federal job tips?

[uctofeej]

I suddenly find myself on the job market (got about another month to go) and am exploring the federal sector. It fits my area of "expertise" and compensation is similar to what I've been getting in the private sector.

So, I'm wondering if any of you folks who currently work for Uncle Sam might be able to offer any tips on getting my foot in the door or answer a few questions.

I've heard the application process is "objective" and based almost entirely on my resume/qualifications, but I've also heard that most jobs are just posted to fulfill legal requirements and that they generally already have someone in mind for a particular position. Which one is generally true? Do I need to show my face in the local office or should I let my application package do the talking for me?

And finally, once a job announcement closes, is it a "clearing house" of resume reviewers who select interview candidates or someone at that particular location who decides?

TIA

EDIT: Oh yeah, and just to make this officially feej related, I'll have to sell it if I don't find a job soon.

 

[mjac]

Start here?

https://www.usajobs.com/

 

[uctofeej]

Start here?
https://www.usajobs.com/

Thanks. I've been looking there already... and it is the source of many of my questions.

 

[artistonFJR]

Recommend you try Raytheon. they just bought our company lock stock n barrel and have over 80,000 employees (seriously) and the jobs run the full spectrum. Are you willing to move? that might be a requirement. Benefits are outstanding and the $ ain't bad.

Good luck. BTW... what kind of jobs are you qualified for? Maybe that will help us point you in the right direction.

Chris

 

[Ari Rankum]

I suddenly find myself on the job market (got about another month to go) and am exploring the federal sector. It fits my area of "expertise" and compensation is similar to what I've been getting in the private sector.

Care to say what your area of expertise is?

 

[uctofeej]

Thanks for the Raytheon tip, artistonFJR. I am not opposed to relocating. In fact, I would like to move to the north west (Washington, Oregon, maybe northern CA).

My expertise is focused in two areas: 1) general curriculum design and education consulting, and 2) teaching strategic terrorism prevention and catastrophe/emergency preparedness. As a contractor, I've been designing courses and teaching first responders and others about the second category.

I am specifically targeting a government career so I can either continue teaching the same topic or become a practitioner of what I teach.

I appreciate the input you all have been giving. Some have PM'd me to keep things "off record." Feel free to contribute that way, I'll keep it confidential.

 

[Checkswrecks]

I might as well put this where all can see to help both applicants and the process. I'm an engineer and not doing hiring or in HR, but here's how I've seen it work where I am and while I know that some other agencies have different details, they're all similar and trying to be objective. Be aware that a lot of people inadvertently kill their own chances by simply not doing what the specifics of what announcements say.

Before you apply to a specific agency, it's OK to call their Personnel people and ask if they have any nuances, like sending a separate paper copy in addition to going through USAJobs. I think that everything in the Government now goes through USAJobs. Be aware that USAJobs has a number of ahhh - "issues." Yeah, that's the word.

First is that it's a huge market and you need to drill to find what you want and could be quailified for. It's easy to miss what you're looking for.

Second, you need to "build" your resume, which is tedious but necessary.

Third, is that the HR people who get the resume are looking for key-words to do the initial sorting. They probably know absolutely nothing about the job that you want, they are just looking for the qualifying and disqualifying statements. In our agency, we've known industry colleagues who said that they applied and not found them in the pile submitted for evaluating. Then found them in the DQ pile. You can't really blame the HR people, because it's totally up to YOU to make sure that every sentence the announcement says is needed, has at least one clearly stated sentence that you wrote in response.

Once you do get past USAJobs and the HR people:

Most Fed jobs have KSA's (or a similar acronym), better known as knowledge-skills-aptitudes, that are kind of like bonus questions. This is probably where most people screw up. Just like getting past the HR people in the previous paragraph, you absolutely MUST write something about your experience with each and every one of the KSA's. I've seen a single sheet with a sentence for each KSA and I've seen a couple of pages dedicated to each KSA. Volume and bull isn't needed. What you put down is totally up to you, but try to include time and some specifics. If the KSA says "Able to speak in front of groups" put down something like "I had to confront crowds of protestors daily for 3 years as a crowd control officer" rather than "I rote things on the chalkboard in school all the time." What you state may be checked on later for accuracy, especially if in a position with a clearance.

The pile that gets past the HR people gets paneled by a small group of people who have the job and they use a grading sheet to weed out what got past the HR people (believe it or not some people BS on job applications!) and objectively rank the candidates. For example, a panelist checklist for the "Able to speak in front of groups" question will probably give guidance like assigning 5 points for 5 years prior experience, 3 points for 2 years, etc. See why you need to give specifics?

Once ranked, the pile goes back to HR and the supervisor to see who they want to call for interviews and beyond that, it's really just interviewing like for anywhere else.

Good luck.

Bob

 

[uctofeej]

Checkswrecks, thanks for the info. That will definitely help me tweak the resume a little better.

 

[Bounce]

So, I'm wondering if any of you folks who currently work for Uncle Sam might be able to offer any tips on getting my foot in the door or answer a few questions.

think twice. as deeply in debt as we are there's a looming RIF that's anticipated by many. H Clinton has suggested publicly that half of all anticipated retirees never be replaced. job reductions, benefit reductions (with an accompanied hike in the cost of the skin and bones remains that they do still offer), and a strong push to contract out most tech jobs all add up to a bad time to be trying to enter the public sector (unless you're a politician).

try to attach yourself to a contractor with government projects. you'll work on government jobs have better benefits, and not be as disillusioned by the process. and, for the type of work you're looking to do, a lot of agencies contract it out rather than attempt to build and maintain in-house expertise.

 

[uctofeej]

think twice. as deeply in debt as we are there's a looming RIF that's anticipated by many. H Clinton has suggested publicly that half of all anticipated retirees never be replaced. job reductions, benefit reductions (with an accompanied hike in the cost of the skin and bones remains that they do still offer), and a strong push to contract out most tech jobs all add up to a bad time to be trying to enter the public sector (unless you're a politician).

I've thought about that. As far as I can tell, there are no plans to reduce the homeland security sector. If that were the case, I wouldn't even consider government employment.

try to attach yourself to a contractor with government projects. you'll work on government jobs have better benefits, and not be as disillusioned by the process.

I currently work for a small contractor. My current project has approval, support from the highest reaches, and a federal law through which it is funded. However, even with all of that, it has been three years of constant fighting on to get the money we are owed because the "pass-through" organizations have repeatedly delayed payments they're obligated to make. With all the delays they caused, they basically wrecked my company financially and put us out of business.

Believe me, I understand the down-size risk you're talking about. But at the same time, there are risks in the private sector. When weighed side-by-side, the government sector looks like the better option because I can make a more direct contribution and get about the same level of compensation.

 

[Bounce]

Good luck (seriously). If you get a fed job, check back with us in about a year and let us know how you like the change in the way things function (management, etc.).

The one thing I hear from various contractors is how frustrated they are with how plodingly things move (or don't) through management channels.