O*net has a plethora of information and ways of obtaining job search information for any job seeker. One of the fantastic tools that O*net has to offer is the ability to research open positions for particular position you are looking for.
In this video I discuss research tactics for researching open positions for your next career move. Please let me know if you have any questions comments or concerns. Happy job hunting 🙂
Dr. Jaye
There are many questions and concerns when it comes to using O*net www.onetonline.org. This is a super helpful platform that provides some specific information for job seekers and those looking to gain additional career information. O*net has a plethora of information and ways of obtaining job search information for any job seeker.
One of the fantastic tools that O*net has to offer is the ability to research training programs for the particular position you are looking for. In the below video, I discuss research tactics for researching training programs to gain knowledge, skills, and abilities for your next career move. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns.
Happy job hunting,
Dr. Jaye
Smarter Not Harder, LLC
Dr. Jenice Armstead
Client Business Information & Solutions
Easiest way to market and advertise your goods/services
Use other Social Media outlets with Twitter to maximize your social presence
• Upload photos and dates of events
• Show Products
• Use # to advertise on other “hot topics”
Groupon Merchant Services – Free Advertising
https://merchants.groupon.com
https://www.groupon.com/merchant/resources
• Create a Groupon Campaign
• Submit/Approve Campaign (Cost, Point of Contact Info, etc.)
• Use bullets for Campaign keep potential client’s attention
• Receive payments easily
• Use your social security to number for sole proprietary businesses
• Use Groupon Merchant App to quickly redeem vouchers
• Groupon supplies itemized lists of payments
Create customized business cards and marketing materials (reasonable cost)
Create Business Plan – http://www.va.gov/osdbu/docs/vepbusinessplanoutline.pdf
• Use business plan template
• Outline services and fees
• Detail customized packages for clients
• Offer a “free” gift” or “discount” for referrers/returning clients
O*net – http://www.onetonline.org
• Outline Tasks, Duties, KSAs
• Create job descriptions for employees
• Knowledge
• Skills
• Abilities
• Work Activities
• Median Hourly/Salary
• Review Market and Advertising
Available for consultations
Dr. Jenice Armstead
When you are interviewing you will be asked about your future and what your plans are. This is a tool that selecting officials use to see where you plan on “being” in a determined amount of time.
You will be asked: What are your long-term goals? What are your long-term career objectives? This is not an opportunity for you to “spill your guts” keep it professional and stay focused. Think about this question before you interview, you shouldn’t take more than 5 – 7 minutes. Talk about your professional goals and what educational aspirations you have. DON’T talk about your personal life or what personal projects you are working on.
Selecting officials want to know: How do you plan to achieve your career goals? They don’t want details, this is a rhetorical question that is meant for them to see if you know how to lay out goals and patterns on how to achieve goals. This is actually a tactic to see how you focus on objects and how you plan to achieve objects. Again, keep it professional not personal – stay focused.
The final future plan questions the selecting official will ask: What do you see yourself doing in five years from now?  and What plans do you have for continuing your education? These questions help selecting officials to determine what kind of professional “drive” and motivation you actually have. It is my personal advice to answer all interview questions, keep in mind you can “respectfully” decline to answer any interview questions that you don’t feel comfortable asking.  If you don’t plan on continuing your education or haven’t thought about what your goals are for the next five years, it’s okay – use your imagination and stay focused on the professional conversation.
Dr. Jaye
Government agencies are able to hire in all career categories and using Special Hiring Authority (SHA), and many agencies are taking full advantage of this hiring ability.
Government agencies have the ability to use Special Hiring Authority for recruiting people – outright. The key is to research the agency’s SHA options.
Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to received consideration for special priority selection.
Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirement of 5 CFR330.605 (a) for CTAP and 5 CFR330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
To see if you feel you meet the requirements of one of these programs on Office of Personnel Management: click Here for information on –Â Employee Guides
Individuals who have Veteran’s preference, and submit a DD214 Member 4 copy (VEOA Employment Opportunity Act, Veteran’s Recruitment Appointment) To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed three or more years of continuous active service. Under the Veteran’s Guide, vets that have a disability of 30% or more can be hired – out right for the position they would qualify for if they were to submit their resumes. For example, if a 30% vet qualified as an information technician – a hiring official could hire them straight into the position.
If you feel you meet the requirements on veteran’s preference see Vet Guide Website:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-employment-initiative/vet-guide/
Then there are the student programs. These programs include but are not limited to the Student Career Employment Program (SCEP) and the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP).
The government is being “forced” to hire more students; this is an easy way to gain federal experience and utilized great benefits. This is a great way to get your “foot into the door” and the programs have great benefits to include but not limited to retirement, leave, flexi-work schedules, and more. In some hiring cases, they will even pay for your relocation to the hiring area that you are selected for. The government needs to “replace” the workforce that is currently retiring and these programs work to provide YOU stability. See the websites for requirements and more information.
Click here for Information on: Student Educational Employment Program
Dr. Jaye
The government has a set process – for the most part. Most applicants apply for either Merit (Status) announcements or DEU (Delegating Unit) announcements. I have said it over and over in previous articles I have written before MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHICH ANNOUCEMENT YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR. Don’t waste your time or energy if you know that you are not eligible for a job announcement. You will only become frustrated when you get an email letter or letter in the mail that says “You were found ineligible because you do not meet the minimum eligibility factors or qualifications for the job announcement which you applied.”
REMEMBER – Merit is for Status applicants, this means former, current, displaced, eligible veterans or other special hiring authority applicants.
DEU is for public to apply for – anyone.
Now that we have covered that, once an announcement closes (the close date on the announcement) go back to www.USAJOBS.GOV and check to see if the announcement was Extended, Cancelled or has any Cut Off Dates (Cut Off Dates that are used to create job applicant listings and sometimes a job announcement can be filled from a Cut Off Date – so ensure your resume is updated and you get your application in before any Cut Off Date).
The closing of an job announcement, starts your “count- down clock – until hire ticking”, once it closes it takes the Human Resources Departments about 30 – 45 days to review and process all applicants and make a determination on whom is actually qualified and whom isn’t.
After the qualification process is completed, a list of Competitive or Non-Competitive applicants is sent to the selecting official. Competitive applicants are applicants whom have status, and Non-Competitive applicants are those who don’t have status. The selecting official normally has a 30 day time period to review all the applicants whom are found qualified by HR Dept. If the selecting official needs to conduct interviews, they will do so at this time period. Sometimes selecting officials request a 30 day extension to ensure they are hiring the right person for the position.
Once the hiring official has selected a person(s) for the position(s) the announcement point of contact will make a job offer to the selected applicant and the selected will be given a time period to “think” about accepting the job offer. If the job is rejected, the process of “going down the list” of second and third choices will follow, per the selecting official decision.
When a job offer is accepted, all other applicants are notified either by email or mail of the selection and why they were not selected. You are entitled to know why you were not selected, I suggest phoning the point of contact for more clarification on how you could improve your hiring changes in the future.
The total process can take up to 90 days from the closing of the announcement, all things being constant and going within the time periods accordingly. Any change can increase or decrease the time of selection by a fluctuation of 30 – 60 day, plus or minus the 90 days.
Dr. Jaye
Thank you to everyone for coming out to the Barnes & Noble Local Author Event this past Saturday, May 21. I was overjoyed and excited to be apart of the Barnes & Noble 2016 Local Author event. It was a day filled with reconnecting with fellow friends & authors, interacting with amazing people and sharing the knowledge of the books I have written. Thank you so much to Barnes & Noble for inviting me to be one of the local authors featured in this years’ WireGrass at the Shops Barnes & Noble Local author event for 2016. I look forward to next year.
All the Best,
Dr. Jenice Armstead
Dr. Jenice Armstead
Barnes & Noble Local Author Event 2016
Photo by: Flex Casiano
Dr. Jenice Armstead
Barnes and Noble Book Signing 2016
Photo by: Flex Casiano
Merit Promotion (See How to Know the Difference between Which Government Job to Apply for article)
There are many documents that are required by government agencies for applications. It is important you understand the difference in required documents for a Merit announcement you are applying to, and a DEU announcement.
I have listed the required documents:
– If you are applying for consideration as a Veteran under the Veterans’ Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) or Veterans’ Recruitment Appointment (VRA), you MUST submit evidence of eligibility, such as: DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or Standard Form 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and the proof requested on the form.
– If you are applying for consideration under a special hiring authority such as a person with a disability, Peace Corp or Vista volunteer, you MUST submit the appropriate supporting documentation to be considered by the closing date of this vacancy announcement; e.g. “certification” statement (contact your Vocational Rehabilitation Office) that identifies you as a person with a disability and that describes your ability to perform the essential duties of this position, Standard Form-50, etc.
– If you applying for consideration as a Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligible, you MUST submit the appropriate supporting documentation as proof of program eligibility.
– If you are applying and are a current or former federal employee with Career or Career-Conditional status, submit your most recent SF-50, “Notification of Personnel Action”, (NOT an award SF-50) which shows your status.
– If you are qualifying with education, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
– If the position you are applying for requires specific NWCG red card qualifications or training, you must provide a copy of your IQCS report.
Delegating Examining Unit: (See How to Know the Difference between Which Government Job to Apply for article)
– If you are applying for Veteran Preference, you MUST submit evidence of eligibility, such as; DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or Standard Form 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and the proof requested on the form. You must clearly identify your claim for veterans preference on your application. For more information on Veteran Preference, please go to OPMs website at: http://www.opm.gov/veterans/index.asp
– If you are qualifying with education, you must submit your college transcripts.
KEEP IN MIND: ANSWERS TO YOUR JOB QUESTIONS MUST BE SUPPORTED IN YOUR RESUME. If your answer(s) are not supported in your resume, or you fail to follow the instructions for the question(s), agencies will lower your answer(s) to reflect what was provided, for failure to follow instructions. Stay motivated and GO GET YOUR GOVERNMENT JOB.
Dr. Jaye
There are standard practices that you will need to complete once you finally get your government position. Most of the requirements are standard and some are agency specific. Make sure to review your career contract and job announcement and contact your human resources representative for further questions.
When you are selected for the position, you WILL be subject to complete a favorable background investigation.  You may be able to start working once your finger prints clear and may continue continue to work once your entire background is cleared. In some agencies, you may or may not be allowed to start working with the agency until your investigation paperwork has been initiated and your FBI fingerprint check cleared. You need to read the agency requirements to ensure your hiring procedures.  In most cases, it takes a minimum of 2 weeks to clear a background, but can take longer in some cases. The key is to be honest and fully answer all background questions. Most agencies use an online electronic background system called eQuip to complete this process.
With most if not all government announcement applicants, you MUST be a United States citizen. Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs.  Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position. Again, review and research the agency you are completing an application for.
In some, if not all government agencies before being hired you will be required to sign and certify the accuracy of the information in your resume.  You will receive a Position Description of what job duties you will be required to perform and If you make a false statement in any part of your resume you may not be hired or in some cases fired. The key is to ensure that your resume directly reflects your actual job skills, knowledge and abilities.
This whole process from selection, tentative job offer and completion of the background investigation normally takes 4 – 6 weeks. But, depending on the position you are hired on for you may start working as soon as two weeks. Meaning, a selectee may start working once their finger prints clear. Over all, if you have your professional and personal history for the past 10 years articulated in some form it will be easier to complete this process than if you have to do research on this information. Be patience and this process will fly by. Keep in constant contact with your point of contact, and you will be working in no time at all.
Jenice
Once you have submitted your government application on www.usajob.gov there are specific ways to keep up with your application status. Many applicants don’t realize the tools they can utilize on www.usajobs.gov. There are a few ways to get the status of your government application and you should check the status at least weekly.
After you have submitted your government application wait until the job announcement closes to check the status of your application. Log into your www.usajobs.gov profile and click on the title “Application Status” on the left hand side. Then find the announcement you wish to check on. Go to the “application status” which is a blue underlined word and click this hyperlink. Some government agencies don’t link the application status to this hyperlink and some agencies do. If the agency does use this hyperlink, you will be redirected to the agency website where you submitted your original application. You will be able to view the status of your application here.
If the agency does not use this hyperlink, it will say “no application status available” this is okay. Don’t be discouraged. Click on the job announcement title and a second window will open up. Scroll down to the bottom of the job announcement and find the point of contact. You will see contact phone number or an email address. Contact this person and request the “Applicant Status.” Sometimes, you may get a HR Specialist whom doesn’t want to talk or gives you a vague answer.
If this happens, ask a more specific question like “Has the selecting official received the list of applicant’s resumes that have been referred and qualified for the position?” This will ensure you get a more detailed answer. I recommend always contacting the point of contact via email; this will ensure you have written documentation in case you have any issues with this job announcement in the future.
All the best to you, and if you have any questions – you know where to find me.
Dr. Jaye
Your government application will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and they will be reviewing your on-line or mailed in resume and your responses to the User Information, Core Questions, and Vacancy Questions. The Job Specific questions will relate to the following knowledge, skills and abilities required to do the work of this position. Many people don’t realize that many applications are “thrown out” because of a lack of KSAs being addressed by the applicant.
IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL federal positions are advertised on www.usajobs.gov. Many people don’t realize this, DON’T be fooled by “other” websites that promise to advertise federal jobs. Many of these “other” websites charge applicants to view federal positions and re-route their job links, but rest assure that these “other” websites are “pulling” information from www.usajobs.gov to get their information about advertised federal positions.
No matter what agency you are applying to, the advertised job will have KSAs or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. You need to read the entire job announcement because some federal agencies require applicants to submit addition information on a separate piece of paper about how they feel they meet those exact KSAs and some agencies don’t require KSAs to be answered at all. (You can press the PRINT PREVIEW button to see the entire announcement located at the bottom of the announcement.)
Overall, KSAs are important because this is how you WILL be evaluated on the position you have applied for. If your resume or applicant doesn’t contain the listed KSAs your application will not be found “NOT qualified” and your application will be put in the NOT Qualified stack of applications. The Key to writing government KSAs in your resume is to put the EXACT KSAs which are found in the job announcement in your resume or application WORD-FOR-WORD.
So if these KSAs are in a job announcement:
Ability to evaluate and process realty applications and proposals and conduct compliance examinations on authorized actions.
Knowledge of the laws and regulations governing the realty program and the ability to use sound professional judgment to resolve conflicts with other resources.
– Ability to communicate with the public, the applicant, and other agencies regarding realty related matters.
Copy and paste, or type these exact KSAs into you online resume/application or type them into your resume/application. After you do this make sure you give examples of how you meet the KSAs. Ensure your resume and applicant look exactly alike.
Keep in mind this statement is ALWAYS in ALL Federal job announcement:
ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS MUST BE SUPPORTED IN YOUR RESUME. If your answer(s) are not supported in your resume, or you fail to follow the instructions for the question(s), you will have your answer(s) adjusted to reflect what is provided, for failure to follow instructions.
This means that if your resume doesn’t match the supplemental questions or application you answered in the online application or written application, the agency can change your application score. You need to remember: SCORES are from 100 points to 70 points. The applicant résumés with the highest scores are reviewed first. Your goal is to receive as many points as possible.
You have been empowered, now go and get your federal job.
Dr. Jenice Armstead aka Dr. Jaye
Employment Event: Career Source Florida
For those looking for employment who may need some extra assistance with preparing and finding a position, a job club will be held next Friday April 24, 2015 from 0900 am until noon. The location is 609 North Powers Drive, Suite 340, Orlando, Florida 32818 at the West Colonial “Career Source” Office.
The job club will consist of networking, open dialogue about issues concerning finding the right job, resume critique and referrals to open positions that may interest you. If you would like to attend, please email Jaime Quarnoccio, 
Veteran Representative-LVER Email Address: JQuarnoccio@careersourcecf.com or phone 407-531-1231 x7339 for more information go to Career Source Florida for more information and event announcements.
All the Best,
Jenice
How do you work under pressure?
Interview questions are used to help the selecting official of a business or company to make a decision on whom would be the best pick for a job position. There are many varieties of questions that may be asked to include: General questions, yes or no questions, behavior questions, Open – ended questions, scenario questions, and general questions. The question of “How do you work under pressure?” is sure to come up during the duration of an interview.
This is a question that causes many people to feel intimidated because they are not exactly sure what to say or what not to say. Working under pressure is a skill, not everyone is able to work under pressure. It is important to state that. By stating this fact, you are showing the interview panel or manager that you have an understanding of what working under pressure consists of. You are showing them that you understand that not everyone is able to work under pressure; this is where you show off your skills and start to talk about what working under pressure means to you. You can give examples of times where you were required to work under pressure.
While you speak about your experience with working under pressure it is important to give specific time and job positions where you worked under pressure. This shows the interview panel that you took that situation seriously and that you are more than capable of working under pressure. Even if you are not asked to do so, be sure to give the situation of when you worked under pressure, the outcome of your working under pressure and what the result was of the event, which you were working under pressure.
This is a difficult interview question to answer, but if you come mentally prepared to answer this question you are sure to impress the interview panel or manager as well as give yourself a reminder of how competent you are and reaffirming your professional ability. Happy job hunting, you can do or be anything you want with persistence.
What Important Rewards Do You Expect from Your Career?
IInterview questions are vital to the hiring process of any company, the key to answering interviewing questions is to practice answering them over and over again with professionalism and honestly.
When answering personal questions, it is important to keep a professional mindset while deciding how to answer the question. Personal questions about work ethic, work life, and over all work experience are not inappropriate. These are considered personal questions in relation to work. Remember that any personal questions dealing with sexuality, religion and political party preference or any other topics not allowed, under the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) these topics should not be asked during any interview.
This is a random personal work question that may or may not be asked by many employers. It is important to focus on the main subject of this question. The main subject is “important rewards” this is the main subject of this question because if you don’t plan on receiving any awards then that should be stated, but ensure to back it up with something positive such as “I don’t plan on receiving any awards because most of my work is behind the scenes and the work I complete for my clients is reward enough.” Your answer doesn’t have to be that cheesy, but it is important to always back a negative perceived answer with a more positive response.
If you have already received rewards from the work you have completed or done for previous employers it is important to mention this as well. Make sure to give details of what work was completed and the specific reward and time period for which the reward was received. Taking in mind that some positions on your resume are shorter than others, if there are awards you have received from related work or a retired status make sure to mention these awards for the position time frame. This helps the interviewer to realize that you take your work seriously and strive for greatness.
This is a difficult interview question to answer, but if you come mentally prepared to answer this question or a similar question, you are sure to impress the interview panel as well as give yourself a reminder of how competent you are and reaffirming your professional ability. Happy job hunting, you can do or be anything you want with persistence.
For more information go to “Pep Talks” the series
After you have submitted your government application wait until the job announcement closes to check the status of your application. Log into your www.usajobs.gov profile and click on the title “Application Status” on the left hand side. Then find the announcement you wish to check on. Go to the “application status” which is a blue underlined word and click this hyperlink. Some government agencies don’t link the application status to this hyperlink and some agencies do. If the agency does use this hyperlink, you will be redirected to the agency website where you submitted your original application. You will be able to view the status of your application here.
If the agency does not use this hyperlink, it will say “no application status available” this is okay. Don’t be discouraged. Click on the job announcement title and a second window will open up. Scroll down to the bottom of the job announcement and find the point of contact. You will see contact phone number or an email address. Contact this person and request the “Applicant Status.” Sometimes, you may get a HR Specialist whom doesn’t want to talk or gives you a vague answer.
If this happens, ask a more specific question like “Has the selecting official received the list of applicant’s resumes that have been referred and qualified for the position?” This will ensure you get a more detailed answer. I recommend always contacting the point of contact via email; this will ensure you have written documentation in case you have any issues with this job announcement in the future.
All the best to you, and if you have any questions – you know where to find me.
Jenice
On Sunday night, I watched the most gut retching show: “Paycheck to Paycheck” Town Hall Meeting on the OWN network. Many people in our economy are working from paycheck to paycheck, barely making ends meat. They are a paycheck away from poverty, hoping not to get one flat tire, one missed car payment or one overdraft. Dollars away from losing everything they have worked so hard for. While watching, I realized that there is new face of poverty. Now, your next-door neighbor, the person that bags your groceries or the school bus driver could be considered “working poor.”
The United States use to have a strong “working class” and status classes were broken down into to Upper, Middle and Poor. Now, there are 5 additional classes to add to the economic status: Working Poor, Poor, Lower Middle, Middle, Upper Middle, Wealthy, Rich and Ultra Rich. There are ways to help one another get through tough times, start a dialogue with the people you see on a daily basis. If you see a need that you can fulfill, do so.
I am going to do my part, anyone that needs assistance with writing a resume or help with finding a job – please email me and I will work with you to help improve your job skills, no charge. You are welcome to email me at jenicearmstead@gmail or through my website. Do your part to help someone else that may be going through a harder time than yourself.
For more information on the “Paycheck to Paycheck” documentary go to: The Shriver Report
Jenice
Many applicants are very motivated and will mark the “availability” section as immediately. This could be a good and a bad move. Most employer are looking for applicants to start within the next week or so, in comparison to the interviewing date. But, keep in mind you don’t want to look “too” available. If applicants appear to be “too” available employers are likely to wonder why. Here are some tips for you when you are asked the classic interview question: When are you available to start?
Now that you have made it to the interviewing process, and you are near the end of an interview, you’ve answered all the required questions and the selecting official asks you the question of: “When are you available to start?” The humanistic answer is to say “today” but you need to be mindful and think about the date you can actually start. Before you go to an interview be sure to have a pre-selected date in mind when you are asked this question.
After you state the date you are available to start, make sure you add a personal statement about yourself such as “I have my affairs in order, and if you need me to start earlier, say the 10th of April, then I will be able to manage that start date as well.” Make sure you know what the current date is. When you are interviewing for a position knowing what day it is, is important. This shows the selecting official that you are aware of your current, place and time. This also shows the selecting official that you are mentally organized.
All in all, know your exact availability dates and the current date. It sounds simple, but these are interviewing techniques that are true and work. All the best to you on your job hunt and finding your dream job.
In the military, military personnel have had many jobs they have obtained while on active and reserve duty. Many military personnel are being discharged from the military with little to no information on how to convert their military experience into tangible information for the civilian sector. There are key words and phrases that will make you a “stick out” in the civilian world than the typical military terms a militant person is use to using. There are easy ways to convert your military experience into a civilian resume. This article will assist you with doing just that.
At first you as a military person may feel that your experience makes perfect sense and is easy to read, but it’s not. I am a 10 year military veteran whom realized once I as honorably discharged from the United States Navy how different the military was from the civilian sector in speaking of experience. I had to learn the hard way that the civilian sector is nothing like the military. All of my (KSAs) knowledge, abilities and skills were vastly different and diverse. I had to break my experience down by what it was, instead of the time period. Many military person work in different positions during a duty station and this experience should be broadcasted by the experience instead of by time period.
I served as a Yeoman Second Class with a Seabee Combat Warfare specialty. If you’re confused in reading this, so were the civilians whom received my resume. They didn’t know what a Yeoman Second Class was equivalent to in the civilian sector and that’s where I had to start. I went to the library or online and I got the book: Job Search, Marketing Your Military Experience By David G. Henderson. This book gives excellent information on how to convert your military experience into civilian jargon that anyone will be able to understand. This book is for all military forces not only Navy.
Next, do some research on your specialty and get detailed in explaining your exact experience. If you Google “Job Descriptions” you will find a ton of examples of free pre-written job descriptions. Copy and paste the job description and use it to help you make a resume template for yourself. It works and it’s easy.
Then, combine all of the experience together and make three resumes. Make a 1 page resume that is an overview of all of your experience to date. Make a 3 a page resume with a little more detail. Then make a resume with all of the experience you have starting from your very first job ever. If you need more information, or have a question you may contact me anytime. Happy job hunting.
Many applicants don’t know how to write a government resume for www.usajobs.gov. There are a few methods for writing and creating a government resume, the first key is to review the major duties of the job announcement. You MUST “mirror” your resume on the major duties and the announcement job description to ensure you have all the information required to meet the minimum qualifications for the position you are applying for.
It is recommended that applicants create a word document and type your “basic” resume up in the desired format. Once you have your basic resume, make a folder for other more specific resumes you may need to create for positions you may apply for. Once you have your basic resume completed you will be able to edited the basic resume and tailor it toward other positions you wish to apply for.
Second, in order to tailor your resume, it is suggested that applicants use the “major duties” section of the job announcement as a outline for what information to include when completing the application. Basic resume information pre-written will allow for easy transfer of information and it is important to explain in detail how you meet the “major duties” of that particular job announcement. You can do this in bullet format, or in a standard resume format. Either way, you need to custom tailor your resume in order to receive full qualification consideration from the agency advertising the job announcement.
If your basic resume doesn’t state those exact “major duties” you may not be found qualified for the job announcement. Don’t be afraid to contact the point of contact on the job announcement. If there is a number or an email address, you may contact that point of contact to ask about the major duties, job description or to ensure your application was received or not.
The bottom line is to custom your resume toward the job announcement in order to ensure your application receives the attention it deserves. Keep in mind, if you over state your qualifications your application can be discarded or your applicant score could be lowered. Ensure to be honest in answering the applicant questions. The details are key, but exact verbiage is important as well.
Happy Government Job Hunting,
Jenice
The job market has changed; it has changed for the better in many ways. This economy has bounced back from one of the worst economic down falls of this century. The job market is flooded with new job seekers and excellent opportunities for the taking. The need for fresh talent is apparent; the need for new ideas is infectious. New graduates, new job seekers and new ways of understanding this new job market are more concentrated than ever before … these are all apart of the new equations of obtaining employment opportunities for the job seeker.
The federal sector are hiring, let it be clear that the federal sector has created jobs and internships. There are a few things that job seekers must understand about obtaining employment in this federal sector job market. The federal sector is more organized than ever before. The federal sector has gone through a reform of implementing new job hiring practices. The federal sectors new job hiring practices include: the use of extensive interviews, panels of board members, personality tests, demonstration of work knowledge, skills, abilities and job experience.
There are some great ways for job seekers to “stand out” from the competition, but first the job seekers needs to understand what some of the loop holes are when it comes to finding and applying for federal employment in this new job market. Do not be discouraged in this new job market. You are the human capital fabric of the economy.
This new job market requires the creation and use of multiple resumes, live website links to electronic resumes, resume social media sites, job seekers to keep the information up to date at all times, and most of all for the job seekers to have a full understanding of what their “digital finger print” looks like. When I say “digital finger print” I mean, understanding what public information is available for potential employers to search and find on job seekers via the internet. It is good practice to “Google” or look up oneself on the internet to see what information is publicly available for all to view. Just as one would conduct a “Credit Score” clean up, a “digital finger print” is just as important to conduct on a quarterly basis.
Federal government positions are not as difficult to apply for as most believe they are.
Many times there are document requirements, time requirements, and pre-qualifications to read carefully before job seekers can complete the federal government job application. Most federal government job announcements are conducted completely online at www.usajobs.gov. A computer and Internet connection are two initial requirements of the federal hiring process. This may sound like a lot, but in fact once you read this book you will realize that it sounds a lot scarier than it is to complete. The federal sector job hunting experience is all about organization and attention to detail.
You have come to the right place to get your 10 Tips for Applying for Government Job announcements. The federal hiring process is all about due process, time requirements, deadlines and required documents. One of the main keys is to read the entire job announcement applying for. It is a good practice to print the entire job announcement out and use a highlighter to ensure all of the “T’s” are crossed and “I’s” are dotted.
In the government hiring process, entire applications can be completely removed or trashed if the application package is not completed by the candidate, by the deadline. There are not “if, ands or buts,” hiring managers are not legally required to extend deadlines unless there is a viable reason to do so. In most cases, only disabled personnel have this benefit. In this case, the disabled candidate must provide documentation for the disability in receiving an application extension.
These are only a few of the topics that are covered in 10 Tips for Applying for Government Jobs. This book was created for the job seeker to keep this book on hand to organize, keep track of and provide a greater understanding of the government hiring practice.
This book will start you off in the right direction with giving the job seeker 10 tips for applying for federal government job announcements and positions.
Book Excerpt: 10 Tips for Applying to Government Jobs
