Applying for Federal Employment

Despite negative views around the country, federal employment remains one of the most coveted job opportunities in the country. If you want to apply for a federal employment, follow these steps to get started:

1. Go to usajobs.gov.


2. Click on the "Create an Account" link at the top right hand corner of the page.


3. Continue to follow guidelines to set up your account.


4. Create a resume using the resume builder. The main difference between a government and a private company resume is that a government resume has five to six pages worth of data instead of one. Start by putting all of your data into the resume builder. At the end of the process, you will have an opportunity to view and save your resume. Do that so that you can cut and paste relevant material into your resume for private company job searches.


5. Create a search. You are able to create up to 10 different searches, so set up multiple searches focused on the different localities or field that interest you. For example, if you want to work in the Washington DC area, select places such as "Washington DC," "Washington Navy Yard," "Virginia" or "Arlington VA" and "Maryland" or "Patuxent River" in one search. Or, search a specific government department, such as the Department of Defense or Department of State. At the bottom of the search, select the frequency with which you will get email messages of new job postings Choose daily or weekly. Any period longer than that and you will miss a number of opportunities as many announcements only stay open for a week or two.


6. Identify potential job opportunities from the email notices. After reviewing the announcement, click "Apply Now" on the right side of the screen. I recommend that you change your resume to use key words found within the announcement. A search engine selects resumes for review utilizing these key words. Look for these terms under the "Duties" or "Qualifications Required" sections of the announcement. Pay special attention to the sentence that reads "Specialized experience is defined as... " USAjobs.gov allows you to ave up to five different resumes. Copy your primary resume and then change the terminology for the particular announcement.


7. After submitting your resume, the system will redirect you to another site to complete your submission. Complete the questionnaire. Upload required documents that qualify you for the position. This includes college transcripts, Standard Form 50, etc.


8. Submit your application package.


9. You will receive an email notice stating that your application package has been received. Afterwards, track the status of your application online through the USAjobs.gov website.

Federal hiring takes at least two to three months. Stay positive if a bit of time passes and you have not heard anything. Best of luck to you in your job search!

Holly South lives in Honolulu, HI with her husband and two children. You can read more of her work at http://familybooknight.blogspot.com and http://7yearstofinancialfreedom.blogspot.com. Her debut book, Sell Your Stuff, Save Your Life, provides a sixty day plan for raising the funds you need to start your emergency fund by selling your "stuff." Find it on Amazon, the iBookstore, and Lulu.com.

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