Go Government:

Landing Your Dream Job

February 28, 2012

Presenters

Your Host:

Brooke Bohnet, Partnership for Public Service

Your Panelists:

Joseph Abbott, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Joy Liu, Smithsonian Institution

Jaqi Ross, Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Housekeeping Items

We will open up the phone lines for questions at the end of the call. In the meantime, we encourage you to type questions into the Q&A box.

The recording of today’s presentation, as well as the accompanying handouts, will be emailed to all registered participants within a week.

• This information will NOT be posted on Partnership Connect.

Handouts

Resources Handout

Sample Full-Time Jobs

Application Checklist

Agenda

Partnership for Public Service

Why Federal Jobs?

Now What?

How to Apply

Next Steps

Q&A

Partnership for Public Service

Nonpartisan and nonprofit organization

Good government starts with good people

Revitalize our federal government by inspiring a new generation to serve and by transforming the way government works

Why federal jobs?

Federal Jobs are Everywhere

Federal Pay and Benefits: An Introduction

Competitive compensation packages

Additional perks

Federal Pay and Benefits: Compensation

The General Schedule (GS) is the pay scale for most federal jobs • Grades 1-15, 10 steps within each grade

Federal Pay and Benefits: Compensation

City GS-4 GS-5 GS-7 GS-9 GS-11

Atlanta $29,248 $32,722 $40,534 $49,581 $59,987

Chicago $30,672 $34,316 $42,508 $51,995 $62,909

Seattle $29,865 $33,414 $41,390 $50,628 $61,255

New York City $31,560 $35,309 $43,738 $53,500 $64,729

San Francisco $33,136 $37,073 $45,923 $56,172 $67,963

Washington, D.C. $30,456 $34,075 $42,209 $51,630 $62,467

Student loan repayment assistance

Flexible schedules and generous vacation packages

Training and professional development

Competitive health and retirement benefits

Excellent advancement opportunities

Ability to make a difference

Federal Pay and Benefits: Additional Perks

Straight from the Source

What unique opportunities and experiences do employees at your agency have?

What do you believe are the most important or best benefits associated with federal employment?

Now what?

Now What?

Do your homework

Start your search

Do Your Homework

Visit www.usa.gov for a complete list of federal agencies!

Start Your Search: Student Programs

Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF)

What: • Government’s most prestigious fellowship program • Students complete a 2-year rotation within an agency or between

agencies as full-time fellows

Who: • Student who has just completed a master’s program

More information: • Apply during the fall of the final year of graduate school • Application generally opens in early October • A candidate must be nominated by his or her institution

Tip: Visit pmf.gov to sign-up for the PMF listserv!

Start Your Search: Pathways Programs

The Pathways Programs are designed to “offer students and recent graduates more uniform and transparent pathways to

public service” and “improve recruiting and provide for training, mentoring, and career development opportunities.”

Where to Look: Web Resources

Makingthedifference.org

Wherethejobsare.org

Bestplacestowork.org

USA.gov

Individual agency websites

Straight from the Source

What types of opportunities does your agency have available now? Starting this summer?

When do you recommend that applicants begin searching for and applying to positions?

Where do you post your full-time jobs?

How to Apply

Get Ready to Apply

Familiarize yourself with job vacancy announcements

Build your federal resume and update your non-federal resume

Prepare for assessments

USAJOBS.gov: Job Vacancy Announcements

Resume Tips

Create an account on USAJOBS.gov

• Store up to 5 federal resumes, each tailored to a different federal opportunity!

• Upload a resume to the Saved Documents folder

Carefully review the position

• Focus on the “duties” or “responsibilities” section, and customize your resume accordingly by identifying and including key words and phrases

FEDERAL RESUMES

NON-FEDERAL RESUMES

Federal and Non-Federal Resumes

Prepare for Assessments

Cover Letters

Application Questionnaires

Essays (KSAs)

Application Questionnaires

Length: 15-125+ questions

Type: Varies and can include yes/no questions as well as those meant to determine your level of experience in different areas

Tip: Preview questions using a link found in the job vacancy announcement

Federal Essays

What: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities essays (KSAs)

Length: ½ page to a full-page in length

Tips: Address key words and phrases mentioned in the position

description, use rich and substantive examples, tie your personal experiences to each KSA, focus on outcomes to which you directly contributed, and avoid acronyms

Specifically address each KSA in your

application, providing examples of how your

experiences have prepared you for a

role.

Straight from the Source

What do you look for in resumes?

How does your agency use cover letters?

Which assessment tools does your agency use?

What other advice do you have for students and jobseekers filling out federal applications?

Next Steps

Next Steps

Following up on your application

Prepare for federal interviews

Navigate the security clearance process

Follow up on Your Application

Tips:

• Track the status of your application in the Application Manager on USAJOBS.gov

• Contact agencies within two weeks of submitting an application to confirm its status and express your interest in an interview

Prepare for Federal Interviews

Before your federal interview, be sure to do the following:

• Do your homework

• Prepare answers to common questions in advance

• Have questions ready to ask interviewers

• Dress the part

Bonus:

• Arrive early to get through security

• Demonstrate your passion for public service

Navigate the Security Clearance Process

90 percent of background investigations are conducted by the Office of Personnel Management

• Average time to process a clearance: 37 days

Begin gathering relevant information now

• Check out the SF-85 and SF-86 to determine which details you should be collecting

Straight from the Source

How do you prefer that candidates follow up after submitting their applications?

Do you have advice for candidates that are preparing for federal interviews?

Do you have recommendations for candidates going through the security clearance process?

Questions?

Don’t Forget …

Fill out our brief survey online!

Visit makingthedifference.org for more information about finding and applying for federal opportunities.

Still have questions? Email us at calltoserve@ourpublicservice.org.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US! Good luck with your search.

Learn more at www.makingthedifference.org