Six Things You Can Do to Find the Perfect Career on USAJobs
Have you thought about working for the Federal Government but not sure where to start? Have no fear: the Transition Readiness team is here to get you on the path to federal employment.
The primary source for job opening announcements for federal employment is through USAJOBS. Check out ways you can use USAJobs to find the perfect federal job for you.
If you’d like to learn more information about the federal hiring process, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), offers an in-depth virtual course that provides a step-by-step process covering searching for Federal jobs, creating your account and profile, managing your account, reviewing job opportunity announcements, submitting your applications, and following up on your application status. Sessions will be offered monthly with varying times to accommodate your busy schedule. Don’t forget to register!
- Create a personal profile. On USAJobs, personal profiles will include all the information you need to apply to a federal job, such as your name, address, and other important information. Profiles are important because the USAJobs website can then use the information in your profile to improve job search results as well as to autofill parts of the applications for you.
- Build or upload up to five distinct resumes. Why create multiple resumes? When applying for federal employment, you should always tailor your resume to the job announcement. It’s important to clearly describe how your knowledge, skills, abilities, and work experiences, align with the job you’re applying to. Note: You’ve heard the rule about keeping your resume under two pages, but for federal resumes, that’s a myth. A federal resume requires more information than a civilian resume, and is typically longer than two pages.
- Search for jobs by agency, occupation, location and more. You can search for jobs in a variety of ways: keyword, occupation, job category, agency, location, salary range and pay grade.
- Save job searches. You can set up automated searches and receive automatic notifications when new jobs are posted that meet your needs. USAJOBS will email you as often as you like (daily, weekly, or monthly).
- Review job opening announcements. Here’s a good tip: when you find a job you’re interested in, read the WHOLE job announcement and pay close attention to the: Qualifications and How to Apply section to learn about agency-specific instructions, required documents, and contact information. You don’t want to miss a piece.
- Learn about the Federal hiring process and special hiring programs and explore the variety of hiring paths. For instance, there are separate pathways for Veterans and Military Spouses. USAJobs contains a lot of helpful information on the federal hiring process, how federal benefits work and what kinds there are, and more.
If you’d like to learn more information about the federal hiring process, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), offers an in-depth virtual course that provides a step-by-step process covering searching for Federal jobs, creating your account and profile, managing your account, reviewing job opportunity announcements, submitting your applications, and following up on your application status. Sessions will be offered monthly with varying times to accommodate your busy schedule. Don’t forget to register!
You can also find beneficial information at the Office of Personal Management in regards to benefits, wages, and much more.
Still searching for more in-depth assistance with Federal employment opportunities? Contact your installation’s Marine & Family Program’s Transition Readiness staff or Family Member Employment Assistance staff, and connect with the Marine For Life Network.