Just as in the private sector, there is more to the federal job search process beyond the USAJOBS portal if candidates want to find their dream role. Image: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock.com
By: Sean O'Neil, Sedgwick Government SolutionsWhether you’re just starting your career, looking for a new opportunity, or entering to the workforce following military service, job opportunities abound in the federal sector.
Working for a government agency is an attractive career route thanks to the job security, competitive salary and benefits, and career development opportunities these roles offer. They are particularly desirable for military veterans who, by law, receive preference over other equally qualified applicants.
While there are many similarities to the private sector job search, the process of applying for government roles has some crucial differences and emphasizes certain parts of the job search more than the private sector. From navigating the government jobs website to crafting a federal resume, here’s what to know about applying for a federal role – and tips to master the process.
Follow the USAJOBS application process
The USAjobs.gov website (USAJOBS) is the Federal Government’s official resource and portal for searching and applying to federal job listings across hundreds of federal agencies and organizations.
A simple best practice when starting the application process is to review the step-by-step process before applying, and follow the process exactly as outlined. The USAJOBS site’s thorough reference information and FAQs answer many of applicants’ most common questions.
Creating a USAJOBS profile is the first step, which includes inputting detailed personal and background information. Further along in the process, candidates will write or upload a federal resume, which is the first level of assessment for each job application.
Once the hiring agency has determined its pool of qualified candidates, the agency may use other assessments such as interviews or testing to determine the best qualified applications. Security clearance and background checks, if required, will be initiated and conducted by the agency as part of the interview process.
Not all jobs require security clearance. For those that do, having prior clearance documentation can be a significant advantage, so highlight any prior clearance status in the USAJOBS profile and application.
Leverage filters and the search bar to get specific
Like any civilian or corporate job search board, USAJOBS has filter capabilities to help candidates narrow down their search by location, type of job, in-person or remote roles, and pay levels.
Unique to the USAJOBS search system are federal-specific filter categories so candidates can search by specific agencies, hiring paths, position risk levels, security clearance levels, and pay categories on the federal General Schedule (GS) system.
This filtering system can help candidates navigate specific scenarios when digging through pages of federal jobs. For example, a candidate leaving government service may be required to abide by a waiting, or “cooling off” period before they are eligible to work with their previous agency. Filters can help these candidates still apply for jobs in the meantime and exclude those specific agencies from their search until the waiting period ends.
The keyword search bar at the top of USAJOBS functions like a typical search engine, so be sure to use quotation marks around specific keywords to narrow results.
Lastly, note that the USAJOBS portal includes features to save search results and create email alerts about new jobs that fit past saved searches. Be the first to hear about a dream role with this feature.
Read the job description
Many candidates miss the mark landing a federal job or apply to a role that isn’t a perfect fit because they didn’t read the job description closely enough.
Candidates need to know that federal job descriptions are written very intentionally in painstaking detail so that the minimum requirements for the job are clearly defined. This is meant to help candidates narrow down job opportunities and find roles that best match their experience and background.
Job descriptions also contain important information about additional eligibility requirements and documentation, the hiring timeline for each role, additional benefits offered including student loan forgiveness eligibility, teleworking eligibility, and agency-specific workplace flexibilities. Many job descriptions also link out to agency-specific FAQs and guidance documents to help candidates improve their resume or answer questions targeted to that agency.
Candidates should look closely at job descriptions, especially when developing their resume, to clearly convey that their work experience meets the minimum requirements for the job to which they’re applying.
Perfect your federal resume and make it searchable
For many federal jobs, the resume is the primary application document and the biggest differentiator for hiring managers as they evaluate candidates.
First-time applicants may be surprised to learn that government agencies require a more in-depth style of resume – up to seven pages long – different from the standard one-sheet resume common in the private sector. It must address the candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the qualifications section of the job listing. This is why reading the job description is so crucial: resumes are encouraged to be written and tailored to each specific job application.
The USAJOBS site includes a helpful resume builder tool and resources for applicants creating a federal resume for the first time or improving an existing resume. Tips include general resume-writing advice, like using numbers, datapoints, and specific examples to showcase the applicant’s capabilities, but the tool also helps candidates understand how to best position their work experience for federal agency consideration.
Candidates can upload resumes or create resumes in-portal using the resume builder tool and save multiple versions of their resume on the USAJOBS portal. Note that some federal agencies accept both uploaded resumes and resumes created using the USAJOBS resume builder, while some may only accept one format or the other. The specific application will be explicit about which document format is required.
Candidates can also opt to make one of their saved resume documents ‘searchable’ – the candidate’s data will be added to the federal resume bank so that agencies’ hiring managers can seek out candidates to fill their job vacancies. This is an especially helpful tool for applicants looking to match with jobs in mission-critical fields like tech, mathematics, engineering, and cybersecurity.
Seek resources beyond the jobs portal
Just as in the private sector, there is more to the federal job search process beyond the USAJOBS portal if candidates want to find their dream role.
Networking is a helpful way to get your foot in the door at a specific agency, meet hiring managers and agency employees, and learn more about specific roles. USAJOBS keeps a running list of upcoming virtual and in-person events, job fairs, and information sessions that candidates can attend. Most federal agency websites have their own calendar of upcoming hiring events and conferences as well.
Federal job candidates can also leverage online networking sites like LinkedIn to search for and connect with people in their desired career orbit. All of these options pose another opportunity to showcase professionalism, get feedback and advice, and be more than your resume to a hiring manager.
A career with the federal government can open many possibilities for workers: upward career mobility, great benefits, targeted opportunities for candidates of diverse backgrounds, including veterans, military spouses, and recent graduates. But many are driven and united by the opportunity to directly contribute to national or public work and serve our country for the greater good. Whatever reason workers choose for a government position, as the nation’s largest employer, the federal government has some specific and unique requirements for the application process; be mindful of them as you seek your next role.
Sean O’Neil is Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer, Sedgwick Government Solutions
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