How to Apply
Once you have decided to pursue a federal job, you should familiarize yourself with the different ways to apply and equip yourself with the tools you’ll need to succeed. Below you will find information on how to navigate the application process, how to answer the government’s Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) questions, and special programs that offer internships and other ways to get your foot in the door of the federal government.
You should also explore the range of jobs available. Agencies are required to post the vast majority of job openings on the federal government’s central job portal, www.usajobs.gov. Another key site, www.studentjobs.gov, was specifically designed as a place for students to search for jobs, create a job seeker's profile and build an electronic résumé.
Finding a Job
There are five basic steps that will help you find the federal job that is right for you:
- Do your research on the different agencies and then target your job search.
The government may be the nation’s largest single employer, but each agency does its own hiring. Start at www.usajobs.com to explore current job openings and also check the job pages of agencies that are of particular interest to you to find out about any special hiring initiatives.
- Identify the job you want and carefully review the job announcement.
Do you have the experience – from prior jobs, school, volunteer activities, internships, civic organizations – that they are looking for?
- Carefully follow the application instructions.
Most jobs require applicants to respond to a series of Knowledge, Skills and Abilities questions, otherwise known as KSAs. Your answers to these questions are very important since they serve a similar function as a first-round interview.
- Patience is a virtue and no news may be good news.
The federal application process typically takes longer than the private sector, so don’t assume you are out of the running. However, if you need to make a decision and haven’t heard back, follow up! Call the agency contact listed for the job opening.
- Be prepared.
Keep all of your records, awards, transcripts, writing samples, references and a current résumé handy for the next steps, such as an interview and/or background investigation.
KSAs
One aspect of the federal job application process that will likely be new to you is writing the KSAs – the answers to a set of questions that help determine if you are a good fit for a job, based on your combined set of job-related experience.
Basically, these are the things a person ought to know, and be able to do, to get a particular job done. In other words, if you are applying for a job as a biologist with the National Institutes of Health, the KSAs on the vacancy announcement might be:
- Knowledge of the principles, concepts and theories of biology.
- Skill in the use of established scientific methods, procedures and techniques.
- Ability to analyze and interpret scientific data.
Most, but by no means all, federal job postings require applicants to deal with KSAs in one form or another.
Your task as an applicant is to prove that you indeed have the knowledge, skills and abilities required – that you are a master of analyzing and interpreting scientific data, that you are highly skilled in the use of established scientific measures and techniques, that you have a vast store of knowledge of the principles, concepts and theories of biology, and so on. And to prove it, you need to write about it. How much you have to write, and in what format, depends on the vacancy posting.
Key Programs
Though many agencies have special hiring and training programs for specific high-need areas (such as cyber-security), there are a few key programs that cut across agencies and offer expedited entry into the federal government, including:
Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP)
This program brings talented people into the government at the entry level for a two-year appointment. Eligibility depends on the needs of each individual agency, but these positions must include a training period. Interns enter the program at the GS-5, - 7 or -9 pay levels, with starting annual salaries of approximately $26,000, $32,000 or $39,000, respectively. After two years, successful federal career interns can become regular civil service employees. For information about openings, contact the agencies in which you are interested directly or visit their Web sites.
Presidential Management Fellow (PMF)
Designed to prepare talented people for upper-level management positions in the federal government, this prestigious two-year program is open to any graduate student in his/her final year of study. An applicant must first be nominated by his/her school and then make it through the program's rigorous evaluation process. PMF positions are structured by each individual agency and differ widely. All include some training opportunities and a rotational assignment, either within the agency or to another agency or branch of government. In 2004, 412 PMFs were selected to work in the federal government. The Department of Justice was the largest employer of PMFs, selecting 41. To learn more about the program visit: www.pmf.opm.gov.
Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP)
The STEP, another name for a temporary internship with a federal agency, is a great way for students to be exposed to the government. These paid positions can range in length from a summer to as long as the student is in school. It is not necessary for the work to be related to the student’s academic major, which allows the student to gain experience in a variety of fields. Those enrolled in high school, a two-year or four-year college or university, a technical or vocational school or a graduate program are eligible to apply. The program requires that the student be a U.S. citizen. In 2004, 46,307 students participated in the STEP program. For more information, go to: www.opm.gov/employ/students/intro.asp.
Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)
SCEP positions, for undergraduate and graduate students, are substantive internships in federal agencies. The work must be related to the student’s area of study and requires the agency to have a formal agreement with the student’s institution. Most positions are paid, and students may also receive academic credit. If the student successfully completes 640 hours of work, he or she can be appointed to a permanent position without going through the traditional hiring process. This program requires its students to be U.S. citizens. In 2004, 16,746 students participated in the SCEP program. For more information, see: www.opm.gov/employ/students/intro.asp.
The Best Places to Work rankings — the most comprehensive and authoritative rating of employee engagement in the federal government — are produced by the Partnership for Public Service and American University’s Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation (ISPPI).
