Fed. gov't jobs - Advice?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I realized I wanted to make a topic have some actual substance, so I figured I’d make an attempt.

Does anyone have any experience working for the US Fed. Gov’t? I’m currently with the PA State Gov’t as a Clerk (through the civil service examination process), and I’m looking to eventually end up with the SSA.

I am a graduate of Penn State Univ. with a BA in Political Science (I know, biggest misnomer around), but it is an all-purpose degree and is surely befitting of gov’t work. The civil service process was a bear in itself, and the only reason I landed this job (which isn’t a bad gig, but not up to snuff in terms of my qualifications) is because I nearly aced the examination, which vaulted me above nearly anyone in 10 counties. After 6-7 interviews (quite literally), I eventually got the call for this job.

I work for the Bureau of Disability Determination for the state gov’t, which is basically a division of Social Security (it is federally funded, but I am considered a state employee). They obviously handle claims for disability assistance, which involves an adjudicator examining the claim using medical evidence and eventually coming to a decision.

I took the test for the adj. position last May and did not score very well. I took it during the hiring “frenzy” that has been taking place ever since. It’s basically a classroom system. 30 or so go in, ~20 make it out of the class, and ~15 pass the scrutinizing process. I recently retook the test (with my knowledge as a clerk and handling these things daily), and I did much, much better. I’m not sure if they will hire a new class due to hiring freezes and the like, but time will tell.

More to my point, though. As an adjudicator, you top out at an ST-07 (grade 7), which is roughly $42,000 starting and increases slowly each year for 10 years before finally reaching its ceiling. In the federal gov’t, most positions start at a GS-5. However, they quickly ascend to a 7, 9, and sometimes 11. Obviously, the potential is much higher, but so too is the competition (or so it seems).

Beating the veteran’s preference is no easy task. I will not completely divulge my opinions on this as to not offend anyone. I’ve only been working in this office for 4-5 months, which is naturally not much experience, but it is disheartening when someone with no real office (let alone disability experience) jumps right ahead with far less qualifications. As I’ve said, I have a BA in Pol. Sci. which is not exactly as esteemed as a BS in computer engineering in this day and age, but it is still a 4-year degree.

Has anyone been in this situation? Any resume tips in regards to KSAs? I just recently made the best qualified list for a Claims Rep. position at a local field office, which starts at a GS-5 and ascends to a GS-11 in only 3 years. I haven’t heard anything yet (and doubt I will), but I can always hope. It is the first BQ list I’ve made to date (in 50+ applications), so I can at least take comfort in the fact that my current experience is helping me out.

Thanks!

2

Do you apply for these positions online, using a resume you have on file with USAJobs? If so, I think the initial selection of candidates starts with a keyword search of the resume. So you might want to redo your resume to include every skill you have using the common keywords for those skills. Also look at the position descriptions in the job announcements - they also contain keywords - make sure those keywords are in your resume (if you do have that skill). My resume started out as nothing but a list of keywords - I wrote down every skill I had, and only then did I go back and try to make sentences out of those words. That way I knew that every keyword that was associated with the skills I have are in the resume.

If you have already made the best qualified list for one position, then your resume was good enough to clear the first selection, so that’s good news. Be patient, sometimes the selection process takes a long time, and you won’t hear anything at all during that time. They may make an offer to their first choice, who then may ask for some time (usually 2 weeks is standard) to consider taking it or not. If that person declines, they then make an offer to the next best qualified, who make take a week or two, and so on.

3

I apply online using my USAJobs resume. I also submit my own resume. This is a bit more personal, but it includes all the key information regarding my duties as a clerk and how they are relevant to the disability process.

I know there is only one real “field” on the USAJobs resume that allows for free-lance writing. Is this where I would load it up with appropriate keywords? The kicker is that I wouldn’t be lying in anything I say, since I already work with the claims on a daily basis. The job, however, is relatively unskilled since it does not require a college education (not that education equates to skill necessarily).

I know I made the BQ list on Aug. 6th, so I’m losing hope. I’ve seen reports that it can take MONTHS for them to even interview (red tape, etc.), so who knows. I also know that making BQ does not guarantee an interview, either. It just means I made it to the desk of someone at the actual office, which isn’t a bad thing either. I’d prefer human eyes reviewing my qualifications rather than a computer.

4

August 6th? Two weeks ago? That’s nothing. The people making the selection might not have even looked at the applicants yet.

And there may not be an interview - I’ve received offers based solely on my resume and these were for GS-12 positions. Other times I’ve had either phone interviews or had to give written responses to additional questions.

5

Interesting…

They might be less inclined to interview an applicant for a GS-12 position, though. It would seem like almost a waste of resources to interview a person that was already solidified in the gov’t ranks (unless the competition was steep and/or they wanted the best of the best).

I’m sure mostly all GS-5/7 positions require interviews. This is purely speculation, of course, but it would make sense to be more careful with entry level applicants.

Time will tell. Also, I made the list on the 30th of July, which is still not that long ago. It says I was “found qualified and forwarded to the selecting official for consideration.” I’m assuming this means best qualified?

6

I applied for a federal position at the Smithsonian several years ago. The job description looked like someone copied my resume. I knew that the number of people with the combination of very specific required skills and background was pretty damned small, and I could check off every one.

I didn’t even make the cut, I assume because I didn’t have any points. I’m white, male, never been in the military, etc. I didn’t get worked up over it; I knew the qualification process going in. If it boiled down to choosing between me and a verteran (or minority, or whatever) with the *necessary *skill set, I didn’t have any problems with it, even if my qualifications might have been better.

7

My father has worked for the SSA for over 35 years (retiring at the end of this year), and he has made countless attempts to get me into his office.

We’re both convinced that most recruiters simply don’t like those with college degrees. He often gets the “beef” on those selected instead of me and their low qualifications are sometimes astounding.

No college degree, “completed some college coursework”, spent 3 years as a hospital receptionist scheduling appointments, etc. There’s nothing wrong with being a hospital receptionist, but I’d like to know how it’s more relevant than working at the state disability office. I hold the very claims that they work with on a daily basis. I copy, fax, and process them. I make calls to medical facilities and claimants alike. I know how the system works. My training would be minimal (especially for an entry-level position), yet the selection process is not tailored to a person like me.

Another factor is, of course, time. Sure, I haven’t been exposed to this environment for very long. I’m young and a potential risk for any employer. I’ll give them that. Sometimes demonstration of consistency is more important than relevancy. That’s fine, but when you see some of the people they ultimately select, it leaves me scratching my head…

8

I have a friend, Jane, who was in the military, is fluent in 2 foreign languages, and is currently going to school for a BS in natural resources. I tried to help get her summer work with a friend of mine, Jack, who works for the Forest Service. Jane had everything she needed to get the job as far as experience goes but Jack couldn’t hire her because she didn’t put it down on her resume. She put what a normal person would put; she had been a barista, a waitress, her military stuff. What Jack needed from her was more stuff he could give her points on during the hiring process. He would rather have her list something she did for an hour in a class, if it applied to the job and got her points than years of work history. It’s all about the points, look at the KSA’s for the job and put in everything that could possibly pertain to the job you’re applying for even if you only did it for an hour, and as said above use a lot of the same key words between KSA’s and resume. ie. If they want management experience, and you say in your resume you were a team leader, you leave it open for interpretation. If they want management experience, and you say in your resume, I have management experience, it’s automatic full points.

9

Yeah, I’m trying to load up each section with relevant information and what I think would be fitting keywords.

10

To clear the HR hurdle, it is mostly about keyword loading your resume and KSAs. Sad but true.

11

As others have said, using as many of the exact words and phrases in the KSAs will help. Also, since you’re “fresh” to the system, apply for anything and everything that interests you. You never know what you might get picked up for. My sister found a fed job (with the EPA) she never considered doing what she does for a living, but now loves it. The advice I give people is to get a job, ANY job, in the Fed system. Once in (as a GS employee), you only have to stay in that job for a year before you can start moving around. It’s easier to move around once you’re in the system–it’s GETTING into the system that is difficult!

Regarding the veteran’s preference…I can say from the veteran’s point of view that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Say what you want, but it was my experience (and the experience of many of my friends) that when it comes to the good ol’ boys club (which is not necessarily made up of “boys” but of women too!), if someone’s friend wants to the job, veteran’s preference doesn’t count for squat. They’ll find a way to justify hiring friends over qualifed applicants. By-name requests get butts in seats much faster than hiring someone off the street. Plus, there are more and more veterans trying to get into the system so the preference isn’t really a discriminating factor anymore. And I say that as a Fed employee who is also a veteran.

As far as the resume, make sure you’re listing skills, not just jobs. For example, my sister used to own her own business. On her first couple of resumes she listed things like “owned a buiness that offered <a particular specialized service>” when she should have been listing things such as “experience in managing 17 subordinates, well-versed in human resource managment, payroll, performance management, disciplinary actions…”. They are looking for particular skills that you have that they need, not necessarily what jobs you’ve done in the past. Does that make sense?

If you want to PM me for more, I don’t mind.