examiners as part of its efforts to step up enforcement Source: Where the Jobs Are: Mission Critical Opportunities for America, 2007

Finding a Title That Fits Your Major or Skills


Job Titles for Every Major

ANY MAJOR Environmental Protection Civil Rights Analyst Personnel Occupations Administrative Officer Management Analyst Logistics Management Paralegal Specialist Contract Representative Claims Examining Public Affairs Writing and Editing Internal Revenue Officer Contract Administration General Investigator Air Traffic Controller Supply Management

ACCOUNTING Accountants Auditors Contract Specialists Financial Managers Financial Administrators Financial Institution Examiners Intelligence Specialists Internal Revenue Agents GAO Evaluators

AGRICULTURE Agronomists Agricultural Engineers Agricultural Specialist Commodity Graders Market Reporters Marketing Specialist Foreign Affairs Specialists Soil Conservationists Soil Scientists

ANTHROPOLOGY Anthropologists Museum Curators Museum Specialists Program Analysts Management Analysts

ARCHITECTURE Architects Construction Analysts Construction Control Landscape Architects Naval Architects Program Analysts

ARTS, FINE AND APPLIED Arts & Information Specialists Audio-Visual Specialists Recreation Therapists

Exhibits Specialists Illustrators Photographers Visual Information Specialists

BIOLOGY Biological Scientists Entomologists Fishery Biologists Microbiologists Range Conservationists Wildlife Biologists Zoologists GAO Evaluator

BOTANY Agronomists Botanists Forestry Technicians Geneticists Horticulturists Plant Pathologists Plant Physiologists Plant Protection and Quarantine Specialists Range Conservationists

BUSINESS Budget Analysts Business/Industry Specialists Commissary Store Managers Import Specialists Internal Revenue Officers Quality Assurance Specialists Trade Specialists Contract Specialists GAO Evaluators

CHEMISTRY Chemical Engineers Chemists Consumer Safety Officers Environmental Engineers Food Technologists Health Physicists Intelligence Specialists Toxicologists GAO Evaluators

COMMUNICATIONS Telecommunications Managers Communications Specialists Public Affairs Specialists Technical Writers and Editors Writers and Editors

COMPUTER SCIENCE Computer Science Specialists Computer Specialists Program Managers Management Analysts Computer Programmers

CONSUMER ECONOMICS Consumer Safety Officers Food Technologists

COUNSELING Chaplains Personnel Specialists Psychologists

Psychology Aids/Technicians Social Service Aids & Assistants Social Service Representatives Vocational Rehab Specialists Vocational Training Specialists EEO Compliance Specialists Educational Services Specialists

CRIMINAL JUSTICE ATF Inspectors Border Patrol Agents Compliance Specialists Correctional Administrators Correctional Officers Criminal Investigators Customs Inspectors Game Law Enforcement Agents GAO Evaluators Immigration Inspectors Internal Revenue Officers Law Enforcement Agents Police Officers Program Analysts United States Marshals

DIETETICS & NUTRITION Dietitians Food Technologists Nutritionists

ECONOMICS Actuaries Budget Analysts Contract Specialists Economists Financial Analysts Financial Institution Examiners Loan Specialists Trade Specialists Transportation Analysts GAO Evaluators

EDUCATION Educational Services Specialists Employee Development Program Specialists Public Health Educators Training Instructors Systems Specialists Training Specialists Vocational Specialists Vocational Rehabilitation

LABOR RELATIONS Industrial Relations Specialists Employee Relations Specialists Hearing and Appeals Specialists Labor Relations Examiners Labor Relations Specialists Mediators Salary and Wage Administrator Workers Comp Examiners

ENGINEERING General Engineers Civil Engineers Mechanical Engineers Electrical Engineers Electronics Engineers Aerospace Engineers Industrial Engineers Nuclear Engineers

Computer Engineers Biomedical Engineers

ENGLISH or LITERATURE Editorial Assistants Printing Specialists Public Affairs Specialists Technical Writers and Editors Writers and Editors Administrative and Programs Specialists Program Analysts Program Managers Management Analysts

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Ecologists Environmental Technicians Environmental Specialists Fish and Wildlife Admin Refuge Management Programs Specialists Toxicologists GAO Evaluators

EPIDEMIOLOGY Environmental Technicians General Health Scientists Industrial Hygienists Microbiologists

FINANCE Appraisers and Assessors Budget Analysts Financial Administrators Financial Analysts Financial Institution Examiners Securities Compliance Examiners Tax Examiners Trade Specialists

FISHERIES/WILDLIFE Fish and Wildlife Administrators Fish and Wildlife Refuge Management Fishery Biologists Game Law Enforcement Agents Soil Conservationists Wildlife Biologists Wildlife Rescue Managers General Biological Scientists

FOOD SCIENCE Consumer Safety Inspectors Consumer Safety Officers Dietitian and Nutritionists Food Assistance Programs Food Technologists Toxicologists

FOREIGN LANGUAGE Air Safety Investigators Border Patrol Agents Customs Inspectors Language Specialists Equal Employment Specialists Foreign Affairs Specialists Foreign Agricultural Affairs Intelligence Specialists


FORESTRY Foresters Soil Conservationists Management Analysts Program Analysts Fish and Wildlife Administrators Fish and Wildlife Refuge Management

GEOGRAPHY Cartographers Cartographic Technicians Geodetic Technicians Geographers

GEOLOGY Geodesists Geologists Geophysicists Hydrologists Oceanographers Physical Scientists

HEALTH Environmental Health Technicians Health Management Specialists Health Physicists Health Scientists Health System Administrators Health System Specialists Industrial Hygienists Public Health Programs Specialists

HISTORY Administrative and Programs Specialists Archives Technicians Archivists Exhibits Specialists Historians Intelligence Specialists Museum Curators Management Analysts Program Analysts

HORTICULTURE Agricultural Management Specialist Biological Scientists Horticulturists Plant Protection & Quarantine Specialists Plant Physiologists

HOUSING Store Managers Correctional Institution Administrators Facility and Storage Managers Equipment Specialists Facility Managers Facilities and Equipment Manager Housing Managers Industrial Property Managers Production Controllers

HUMAN RESOURCES Training Representatives Employee Development Specialists EEO Specialists Military Personnel Management Personnel Management Personnel Staffing Specialists Position Classification Specialists

HYDROLOGY Environmental Engineers Environmental Protection Specialists Hydrologists Fish and Wildlife Administrators Fish and Wildlife Refuge Management Program Analysts

INSURANCE Crop Insurance Administrators Social Insurance Administrators Social Insurance Claims Examiner Unemployment Insurance Specialists Administrative and Programs Specialists Program Analysts

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Foreign Affairs Specialists Foreign Agricultural Affairs Specialists Intelligence Specialists Language Specialists Public Affairs Specialists Trade Specialists International Relations Workers

JOURNALISM Agricultural Market Reporters Printing Specialists Public Affairs Specialists Writers and Editors Technical Writers and Editors Program Analysts

LAW Administrative Law Judges Attorneys Hearing and Appeals Specialists Legal Instruments Examiners Paralegal Specialists Patent Attorneys Tax Law Specialists GAO Evaluators

LIBERAL ARTS/HUMANITIES Contact Representatives Customs Inspectors Equal Opportunity Compliance Specialists Management Analysts Personnel Management Specialists Program Analysts Social Insurance Claims Examiners Veterans Claims Examiners Education Services Specialists

MIS Computer Science Specialists Computer Specialists Financial Managers Logistics Management Specialists Management Analysts Administrative and Programs Specialists Operations Research Analysts Program Analysts Program Managers

MANAGEMENT Administrative Officers Logistics Management Specialists Management Analysts Manpower Development Specialists Administrative and Program Specialists Program Analysts Support Services

MARKETING Agricultural Marketing Specialists Bond Sales Promotion Representatives Contract Specialists Inventory Management Specialists Packaging Specialists Property Disposal Specialists Supply Specialists Trade Specialists Business and Industry Specialists

MATHEMATICS Actuaries

Cartographers Computer Science Specialists Mathematical Statisticians Mathematicians Operations Research Analysts Statisticians

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Fish and Wildlife Administrators Biological Scientists Program Analysts Wildlife Biologists Wildlife Refuge Management

NURSING Nurses Physician's Assistants

PARK AND RECREATION Creative Arts Therapists Foresters Outdoor Recreation Planners Park Rangers Recreation Specialists Management Analysts

PHARMACY Consumer Safety Inspectors Consumer Safety Officers Pharmacists Pharmacologists

PHYSICAL EDUCATION Corrective Therapists Outdoor Recreation Planners Recreation and Creative Arts Therapists Recreation Specialists Recreation Aids & Assistants Sports Specialists Program Analysts

PHYSICAL SCIENCE Physical Scientists Metallurgists Physicists

PHYSICS Astronomers and Space Scientists Geodesists Geophysicists Health Physicists Hydrologists Oceanographers Patent Examiners Physicists Physical Scientists

POLITICAL SCIENCE Archivists Budget Analysts Historians Foreign Affairs Specialists Administrative and Programs Specialists Program Analysts Public Affairs Specialists Social Scientists GAO Evaluators

PSYCHOLOGY Recreation and Creative Arts Therapists Employee Development Specialists Personnel Management Specialists Psychologists Personnel Staffing Specialists Position Classification Specialists Educational Services Specialists GAO Evaluators

PUBLIC HEALTH Environmental Health Technicians Food Assistance Program Specialists Food Inspectors Health System Administrators Health System Specialists Industrial Hygienists Public Health Programs Specialists Public Health Educators Social Insurance Administrators Veterans Claims Examiners

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Budget Analysts Employee Development Specialists Employee Relations Specialists Housing Managers Management Analysts Manpower Development Specialists Administration and Programs Specialists Program Analysts Public Utilities Specialists GAO Evaluators

PUBLIC RELATIONS Contact Representatives Foreign Affairs Specialists Foreign Agricultural Affairs Specialists Public Affairs Specialists

REAL ESTATE Building Managers Housing Managers Realtors Business and Industry Specialists Contract Specialists

REHABILITATION THERAPY Corrective Therapists Manual Arts Therapists Occupational Therapists Physical Therapists Prosthetic Representatives Rehabilitation Therapy Assistants

SOCIAL WORK Food Assistance Program Specialists Psychology Aids and Technicians Social Science Aids and Technicians Social Scientists Social Service Aids and Assistants Social Service Representatives Social Workers Recreation Specialists

SOCIOLOGY Social Science Aids and Technicians Social Scientists Social Service Aids and Assistants Social Service Representatives Program Analysts Sociologists GAO Evaluators

STATISTICS Actuaries Computer Science Specialists Mathematical Statisticians Operations Research Analysts Program Analysts Statisticians Transportation Industry Analysts


Where are the Jobs?

The Top 10 Best Places to Work Ranked by Workplace Satisfaction

Agency 1. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2. Government Accountability Office 3. National Aeronautics & Space Administration 4. Securities and Exchange Commission 5. Social Security Administration 6. Department of Justice 7. Environmental Protection Agency 8. General Services Administration 9. Department of the Army 10. Department of Energy

F ind out what federal employees think are the best federal workplaces overall, the best organizations for effective leadership, teamwork, training and development, work-

life balance, and more. The study is based upon a survey of over 100,000 federal employees. Check out www.bestplacestowork.org, where you can see a comprehensive ranking of federal execu-tive branch organizations.

City/Metro Area State Norfolk California Baltimore Virginia Philadelphia Texas Atlanta Maryland San Diego Florida Chicago Georgia New York City Pennsylvania Salt Lake City New York Oklahoma City Washington Los Angeles Illinois Honolulu North Carolina San Antonio Arizona Kansas City Alabama Denver Colorado Boston Oklahoma

Largest Federal Job Concentration Outside Washington D.C.

*

Nearly 85 percent of federal jobs are located outside of the greater metro Washington, D.C. area. Where do you want to work? It is possible with the Feds!


Department of Defense (Civilian) 669,925

Department of Veterans Affairs 258,639

Department of Homeland Security 167,182

Department of Justice 106,955

Department of Treasury 104,092

Department of Agriculture 97,695

Department of Health and Human Services 74,110

Department of Interior 67,858

Social Security Administration 61,822

Department of Transportation 54,545

Department of Commerce 41,186

National Aeronautics & Space Administration 18,548

Environmental Protection Agency 18,061

Department of Labor 15,511

Department of Energy 15,019

General Services Administration 12,037

Department of State 10,988

Department of Housing & Urban Development 9,593

Office of Personnel Management 5,809

Smithsonian Institute 4,910

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 4,668

Department of Education 4,381 Small Business Administrion 4,240

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 3,789

Securities and Exchange Commission 3,511

National Archives and Records Administration 3,012

Agency for International Development 2,409 Government Printing Office 2,330

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 2,204

Federal Communication Commission 1,814

Broadcasting Board of Governors 1,773

National Labor Relations Board 1,699

National Science Foundation 1,415

Court Services Agency 1,170

Federal Trade Commision 1,112

Source: Fedscope, December 2007

Agencies in the Federal Government

with more then 1,000 Full-Time Employees

UGA Alumni Spotlight C. Owen Highfill M.A.— English Presidential Management Fellow Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight After learning about the Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) through the University of Georgia Career Center, Owen was eager to use her English degree working in the federal sector. She completed all the stages of the PMF application and was named a Finalist for 2008. Once a Finalist, Owen began searching for jobs with federal agencies and was contacted by several agencies that discovered her resume on the PMF website. Ultimately, she was hired by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) as a Planning Analyst. Within two weeks of her hiring, President Bush signed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, a bill which merged OFHEO with employees of two other agencies, creating an empowered, new regula-tor for the secondary mortgage market, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). Owen said that FHFA has the awesome responsibility of ensuring the safety and soundness of mortgage finance com-panies Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks. These agencies hold a com-bined $6.6 trillion in obligations! Owen said that being on the ground floor during the creation of a crucial new agency is exhilarating. She is especially excited about using her talents to contribute to FHFA’s im-portant mission of providing stability to the mortgage market.


Federal Pay

What do Federal Employees Make in Atlanta, GA?

30,808

38,162

46,680

56,478

0 20,000 40,000 60,000

GS-5

GS-7

GS-9

GS-11

Gen

eral

Sch

edul

e (G

S)

Pay

Leve

l

Starting SalarySource: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, January 2008

Cracking the GS code. The coding systems used to classify jobs vary by agency, but the most common system is the General Schedule (GS). The GS assigns every job a grade level from 1 to 15, according to the minimum level of education and experience needed. This table shows the GS levels for entry-level workers with different amounts of education and little or no work experience.

GS-11 Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate or advanced law degree

GS-9 Law degree (J.D. or LL.B.)

GS-9 Master’s degree or 2 years of full-time graduate study

GS-7 Bachelor’s degree plus 1 year of full-time graduate study

GS-7 Bachelor’s degree with Superior Academic Achievement (GPA>3.0)

GS-5 Bachelor’s degree


Occupation Salary

General Attorney $111,304

Financial Management $101,022

General Engineering $100,051

Economist $94,098

Computer Science $90,929

Chemistry $89,954

Criminal Investigating $88,174

Microbiology $87,206

Architecture $87,128

Statistics $85,690

Information Technology Management $81,524

Librarian $80,873

Accounting $78,665

Chaplain $78,030

Ecology $76,511

Human Resources Management $76,503

Mine Safety and Health $73,003

Air Traffic Control $72,049

Budget Analysis $71,267

Correctional Officer $67,140

All Occupations $65,463

Nurse $65,345

Engineering Technical $63,951

Border Patrol Agent $63,550

Medical Technologist $59,840

Customs and Border Protection $59,248

Legal Assistance $46,912

Fire Protection and Prevention $43,407

Secretary $42,334

Police $42,150

Tax Examining $38,290

Human Resources Assistance $37,835

Nursing Assistant $33,134

SOURCE: Office of Personnel Management

Lisa McKinley earned a degree in Poultry Science and started a ca-reer in agribusi-ness. Shortly after, she began working in state govern-ment as a UGA Faculty member with the Coopera-

tive Extension. She worked closely with the US Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) as one of ten Liaisons to the Environ-mental Protection Agency. She established com-munication and worked to enhance relationships between the USDA-CSREES, Environmental Pro-tection Agency and the eight Land-grant Univer-sities in the Southeast. Her leadership strength-ened coordination among these agencies. After serving for many years as a liaison to the Envi-ronmental Protection Agency, Lisa accepted a full-time position with the Environmental Protection Agency in 2006. In this role, as an Environmental Scientist, Lisa focuses on agricultural issues and works to control water pollution by regulating sources that discharge pollutants into water. Her work is part of the larger picture in making sur-face water quality protection a reality in the United States.

UGA Alumni Spotlight Lisa McKinley M.A. Ext. — Agricultural Extension Environmental Protection Agency


Federal Benefits

P ay is only part of the compensation you will earn working for the federal govern-ment. The Feds offer a broad array of benefits programs and family- friendly

flexibilities to meet your needs. Here are some highlights. Flexible Work Schedule – The Feds provide many programs for workers to support their needs for individual flexibility. For example, employees can adjust their work hours in order to take a day off each pay period. That equates to 26 three-day weekends. A perfect plan for watching the Dawgs in the Fall! Also, the federal government's Alternative Work Schedule allows employees to select certain arri-val and departure times that best suit their needs within their working day. This means morning people can arrive as early as 6:30 AM and those who prefer to sleep in can arrive at 9:00 AM. Health Insurance – The Government's health benefit program has about 180 health plan op-tions throughout the United States, including con-sumer-driven health care and preferred provider network options. At least a dozen plan choices are available to each employee, which allows for a broad choice so that employees can select the plan that best meets their own individual health care needs. The federal government also offers great deals on

life insurance and long-term care insurance. Great Retirement – The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is the government’s 401(k) retirement plan in which agencies match a portion of your own investment. This is part of a generous three-tiered retirement plan, which also includes social secu-rity benefits and a pension. Leave & Holidays – The federal government pro-vides ample time off to take care of your personal, recreational and health care needs. Federal em-ployees are entitled to at least 13 days of vacation as well as 13 days of sick leave each year. Vaca-tion time increases to four weeks after just three years! In addition, federal employees get 10 paid holi-days each year. This allows employees time to spend with their families and to pursue their own individual interests and avocations. Transportation Subsidies – Help paying for that commute: Federal agencies offer subsidies for mass transit where appropriate, and many also enable you to telecommute from your home. That can be a huge cost savings! Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) – Allow em-ployees to increase their disposable income be-cause the amounts they contribute are not subject to taxes. The federal government offers both a Health Care FSA and a Dependent Care FSA.

Some of the things that initially intrigued Tim about working for OTS was the great benefits afforded to federal employees. Tim found the flexible schedule and the op-portunity to have every other Friday off the most appealing. He also found the training

and the chance to have responsibility from day one to be very alluring. Tim’s role as a Bank Examiner allows him to visit a new bank every 2-12 weeks. He joins a team of other Examiners to analyze parts of the bank and ensure they are in compli-ance with federal regulations. Tim is currently in a three-and-a-half year program that consists of classroom and on-the-job training. Ultimately this will lead to a Thrift Exam-iner certification. Tim indicates that a career as a Bank Examiner has been dynamic because things constantly challenge him and change with every new job assignment.

UGA Alumni Spotlight Tim Rhodes B.B.A. — Finance Office of Thrift Supervision, Atlanta


Finding An Agency The Department of Agriculture, or USDA, develops and executes policy on farming, agriculture, and food. It aims to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers, promote agricultural trade and production, work to assure food safety, protect natural resources, foster rural communities and end hunger in America and abroad. (www.usda.gov)

The mission of the Department of Commerce is to "promote job creation and improved living standards for all Americans by creating an infrastruc-ture that promotes economic growth, technological competitiveness, and sustainable development." Among its tasks are gathering economic and demographic data for business and government decision making, issuing patents and trademarks, and helping to set industrial standards. (www.doc.gov)

The Department of Defense, or DoD, is the federal agency charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating to the military. The DoD is the major tenant of The Pentagon and has three major components: the Department of the Army, the Depart-ment of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force. (www.godefense.com)

The Department of Education establishes policy for, administers, and coordinates most federal assistance to education. Its mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the Nation. (www.ed.gov)

The Department of Energy, or DOE, is responsible for the nation's nu-clear weapons program, nuclear reactor production for the US Navy, en-ergy conservation, energy-related research, radioactive waste disposal, and domestic energy production. DOE also sponsors more basic and ap-plied scientific research than any other U.S. federal agency; most of this is funded through its system of National Laboratories. (www.doe.gov)

Cabinet Level Agencies


Agencies Continued…

The Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, maintains the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and provides essential hu-man services to everyone from infants to senior adults. It also leads pro-grams on food safety, medical research, drug abuse prevention and more. (www.hss.gov)

Whereas the Department of Defense is charged with military actions abroad, the Department of Homeland Security works in the civilian sphere to protect the United States within, at, and outside its borders. Its goal is to prepare for, prevent, and respond to domestic emergencies, particularly terrorism. (www.dhs.gov)

The Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, is the principal federal agency responsible for programs concerned with the Na-tion's housing needs, fair housing opportunities, and improvement and de-velopment of the Nation's communities. (www.hud.gov)

The Department of Interior manages and conserves most federally owned land, including our National Parks. It is also responsible for migra-tory wildlife conservation; historic preservation; endangered species; sur-face-mined lands protection and restoration; mapping; geological, hydro-logical, and biological science; and financial and technical assistance for the insular areas. (www.doi.gov)

The Department of Justice, or DOJ, is designed to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law and to en-sure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans. (www.doj.gov)


The purpose of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and de-velop the welfare of the wage earners of the United States, to improve their working conditions, and to advance their opportunities for profitable employment. (www.dol.gov)

The Department of State advises the President in the formulation and execution of foreign policy and promotes the long-range security and well-being of the United States. The Department determines and analyzes the facts relating to American overseas interests, makes recommendations on policy and future action, and takes the necessary steps to carry out estab-lished policy. (www.careers.state.gov)

The Department of Transportation, or DOT, establishes the Nation's overall transportation policy. Under its umbrella there are 11 administra-tions whose jurisdictions include highway planning, development, and construction, motor carrier safety, urban mass transit, railroads, aviation, and the safety of waterways, ports, highways, and oil and gas pipelines. (www.dot.gov)

The Department of the Treasury performs four basic functions: formulat-ing and recommending economic, financial, tax, and fiscal policies, serv-ing as financial agent for the U.S. Government, enforcing the law, and manufacturing coins and currency. (www.ustreas.gov)

The Department of Veterans Affairs operates programs to benefit veter-ans and members of their families. Benefits include compensation pay-ments for disabilities or death related to military service, pensions, educa-tion and rehabilitation, home loan guaranty, burial, and a medical care program incorporating nursing homes, clinics, and medical centers. (www.va.gov)


Independent Agencies

In addition to cabinet-level agencies, there are additional agencies that do important work for the nation. You can read about some of the larger agencies below. For a complete list visit www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/Independent.shtml.

Central Intelligence Agency

The CIA is the nation's coordina-tor of intelligence activities. Agency personnel provide foreign intelli-gence for officials responsible for national security policy and conduct counterintel-ligence activities. Congressional Budget Office

The CBO provides Congress with non-partisan analyses for economic and budgetary decisions. In addition to helping the congressional commit-tees with economic forecasts and cost estimates, the CBO also analyzes the President's budget. Corporation for National & Community Service

Working with nonprofit and faith-based organiza-tions, schools and other entities, the Corporation for National and Community Service supports voluntary service of Americans of all ages through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and Learn and Serve. Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA safeguards the nation's air, water, and land. Working with other federal agencies and state and local governments and Indian tribes, EPA employees are responsible for environ-mental research and standards setting. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

The EEOC enforces federal laws related to equal employment opportunity, including discrimination based upon race, religion, national origin, gender, age and disability.

Export-Import Bank of the United States

The Ex-Im Bank helps U.S. exporters by provid-ing guarantees of working capital loans and loan repayment plans to foreign purchasers of Ameri-can goods. Federal Communications Commission

The FCC regulates interstate and international radio, television, satellite, cable and wire commu-nications. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

The FDIC is the nation's insurer of bank deposits and is tasked with maintaining the stability of the nation's financial system. Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA is the federal government's emergency preparedness and disaster response and relief entity. The scope of FEMA's work includes every-thing from floods to earthquakes to the transport of hazardous substances. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

The FERC is an independ-ent regula-tory agency that over-sees aspects of the energy markets within the United

States. The Commission’s team of professional and technical specialists solve the problems of today's energy markets and set policy direction for the energy industry at large.


Federal Reserve System

The Fed is the nation’s central bank. It estab-lishes monetary policy, supervises banking insti-tutions, maintains the stability of the financial sys-tem and provides financial services to the govern-ment as well as public banks and institutions. General Accountability Office

The GAO is the government's central watchdog agency. At the request of Congress, GAO investi-gates, audits and evaluates government pro-grams and then issues public reports on their findings. These findings often help guide con-gressional and presidential policy decisions. General Services Administration

The GSA is the government's property manager, landlord, acquisitions specialist, and office sup-plier. The agency sets policy to ensure govern-ment money is being spent wisely and that gov-ernment workplaces are up-to-date. The Library of Congress

The LOC is the nation’s and world’s largest li-brary with more than 120 million books, re-cordings, maps, manuscripts and photographs. The Congressional Research Service, part of the LOC, provides non-partisan research and analy-sis on any topic that Congress may want to un-derstand better to inform their policy develop-ment. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA staff and astronauts are the nation's vanguards in space exploration. The Apollo missions and shuttle flights are some of NASA's work. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The NRC regulates the nation's civilian use of nuclear material to protect public health and safety. The three main areas of oversight are nu-clear reactors, handling of nuclear waste and the use of nuclear materials in medical, industry and other settings.

Office of Management and Budget

The OMB is responsible for formulating the Presi-dent's budget and coordinating the administra-tion's procurement and financial management. In the process of budget development, the OMB also evaluates and shapes agency programs/policies. Office of Personnel Management

OPM is the federal government's hu-man resources agency. In addition to working with agencies to create systems to recruit, develop, manage and retain a high quality and diverse workforce, OPM is also responsible for regulating these sys-tems. Securities and Exchange Commission

The SEC's mission is to maintain the integrity of the nation's securities markets. It requires pub-licly held companies to report financial informa-tion so investors have the information they need to make investment decisions. Social Security Administration

SSA sends Social Security checks to the nation's retired and disabled and their families. It collects funds for these and other programs from earnings identified by each American's social security number. The Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian provides the American public with educational programs and research as well as access to dozens of museums and the National Zoo. United States Agency for International Development

USAID promotes economic growth and develop-ment abroad in support of U.S. foreign policy. Working with foreign governments, businesses and non-profits, USAID operates health, democ-racy, agriculture and conflict prevention pro-grams.


T here are lots of ways for motivated and talented people to advance quickly in the

federal government. In fact, it is not uncommon for talented individuals starting at the entry level to nearly double their salary in just three years. Student Educational Employment Program Provides federal employment opportunities to students who are enrolled as degree-seeking students taking at least a half-time academic course load. The program is comprised of two components: the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP), and the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP). The STEP provides maximum flexibility to students because the nature of the work does not have to be related to the student's academic or career goals. However, the SCEP provides work experience which is directly related to the student's academic major. Additionally, students in SCEP may be noncompetitively converted to full-time jobs following completion of their academic requirements. This is definitely the way to go! Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP) This program brings talented people into the government in entry-level two-year appointments and usually through a streamlined process. Interested agencies design their own FCI program, but all FCI

participants must receive a training component. After two years, successful federal career interns can become permanent civil service employees. For information about career intern openings, contact the agencies in which you are interested directly. Individuals hired through the FCIP typically begin at the GS-7 and GS-9 levels. To learn more visit www.opm.gov/careerintern/index.htm. Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) Designed to prepare talented people for upper-level management positions in the federal government, the PMF program is a prestigious two-year program for those completing any type of GRADUATE degree. Applicants must receive a nomination from their Dean, Department Chair, or Graduate Coordinator before participating in the program’s rigorous application process. PMF positions are structured by the individual agencies and differ widely. All include some training opportunities and a rotational assignment, either within the agency or to another agency or branch of government. PMFs are appointed at the GS-9 level, and after one year are eligible for promotion to GS-11. After two years, PMFs are eligible for conversion to permanent positions and promotion to the GS-12 level. For complete details visit www.pmf.opm.gov.

The Fast Track

Chrissy Westerberg serves as the Chief Ranger of Recreation at J. Strom Thurmond Lake for the Savannah District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. As the Chief Ranger of Recreation, Chrissy oversees all aspects of recreation program management at this

large multi-purpose project. She has gained experience in park and resource and has learned how to balance multiple priorities with an in-creasingly limited budget. Before assuming her current position in 2006, Ms. Westerberg served as Campground Coordinator for nearly 4 years, overseeing all 13 Corps of Engineers campgrounds on Thurmond Lake. Chrissy began her career with the Corps of Engineers as a cooperative student doing an internship at Hartwell Lake in the Savannah District in 2000. She found out about this internship from a recruiter visiting UGA.

UGA Alumni Spotlight Chrissy Westerberg M.F.R. - Natural Resources, Recreation and Tourism U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District


Internships and other student work opportunities are among the best-kept secrets when it comes to getting a leg up on landing a full-time job with the federal government when you graduate. As with any type of job, the best way to find out if the federal government is for you is to try it out. But it’s not just a chance for you to test-drive the job – the internship also gives the agency a chance to see if they want to offer you a full-time job when you graduate. In some programs you can even get school credit while interning during the summer or the school year.

UGA’s Washington Semester Program (www.uga.edu/dcsemester): A unique op-portunity for 20 UGA undergraduate students to live, work and study in Washington, DC. This for-credit program is open to students in all colleges and degree programs at UGA. The Washington Center (www.twc.edu): The Washington Center is a nonprofit that places students in internships in DC from the private, public and nonprofit sectors. HACU’s National Internship Program (www.hacu.net): Places undergraduate and graduate students in federal agency intern-ships across the country. National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (www.nafeo.org): Committed to placing students in all federal agencies where the needs of the students and of the agencies can be most effectively met. Washington Internships for Native Students (www.american.edu/wins): WINS is offered free of charge to American Indian and Alaska Native students, and is designed to develop leadership skills in students while they intern with federal agencies in D.C. Washington Semester (www.washingtonsemester.com): The Washington Semester offers 13 distinct pro-grams that combine internships with seminars and a research projects. American Indian Science and Engineering Society (www.aises.org): The AISES Internship Program is a 10-week summer pro-gram that provides opportunities to explore federal careers in select agencies. Applicants must be AISES members and maintain a mini-mum GPA of 3.0. Workforce Recruitment Program (www.wrp.gov): Coordinated by the Depart-ment of Labor’s Office of Disability Employ-ment Policy, WRP provides internship opportu-nities in federal agencies to college students with disabilities.

★ Start with a general search to learn about the wide variety of opportunities:

★ www.calltoserve.org ★ www.studentjobs.gov/e–scholar.asp ★ www.students.gov

★ Next, research the agencies whose missions interest you most – agencies sometimes only publicize internships on their websites (see pages 11-15 for a list of agency sites). ★ Don’t give up too quickly if you don’t immediately find what you’re looking for. Sometimes the best way to uncover an internship is to call the agency in the location that appeals to you most. ★ Before you wrap up your search, you should also consider checking out the many organizations that help place students in federal internships and jobs.

Federal Internships


Career-Conditional Employee – This refers to someone who must complete three years of service in the government before being acknowledged as an official “career” employee. Status as a “career” employee also gives you an edge when applying for other federal jobs down the road. Competitive Service – Jobs that must be filled through a fair, open and merit-based process. Most civil service jobs fall under this category. Declaration for Federal Employment – In order to work for the federal government you must prove U.S. citizenship and comply with draft registra-tion requirements. This form also asks questions about personal debt, employment history and criminal background. Excepted Service – Federal positions that are not covered by certain civil service personnel rules and regulations. Federal Resume – A resume that contains all the information required to apply for a federal job. Though some vacancy postings refer to this docu-ment, there is no actual mandated form. Form C – (OPM form 1203) An optical scan form – a standardized sheet similar to those used for the SAT – on which applicants mark the answers to employment questionnaires if required for the application process. Some agencies are now able to have applicants answer these questions online. General Schedule (GS) – The general pay scale system for white collar jobs in the federal government. Positions are identified by GS level from GS-1 to GS-18. See page 14 for more information. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) – A set of questions to help determine if an applicant is a good fit for the job (see page 29 for more details). Some agencies may refer to KSAs using other names, such as quality ranking factors or supple-mental statements. Occupational Questionnaire – Questionnaire in-cluded in some applications aimed at assessing candidate qualifications through detailed multiple choice or yes-and-no questions.

Optional Application For Federal Employment (OF 612) – The closest thing to the federal résumé form that actually exists. This can be used as the resume part of your application for virtually all federal jobs. OF510 – A booklet published by OPM, also known as "applying for a federal job," that lists all of the information that has to be included on a federal resume . Public Trust Designation – Positions that require applicants to undergo a background check. Qualifications Standards Operating Manual – OPM's guide to qualifications required for a particular job at a particular grade level. Superior Academic Achievement – In some cases, applicants who do not have the required experience or education to qualify for a job are none-theless considered qualified if they graduate in the upper third of their college class, have a grade point average of B or better or belong to a nationally recognized honors society, Status Candidates – Job applicants currently work-ing for the federal government or certain former federal employees. SF86 – Security questionnaire required for certain positions. Asks questions regarding education, past and current employers, police records, financial situation, drug and alcohol usage. Term Position – Under term appointment, the em-ploying agency hires someone to work for a limited period of time between one and four years. Upward Mobility – A program agencies can use to groom talent by creating or restructuring positions so they can be filled by promising entry-level applicants who will then be offered training and other career-development opportunities. Veterans Preference – In the competitive process, veterans receive preference points that are added to their scores.

Source: The Partnership for Public Service

Federal Lingo


★ Internship and related experience matters Learn how to get your foot in the door with these ex-periences so you can develop your skills and your resume. ★ Think creatively Don’t limit your search to the standard methods. Think outside the box and don’t be intimidated to contact agencies. ★ Don’t limit yourself to D.C. Remember, 84% of all federal jobs are located outside of the Washington, D.C. area. ★ Know who does the hiring The government may be the largest single employer, but each agency does its own hiring. The USAJOBS site (www.usajobs.gov) provides information on what opportunities are out there. ★ Research agencies Agencies in the executive branch range in size from 100 staff to over 300,000, and each has its own mis-sion and locations. For more details about each agency, check their Web sites ★ Meet with your Career Consultant Schedule an appointment, drop by during walk-in hours at Clark Howell Hall, or at satellite locations across campus. Visit www.career.uga.edu to learn more.

★ Connect with agencies on campus Pay attention to upcoming information sessions, Ca-reers In programs, and career fairs and use all of these as opportunities to effectively network. ★ Keep electronic copies of your work The federal job search can be tedious and on aver-age takes 2-3 hours per job. When writing KSAs, electronic resumes, be certain to create a Word file and save these for future jobs. Having these handy will make the application process much easier in the future. For tips on writing KSAs, see page 28. ★ Sell yourself The application process may appear daunting at first, but the agencies just want to make sure they find the best people for the jobs. Use it as an opportunity to show the government who you are and what you’ve accomplished! ★ Patience is a virtue No news may be good news. The federal application process typically takes longer than the private sector, but this does not mean that you’re out of the running. Apply early and sit tight. ★ Follow up As in any job search, follow up is a must! In this case, don’t hesitate to call the agency contact. This is always listed at the bottom of the announcement. Print this out since it will be removed once the posi-tion closes.

A combination of three factors can help you understand where you are likely to fit on the GS scale:

1. Education. A college graduate with a four-year degree typically starts out at the GS-5 or GS-7 levels, whereas someone with a master’s degree typically starts at a GS-9 or higher. 2. Experience. Your salary can rise pretty quickly as you gain experience in the government; for example, you can move from a GS-7 to a GS-11 in two years, which is nearly a 50 percent in-crease in pay. Similarly, agencies take previous work experience into account when determining salary. 3. Where you live. The Feds employ people all around the country, and adjusts the pay accord-ingly in areas with higher costs of living. This is called a “locality pay adjustment.”

Remember that these are guidelines and that advancement can be quick at the entry level.

Job Search


USAJOBS: (www.usajobs.gov) ★ The government’s official job posting site listing nearly every federal job opening available to the public ★ Lets visitors sort openings by occupation, location, series, keyword, grade level, salary, and agency ★ Matches skills and interests to government careers. Find details in the link for “Career Exploration” ★ Permits users to create search agents and sends regular email messages when positions meet criteria ★ Allows users to create and store up to 10 resumes that are suitable for most federal job applications ★ Tracks the status of applications users submitted

Partnership for Public Service: (www.makingthedifference.org) ★ Gives detailed information on what kind of jobs are available with the Feds ★ Provides insight and relevant content on how to find and apply for federal jobs and internships

AvueCentral: (www.avuecentral.com) ★ Allows applicants to apply directly to its member agencies through one site ★ Provides information on the number of openings in each state ★ Describes and offers advice on the key steps in the federal hiring process

Best Places to Work: (www.bestplacestowork.org) ★ Draws on responses from more than 221,000 civil servants to produce detailed rankings of employee

engagement across 283 federal agencies Federal Job Search: (www.federaljobsearch.com) ★ Offers state-by-state information on federal jobs by occupation and the cities where they are located ★ Sends applicants regular emails with new postings that match their career interests profile, including

titles, salaries and locations of positions FedWorld: (www.fedworld.gov) ★ Provides an repository of information on job openings gathered from federal HR offices ★ Allows applicants to search for jobs by keyword and location

U.S. Government’s Official Web Portal: (www.usa.gov) ★ Provides comprehensive and authoritative information on all aspects of the federal government

Monster Public Service: (publicservice.monster.com) ★ Offers tips on applying for federal jobs and internships, as well as profiles of public servants ★ Allows users to search job openings by keyword, location and job category ★ Offers a free weekly e-newsletter, “Monster Public Service News,” that contains updates on federal

openings, hints, tips on applying and more The Résumé Place: (www.resume–place.com) ★ Specializes in helping federal job seekers write the best possible federal resume and KSAs ★ Publishes Ten Steps to a Federal Job and Students Federal Career Guide. Two great resources for

students who are looking to get their foot in the door Student Jobs: (www.studentjobs.gov) ★ Serves as a one-stop shop for information on government agencies offering opportunities for students ★ Offers a “resume builder” that helps users create and store a resume for applying to federal jobs ★ Provides links to agency homepages and student employment information pages

Key Websites


★ Click on the “Search Jobs” link on the USAJOBS home-page, then you'll be taken to the central job search screen. Here, you can sort and search through federal jobs by geo-graphic location, job category, pay grade, or keyword. ★ Key Word Search can help you narrow your search to only those positions that fit your expertise and experience. If you're looking for a job with a specific title (e.g., accounting or auditing), you can type that title into this box and the search will only show you jobs that match your description. ★ Location Search allows you to see jobs available in a spe-cific part of the U.S. or the world. Scroll through the list of loca-tions and highlight the one for which you are most interested. You can multi-select by holding down the control key.

★ Job Category Search is also a useful way to tailor the listings you see to your personal skills and interests. To use this tool, scroll through the list and select the descrip-tion that best matches the position you're seeking.

★ Pay Grade Range (GS) Search can help make sure that

you don't browse through jobs that are either above or below your level of expertise and education. Bachelor’s candidates should search GS-5 through GS-7; students with master's degree begin their search at the GS-9 level; and those with PhD’s begin with GS-11.

★ Applicant Eligibility. Read the questions carefully—if

you can truthfully answer “yes,” be sure to do so, as this can broaden the range of federal jobs available to you. If you're not sure or know that these do not apply, leave the “no” option selected.

★ Search for Jobs. Once you've set up the search just

click and discover the possibilities. You are able to sort the results by closing date, job summary, or salary. You can also “map” the results if you have a broad enough geographic range.

★ Save this search and email me jobs. Once you're

happy with your search, consider saving this by clicking the link on the top right portion of the page. This will al-low you to create an “Agent” and receive regular emails that contain new jobs that meet your criteria.

When Olatoyin Akinmola accepted her job with the Office of Thrift Supervision she had no idea that about two years later she would be a part of history. The current economy and struggling finan-cial industry is very reminiscent of the S&L crisis of the 80’s. She has found her job to be the subject of ma-jor headlines in the media. She wakes up each day knowing that her job is extremely important and that the day will bring a new challenge. And she loves every minute of it! Olatoyin has had the chance to travel to dif-ferent cities all over the southeast. She has also frequently been sent to training classes at the US Treasury Department, the head-quarters for the OTS located in Washington DC, from which she can look out the window and see the Whitehouse.

UGA Alumni Spotlight Olatoyin Akinmola B.S. — Statistics, B.B.A. — Finance Office of Thrift Supervision, Atlanta

Using USAJOBS


Agencies in Georgia In addition to using USAJOBS, job seekers should contact federal government agencies directly.

Benefits to Contacting Agencies 1. Some agencies, such as the CIA, are not required to use USAJOBS. 2. Direct contact will help you understand more about the hiring process for that agency. 3. Contact allows you to build a network that can search on your behalf. While www.USAJOBS.gov is a

starting place, it’s not the only way to find jobs. Contacts in your network may hear about jobs before they are posted and give you ideas on where to look.

4. People already working for the federal government can give you a broader understanding of how you might expand your job search.

Tips on How to Make Contact with Agencies

1. Start with who you know (family, alumni, faculty, neighbors, friends of family) to help you identify people who work for the federal government.

2. Meet recruiters at career fairs and follow up with them afterwards. 3. Do your research (Find agency contacts at the bottom of vacancy announcements). 4. For Georgia or Atlanta, you may review the agencies on the previous pages. 5. For cities in the U.S., check an online directory like www.switchboard.com. 6. Visit the agency homepage and locate the state, district, or regional offices.

Remember that federal networking contacts cannot advance your application. However, they can provide much needed advice and great information on how to expand your job search.

Agency Contact Info Website Administration for Children (404) 562-2800 www.acf.hhs.gov

Agriculture Research Service (706) 546-3158 www.ars.usda.gov/Careers/

Air Force (478) 926-1110 http://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil/

Army Corps of Engineers (912) 652-5883 www.usace.army.mil

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (404) 417-2600 www.atf.treas.gov/careers

Bureau of Labor Statistics (404) 893-8302 www.bls.gov/jobs/

Bureau of Prisons (678) 686-1200 www.bop.gov/jobs

Census Bureau (404) 730-3832 www.census.gov/hrd/www

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (404) 639-3311 www.cdc.gov/employment

Corporation for National Service (404) 331-4646 www.nationalservice.gov

Customs and Border Protection (678) 284-5900 www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/careers/

Defense Contract Audit Agency (770) 859-1440 www.dcaa.mil/careercenter/

Department of Energy (706) 213-3822 www.doe.gov/about/employment

Department of Health and Human Services (404) 562-7888 www.hhs.gov/careers/

Department of Housing & Urban Development (404) 331-5001 www.hud.gov/jobs

Drug Enforcement Administration (404) 893-7000 www.usdoj.gov/dea/resources/job_applicants.html

Environmental Protection Agency (404) 562-9900 www.epa.gov/careers/

Farm Service Agency (706) 546-2266 www.fsa.usda.gov

Federal Aviation Administration (404) 305-6700 www.faa.gov/jobs/


Agency Contact Info Website Federal Bureau of Investigation (404) 679-9000 www.fbijobs.gov

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (678) 916-2200 www.fdic.gov/about/jobs/index.html

Federal Emergency Management Agency (770) 220-5200 www.fema.gov/career

Federal Highway Administration (404) 562-3630 www.fhwa.dot.gov

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (912) 267-2100 www.fletc.gov/employment

Federal Protective Service (404) 331-3153 www.ice.gov/careers/

Federal Reserve Bank (404) 498-8500 www.frbatlanta.org

Federal Transit Administration (404) 865-5600 www.fta.dot.gov

Federal Trade Commission (404) 656-1390 www.ftc.gov/ftc/oed/hrmo/jobops.shtm

Fish and Wildlife Service (404) 679-4012 www.fws.gov/jobs/

Food and Nutrition Service (404) 562-7050 www.fns.usda.gov

Food and Drug Administration (404) 253-1169 www.fda.gov/jobs

Food Safety Inspection Service (404) 562-5900 www.fsis.usda.gov/careers/

General Services Administration (404) 331-3200 www.gsa.gov

Government Accountability Office (404) 679-1900 www.gao.gov/careers

Government Printing Office (404) 605-9160 www.gpo.gov/careers

Internal Revenue Service (404) 338-9239 www.jobs.irs.gov

Marshals Service (404) 331-6833 www.usmarshals.gov/careers/

Merit System Protection Board (404) 730-2755 www.mspb.gov

Minority Business Development Agency (404) 730-3300 www.mbda.gov

National Credit Union Administration (678) 443-3000 www.ncua.gov

National Highway Traffic Safety Commission (404) 562-3739 www.nhtsa.gov

National Labor Relations Board (404) 331-2896 www.nlrb.gov

National Park Service (404) 562-3100 www.nps.gov/personnel/

National Weather Service (770) 486-1133 www.careers.noaa.gov/

Natural Resources Conservation Service (706) 546-2272 www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/employment.html

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (404) 562-4400 www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/employment/nrcareers.html

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (404) 562-2300 www.osha.gov

Office of Personnel Management (404) 331-3455 www.opm.gov

Office of Thrift Supervision (404) 888-0771 www.ots.treas.gov

Postal Inspection Service (877) 876-2455 http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov

Risk Management Agency (229) 219-2200 www.rma.usda.gov

Rural Development (706) 546-2173 www.rurdev.usda.gov

Secret Service (404) 331-6111 www.secretservice.gov/join

Securities and Exchange Commission (404) 842-7600 www.sec.gov/jobs

Small Business Administration (404) 331-0100 www.sba.gov

Social Security Administration (706) 227-1070 www.ssa.gov/careers/

Veterans Benefit Administration (800) 827-1000 www.vba.va.gov

Veterans Health Administration (404) 321-6111 www1.va.gov


Federal Resume

A resume for a federal job includes all of the information in a standard resume, plus some additional details. These resumes are often 2 to 4 pages, which is longer than the typical resume for the private sector. Qualification summary. You might want to summarize your qualifications in a separate section of your re-sume. Summaries can be especially useful in explaining long or varied work histories. These sections work best when they focus on the qualifications shown in the vacancy announcement. Contact information. You must list your full name, address, and telephone number, Social Security number and country of citizenship. Job facts. Copy the announcement number, posi-tion title, and grade level from the announcement. If there is more than one grade level, state the lowest you would accept. For example, if the announce-ment describes the job as "GS-5/7," decide whether you would take the GS-5 or only a position as a GS-7.

Work experience. For each past job, give the standard information found in most resumes. For details about this see the UGA Career Guide or visit our website at www.career.uga.edu. On federal resumes you will add the average number of hours worked per week, salary or wage earned, supervisor's name, address, and tele-phone number, and whether your most recent supervisor may be contacted. Education and training. For this part of the resume, pro-

vide the name and address of the last school you attended. You’ll want to work in reverse chronological or-der, with your most recent college or institution first. Nearly all applications for federal jobs also provide in-formation about high school. Other qualifications. Be sure to mention relevant skills and achievements that are not immediately obvious from other parts of your resume. These might include computer skills, knowledge of a foreign language, or professional designations.

Position Title & Grade: Contract Specialist, GS-1102-05 Vacancy Announcement No: DAL-113480-CFO-VAK Location: Atlanta, GA SSN: ###-##-#### 125 Jennings Mill Pkwy Athens, GA 30605 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 706-272-0000 Citizenship: United States of America Federal Civilian Status: N/A Veteran’s Preference: N/A

Larry’s Hardware, Duluth, Georgia Sales Associate, February 2006-February 2008 $6.00 / Hour, 15 Hours per week Supervisor: Larry Toolman, may contact (770) 333-2222

Helpful hints for starters. Try the OF-612 at http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/of612.pdf. By using this paper form, you lose flexibil-ity but avoid having to create a resume from scratch. The form has spaces for all required information and in some cases is the preferred format for federal recruiters. The USAJOBS resume builder at www.usajobs.gov is based on this form.


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ted S

tates

dipl

omati

c hist

ory r

egar

ding

the

Mid

dle E

ast,

and c

urre

nt co

ntro

versi

es in

Mid

dle E

ast p

olicy

in li

ght o

f the

ory a

nd hi

story

. H

uman

Rig

hts (

3 hou

rs). D

efini

tions

of hu

man

righ

ts, co

mpa

ring u

nive

rsal a

nd cu

ltural

ly

cont

inge

nt pe

rspec

tives

. Sou

rces

of vi

olati

on of

hum

an ri

ghts,

the r

ole o

f int

erna

tiona

l law

and

non-

gove

rnm

ental

orga

niza

tions

.

Latin

Am

erica

n Po

litica

l Sys

tem

s (3 h

ours)

. The

facto

rs lea

ding

to de

moc

ratic

trans

ition

s in t

he

regi

on an

d the

prob

lems a

ssoc

iated

with

the c

onso

lidati

on of

dem

ocra

tic ru

le.

Colle

ge P

repa

rato

ry D

iplo

ma

May

2004

W

estm

inste

r Aca

dem

y, At

lanta,

GA,

3032

7 Cu

mul

ative

3.8/

4.0; H

istor

y GPA

4.0/

4.0

Relev

ant C

ourse

s: Sp

anish

I an

d II,

Amer

ican H

istor

y, Hi

story

of W

ester

n Civ

iliza

tion (

Hono

rs Co

urse

), Gl

obal

Envi

ronm

ent i

n Con

tempo

rary

Soc

iety (

Hono

rs Co

urse

), an

d Adv

ance

d Te

chno

logy

(Hon

ors C

ourse

).

AWAR

DS:

Pu

blic S

peak

ing T

eam

Awa

rd fo

r Deb

ate T

eam

acco

mplis

hmen

ts fo

r 200

6 and

2007

EM

PLOY

MEN

T:

Libr

ary A

ide

Au

gust

2006

– De

cemb

er 20

08

The U

nive

rsity

of G

eorg

ia, A

thens

, GA

3060

2 15

hour

s/wee

k at $

8/hou

r. S

uperv

isor:

Mar

y Goo

dwell

, 706

-542

-300

0 – m

ay co

ntact.

Co

nduc

ted re

searc

h and

analy

sis of

regio

nal l

ibrar

y web

sites

. Main

taine

d and

upda

ted S

cienc

e libr

ary

web c

onten

t usin

g Drea

mwe

aver

and C

amtas

ia so

ftware

. Plan

ned,

deve

lope

d and

pres

ented

mon

thly

spec

ial pr

ogram

s to a

ppro

xim

ately

20 pa

trons

conc

ernin

g fea

tured

publi

catio

ns. D

esign

ed gr

aphic

s an

d com

pose

d tex

t for

broc

hures

, sch

edule

s and

news

letter

usin

g In D

esign

softw

are. P

rovid

ed

infor

matio

n to a

ppro

xima

tely 5

0 patr

ons p

er sh

ift an

d assi

sted i

ndivi

duals

in fi

nding

spec

ific l

itera

ry

volum

es an

d data

base

searc

hes.

Adm

inist

rativ

e Assi

stant

Summ

er 20

05, 2

006,

and 2

007

Alsto

n &

Bird

LLP

, Atla

nta, G

A 30

309

40

hour

s/wee

k at $

9.50/h

our;

Supe

rviso

r: Ja

nice C

ummi

ns, 4

04-5

72-4

600 -

may

conta

ct.

Prov

ided c

opyin

g sup

port

to a l

aw fi

rm w

ith ov

er 45

0 staf

f atto

rney

s. P

rodu

ced h

ando

uts an

d as

sem

bled o

fficia

l leg

al do

cume

nts u

sing M

S W

ord,

MS

Exce

l, and

MS

Powe

rpoin

t. So

rted a

nd

distri

buted

over

2,000

piec

es of

mail

per d

ay. I

mpr

oved

comm

unica

tions

skill

s by w

orki

ng w

ith

divers

e coll

eagu

es an

d clie

nts. D

evelo

ped f

amili

arity

of in

terna

tiona

l law

and p

ractic

e. CO

MM

UNIT

Y AC

TIVI

TIES

: UG

A’s R

elay f

or L

ife -

Raise

d ove

r $80

0 for

the A

meric

an C

ance

r Soc

iety v

ia.

Alter

nativ

e Spr

ing B

reak -

Plac

es te

ams o

f coll

ege s

choo

l stud

ents

in co

mmun

ities

to en

gage

in

com

munit

y serv

ice an

d exp

erien

tial l

earn

ing du

ring t

heir

sprin

g brea

k. Ac

tive M

embe

r of C

olleg

e & C

areer

Grou

p at A

thens

Chu

rch -

activ

e in f

ood d

rives

and S

umme

r of

Serv

ice (S

OS);

dona

ted m

ore t

han 1

00 ho

urs f

or co

mmun

ity pr

ogram

s; pe

rsona

lly ra

ised $

500 t

o be

nefit

peop

le in

Third

Wor

ld co

untri

es; h

elped

clea

n hou

ses a

ffecte

d by H

urric

ane K

atrin

a. EX

TRAC

URRI

CULA

R AC

TIVI

TIES

: Al

pha Z

eta S

ocial

Sor

ority

– Se

rved

as P

hilan

throp

y Com

mitte

e Cha

ir an

d coo

rdina

ted co

mmun

ity

serv

ice ac

tiviti

es fo

r a so

rorit

y with

nearl

y 200

mem

bers.

Ga

mma S

igma S

igma –

Perf

orm

ed co

mmun

ity se

rvice

with

4 loc

al no

npro

fits a

s an a

ctive

mem

ber o

f a n

ation

al se

rvice

soro

rity.

Lead

ersha

pe –

Parti

cipate

d in a

six-

day l

eade

rship

deve

lopme

nt ex

perie

nce a

nd di

scus

sed i

ssues

rel

ating

to pe

rsona

l and

grou

p lea

dersh

ip, le

adin

g with

integ

rity,

and c

reati

ng pe

rsona

l goa

ls fo

r the

fu

ture.

Sam

ple

A.B

. Res

ume


Sam

uel A

dam

s sa

dam

s@ug

a.edu

12

1 Pa

triot

Plac

e At

hens

, GA

3060

6 SS

N: ##

#-##

-###

#

Citiz

ensh

ip: U

nited

Stat

es

Veter

ans S

tatus

: N/A

Fe

dera

l Civ

ilian

Stat

us: N

/A

OBJ

ECTI

VE: P

ursu

ing a

sum

mer

inter

nshi

p wi

th th

e Nati

onal

Insti

tute

of H

ealth

LA

BORA

TORY

SK

ILLS

:

• Pr

epar

ed s

pecim

ens

for

labor

atory

ana

lysis

and

tes

ting.

Prep

ared

and

stai

ned

slide

s fo

rm

icros

copi

c tes

ting f

or sp

ecifi

c dise

ase p

athog

ens.

• Sk

illed

in th

e use

of l

abor

atory

equi

pmen

t and

instr

umen

tatio

n.

• Ob

serv

ed v

eterin

ary

surg

ical a

nd a

utop

sy p

roce

dure

s on

bot

h do

mes

tic a

nd fa

rm a

nim

als.

Prov

ided

min

or as

sistan

ce as

requ

ested

.

• Ba

sic s

kills

in c

ollec

ting

bloo

d, u

rine

and

fece

s fro

m a

nim

als, a

nd b

lood

spe

cimen

s fro

mhu

man

s. Pe

rform

ed re

d and

whi

te bl

ood

cell

coun

ts.

EDUC

ATIO

N:

Th

e Uni

vers

ity o

f Geo

rgia

, Ath

ens,

GA

Expe

cted

Dece

mbe

r 200

9 Ba

chelo

r of S

cienc

e in

Biol

ogy

Cum

ulati

ve G

PA 3.

1/4.

0; M

ajor G

PA 3.

5/4.

0

Relev

ant c

ours

es:

Biol

ogy

and

Cons

erva

tion

of M

arin

e Mam

mal

s (4 h

ours)

- M

arin

e mam

mal

biol

ogy a

nd

cons

erva

tion w

ith a

prim

ary f

ocus

on

mar

ine m

amm

als co

mm

on to

the s

outh

easte

rn U

S.

Topi

cs in

clude

d an

atom

y/ph

ysio

logy

, pop

ulati

on d

ynam

ics, c

aptiv

e man

agem

ent a

nd

reha

bilit

ation

, law

and

publ

ic po

licy,

and

care

ers i

n m

arin

e mam

mal

scien

ce.

Cell

Biol

ogy

(4 h

ours)

- St

ructu

re an

d fu

nctio

n of

cells

: cell

arch

itectu

re an

d org

aniza

tion,

ce

ll cy

cle, m

embr

ane p

heno

men

a, or

gane

lloge

nesis

, ene

rgy t

rans

ducti

on, a

nd ce

llular

cont

rol

mec

hani

sms.

De

velo

pmen

tal B

iolo

gy (4

hou

rs) -

Cell

diffe

rent

iatio

n an

d m

orph

ogen

esis,

prim

arily

in

anim

al de

velo

pmen

t. Ge

ne re

gulat

ion

at th

e mol

ecul

ar le

vel,

gam

etoge

nesis

, fer

tiliza

tion,

no

rmal

embr

yoni

c dev

elopm

ent,

cell

and t

issue

inter

actio

ns, h

orm

onal

regu

latio

n, an

d de

velo

pmen

tal as

pects

of ca

ncer

and

the i

mm

une r

espo

nse.

Ecos

yste

m E

colo

gy (3

hou

rs) -

Ecos

ystem

stru

cture

and f

uncti

on w

ith em

phas

is on

ener

getic

an

d bi

ogeo

chem

ical p

roce

sses

in n

atura

l and

man

aged

ecos

ystem

s, fro

m lo

cal t

o gl

obal

scale

s. Th

omas

Jef

fers

on H

igh

Scho

ol, B

uena

Vist

a, G

A

May

2005

Re

levan

t cou

rses:

Bio

logy

, Bot

any,

Chem

istry

and P

hysic

s

EXPE

RIEN

CE (P

aid an

d Un

paid

): M

edica

l Assi

stant

Summ

er 20

08

SIM

Hea

lthca

re, P

O Bo

x 790

0 Cha

rlotte

, NC

Su

perv

isor:

Pauli

ne W

angu

i, 80

0-52

1-64

49

Salar

y: Vo

luntee

r; 55

hour

s per

week

Co

mplet

ed a

3-mo

nth in

terna

tiona

l volu

nteer

assig

nmen

t in A

ngola

, a th

ird-w

orld

natio

n in

south

-centr

al Af

rica.

Live

d in a

n Afri

can c

ompo

und a

nd w

orke

d at a

loca

l vete

rinar

y hos

pital

that c

ared f

or bo

th an

imals

and p

eople

. Acq

uired

outst

andin

g han

ds-o

n exp

erien

ce in

ph

leboto

my, h

emato

logy,

routi

ne an

d eme

rgen

cy su

rgica

l pro

cedu

res, f

ield a

utops

ies an

d gen

eral

anim

al he

alth c

are.

Veter

inar

y Tec

hnici

an

Summ

er 20

07

Perfe

ct Vi

ew A

nimal

Clini

c, 21

00 M

ain S

treet,

Bue

na V

ista,

GA

Supe

rviso

r: Dr

. Bill

y Rich

ardso

n (22

9) 55

5-12

12

Salar

y: $9

/hour

; 40 h

ours

per w

eek

Main

taine

d fac

ility,

lab a

nd eq

uipme

nt fo

r a cl

inic w

ith th

ree do

ctors.

Wor

ked d

irectl

y with

ve

terina

rians

to di

agno

se an

d trea

t a va

riety

of do

mesti

c anim

al dis

ease

s and

cond

ition

s. As

sisted

ve

t with

routi

ne ex

amina

tions

and t

reatm

ents.

Dev

elope

d exte

nsive

know

ledge

of tr

eatm

ents

for

llama

, alli

gator

s, an

d ferr

ets.

An

imal

Care

Assi

stant

Su

mmer

2006

Vo

luntee

r Anim

al Ho

spita

l, 110

0 Volu

nteer

Park

way,

Sava

nnah

, GA

Supe

rviso

r: An

drea

And

erson

(912

) 555

-121

2 Sa

lary:

$7/ho

ur; 3

5 hou

rs pe

r wee

k Ca

red fo

r dom

estic

anim

als, c

leane

d ken

nel f

acili

ties,

and p

rovid

ed ro

utine

hygie

ne. C

oord

inated

an

imal

drop

-offs

and p

ick-u

ps fo

r app

roxim

ately

25 an

imals

per w

eek.

AD

DITI

ONAL

EXP

ERIE

NCE:

Head

Cas

hier

Augu

st 20

06 –

Pres

ent

Ingle

s Gro

cery

Stor

e, 31

90 A

tlanta

High

way,

Athe

ns, G

A

Su

perv

isor:

Ted T

urne

r (70

6) 55

5-12

12

Salar

y: $6

.75/ho

ur; 2

5 hou

rs pe

r wee

k Pr

omote

d fro

m Ca

shier

to H

ead C

ashie

r afte

r 2 ye

ars of

loya

l serv

ice. C

harg

ed w

ith sc

hedu

ling a

supe

rvisi

ng a

staff

of 40

fello

w ca

shier

s. M

aintai

ned e

ffecti

ve cu

stome

r serv

ice sk

ills i

n a fa

st-pa

custo

mer s

ervice

posit

ion at

a hig

h-vo

lume r

egion

al gr

ocer

y stor

e cha

in.

EXTR

ACUR

RICU

LAR

ACTI

VITI

ES:

• Ag

Hill

Cou

ncil

o Hi

storia

n •

Colle

giate

4-H,

o

UGA

Trea

surer

o

Won

Hon

orab

le M

entio

n at G

eorg

ia St

ate F

air

• Pr

e-Vete

rinar

y Med

icine

Clu

b •

UGA

Rode

o Clu

b

Sam

ple

B.S

. Res

ume


Sa

ndra

Day

su

prem

esan

dra@

uga.e

du

Scho

ol A

ddre

ss:

Pe

rman

ent A

ddre

ss:

123

Oak

Stre

et #7

6

4

56 R

adfo

rd D

rive

Athe

ns, G

eorg

ia 3

0601

Suwa

nee,

Geor

gia

3002

4 (7

06) 5

55-1

799

(77

0) 5

55-1

011

Posit

ion

Title

& G

rade

: LO

AN A

SSIS

TANT

/SPE

CIAL

IST,

GS-

1165

-5

Vaca

ncy A

nnou

ncem

ent N

o: U

K123

659-

CIP

Loca

tion:

Geo

rgia

Socia

l Sec

urity

No.

: ###

-##-

####

Ci

tizen

ship

: Uni

ted S

tates

of A

mer

ica

Fede

ral C

ivili

an S

tatus

: N/

A Ve

teran

’s Pr

efer

ence

: N/

A Co

ntac

t cur

rent

supe

rviso

r: Ye

s

O

BJEC

TIVE

: Se

ekin

g a C

aree

r Int

ern

/ Loa

n Sp

ecial

ist P

ositi

on w

ith th

e US

Depa

rtmen

t of

Agric

ultu

re, F

arm

Ser

vice

Age

ncy

EDUC

ATIO

N

The U

nive

rsity

of G

eorg

ia, A

then

s, GA

306

05

Bach

elor o

f Bus

ines

s Adm

inist

ratio

n M

ajor

: Risk

Man

agem

ent a

nd In

sura

nce,

May

200

9

Over

all G

PA: 3

.33/

4.0

G

eorg

ia P

erim

eter

Col

lege,

Alph

arett

a, GA

300

04

As

socia

te of

Arts

in B

usin

ess M

anag

emen

t, M

ay 2

007

Ov

erall

GPA

: 3.5

/4.0

Ch

atta

hooc

hee H

igh

Scho

ol, A

lpha

retta

, GA

3002

2

Hi

gh S

choo

l Dip

loma

, May

200

5

Ove

rall

GPA:

3.9

/4.0

RELA

TED

EXPE

RIEN

CE

Cind

y Ja

ckso

n, R

E/M

AX A

ssoc

iate

s, At

hens

, Geo

rgia

Admi

nistr

ative

Ass

istan

t, Au

gust

2007

-Pre

sent

$8

/ Ho

ur, 2

0 Ho

urs p

er w

eek

Su

perv

isor:

Cind

y Jac

kson

(706

) 542

-843

1

Enha

nced

kno

wled

ge o

f Rea

l Esta

te in

dustr

y an

d ga

in ex

perie

nce w

orki

ng in

a pr

ofes

siona

l offi

ce en

viro

nmen

t

Upda

ted cl

ient i

nfor

mati

on p

ertai

ning

to p

rope

rties

to en

sure

accu

rate

datab

ase

info

rmati

on in

Micr

osof

t Exc

el

Deve

lope

d a c

ompu

terize

d fo

rm an

d m

anag

emen

t sys

tem fo

r Rea

ltors

Asso

ciatio

n Ac

coun

ts to

assis

t Rea

ltors

with

acco

unt m

anag

emen

t

Com

plete

d ad

ditio

nal c

lerica

l tas

ks su

ch as

answ

erin

g ph

ones

, tra

ckin

g an

d or

derin

g of

fice s

uppl

ies, a

nd p

hoto

copy

ing

Sam

ple

B.B

.A. R

esum

e

ADDI

TION

AL E

XPER

IENC

E

R a

fferty

’s Re

staur

ant, A

lphare

tta, G

eorgi

a Ho

stess/

Food

Serve

r, M

ay 20

05-A

ugus

t 200

7 $6

/ Hou

r, 20 H

our p

er we

ek

Su

pervi

sor:

Joe D

ean (

678)

222-3

333

Ex

pand

ed in

terpe

rsona

l and

custo

mer r

elatio

ns sk

ills by

inter

actin

g with

custo

mers

and

restau

rant p

erson

nel

Pr

ovide

d qua

lity cu

stome

r serv

ice w

hile r

epres

entin

g a te

am of

5 ho

stesse

s

Prep

ared c

ustom

er ch

ecks

and m

anag

ed fi

nanc

ial tr

ansac

tions

whe

n nee

ded

De

velop

ed a

produ

ct kn

owled

ge ba

se to

assist

custo

mers

with

choic

es Al

phar

etta B

aptis

t Chu

rch,

Alph

aretta

, Geo

rgia

Child

care

Prov

ider,

Septe

mber

2003

-May

2005

$8

/ Hou

r, 3 H

ours

per w

eek

Supe

rviso

r: Su

san G

rimes

(678)

333-2

222

Se

rved a

s a ca

retak

er for

10 ch

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In addition to a resume, you might also be asked to provide written statements-often called KSAs. The KSA is an acronym that stands for Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. These narrative statements show how you meet specific job requirements. Sometimes, an online questionnaire is used in lieu of writing KSAs. However, writing these statements of-fers an important advantage: the chance to prove you have all of the qualifications an employer wants. KSA topics vary depending upon the requirements of the position. Below are some common KSAs for jobs found on USAJOBS:

★ Knowledge of accounting principles and/or procedures ★ Knowledge of personal computers and statistical software ★ Skill in oral and/or written communication ★ Skill in problem solving ★ Ability to work on a team and/or independently ★ Ability to communicate technical information to technical and/or non-technical audiences

In order to effectively answer these, re-think the KSA as a question, similar to what you might be asked in an interview. For example in the case of the first KSA above, think, ‘Can you give 2 or 3 concrete examples of how you utilized your knowledge of accounting principles in your internship at your KPMG internship?’.

Writing KSAs

KSA Tips ★ Put your name and Social Security number at the top of each statement. ★ Prepare an answer that is 2/3 to 1 page in length, single-spaced, and written in paragraph form. ★ Write in the first person even when you did work as part of a group or team activity. ★ Use active tense using concrete examples to illustrate your knowledge, skills, or abilities. ★ Put each KSA on its own page, restating the question at the top of the page. ★ Use 1-3 unique examples per KSA, supporting informa-tion in your resume. ★ Include keywords and/or phrases from the question and the vacancy announcement. ★ Most importantly, don’t forget to read it over before sub-mitting your responses!

★ Be sure your federal resume supports all the statements made in writing your KSAs. ★ Focus on any outcomes to which you directly contributed, citing quantitative data ($, #, %) where possible. ★ Review your answers to ensure they are succinct, follow a logical format, and are easy to read. ★ Ask a friend who knows you well to read over your fin-ished answers. ★ Don’t forget to proofread!!!

Using CCAR for Writing Strong KSA Statements

Context: Describe the situation in detail. For instance, if using a class project, tell what class it was for, how many people were in your group, and when this happened.

Challenge: What was the problem? What was your role in creating a solution to the problem? What made this issue especially challenging or difficult?

Action: How did you handle the task? Focus on your own actions, NOT those of the group. Be as specific and thorough as possible.

Results: What was the result of the situation? This is a very important part of the answer and can really make or break your statement. The results could have been a good grade or adop-tion of your recommendations. If you can, quan-tify the results with numbers (e.g. #, $, %).


Age

ncy Na

me:

Departm

ent Na

me:

Positio

n Title

, Series

, Grade

: An

nounce

ment N

umber

: Can

didate

Name:

Social

Securit

y Num

ber:

Profess

ional k

nowled

ge and

skill in

apply

ing acc

ounting

concep

ts, pri

nciple

s, and

metho

ds.

During

my un

dergra

duate s

tudy in

Accou

nting, I

took co

urses i

n accou

nting th

at enco

mpass

ed fina

ncial

stateme

nt prep

aration

and int

erpreta

tion, ca

sh flow

analysi

s and in

terpreta

tion, w

orking

capital

man

agemen

t, capi

tal bud

geting

and val

uation,

cost ac

countin

g, varia

nce ana

lysis an

d mana

gement

con

trol.

Throug

h my em

ploym

ent exp

erience

I have

had the

oppor

tunity

to beco

me wel

l-versed

in bot

h finan

cial

and cos

t accou

nting p

ractices

. For ex

ample,

as an In

tern at t

he Rezn

ick Gro

up, I w

orked o

n a var

iety of

client d

elivera

bles inc

luding

: perfor

ming fi

nancial

statem

ent pre

paratio

n; leas

e testin

g; payr

oll test

ing;

cash d

isbursem

ent tes

ting; m

anagin

g accou

nts pay

able an

d searc

hing fo

r unrec

orded l

iabilitie

s; mai

ntainin

g confir

mation

log; pr

eparing

audit w

ork pap

ers; and

perform

ing aud

it softw

are dat

a entry.

As a st

udent,

I work

ed at H

orton B

usiness

Service

s in At

hens, G

eorgia

where I

review

ed expe

nditure

s, per

sonnel,

and pu

rchasin

g docu

ments f

or avail

ability

of fun

ding, m

athema

tical co

rrectnes

s, and

complia

nce wi

th custo

mer po

licies

While

employ

ed full

time at

KPMG

, I shar

ed resp

onsibil

ity of o

versee

ing fin

ancial

matters

concer

ning an

inte

rstate p

artnersh

ip with

a start-

up com

pany. A

ccount

ing pro

cedure

s had to

be ame

nded to

ensure

ample

tim

e for th

e staff

in Texa

s to rev

iew the

bills f

or accu

racy, se

nd the

m to M

arylan

d for pa

yment

, and

follow

up to e

nsure p

ayment

was m

ade and

receive

d. To

resolve

time de

lays, w

e switch

ed to o

n-line

bankin

g in ord

er to v

iew wh

at chec

ks had b

een pai

d. We al

so cont

acted v

endors

to requ

est pre

ferred

paymen

t dates

to avoi

d late c

harges

and neg

ative cr

edit rat

ings.

Agenc

y Nam

e: De

partme

nt Nam

e: Pos

ition T

itle, Se

ries, G

rade:

Annou

nceme

nt Num

ber:

Candi

date N

ame:

Social

Securi

ty Num

ber:

Abilit

y to wo

rk on

a team

and in

depend

ently:

Gro

wing u

p on a

horse

ranch

in Nort

h Flor

ida off

ered m

e many

oppor

tunitie

s to wo

rk bot

h on a

team a

nd ind

epende

ntly. F

or exam

ple, th

ere we

re many

times w

hen I r

epaired

fences

wit

h my th

ree sib

lings an

d pare

nts. T

here w

ere als

o time

s when

I pitch

ed box

stalls

alone.

While

worki

ng at N

orthea

st Chap

ter of t

he Ge

orgia C

onserv

ancy, I

worke

d ind

epende

ntly un

der Jo

yce Sm

ith. I w

as give

n tasks

at the

begin

ning o

f the d

ay or w

eek an

d ma

de a sc

hedule

to be

approv

ed by

Ms. Sm

ith. I a

lso co

ordina

ted the

Ocone

e Rive

r “Keep

it Cle

an” we

ekend

and cre

ated m

arketin

g piec

es for p

romotin

g the A

thens

Greenw

ay.

Du

ring th

e summ

er of 20

08 I w

orked

at the

Carrin

gton R

esearc

h Exte

nsion

Cente

r as an

agr

onomis

t assist

ant. T

here w

ere 15

youth

s hired

to wo

rk in th

e field

s witho

ut a su

pervis

or nea

rby. W

e work

ed as a

team t

o get t

hings

done in

a time

ly fash

ion. I

curren

tly wo

rk at H

ope

Haven

, a non

profit

in Athe

ns wh

ose pri

mary p

urpose

is to p

rovide

servic

es for i

ndivid

uals w

ith dev

elopm

ental d

isabili

ties. A

s a pro

gram a

ssistan

t, I hel

p plan

a cale

ndar of

event

s each

month

and

lead n

ightly

activit

ies ran

ging fr

om bin

go to t

rips to

the zo

o with

the res

idents

.

At Th

e Univ

ersity

of Geor

gia so

me pro

fessor

s requi

re stud

ents to

work i

n assig

ned

groups

on pro

jects a

nd lab

s. I ha

ve tak

en the

role a

s grou

p leade

r and d

elegat

ed wo

rk for

everyo

ne and

made

sure th

at ever

ything

was d

one we

ll in a t

imely m

anner.

I, and

six oth

er UGA

stu

dents a

re start

ing an

Action

Witho

ut Bord

ers ch

apter a

t UGA

; curre

ntly I h

old the

office

of cha

pter S

ecreta

ry.

KSA

Sam

ple

#2

KSA

Sam

ple

#1


T he federal government is generally slower in moving through the application process than most pri-vate employers. The hiring process could take 4-6 months. For jobs that require extensive back-ground checks, this could take 18 months. Agencies are constantly working to reduce the time that applicants have to wait. In fact, some agencies, such as the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, have cut the average time for an initial screening to a few weeks after the closing date. If an agency uses an automated hiring system, you can check the status of your application online. If you haven’t heard the status of your application and it has been more than 3 weeks since the closing date, you may call the contact person listed in the job announcement for an update. Checking your application’s pro-gress is important, because sometimes positions are cancelled and re-opened later.

Security Clearances

Everyone hired for a federal job undergoes a basic background check of their criminal and credit histories. In addition, jobs that include access to sensitive information generally require a security clearance, which requires a more intensive background investigation that begins after someone has already received a job offer. Examples of agencies which may require high levels of security clearance include:

U.S. State Department U.S. Department of Defense Intelligence Community (e.g., CIA, FBI) U.S. Agency for International Development

Security Clearance Process

1. Receiving the job offer 2. A basic background check of the individual’s criminal and credit histories

This includes a review of law enforcement records, verification of education, past employment and citizenship. In this case, being honest is more important than having a spotless record. Past mistakes will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but falsification of records (including omis-sion of important events) could disqualify you for the job.

3. A more intensive clearance investigation once the offer has been made 4. Agency’s decision of whether to grant clearance, based on the clearance investigation

Tips for Smooth Security Clearance Process

★ Ensure your package is complete with properly rolled fingerprints. ★ Follow up after a reasonable period of time (roughly one month). ★ It may be possible to work for the agency in a nonsensitive position (also referred to as a "low public trust") while you wait for the security clearance. Ask your agency for details. ★ Prepare in advance: know the kinds of questions that will be asked of you as you seek to get a security clearance. See the OPM’s "Questionnaire for National Security Positions” or Standard Form 86 at www.opm.gov/forms/. ★ Keep track of where you live and a contact who knew you when you lived at each place. This is especially important if you study abroad. ★ Consider a summer internship with an agency that requires a security clearance. If you need a security clearance after graduation, getting an updated clearance will be considerably faster than the initial investigation. These internships generally have deadlines before November 1.

Application Process


UGA Alumni Spotlight Doug Canup B.S.— Agriculture USDA Rural Development Doug started his career with the Federal government 30 years ago with a small agency known as Rural Development, where he has served in a variety of roles. As a Housing Specialist, Doug conducted program outreach, provided oversight to loan processing and underwriting. This included conducting property appraisals and inspections. After time here, he became the Guaranteed Rural Housing (GRH) Coordinator for Georgia. As State Coordinator, he developed train-ing seminars and program outreach for the entire state. Under his guidance, the Guaranteed Rural Housing loan program in Georgia grew to over $100 million dollars. Thanks to a successful relationship with Georgia lenders, the Georgia GRH portfolio is one of the largest in the nation and one of the best operated in the agency. Doug is currently the Program Director, where he oversees program delivery statewide and provides guidance through the development of state policy and instructions. Doug admits that he appreciates his job because it allows him to see the dream of homeownership come true for rural Georgians. He adds that “It feels good to stimulate economic growth.” Doug’s advice for students interested in pursuing a federal career is to get to know agency representatives and people in positions of authority. This includes recruiters and agency department heads. Doug also suggests visit-ing www.usajobs.gov to learn more about where and how the government is hiring.

Notes:______________________________ ___________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Notes:______________________________ ___________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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