How to Apply Presentation

Applying for a Job with the USDA through USAJOBS October 2006 Presentation Content 1. Overview of How USAJOBS Works 2. Application Components 3. A look at the Application Process 4. Additional Helpful Hints 5. Helpful Websites 2 October 2006 An On-line Process The USDA human resources has implemented an automated on-line system for employment application submission and review. Your application is submitted electronically via the internet and your supporting documentation is submitted via fax into the electronic system. 3 October 2006 Unraveling the mystery of the USDA application process • This presentation will take you through the basics of the current USDA application process. • Always thoroughly read the vacancy announcement for the specific position to which you are applying. 4 October 2006 Unraveling the mystery of the USDA application process • Applying for a Federal position is different than applying for a position in the private sector. • Due to regulations and qualification guidelines, applying for a Federal position requires you to submit more detailed information about yourself and your qualifications. • Initial determinations are based only on the content of your application. 5 October 2006 What is USAJOBS? http://www.usajobs.gov/ •One stop web site for browsing through and applying for Federal employment opportunities. •An on-line resume builder, storage and submission tool. (Most USDA agencies accept resumes from USAJOBS.) •Excellent source of information to aid you in navigating and completing the Federal application process. 6 October 2006 How USAJOBS & the USDA Work Together 1. Visit USAJOBS at http://www.usajobs.gov/ 2. Use USAJOBS resume builder to create and store 1 to 5 resumes on USAJOBS. 3. Search for positions using the USAJOBS search capabilities or establish an e-mail notification for positions of particular interest. 4. Once you have found a position you are interested in, begin the application process by clicking [Apply Online] located at the bottom of the announcement and submitting one of your USAJOBS resumes. 7 October 2006 How USAJOBS & the USDA Work Together 5. USAJOBS electronically transfers you and your resume to the USDA system where you will: • • • • • Review your contact information; Answer a series of Federal core questions; Obtain cover sheets for faxing supporting documentation; Answer a series of assessment questions; and Review and submit your application. 6. 7. 8. 9. Next you will fax your supporting documentation into the USDA system. HR personnel review your online application for eligibility and qualifications. HR personnel then electronically forward a list of eligible applicants to the hiring office. You check the status of your application online throughout this process through your USAJOBS account. 8 October 2006 Application Components – there are a total of 4 components to your application 1. USAJOBS Resume • You use USAJOBS’ resume builder to build and store up to 5 resumes within your profile in USAJOBS. • When you apply for a specific position you must select 1 of your stored resumes to submit. 2. Contact Information, Veterans’ Status & Core questions • You will review and/or complete this information when you are transferred from USAJOBS to the USDA system 9 October 2006 Application Components – continued 3. • • • Basic Eligibility and Applicant Assessment or Knowledge, Skills & Abilities questions Completed within the USDA system Aids in determining basic qualifications Questions about your experience and knowledge as applied to the various aspects of the position you are applying to. 4. • • • Supporting Documentation Used to show proof of education or eligibility requirements. Examples include college transcripts, SF-50 (applicable to current and former Federal employees only), DD-214 & SF-15 (applicable to military personnel only). Faxed once into the system and attached to your profile. Once attached your supporting documentation will be submitted automatically into each vacancy you apply. 10 October 2006 Now with the basics covered… • Lets become a USAJOBS member; • Create a resume; • Search for a job; • Apply for a job; & • Check the status of your application. The process is started by visiting the USAJOBS web site at http://www.usajobs.gov/ & clicking on . 11 October 2006 Become a Member… You will be prompted to become a My USAJOBS member, click [Create your account now!]. Become a Member…. If you are already a USAJOBS member with a stored resume you may skip the resume build section of this presentation and go straight to the search & apply sections by clicking here. 12 October 2006 Become a Member… Complete the requested contact information, establish your username & password, & decide if you can claim veterans’ preference. USAJOBS offers links throughout the web site for additional information. At this page there is a link to an explanation on veterans’ preference. 13 October 2006 Create a Resume… Now that you have created your USAJOBS account you will notice you are logged into My USAJOBS. The 5 tabs [profile, resume, agents, applications & log out] are available to you within your account. Explore each of these sections when you have time. We are going to continue this process by selecting . 14 October 2006 Create a Resume… Since this is a new account no resumes have been created. By clicking [Create a New Resume] you will launch the USAJOBS resume builder. 15 October 2006 Create a Resume… You are now in the first step of the resume builder. Follow the onscreen prompts and go through the 4 steps of building your resume. Remember you may build up to 5 resumes within the system allowing you to tailor each resume to a particular position. The small blue question mark icons link to additional information about a section. When you have questions about a section, make use of this information as you complete your resume. 16 October 2006 Create a Resume…tips • Take the time to build an initial resume before you find a job you are interested in. Don’t wait until the closing date of a job you like to start the process. Be detailed and specific in your descriptions within each of the resume sections especially your experience (both paid and non-paid) and education. • • Review the sample resume on USAJOBS located in the resume builder section of My USAJOBS. Also review the tips provided by USAJOBS throughout the resume builder section. Preview as you build your resume. Using the preview makes it is easier to catch errors and review your content. October 2006 • 17 Search for a Job… Now that you have at least one resume created. It is time to search for a position. To begin this process click the tab. 18 October 2006 Job Search… USAJOBS offers a variety of options for conducting job searches. Explore the 5 job search tabs to find the one which best fits your needs. Use more than one for your searches as different types of searches will yield different results. For the purpose of this demonstration we are going to select and search using the option. 19 October 2006 Job Search… Within agency search are many search criteria options. Review each option and click the for clarification of criteria unfamiliar to you. The simpler the search you perform the more positions you will receive in your results view. We are going to select Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service from the department list. This is the only criteria we are setting. Then click . 20 October 2006 Job Search… This search resulted in finding a total of 159 announced positions. There is a brief summary of information about each position below the job title and the job title acts as a link to the detailed vacancy announcement. We strongly recommended you thoroughly review the vacancy announcement. The announcement will have all the information you need to complete your application. If you do not submit all required information you will not receive further consideration for the position. 21 October 2006 Job Search… Clicking on the job title, brings you into the full vacancy announcement. In our example we selected the 2nd position returned from our search, Human Resources Assistant. In the full announcement, there are 5 tabs of information for review [Overview, Duties, Qualifications & Evaluations, Benefits & Other Info, & How to Apply]. Review each of these sections carefully. When you have found a position to which you would like to apply, click the button located at the bottom of each tabbed section. 22 October 2006 Applying for a Job… You will be prompted to log into your USAJOBS account if you are not already logged in. Once you are logged into My USAJOBS and you have clicked [Apply Online], you will be prompted to select the resume you would like to submit. This is the 1st step in the application process. Select the resume by highlighting the one you would like to use and then click [Apply for this position now!]. 23 October 2006 Applying for a Job… USAJOBS will now indicate you are being brought to the system used by the agency to which you are applying. 24 October 2006 Applying for a Job… If this is the first time you have applied to the USDA using the USAJOBS online process you will be prompted to complete a few additional pieces of information. Click [Continue] to move through the process. 25 October 2006 Applying for a Job… If you have applied to the USDA through USAJOBS previously you will be given the option to update your information on file or go directly to the assessment. We recommend always updating your information. This will ensure you have reviewed/updated all the information you will be submitting and obtain new fax cover sheets should you need to submit new or additional supporting documentation. Click [Continue] to move through the process. 26 October 2006 Applying for a Job… You will be brought to the user information web page. Review the information contained there and complete any unanswered information. When finished click [Next] located at the bottom of the web page. 27 October 2006 Applying for a Job… Next is a series of 14 questions which we refer to as Federal core questions. These questions ask about previous Federal employment, military service or your eligibility for specific hiring authorities. Links following the questions will give you additional information. After answering/reviewing the questions click [Continue] at the bottom of the web page. 28 October 2006 Applying for a Job… The system will now indicate your registration information has been saved/updated and will give a review of the types of announcements to which you are eligible to apply. Click [Next] to continue with the process. 29 October 2006 Applying for a Job… The next step is to print cover sheets for faxing your supporting documentation. Select the cover sheets which apply to you and click [Print Cover Sheet]. 30 October 2006 Applying for a Job… A pop up window will open with the cover sheets for you to print. Print the cover sheets, close the pop up window and then click [Done]. You must allow for pop ups to view and print the fax cover sheets. 31 October 2006 Applying for a Job…Faxing Tips • • The required supporting documentation may vary from announcement to announcement. Not all of the document types listed will pertain to you; only submit documents needed to complete your application package. For example: • The Schedule A Certification document must only be submitted by individuals applying based on eligibility for an appointment due to a disability. The SF-50 is a form current and former Federal employees submit to document their Federal employment status. • • You only need to fax your supporting documentation into the system one time. Once submitted, it will be automatically applied to any future positions you apply to with us. You only need to resubmit documentation if you need to submit an updated copy. 32 October 2006 Applying for a Job…Faxing Tips • If you are faxing documents from more than one category of supporting documentation, you must submit them with the appropriate cover sheet. EACH DOCUMENT TYPE MUST BE FAXED SEPARATELY under its corresponding cover sheet. • DO NOT FAX ALL DOCUMENTS TYPES UNDER ONE COVER SHEET. • i.e., Transcripts are one type of document, fax all pages of your transcript and other education-related documents under the transcript cover sheet; the SF-50 is another document type and if you are faxing more than one SF50, fax them all under the SF-50 cover sheet. • We do not recommend faxing from a computer, instead please use a true fax machine. Faxing from a computer may result in your document not being received. 33 October 2006 Applying for a Job…Faxing Tips • If you have previously faxed supporting documentation the status of those documents will indicate Received. There is no need to resubmit documents which show a status of received unless you are submitting an updated copy. If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the human resources office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing, a previous submission, you must fax both the old document and the new document for them both to be accessible to HR Before faxing your document(s), take care to ensure the document is legible and all information is complete and signed, if necessary. Fax only documents which are clear and legible. Original documents with light or faded print and/or dark or patterned backgrounds will not be legible upon receipt. Illegible faxed documents cannot be used for qualification or verification purposes. • • You will receive an e-mail confirming the fax has been successfully received by Human Resources. • • You should retain your e-mail confirmation and confirmation of your fax transmittal report as proof of submission. If you need further assistance faxing, e-mail apphelp@aphis.usda.gov or contact the agency contact listed in the vacancy announcement. October 2006 34 Applying for a Job… After clicking [Done] at the fax cover sheet web page, you will go to the questions specific to the vacancy. There will be several pages of questions. All questions require a response to move forward or save. 35 October 2006 Applying for a Job…Vacancy Question Tips • Before you can save your application you must have answered all questions within each section. Therefore, if you would like to save and come back to finish your application later, type one or two words in the essay questions and select answers for all other questions. Then scroll to the bottom and click [Save]. • We recommend answering the essay type questions in another word processing program such as Microsoft word and then copying the document into the text boxes online. Typing responses directly into the text boxes online could result in lost work if you should lose your internet connection prior to saving. You may preview the vacancy questions prior to starting your application by entering the section of the vacancy announcement. Scrolling to the bottom of this section you will see an option to preview the questions. • 36 October 2006 Applying for a Job… Once you have finished answering the questions in each section click [Continue], [Finished with Grade X] or [Continue with All Grades] to move to the next section. You may click [Save] to save your work, but the system will also automatically save your answers each time you move forward in the process. 37 October 2006 Applying for a Job… After answering all of the vacancy specific questions you will come to the 1ST of two [Finished] buttons. Click [Finished] to move to the final step in the application process. NOTE: Even if you have clicked [Finished] you may still return until midnight eastern time on the closing date of the announcement to edit any part of your application. To return later, re-enter your application by logging into your My USAJOBS account, click , and click the position title to view the full announcement. Once viewing the full vacancy announcement click [Apply Online]. Select the same resume to re-submit and you will be taken into your previously completed answers. 38 October 2006 Applying for a Job…final step The final step in the application process is a review of your application (personal information, Federal core questions, vacancy questions and resume). Once you have finished your review, click the 2nd [Finished] button located at the bottom of the web page. 39 October 2006 Applying for a Job…returning to USAJBOS The system will now return you to USAJOBS. Once returned you will see a brief overview of your applications status. 40 October 2006 Application Status… To view the status of your application click the tab while you logged into My USAJOBS. You will see a list of announcements to which you have applied. Look for the status of Resume Rcvd – complete and a link for more information. If you do not see the more information link you have not completed the entire application process and you will not be able to view your status online. If the position is still open return to the vacancy announcement and move through the application process again being certain to click both [Finished] buttons. 41 October 2006 Application Status & Fax Cover Sheets… Clicking the more information link will take you to the USDA system where you can view detailed information on the status of your application. You may also check on the status of faxes sent and view/generate fax cover sheets at this web site. 42 October 2006 Application Status… Selecting the view detailed status option and clicking [Continue] brings you into the status for all positions you have applied to with the USDA. Clicking the EMAIL button located in the far right column will e-mail a copy of your question responses to the e-mail address you have stored in the system. 43 October 2006 View/Generate Fax Cover Sheets… Selecting the view/generate fax cover sheets option and clicking [continue] will bring you to a list of the cover sheets for all supporting documentation. At this page you may print fax cover sheets and view the date faxed documents were received. When finished click [Return to ROS] located at the bottom of the web page to return to USAJOBS. 44 October 2006 Additional Helpful Hints… That completes a review of the application process. The following slides contain a few additional helpful hints. Federal agencies are not permitted to accept or consider information submitted after the closing date of the announcement. • Your on-line application and all supporting documentation must be completed and received by midnight eastern time on the closing date of the announcement. 45 October 2006 Additional Helpful Hints… Because Federal agencies are required to prorate your experience when making qualification determinations, it is necessary for applicants to provide complete employment dates (month/year at a minimum) and work schedules (indicate “full-time” or average hours per week) for all periods of employment. Failure to include this information will exclude this experience from being considered in the qualifications determination and may result in disqualification. There is a mandatory work schedule question so be certain to answer this question fully. 46 October 2006 Additional Helpful Hints… Detailed descriptions of your duties for all previous employment must be provided. Human Resources (HR) cannot assume qualifying experience on the basis of “job title,” employer, or employment type. HR can only credit experience specifically described. Therefore be certain to include this in your resume. 47 October 2006 Additional Helpful Hints… Transcripts Transcripts must be submitted: •if there is an education requirement, or •if you are using education to meet the basic eligibility requirements. If requested transcripts are not submitted, you may be disqualified! 48 October 2006 Helpful Websites For Information on Federal Employment and using USAJOBS: http://www.opm.gov/job_seekers/ http://www.usajobs.gov/ http://www.usajobs.gov/infocenter/ http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/firsttimers.asp 49 October 2006 Agency Contact… Thank you for your interest in Federal Employment! We hope this presentation has helped to take some of the mystery out of the USDA application process. For more information or help applying please contact the Agency Contact located in the vacancy announcement or email: apphelp@aphis.usda.gov 50 October 2006