Hosted by: The Federally Employed Women and the
F.E.W. Foundation for Education & Training
January 25, 2008 Web cast
Benefits of Federal Service
Your Government, Your Opportunity
July 14-18, 2008 FEW NTP Overview by
Patricia Wolfe, Federally Employed Women
Presented by: The Department of Energy
Jeffrey Vargas, Program Manager
Sean Clayton, Human Capital Specialist
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Federally Employed Women’s July 14, 2008 Career & Education Fair
Federally Employed Women is again sponsoring a free Career/Education
Fair to provide participants with essential tools, materials, and guidance for a better understanding of
educational and career opportunities in the federal government.
Do not miss this opportunity to speak with recruiters, to make contacts,
and learn about available resources. You can enhance your future. Bring your resume!
Speak with federal agency representatives about exciting career opportunities.
You won’t want to miss this opportunity on
Monday, July 14, 2008
“How to Get a Federal Job” Workshop: 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
Career/Education Fair: 12:00 -4:00 p.m.
Hilton Anaheim Hotel
777 Convention Way, Anaheim, CA 92802
(adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center)
Contact: Jack Kenner at jmk@few.org or (202) 872-1777
http://www.fewntp.org
Choose Your Destiny:
Government or Private Sector
Government Private Sector
Tell your full story Cliff’s Notes application process
application process
Equal Access to Luck of the draw
Opportunity
Sell yourself Convince others to sell you
Extremely competitive Extremely competitive
Job Stability and Job Stability dictated
Security by marketplace
Less initial pay, more More initial pay, less
benefits benefits
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Choose Your Destiny:
Why the Government Needs You
58% eligible to retire in 7 years
~58% eligible to retire in 7 years
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Choose Your Destiny:
Why the Government Needs You
Today’s Workforce Transformed Workforce
2006 2009-2012
Administration &
Legal Public Affairs
2.6% 14.9%
HR Science &
3.2% Engineering
Information 31%
Technology
5.4% Strategic Multi-taskers
Logistics Transformation 50%
& QA
6.0%
Environmental
Procurement Safety & Health
7.0% 9.1%
Project
Management Budget &
6.5% Financial
14.5%
Current Strategic Course
Replace in Kind
40% Technical (Science/Engineering/ES&H)
40% Business
20% Project Management
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Choose Your Destiny:
Federal Employee Benefits
13-26 Vacation Days Annually
13 Sick Days Annually
401 (K) Style Retirement Savings Plan
Signing Bonuses
Awards
Tuition Reimbursement
Annual Salary Increases
Pay by Locality
(http://www.opm.gov/oca/06tables/indexGS.asp)
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Choose Your Destiny:
Federal Employee Benefits
Health Benefits
Life Insurance
Career Development and Training
Interagency Transfers
Telecommuting Options
40 Hour-Work Week with Alternative Work Schedules
Family-Friendly Programs (i.e child and elder care resources)
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Choose Your Destiny:
Federal Employee Pay
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Mapping Your Course:
Understanding Student Programs
Jobs by Major
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/EI23.asp
Internship Programs
All Internships: http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/EI-13.asp
Summer: http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/EI19.asp
Where the Jobs Are
www.ourpublicservice.org/usr_doc/FINAL_REPORT.pdf
Job Search Handbooks by Major/Discipline
www.ourpublicservice.org/workforusa/workforusa_show.htm?doc
_id=195382
Jobs at the Department of Energy
https://jobsonline.doe.gov/scripts/qhwebdoe.exe
Scholarship for Service Program
http://www.opm.gov/hr/employ/products/recruitment/scholarship/s
cholarshipmain.asp
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Mapping Your Course:
Understanding Student Programs
Student Career Experience Program (co-op program)
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/EI14.asp
Agency Federal Career Intern Programs
http://www.opm.gov/careerintern/QandAof12-20-00.asp
Outstanding Scholar and Bilingual/Bicultural
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/EI22.asp
Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) Program
Main Site: http://www.pmf.opm.gov/
Program Background: http://www.pmf.opm.gov/howover.asp
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Building Your Bridges:
The Student Temporary Employment Program
• Must be 16 years old and a US Citizen to apply
• Must be a student
• Primarily summer appointments, but can be
made all year round
• Not necessary for agencies to advertise jobs
• Appointments are temporary
• No promise of full-time job
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Building Your Bridges:
The Student Career Experience Program
• Must be 16 years old and a US Citizen to apply
• Must be a student
• Appointments based upon degree field
• Not necessary to advertise jobs
• Appointments include leave, health, insurance, and
retirement benefits
• Possibility of accelerated promotions
• Must work 640 hours under federal appointment**
• Eligible for non-competitive conversion
• Conversion must be made within 120 days
• Career appointments occur at any grade
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Building Your Bridges:
The Career Intern Program
• Must be 16 years old and a US Citizen to apply
• Program for graduates
• Not necessary for agencies to advertise jobs
• Job offer at request of any hiring manager
• Must serve a two-year, full-time appointment
• Requires development/training plan
• Appointments made at the GS-5, 7, or 9 only**
• Appointments include benefits
• Eligible for non-competitive conversion
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Mapping Your Course:
How to Conduct Your Federal Job Search
http://jobs.doe.gov/jobs/students
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Mapping Your Course:
How to Conduct Your Federal Job Search
http://jobs.doe.gov/jobs/cip
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Building Your Bridges:
Creating Relationships when Researching Your Government Job
• Do your research
• Be patient, be open
• It’s always about people
• The key: FOLLOW-UP
• Consider informational interview
• Use email extensively
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Jumping into the Driver’s Seat:
Building an Effective Government Resume
A federal resume includes:
• Job Information
• Personal Information
• Education
• Work Experience
• Other Qualifications
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Jumping into the Driver’s Seat:
Building an Effective Government Resume
(Form OF-612)
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Jumping into the Driver’s Seat:
Building an Effective Government Resume
and KSA’s
(Form OF-612)
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Resumes…they begins with you
Gather information about yourself.
• Your employment background
• Your accomplishments (concrete evidence that proves your knowledge, skills, and abilities).
– Did you resolve a long-standing problem?
– Did you discover a new and better approach for getting things done?
– What was solved, created, changed for the better or improved because you were there?
– Did you take on any extra responsibilities above and beyond your job description?
– What have you been recognized for in the past (commended/cited/awarded?
• Your training and education
• Special assignments, details and work you have done in teams.
• Publications, products, or research where you served as a contributor - whether as part of a team
or independently.
• Presentations and briefings
• Honors/awards
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Jumping into the Driver’s Seat:
Building an Effective Government Resume
• Use position descriptions as a guide, DO NOT
COPY THEM
• Focus most on relevance to the position you are
applying for
• Use varied language and action verbs to describe
your skills and experience
(http://www.quintcareers.com/action_verbs.html)
• Use the Situation/Task, Action, Result approach
to explain job experience
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Jumping into the Driver’s Seat:
Building an Effective Government Resume
Sample Resume Header & Text
” Jane Smith Management Analyst Home Phone:
SS# 123-45-6789 Vacancy # 2000-A-B11 Work Phone:
Citizenship: USA Grade 11/12 Email:
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Service Agency (FSA), Office of Civil
Rights, 1200 Duke St., Alexandria,VA 20002
Supervisor: Deborah Jones, 703-401-7500, Hours Worked: 40/week, Salary: $51,682
Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist, GS- 11 October 2000 – Present
Green – Data Research, Investigation, and Analysis
Task
§ Produce the annual agency Affirmative Employment Plan and Accomplishment Report for
Black – submission to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission through combining
Action statistical workforce analyses with qualitative evidence to provide management solutions
Red – to correct any inefficiencies resulting in improved equal employment ratings for the
Result following year.
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Jumping into the Driver’s Seat:
Writing Effective Government KSAs
KSA
Other
Qualifications
Knowledge Ability
Skill 23
Am I Completing a
Federal Job Essay Question?
• If you are asked on a federal application to answer any
of the following, you are completing a job essay
question:
– Evaluation Factors,
– Rating Factors,
– Quality Ranking Factors,
– Knowledge, Abilities, skills and Other Characteristics, or
– Job Elements.
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Quick Answers to Essay Questions
• How long should my answers be?
– Generally 1 -2 pages (8,000 characters).
• Should I just cut and paste information from my resume
into my essay?
– No, your answers must be in a narrative format (telling a story),
bullets by themselves will not due – you have to give your reader
a context for your accomplishments and remember they are also
judging your writing ability..
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Quick look at…Knowledge
• Knowledge – The foundation upon which
abilities and skills can be built.
– Examples include knowledge of:
• Federal Regulations and Directives
Operational systems and procedures
Budget and accounting principals
Engineering practices
Environmental Compliance Law
Administrative practices
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Quick look at…Skills
• Skills – The observable
demonstration of
proficiency to do a task.
– Examples include:
• Computer software
proficiency
Second language
proficiency
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Quick look at…Abilities
• Ability – The capacity to perform a
job function.
– Examples include the ability to:
• Organize and plan work (observed
at work)
Analyze situations, programs and
problems
Communicate orally and in writing
Coach and mentor others
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Example of KSA Questions
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Skill in workforce planning and scheduling.
• Knowledge of economic growth technical areas.
• Ability to manage projects in a multi-cultural team environment.
• Knowledge of security concepts, principles, practices, and
procedures.
•
Knowledge of security screening or other related security processes.
• Ability to apply agency procedures and requirements.
• Ability prioritizing and executing tasks in a high-pressure environment.
•
Ability to manage and integrate diverse program requirements.
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Ten Rules for Writing Winning KSA’s
• Give at least one fantastic example per KSA.
• Use different examples in each KSA statement in your set (don’t
repeat answers).
• Use a consistent length and format
• Pack in the information
• Write in the first person
• Spell out all acronyms
• Quantify your results/accomplishments
• Draw materials for your KSA from all parts of your life
• Use a consistent style in the “format” your KSA (if you are submitting
a paper version of your KSA).
• PROOF READ your KSA before submission
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Use the CCAR Approach
• CCAR - Context, Challenge, Action, Result
• Context - Describes the specific problem you had to
address (what did you have to solve, resolve, respond to,
handle, etc).
• Challenges - Describes the factors that contributed to a
particular challenge such as budget cuts, new legislation,
institutional reform, new goals from upper management, etc.
• Action - Describes the steps you took to solve the
problem. Stay away from the ordinary, PUT YOUR BEST
FOOT FORWARD and be extraordinary in your response
(dig deep, find your best).
• Result – Outcomes of your actions (Did you make a
difference? What was the difference you made – highlight
THE BEST).
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KSA Example
• Mechanical Engineer GS-830-9 Announcement No: NHTSA 04-67
Factor II - Skill in applying engineering concepts and theories to the solution of
engineering problems.
Earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in mechanical engineering has given me a firm
foundation of the engineering principles necessary to solve challenging problems. As a senior
engineering major I often tutored freshmen in introductory level engineering classes such as
Dynamic Analysis and Fluid Mechanics. For my thesis project at the University of Michigan I
designed a remote-controllable Geiger counter that could be used by the military to detect
radiation sources that are too hazardous for personnel to approach. The project gave me the
opportunity to solidify my knowledge of physical, chemical, and mathematical concepts as they
apply to the real world. Since graduating in 1998 I have worked as a Mechanical Engineer at
InTech. In my position as a Junior Engineer in I was noted for creating exceptional quality
technical drawings in support of the design team. I was promoted to the position of Senior
Engineer in 2001 in which I was responsible for creating finite element models of experimental
designs for the purposes of structural analysis. The models helped to validate design concepts
before they were prototyped and therefore saved the company the expense of creating a working
model of a design that failed to work properly. My current position of Engineering Supervisor
enables me to oversee the design and construction of advanced weaponry systems for the U.S.
Air Force. I must integrate the efforts of electrical, chemical, aeronautical, and mechanical
engineers to produce a high quality product in a timely manner. InTech has recognized my
aptitude as a mechanical engineer by honoring me with two Excellence Awards in the last four
years.
Black – Context
Blue - Challenge
Green – Action
Red – Result 32
The KSA Workbook & The KSA Sampler
Federal Research Service, Inc. (703) 281-0200
www.fedjobs.com
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Embarking on Your Destination:
How to Conduct Your Federal Job Search
www.usajobs.opm.gov
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Embarking on Your Destination:
How to Conduct Your Federal Job Search
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Embarking on Your
Destination:
How to Conduct Your Federal Job
Search
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Mapping Your Course:
How to Conduct Your Federal Job Search
www.studentjobs.gov
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Other Good Resources...
Author: Kathryn Kraemer Troutman
www.amazon.com
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Your Next Steps:
1. Research
2. Decide
3. Act
4. Follow up
5. Thank Someone, Help Someone
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Last Thoughts...
Intention – Action = SQUAT
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Last Thoughts...
Intention + Action = SUCCESS
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Sean Clayton
Human Capital Consultant
Department of Energy Jack Kenner
202-586-8472
FEW
sean.clayton@hq.doe.gov Foundation
www.energy.gov
Education &
Training
Jeffrey Vargas JMK@few.org
Program Manager
Department of Energy 1-888-822-3227
National Nuclear Security Administration http://www.few.org
202-586-3039
jeffrey.vargas@nnsa.doe.gov
www.energy.gov
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