Finding Federal Employment:

1
Finding Federal Employment
UNITED STATES OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
2
Message from the President

• Public service is not simply a noble profession,
  it is an honorable life. Your service to your
  country makes the ideal of America a daily,
  living reality.
• President George W. Bush

3
Federal Employment Facts

• The Federal government employs 1.84 million
  workers
• 41.9 percent of Federal employees have a
  bachelor's degree or higher
• Men comprise 55.5 percent of the Federal
  workforce
• Minorities represent 31.4 percent of the Federal
  workforce
• 6.9 percent of Federal employees have
  disabilities
• 22.4 percent of Federal employees have veterans
  preference
• 70.8 percent of Federal employees are under the
  General Schedule
• The average Federal employee ranks a 9.7 on the
  General Schedule

4
Why Public Service?

• Numerous Federal career paths and locations
• 84 positions outside DC
• Unparalleled career opportunities
• Average Age of Federal Employee 45.6
• Great benefits and work-life balance
• Service to country
• You truly make a difference!

5
What mission critical occupations are projected
to have a recruitment emphasis over the next few
years?
OCCUPATION EMPLOYEES NEEDED 2005-06 EXAMPLES OF POSITIONS
Security, Enforcement and Compliance Assistance 37,515 inspectors, investigators (including criminal), compliance officers, consumer safety officers, police officers, security/prison guards, airport screeners
Medical and Public Health 25,756 physicians, nurses, pharmacists, medical technicians, nursing assistants
Engineering and Sciences 23,806 professionals in engineering disciplines and biological sciences (microbiologists, botanists, foresters), physical sciences (physicists, chemists, astronomers), veterinary medical science
Program Management/Administrative 17,323 program managers, analysts, administrative staff
Accounting, Budget and Business 12,959 revenue agents, auditors, tax examiners, pay technicians, budget analysts
Number of employees as of September
2005. http//www.ourpublicservice.org/usr_doc/FINA
L_REPORT.pdf
6
Federal Compensation Package

• Competitive Salary
• Annual and Sick Leave
• Multiple Health Insurance Options
• Life Insurance
• Long-term Care Insurance
• Thrift Savings Plan (401K) (pre-tax )
• Flexible Spending Accounts (pre-tax )
• Public Transit Subsidy (non-taxable)

7
Typical 2006 Starting Salaries
City GS-5 GS-7 GS-9
Atlanta 28,999 35,922 43,939
Chicago 30,524 37,810 46,249
Dallas 29,324 36,324 44,432
New York 30,982 38,378 46,944
San Francisco 32,421 40,160 49,124
Washington, DC 29,604 36,671 44,856
8
Government Speak in Hiring

• Job (Vacancy) Announcement
• Competitive Service Excepted Service
• Job Series
• KSAs
• Career ladder
• Hiring Certificate (the cert or BQ)
• Veterans Preference
• Career Status and Reinstatement

9
General Advice When Applying

• Apply only for positions and job levels for which
  you already have the required experience and
  skills
• Answer questions fully
• Tailor application to document specific
  knowledge, skills and abilities requested
• Pay attention to security clearance
• Submit all documents, as requested

10
USAJOBS
11
USAJOBS contd

• Search Features
• Flexible and user-friendly
• Tailor your search to your specific needs
• Location
• Agency
• Occupation
• Advanced
• Keyword

12
USAJOBS contd
13
USAJOBS contd
14
USAJOBS contd
15
USAJOBS contd
16
USAJOBS contd
17
USAJOBS contd
18
USAJOBS contd
19
USAJOBS contd
20
USAJOBS contd
21
USAJOBS contd
22
Student Educational Employment Program

• Provides paid work experience while still in
  school
• Must be enrolled or accepted as a degree student
  in an accredited institution taking at least a ½
  time course load
• Appointments are year round, may work full or
  part time
• Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP)
• Positions are for entire student career
• Doesnt have to be related to academic field
  being pursued
• Eligible for annual and sick leave

23
Student Educational Employment, contd

• Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)
• Directly related to their academic field of study
• Provides formal periods of work/study while in
  school
• Requires a commitment by you, your school, and
  the employing Federal agency (formal contract)
• Eligible for annual and sick leave, retirement,
  TSP
• May be eligible for health and life insurance
  coverage
• After meeting all requirements of the program,
  may be non-competitively converted to career
  appointment

24
SCEP, contd

• Requirements for Conversion
• Complete 640 hrs employment prior to degree.
• Recommended by employing Agency to be converted.
• Converted to academic related position.

25
Career Intern Program

• Students who have completed or will complete
  their Bachelors or Graduate degree from an
  accredited college or university within six
  months are eligible for participation
• May gain eligibility for conversion to a
  permanent Federal position at the end of a
  successful internship
• Career Interns are hired on a full-time, 2-year
  appointment to an excepted service position that
  may be extended
• Career Interns are paid at the current rate. Pay
  charts are available at www.opm.gov

26
Career Interns, contd

• Eligible for vacation and sick leave, Health and
  Life Insurance, Federal Employees Retirement,
  401K, Promotion, Public Transit Subsidy and
  Flexible Work Hours
• Interns will experience challenging opportunities
  that will include formal classroom and on-line
  training, as well as structured on-the-job
  developmental assignments

27
StudentJobs.gov
28
StudentJobs.gov Features

• Student job search
• Resume builder
• MyStudentJobs account
• Agency information gateway
• E-Scholar

29
E-Scholar

• Lists educational opportunities offered by the
  Federal government
• Cooperative education
• Fellowships
• Grants
• Internships
• Scholarships
• Over 350 programs valued at hundreds of millions
  of dollars

30
E-Scholar
31
E-Scholar
32
Additional Resources

• FirstGov Agency Gateway
• www.FirstGov.gov
• Library of Congress Agency dictionary
• www.loc.gov/rr/news/fedgov.html
• U.S. Government Manual
• www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html

33
Additional Resources

• Qualifications Standards
• www.opm.gov/fedclass/html/gsseries.asp
• Classification Standards
• www.opm.gov/qualifications/

34
Writing KSAs and Competencies

• Address the breadth and scope of your experience
• Be specific
• Dates
• Coursework levels
• Length of time
• Results of efforts
• Be accurate and truthful

35
Message from the 26th President

• Far and away the best prize that life offers is
  the chance to work hard at work worth doing.
• Theodore Roosevelt
• Civil Service Commissioner
• 1889 - 1895

36
THANK YOU! Questions or Comments?