Considering a federal government career? With more than two million civilian employees, the federal government is a major employer. The federal workforce is aging, according to an analysis of data by the Partnership for Public Service (click here to view data). Over 40 percent of federal employees are over the age of 50. This means that federal jobs at all levels are opening on a daily basis.
Benefits of Working for the Federal Government
The federal government offers great job security compared to the private sector. After an employee complete a probationary period, civil service laws make it difficult to fire a federal employee.
New federal employees earn 12 vacation days and 11 paid holidays annually. The amount of annual leave increases to 18 days after three years and climbs to 26 days after 15 years. Federal employees also earn 18 sick days annually. These benefits support work-life balance.
Federal employees have a retirement plan, have the option to participate in life insurance and the thrift savings plan, and have multiple choices for health care coverage. You can change your health plan each year without worrying about preexisting conditions.
The pay scale varies based on location. Click here to see current pay scales.
Federal Resumes
Federal resumes should include the most recent 10-15 years of experience. For each job, include the following information: Name and address of organization, job title, salary, hours worked per week, employment dates, supervisor's name, contact information and whether she/he can be contacted, duties, accomplishments and related skills.
Each vacancy announcement is different. We recommend customizing your resume so it supports your answers to the questionnaire and to the job dutes as described in the announcement.
The Federal Job Application Process
Applying for federal jobs is far different than in the private sector. Federal job openings can be found on individual agency websites or on USAJobs.gov.
Federal job seekers are required to provide detailed information about their work experience and relevant skills in their resumes. While private sector resumes shouldn't exceed two pages, federal resumes can be 5-8 pages in length.
Federal job application packages typically contain two major components: 1) the resume, which needs to include detailed information about each position held; and, 2) responses to an occupational questionnaire, which assesses an applicant's qualifications.
Occupational Questionnaires
Questionnaires assess an applicant's qualifications for a position. Responses are reviewed by HR specialists who rate the responses and verify whether each response is supported by the resume.
Occupational questionnaires typically contain three types of questions:
1. Benchmarking questions to determine whether the applicant has the minimum experience required for the position.
2. A series of questions to assess whether applicants have the specific skills sought.
3. Questions to evaluate the level of experience in performing specific tasks.
Decoding Federal Job Vacancy Announcements
Vacancy announcements are comprised of several elements.
Eligibility
There are usually two vacancy announcements. The first is open to all sources, meaning anyone can apply. The second version is for current federal employees. In some cases, you may see jobs open only to current agency employees, or for federal workers who have been downsized or restructured out of their previous jobs.
Deadlines
Federal job vacancy announcements are usually posted on USA Jobs for two weeks, but sometimes can be as long as a month or as short as a week. Some agencies also close postings after reaching a certain number of candidates. This is usually for job postings for which the agency anticipates high interest.
Duties/Responsibilities
This section describes what the person hired for the position would do on a daily basis.
Qualifications
This section lists the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job. Your resume must show that you have at least one year of experience for each item.
Specialized Experience
Some jobs may require technical expertise in specific areas, such as information technology, purchasing, or editing.
