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From the Baltimore Sun

On the job
How to navigate the federal job maze

By Hanah Cho | [e-mail]
May 22, 2009

The federal government is hiring.

But just try to navigate the maze that is the federal job search process. It can feel as bureaucratic and cumbersome as the government itself.

I asked Kathryn Troutman, president of The Resume Place in Baltimore, for her top five strategies to be a successful candidate. Troutman, an author of several career books, including Ten Steps to a Federal Job, offers workshops for job seekers in writing federal resumes in the Baltimore region.

•Say good-bye to your private sector resume. The federal resume is a completely different animal, Troutman says.

A federal resume is usually four pages long, compared with a typical one- to two-page one. While most job seekers are trained to keep descriptions short, Troutman says a federal resume must be detailed about your duties, experience and accomplishments.

It's important that descriptions about your skills and accomplishments include keywords from the job or vacancy announcement.

Also pay attention to "one year specialized experience" that appears often in federal job postings. Make sure you show that you meet those criteria to even qualify for the job.

For instance, Troutman helped a former sous-chef find a job as a Federal Emergency Management Agency program analyst. The job called for one year of experience in such areas as conducting analysis, comparing existing programs and organizing budgets.

Instead of focusing his resume on food, Troutman helped the candidate focus his selling points by emphasizing skills in analyzing costs of food, inventory and supply management, and organizing events under pressure situations.

•Get familiar with www.usajobs.gov, the main source to find federal job postings.

Troutman says the Web site recently added a new search feature that allows candidates to browse open jobs by agency, location and job title.

"This is so much more engaging than what they had before. I could see in one second how many jobs are open in the accounting occupation, education and by state," she says.

•Make sure you understand the vacancy announcement.

Troutman says the announcements can feel intimidating because they are written in jargon and bureaucratic language. For instance, a job posting for an administrative officer is another way to say office manager.

Spend some time analyzing the duties, qualifications and knowledge, skills and abilities sections of the announcement so that you can present the best case for yourself, Troutman says.

•A resume is the first part of the process; don't forget the "Knowledge, Skills and Abilities" narratives.

The narratives will ask candidates to write about their experience and provide examples that demonstrate they have the knowledge, skills and abilities the agency is looking for. You will be graded and compared with other candidates, Troutman says.

A resume minimally qualifies a person for the job, while the narratives "will prove that you're the best-qualified," she says.

•Follow directions. Each federal agency could have different instructions on how to apply for jobs. Make sure you read them carefully and do exactly as requested, Troutman says.

What are your tips for successfully applying and securing a federal job? Send your stories, tips and questions to [e-mail]. Please include your first name and your city.