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THE NEW FEDERAL EMPLOYEE CAREER GUIDE
Part I
by Patrick Garbart
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose……………………………………………………………………………..1
JOB HUNTING…………….……………………………………………………2
The Federal Hiring Process – A Brief Overview………………………..…..2
Current Application Process………………………………………………....3
Understanding Your Challenges before Submitting A Resume…………….4
Preparing Your Resume………………………………………………….….6
Strategies……………………………………………………………….……7
Waiting For Feedback from HR…………………………………………...12
Appeal Process…………………………………………………………......13
POSITION MANAGEMENT……………………………………………......13
Position Description and Duties……………………………………………13
Levels of Responsibility……………………………………………………15
How Your Position, Duties, and Performance Affect Your Future……......15
CAREER DEVELOPMENT…………………………………………………17
Soft Skills………………………………………………………………..…17
Hard Skills………………………………………………………………….17
Social Media……………………………………………………………..…17
Mentorship………………………………………………………………....18
Training………………………………………………………………….…18
Participating in Clubs………………………………………………………19
Take a Career Inventory……………………………………………………20
Talking vs. Walking………………………………………………………..21
Carrying Your Own Weight……………………………………………..…21
Apologies………………………………………………………………..…22
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE…………………………………………....22
Natural and Unnatural Barriers…………………………………………….22
Risks and Internal Controls……………………………………………...…23
Continuous Improvement………………………………………………..…24
How to Improve the Federal Government………………………………….24
Nepotism…………………………………………………………………...24
MANAGEMENT……………………………………………………………....25
Organizational Politics…………………………………………………..…26
The Office of Personnel Management……………………………………...27
Cookie-Cutter Solutions Management……………………………………..28
Relationships……………………………………………………………….28
Personal Agendas………………………………………………………..…28
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE…………………………………………...29
Special Note for Military Veterans………………………………………...29
Deciding to Stay with or Leave an Organization…………………………..31
Conclusion……………………………………………………………….....31
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Purpose
The purpose of this guide is to assist veterans, college students, and new federal civilian
employees with their federal career goals. Some of the topics covered may also help those
serving in military positions and the private sector. This guide will explain how to apply for
federal jobs and have a rewarding career with the federal government. These topics pertain to
many federal employees, common and frequent experiences that occur in the workplace. To this
day, there is a significant lack of resources available for those who want a realistic, behind the
scenes, picture of federal employment. My hope is that this guide will supplement your
understanding of federal careers. Some parts of this guide will cover controversial issues. They
are not meant to create negative energy, but serve as a realistic picture about unfortunate
situations that are not openly discussed in the workplace. This guide will not contain any fancy
colors, pictures, or graphs. The intent of this guide is to provide as much information as possible
to those who are actively seeking federal positions.
I have 22 years of experience as a federal employee, and have worked in ten different positions
in four agencies. I’ve served as a supervisor in six of those positions, as an insider of the Human
Resources (HR) arena, having processed dozens of recruitment actions in three different
agencies, and attended several HR-specific courses. In several positions, I’ve served as an HR
liaison and met with many HR specialists and senior executives, to discuss decision-making
processes, selections, and recruitment strategies. I also served as a transition counselor, helping
dozens of military service members transition to the civilian workforce. This guide serves to
summarize some frequent observations, things I would like to share with future federal civilian
employees.
I’ve enjoyed working in most of the organizations and felt the experience gained was
invaluable. You will feel the same when you’ve had a chance to work in a few federal positions.
Whether you are a nurse, engineer, mechanic, or administrative officer, I encourage new federal
employees to increase their awareness of the federal government as much as possible. Review
several regulations. Take a retirement seminar to gain an understanding of benefits during and
after federal employment. Participate in a Mentor program to make sure you get on the right
path to success. I encourage you to study other resources to get a full understanding of federal
employment. I wish you the best of luck with your career endeavors. Your feedback for this
guide is welcomed and valuable. You can contact me at the links below, or email me at
Patrick Garbart
www.linkedin.com/in/patrickgarbart/
www.slideshare.net/PatrickGarbart/documents
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JOB HUNTING
The Federal Hiring Process – A Brief Overview
Although complicated, every applicant should understand the federal hiring process. The
process usually begins with a known vacancy, when a federal organization has been notified that
an employee is separating from the agency, or is taking a job in another position. At this point,
the organization is already behind in the recruitment process because most agencies will not start
this process until a job vacancy is identified. This creates a need to race through recruitment
procedures, to close the gap between the time a vacancy exists and the time a replacement begins
work. Several things take place during this period. The organization must conduct a Job
Analysis, a thorough review of the requirements of the position, questions that will be asked in
the job vacancy announcement, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) assessments, and a
determination of the targeted applicant pool (internal or external applicants). Human Resources
(HR) specialists review the material and act as guides for processing required forms. It is here
that Selecting Officials (the supervisors who make selections) make decisions on what questions
to ask, in order to help HR specialists rate applicant qualifications and experiences.
The recruitment process can also begin with the creation of a new position. In this case, senior
managers have made a determination that it is necessary to create a new position, either to
augment an existing need or to help manage new initiatives. For example, a director may want
to address a need for someone to manage SharePoint sites. The new position could help the
organization create and maintain data that is used for SharePoint collaboration tools. As in the
case of filling in behind a vacant position, there is a Job Analysis process that must be followed
before a job vacancy announcement can be posted. These new positions can serve as a way to
augment assistance for new initiatives, or to help employees with their career aspirations.
It is natural for managers to discuss possible candidates for filling positions. If managers are
focused on a particular employee, they may decide to analyze the qualifications of that employee
and ensure he or she has a good chance to make the Certificate for the Candidates List (list of
best qualified candidates), by way of tweaking the Job Analysis to the individual’s qualifications.
This may seem a little shocking, but I’ve seen this happen, first-hand, in many organizations, as a
person who has created, processed, and tracked many recruitment packets, and discussed
recruitment strategies with senior executives. I don’t mean to be pessimistic about job vacancy
announcements, and encourage you to apply if you meet the qualifications. But don’t be
surprised if someone else gets the position, someone who managers were targeting, before the
announcement is advertised. This isn’t just a problem in the federal government. I’ve heard
many stories of this happening in the private sector. In fact, some private companies view this as
usual business. When you encounter this type of situation, it is important that you continue
applying to positions. Eventually, you will reach a Selecting Official that practices objective
decision-making, weighing the qualifications of all applicants.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) developed rules about processing recruitment
actions many years ago. Each agency must enforce these rules, but are allowed to have their
own Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) about how these rules are exercised. For example,
there is a gray area about how long a job vacancy announcement should be posted on USAJOBS.
Some agencies pursue having an announcement open for four weeks, to ensure a sizeable batch
of qualified applicants. There are a few others, through their HR Center efforts, that will only
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open an announcement for one week, or until a certain number of candidates apply (first 25).
This self-imposed rule makes it easier for an HR specialist to manage, because there are less
resumes to review. However, this rule may be viewed as too restrictive for Selecting Officials,
as it might not be the best way to ensure the healthiest candidate pool, and a more robust
competition for the job.
Some agencies use continuous job vacancy announcements (announcements that are open for
several months) to collect and file candidate information. This is a proactive way to start the
recruitment process before a vacancy occurs. When managed properly, continuous
announcements allow an agency to collect applicant information, screen the information, and
conduct interviews before job vacancies occur. This is the most proactive way of filling a
position, because a selection can be made immediately after a vacancy occurs, allowing the
agency to have a seamless transition. Applicants are encouraged to apply for continuous job
vacancy announcements.
Current Application Process
Years ago, each agency agreed to use USAJOBS as the primary online recruitment tool for all
federal civilian positions. First-time users can get overwhelmed very quickly. There are so
many fields one must use to enter data on the USAJOBS website. If you are interested in getting
a federal civilian job please take the time to build a complete resume profile before jobs become
available. It can be time-consuming going through the various menu items. Be patient and fill in
each field. It is an ongoing process. There are two options for submitting resumes-uploading a
resume, and using the USAJOBS Resume Builder. Many applicants will elect to upload their
own resume. Unless you are a physician, or in some other technical occupation in high demand,
I recommend that you not upload a resume, and instead, use the online USAJOBS Resume
Builder tool.
Applying for a federal job is different than applying for a private sector job. In the private
sector, organizations like to have resumes limited to one page, two at most. These resumes
highlight positions, time periods, major accomplishments, and skills, all in very brief statements.
This type of resume will hurt you when applying for federal jobs. One reason is because the
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) that are required for a position can vary greatly. If the
experience and examples of these KSAs are not thoroughly documented in your resume you can
easily be disqualified for job vacancy announcements. This is one reason why brevity, and using
short resumes, can hurt.
When a job vacancy becomes available, it is posted to USAJOBS for a designated time period.
Applicants review the announcement and apply through the website. Before applying, it is
always a good idea to preview the questions. I recommend printing the announcement and
questions. Circle your answers for each of the questions. After completing this step you will
have a full understanding if you qualify for the job vacancy announcement. Some questions
might address skills you don’t possess. For example, let’s say you are an engineer and have a
solid background of engineering experience. But you’ve never managed permits. There are
three questions that ask you to elaborate on your permit experience. This is a hint that the
Selecting Official wants an applicant with permit experience. So it may not be worth it to go
through the application process, unless you can demonstrate (on your resume) specific examples
of permitting experience. Preparing your answers before submitting the application will also
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prevent computer timeouts from occurring in USAJOBS. You can move a lot faster through the
online process if all your answers are prepared ahead of time.
When you select apply, the tool takes you to another system. You must verify some basic
information, such as home address, telephone number, etc. You will then be taken to another
page, to answer specific questions about your KSAs. At the end, you’ll be asked to verify the
information and click a submit button. Some agencies require applicants to write essays on their
qualifications. These essay questions are usually at the end of the online menu items, and might
not be advertised upfront, adding further difficulty to the application process. Please refer to the
Strategies section below for more information about essay questions.
Special note for those who have occupations in high demand:
You will not have to use the regular application process if you are in an occupation in critical
shortage. For example, physicians and nurses are in high demand because there are many vacant
positions in the federal government, mainly in organizations like the Department of Veterans
Affairs and military hospitals. These occupations are eligible for direct hiring, meaning
applicants will not go through the standard process and can apply (and get the job) in person,
instead of participating in a lengthy application process.
Understanding Your Challenges before Submitting a Resume
New federal employees, college students, military veterans, and others who aspire to have a
federal civilian career should have a well-written resume on hand in case USAJOBS vacancy
announcements are advertised. Several job vacancy announcements have short periods, which
may only be a few days. Applicants should be ready to submit their resume at any time. And
never rule out seeing announcements over holiday periods. The point is to be prepared.
However, before any applicant rushes to apply for a job, there are several things one should
consider.
A willingness to travel or relocate will increase your chances of securing a position.
Veterans know first-hand about having to relocate to get more experience, or a promotion. The
same applies in the federal civilian system. If you are willing to travel on a regular basis
(traveling is part of the job), or permanently relocate to a different location, you’ll be able to
apply to more positions, which will increase your chances of getting hired. I recall speaking to a
secretary about her job opportunities. She complained about not getting a promotion. I wanted
to help her, so I did a little research. There were many promotional opportunities for her in other
locations. I approached her with the information. She told me that relocation was not an option
because she wanted to be close to her relatives. That was a good reason. However, it was her
choice. By limiting the area for job opportunities she also limited her promotion potential.
Employees have other legitimate reasons for wanting to stay in certain areas. However, those
choices will limit career growth.
Military veterans need to learn the skill of writing resumes. I only know of the Army
culture, so I will speak in those terms. Individuals who enter the Army attend training and
acquire a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). Throughout a soldier’s career, he or she
acquires skills pertaining to the specific MOS. Career managers, located in Headquarters,
Department of the Army, manage careers of soldiers. Soldiers do not submit resumes in order to
get a reassignment or promotion. In fact, resumes are never used by military service members.
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As a service member departing the military, you may be tempted to skip steps with preparing
resumes. This will only lead to disappointment. As a transition counselor, I worked with a
master sergeant who was retiring from an information management position. His old job was
converted to a civilian position, so he applied to the new position. He was in the process of
retiring and had prepared a resume for the new position. He was disqualified by the HR
specialist, based on the content of his resume. How could this happen? How could a master
sergeant who had held a position for two years be disqualified for the same position? It was all
about the content of the resume, and how the HR specialist interpreted the master sergeant’s
qualifications. There are hundreds of situations like this that occur every day in federal agencies.
It would be nice for the federal civilian system to convert to a military career management
system, so that no resume would have to be exchanged, and the playing field would be level for
everyone. Until the current federal workforce fights for change, everyone, to include veterans,
will be graded by one HR specialist, based on the content of a resume. It is imperative that
veterans learn the craft of resume writing, to secure the jobs and careers they want. Resume-
writing tips are covered further in the guide.
A well-written resume is determined in the eyes of the beholder. What I mean is each HR
specialist who rates an applicant’s qualifications is unique. We each process and interpret
information differently. In the case of your resume, each HR specialist will serve as an
independent judge, to grade the content of your resume and determine if your resume is good
enough to move forward to the Candidates List (list of best qualified candidates). The way your
qualifications are rated varies greatly from one HR specialist to the next. For example, years
ago, I had applied to a Lead Region Coordinator position in a specific division. I had a good
resume because I was referred to the Selecting Official for further consideration. I received an
interview, but did not get the job. In a similar job announcement, also a Lead Region
Coordinator position, a different HR specialist determined that I did not meet the qualifications
and was ineligible for the position. In fact, the second position was in the same series and had
the same position title as the one I was in. How can this happen? One major reason is because
there were two different HR specialists reviewing my resume, and qualifications, for two similar
positions. Please be aware that qualifying for one job doesn’t necessarily mean you will qualify
for another. This is in part mainly because each HR specialist will rate an applicant in his or her
own way.
Another significant challenge for applicants is the absence of universal standards with
rating qualifications. HR specialists use their own knowledge to rate the qualifications of
applicants. Some HR specialists receive more training than others. Some have degrees and
some do not. It is important to note that college education is not a requirement for holding an
HR specialist position. So anyone can fill the role of an HR specialist. With this dilemma is the
fact that there is a lack of communication within and between federal agencies to establish
universal standards of how applicants are rated, and the check-and-balance systems that are used
(if any) to guarantee professionalism and objectivity. This argument is further supported by the
fact that there are no certification requirements for HR specialists, meaning no regularly
scheduled training, and testing, to maintain their roles as independent judges of qualification
ratings. It would seem with such an important role in determining the fate of applicants’ futures
that HR specialists would be under constant scrutiny to have their own qualifications rated on a
frequent basis, especially if they are rating applicants in several occupational series.
In summary, it is important to know what you’re up against before applying to any federal
position. Not only are you competing with other applicants, your resume is appearing before a
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judge, in this case an HR specialist, to see if your resume is good enough to get to the next phase
in the application process. Unfortunately, the resume, and the content within it, determines if
you get on the Candidates List, and in turn, eligibility for an interview. Well-written resumes
make it easier for an HR specialist to interpret information and rate your qualifications. It also
helps your chances of securing a position.
Preparing Your Resume
The qualifications review process used by HR specialists is driven by key words. For example,
the following list might be what the HR specialists are looking for in a resume, when advertising
for an engineer job vacancy:
Manages permit applications.
Collaborates with state agencies.
Resolves complex problems.
Interprets regulations.
In this specific example, applicants should focus on a resume write-up that demonstrates these
skills and experiences using key words and phrases.
It may seem counterproductive to work on a lengthy resume, because this goes against industry
standards in the private sector. But an applicant should use every available character of space in
the USAJOBS Resume Builder. Here’s why. Let’s say an individual is applying for a position
that has a heavy concentration of interpreting regulations. The applicant creates a resume that
can be used in the private sector. From this resume, the following statements were found from
an HR specialist to address the interpreting regulations KSA:
Interpreted regulations.
Key contact for policy guidance.
These statements may not be enough to get you qualified for the KSA because you’re simply
addressing the requirement for the HR specialist. The second list below contains many specific
experiences that give depth to the interpreting regulations KSA.
Conducted briefings to senior management regarding the interpretation and
implementation of 17 regional regulations.
Served on committees to analyze and propose options to change federal regulations.
Led teams in policy development.
Coordinated amendments to local and regional regulations.
Presented cost and benefit analyses to senior leaders regarding proposals for new
regulations.
The bullets from the second list can be used to create a robust USAJOBS resume. This list, more
than likely, will satisfy the HR specialist’s requirement for addressing the interpreting
regulations KSA. This is assuming there are similar references in other positions of your
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resume. During the process of building your USAJOBS resume, you want to repeat this effort
for all KSAs. Not just address them. You want to cite several experiences, duties, and examples
that will convince an HR specialist that you have met the qualifications of the announcement, at
the very least.
You are not competing against other applicants’ KSAs in the first phase of the application
process. You are really competing against their resume-writing skills, and the ability to sell your
experience and abilities to the HR specialist. It is unfortunate that you must be a salesman in
order to get through one or more phases of the federal hiring process. This goes against
everything that many of us have been taught-not to boast our own success. But this is a reality
you must get used to as an applicant for a federal civilian position.
Keep in mind that several applicants attempt to stretch the truth. I caution you not to do that.
Even if you have the best resume, are interviewed, and get the job, if your success in getting the
job is artificial people will know it and this can damage your reputation. This can cause
significant interpersonal conflicts. I’ve seen many employees get jobs because either they knew
the right people or their resume-writing skills were superior. Many of them failed to fulfill the
requirements of the position because the HR specialist and Selecting Official focused too much
on the applicant’s presentation skills, rather than the true qualifications, experiences, and
potential of the applicant. In summary, be specific and thorough with your explanation of
addressing each KSA, but don’t lie.
Strategies
The paragraphs below represent some strategies you can use to make your application stronger.
Within the first few days of the job announcement period, go through the online
application process from start to end, to make sure there are no lengthy essay questions.
Some organizations add essay questions at the end to have applicants elaborate on some key
topics. On many occasions, the agency will not list the essay questions in the body of the job
vacancy announcement, and will wait until applicants get to the last page of the application
process to list the questions. In my opinion, this is an unprofessional display of conduct on the
part of the organization, for not allowing applicants to preview those essay questions ahead of
time. I say this because the essay questions can be quite extensive and applicants will be
pressured to compose impromptu essays at the last minute, especially if they are working on their
application on the last day of the job announcement period. There are a few agencies that
participate in this type of business practice quite frequently. I will not mention any names. This
practice could serve to unofficially deter applicants from applying, by making it harder to have a
complete application, with the goal of hiring an internal candidate that is close to the
organization.
Because this practice is used by some agencies, it is a good idea to go through the application
process (online) and see if there are any essay questions at the end. If you do identify them
upfront, you will have at least a few days to prepare those essay questions. If there are no essay
questions, the application process is that much easier. Either way, you can always exit the online
application and start over when you are ready to submit all your information. Resumes and
vacancy announcement questions require thorough review from applicants. To have applicants
8
write long essays as an added requirement is excessive. It might be a better idea to require essay
questions after applicants are placed on a Candidates List.
Pay close attention to each key word in the job vacancy announcement.
Many of us do not pay enough attention to the details in job vacancy announcements. Before
beginning your strategy to apply to a position, read the job vacancy announcement very
carefully. The items that are most important are areas of consideration, required grade level of
applicants, qualification statements (e.g., previous supervisory experience), key words of duties,
and responsibilities required of the position. The following strategy is one way to analyze the
requirements and build your resume:
1. If you already have a USAJOBS resume then copy and paste the information into a Word
document. If you don’t yet have a USAJOBS resume, then create a draft.
2. Print off the job vacancy announcement and questionnaire. Highlight key words, such as
projects, analyze, information systems, etc.
3. Create an Excel document. In the first column, list all the highlighted key words in the job
vacancy announcement. The top of the second, third, and corresponding columns will be the
names of all positions you’ve held.
4. Print the Excel document.
5. In the Word document, use the find function to find key words that are listed in the 1st column
of your Excel document. Note how many times each key word is highlighted (found) for each of
your previous and current positions. If there are less than three occurrences of each key word, in
each position, then highlight the corresponding key word to the position column (highlight the
cell in the Excel spreadsheet).
6. Repeat the process for all key words and positions.
7. Continue updating your Excel document.
8. Print off the Excel document.
9. You now have a listing of all your weaknesses.
10. At this point, go ahead and try to add words to your resume, similar to the key words in the
job vacancy announcement. You want to add a few statements for each key word, per position.
This process should help strengthen your resume for the job vacancy announcement. For
example, let’s say supervising was a key word in the job vacancy announcement. In your last
position, you were a supervisor, but did not list any supervisory duties in your resume, or the fact
that you were a supervisor. In this case, go ahead and list supervisory duties and make sure
supervising is a key word that is listed in your last position (at least three times).
Here is another strategy:
1. Print the job vacancy announcement.
2. Highlight all key words and phrases (short bullets only).
3. Type all bullets into a Word document.
4. Arrange them in similar categories. For example, project management can be grouped with
managing milestones.
5. Keep all these items together.
6. Now find a common name, or theme, with each category. For example, classification would
be a common theme when classification appeals and classification regulations are identified
from the job vacancy announcement.
7. Create simple words for each category. From the example above, we can use class.
9
8. Create a spreadsheet that lists the key word from item number 7 in the first column, followed
by columns for each position held.
9. Use the find function in Word to search for the key word in your resume.
10. Mark the spreadsheet when there are less than three occurrences of the key word in your
resume, for each position.
Now, polish up your resume using the information above, as it relates to your actual experiences.
Elaborate on your experiences, but do not lie.
There are other ways that can be used to make your resume more focused to the job
announcement. The key here is not to blindly apply to a position just because it is an upgrade or
your same job series. It is always a good idea to read the job vacancy announcement very
carefully and come up with a focused strategy for updating your resume and submitting your
application.
Fill up all white space under experiences in USAJOBS. USAJOBS will allow you to describe the duties and accomplishments of each one of your
previous positions in detail. You’ll have a 5,000 character limit for each position. Take
advantage of this. Don’t repeat things several times, but do elaborate on a few accomplishments
and experiences. Remember that your resume should focus on the KSAs of the job
announcement. For example, don’t elaborate on your experience as an accountant if you are
trying to get a nursing position. This will probably irritate the HR specialist and tempt him or
her to eliminate you from competing for the job announcement.
Prioritize your KSAs that relate directly to the job vacancy announcement.
Let’s consider that Jane Doe is applying for an Information Technology (IT) position. After a
thorough review of the job vacancy announcement, Jane concludes the organization places the
greatest weight on the following areas:
50%-IT Project Management
30%-Systems Redesign
20%-Work Order Management
A good strategy is to make the first half of each position in the resume address IT Project
Management skills, training, and accomplishments. The next 30% can address Systems
Redesign. The last 20% can address Work Order Management. You could also consider using a
ratio strategy per paragraph. For example, an applicant could have the first three sentences of
each position in the resume address IT Project Management. The next two sentences would
address Systems Redesign. The next sentence would address Work Order Management. Then
repeat the process as much as possible with additional paragraphs. This strategy will ensure an
HR specialist gets all the main KSAs addressed upfront. There are a few other ways to make
your resume more focused toward the job announcement. If you are an internal applicant, and
know which HR specialist will be reviewing your resume, you can tailor a strategy that works
best for the HR specialist’s reading style. As stated previously, listing things that have nothing
to do with the job announcement will only marginalize your efforts, which could lead to an
ineligible rating from the HR specialist.
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Consider submitting more documentation than required.
There are times when it makes sense to give the Selecting Officials more than what they ask, to
prove a point, or to emphasize a positive trend in your career. For example, let’s say your
current performance rating is average. A year ago, you received the highest rating. Send in both
performance ratings. This will allow you to demonstrate you have potential of being a top
performer. In this case, you’re not penalizing yourself with the current rating. The same can be
said with other documents. If they somehow pertain to the position, or prove how you perform,
by all means submit the extra documentation. However, don’t go overboard. Too many extra
documents might be a distraction to the HR specialist or the Selecting Official. You may want to
limit this effort to a few extra documents.
Apply as fast as you can.
Some HR specialists are busy and tempted to cut off receiving applications after a certain
number of individuals apply to a position. Do take the time to craft your resume and supporting
documentation before any job announcements close. But don’t spend too much time on it.
When a vacancy is posted you may want to submit your application package a day before it
closes, just to be on the safe side. Keep in mind that some of the positions that are announced in
USAJOBS involve time constraints-Selecting Officials and HR specialists are trying to process
documents as fast as possible to get someone to fill the vacant position.
Create a LinkedIn account.
Selecting Officials use alternative ways to verify information. In the past, resumes, interviews,
and recommendations from supervisors were primarily used to weed out candidates. LinkedIn is
used more frequently now by Selecting Officials to verify information. The site can also help
paint a picture to see if the applicant is a good fit for the organization. Creating a LinkedIn and
SlideShare account will help Selecting Officials verify information, without having to ask an HR
specialist for supporting documentation. As in the case of crafting your USAJOBS resume, you
don’t want to rush the process of building your LinkedIn and SlideShare accounts. You may
consider posting examples of performance appraisals, awards, and work samples. I recommend
crafting your interview responses toward items taken straight from those documents. At the end
of interviews, you can tell Selecting Officials about your LinkedIn and SlideShare accounts. One
word of caution-you definitely want to redact some information in your documents. Social
security numbers, addresses, and related information should always be redacted. Organizations
can always ask to see original documents. You may also want to consider redacting the
information from your previous supervisors, such as names and signatures. Some people get
uncomfortable having this information posted on the internet.
Submit a cover letter.
Cover letters give HR specialists and Selecting Officials a chance to see why you are applying
to a position, in a very brief way. It’s not a requirement to submit a cover letter. However, you
can summarize your skills with this letter, and also advertise that you have a LinkedIn and other
website accounts. If you do give out this information, be sure to include a direct web link, so
Selecting Officials don’t have to spend too much time searching for the information.
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Save drafts of different types of resumes, for future use.
You may be in an occupation that has a wide variety of specialized positions. Using one well-
written resume for all these positions will not work. For example, if you have a background in
law enforcement you may want to keep drafts of resumes for the following types of positions:
Police Officer
Criminal Investigator
Assistant to the Inspector General
Background Investigations Specialist
Training Instructor
If you have created a draft resume for each of these positions, it will be that much easier to apply
to a wide variety of positions. Do keep in mind you should modify each draft to ensure it is
specific to each job vacancy announcement. Read each job vacancy announcement very
carefully to make sure all KSAs and requirements are well-documented.
Special Note for Military Veterans:
Based upon interactions with several military service members, below is a list of steps I
recommend, to begin six months prior to separation from the military:
1. Organize all non-medical military documents. This includes performance evaluations,
awards, certificates of training, special accomplishments, an official position description of your
Military Occupational Specialty, and any special skill identifiers.
2. From the batch of documents above, type up bullets that pertain to accomplishments, duties,
etc. Here are some examples of bullets you may want to copy and paste to a document:
From a performance evaluation:
Instrumental with the annual logistics inspection.
Managed a $1,000,000 laboratory services contract.
From an award:
For demonstrating exceptional customer service during a mobilization exercise.
Successfully implemented the first decision support system in the region.
From an official position description:
Processes requests.
Submits actions for administrative programs.
Monitors contracts.
Reviews IT work orders.
3. Type up all bullets into one document.
4. Print the document and separate bullets by categories. Here is a sample listing of categories:
Information Technology, Administrative, Supervisory, and Project Management. There are
many others you can use.
5. Go to the main USAJOBS web site and search for a job vacancy you think you can qualify for
(not based on a resume, but based on your previous experience). Print the job announcement.
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6. From the USAJOBS vacancy announcement, write down all the duties and skills required for
the position. For example, the job announcement might say one duty involves managing
deliveries. A KSA required for the position might be the ability to communicate in writing to a
wide variety of stakeholders. Write down all this information in the form of bullets. You should
also review the job vacancy questionnaire to get similar information.
7. Now organize all the bullets from the job vacancy announcement, just like you did from your
experiences.
8. You should have two lists, one from your experiences and one from the job vacancy
announcement. Now see if you can establish a match between the bullets from your experiences
and the job vacancy announcement. You will now begin to see what your strengths and
weaknesses are, in relation to the job vacancy announcement.
9. Now ask yourself if you still believe you can qualify for this position. If so, you have some
work to do (creating new bullets which further defines your experience). If not, you’ll have to
acquire additional training and experience.
If you are unsure about this process, then let me know. I’d be glad to help.
Sometimes, it is difficult to determine what your GS equivalent grade level will be. An E5
might be equivalent to a GS-5 or GS-7. An E8 might be equivalent to a GS-9. It depends on
your rank, experience, and the occupation. There are various charts you can access online to
help guide you. You can also ask transition counselors at military bases.
Waiting For Feedback from HR
You worked hard on polishing your resume and making sure you submitted the required
documents. Now you’re waiting for feedback from HR. This next phase will determine if you
make it to the Candidates List. This is a list of top candidates (resumes) that will be forwarded
to the Selecting Official (usually one supervisor) for review and further consideration. After the
HR specialist has reviewed your resume he or she will place you into one of three categories:
You are rated ineligible for the position. In this case, your resume has been reviewed by the
HR specialist and he or she feels you do not meet the qualifications of the advertised position.
You will eventually receive a status message, through USAJOBS, such as “Rated ineligible” or
“Does not meet the qualification requirements of the position.” It might be two weeks, or two
months, before you get this feedback.
You are eligible and meet the qualifications, but are not among the best candidates. In
this case, your resume is good enough to prove you meet the eligibility requirements for the
position, and you have demonstrated enough experience to get the job, but are not among the
best qualified candidates, based solely on the content of your resume. You’ll eventually receive
a status message, through USAJOBS, such as “Not Referred. You are not among the best
qualified candidates.” At least in this situation you can feel confident that your resume-writing
skills are getting better. However, here, as in the case above, Selecting Officials will not know
you are interested in the position because most HR specialists only give Selecting Officials the
list of best qualified candidates. This is unfortunate for the general population because a
Selecting Official might be able to give the applicant some good advice to get to the Candidates
List for future job vacancy announcements. Also, some Selecting Officials might have the false
impression that you were not interested in the position, and you didn’t apply (because they didn’t
see your name on the Candidates List).
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You are referred to the Selecting Official. In this case, your resume is good enough to
demonstrate both eligibility and resume competitiveness. The USAJOBS message will say
“Referred to the Selecting Official for further consideration.” At this point, you are competing to
be the best fit, in the eyes of the Selecting Official. On several occasions, Selecting Officials
know exactly who they want before a vacancy announcement is posted. So don’t be surprised if
you do not get an interview. If this is the case, then do not give up and apply to more job
announcements.
Appeal Process
There may be a time when you’ll be rated ineligible based on the content of your resume. If
you feel strongly about being qualified you can appeal the decision that was made by the HR
specialist. The odds are against you in having an HR specialist, or his or her supervisor, reverse
the decision. However, the appeal might give an incentive to the HR specialist to pay more
attention in the future. Or the appeal might help justify intervention, based on previous
complaints from other applicants. If you decide to appeal, you must present a strong argument
based on evidence. Since there is no time limit with this course of action, I recommend you
proceed cautiously. You want to identify the HR specialist who disqualified your resume, and
his or her supervisor’s contact information. You’ll want to craft a strong argument by
highlighting words taken out of your resume that pertain directly to the position you applied for.
You may want to include supporting documentation (e.g., previous position descriptions) just to
prove you are not lying about your qualifications. Assuming you make an appeal, you may
consider going higher in the chain of command if the responses are inadequate from the HR
specialist, or the supervisor. There usually is not a format for this action. But the more
professional you are, and your presentation of documents, the stronger the argument will be. If
your case is strong enough, it may get the attention of the Selecting Official. The Selecting
Official might see a flaw with the applications review process, or the Selecting Official might see
this as an unnecessary distraction, based on a negative reputation of the applicant. So proceed
cautiously.
POSITION MANAGEMENT (AFTER YOU GET THE JOB)
Position Descriptions and Duties
In an ideal world, an employee will sit with his or her supervisor within a 30 day period and
discuss performance expectations, and the official position description (PD). These two
documents should support each other. For example, if your initial performance expectations
indicate a responsibility for analyzing lab results, then your PD should support the expectation
(not necessarily word-for-word). During your career, you’ll come across PDs that are very old,
and in need of updates. This will be a challenge for you as it will involve a politically correct
conversation with your supervisor. You should be on guard for those who want you to spend a
significant amount of time on duties that are outside your PD. It is one thing to be a supportive
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team player and volunteer to take on tasks that are outside your scope of work. However, taking
on a frequent role of handling multiple tasks outside your PD can hurt your career, unless you are
given tasks commensurate with a higher level of responsibility. Why is your PD so important?
The PD is an official document. It helps prove what you are responsible for doing, including the
skill sets that are required. It also supports levels of responsibility for your position. The PD will
also help you keep track with expectations or levels of responsibilities you may have forgotten
about. I recommend reviewing your PD in detail at least once a year.
If you find that your PD and actual duties are significantly different then you must do
something about it. Here are some options you can pursue:
1. Speak to your supervisor about changing duties or updating the PD. Some supervisors
will be passive and say things like “Let’s discuss this in the future.” Passive supervisors, through
their lack of attention or action, will eventually make it clear they will not support changing
anything, without actually saying it. The point is you must give your supervisor a few
opportunities to support your efforts, before seeking help from others.
2. Speak to an HR specialist. You should take this route only if your supervisor has declined
your request (either officially, or passively).
3. Ask for a reassignment if the supervisor is not concerned about your request. Exercise this
option only after you’ve already pursued options one and two without success. Some
organizations have special programs, such as a Solicitation of Interest, in which you apply to a
reassignment, just as you would a job. This would be the least controversial way to get a
reassignment. You could also speak to other directors or supervisors to see if there are any
opportunities for a reassignment. Just know when this is done, your supervisor will eventually
find out and might get uncomfortable. However, most supervisors will now get the message that
you are serious about your efforts. You may find a supervisor in a different section that will
support you and offer a reassignment. However, this will be an official, approved arrangement
from the losing and gaining supervisor.
4. Apply to a different position. Let’s say you have pursued options one through three for
several months and are not getting anywhere. Now is the time to apply to a different position. If
you are applying to a promotional opportunity then you can say your motivation is advancement
opportunities. If you apply to the same grade level the Selecting Official will ask you why you
are applying to a lateral opportunity. You need to be prepared how to answer that question.
If you are in a position where your official PD is significantly different that your actual duties
it will definitely hurt your career. Be prepared if you contest your PD or duties. Some managers
view this effort as an unnecessary distraction-that an employee is just being frivolous. A
manager might take it as a personal challenge. If you witness any of these observations, you
definitely want to try and leave the immediate organization. Leaders will recognize that
positions should be managed professionally and will understand your concerns about the
differences between your PD and official duties. If managers get irritated about your efforts then
they are only concerned about how your request affects their management agenda, not your
career.
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Levels of Responsibility
Throughout the years, I’ve observed many situations where employees wanted higher grades
based on the amount of work they were assigned. Many of them were frustrated to realize that
pay is associated with an individual’s assigned level of responsibility, not the specific amount of
work that is done. For example, a secretary might complain about having to keep track of 100
time cards, while another secretary only has to manage 20 time cards. The difference in time
card management is significant and often causes controversy. But the level of responsibility is
still the same. Assuming time card management is indicated as an official duty in the position
description of both secretaries, an upgrade would not be warranted, based solely on the amount
of work done. A good manager will consider a re-distribution of work between secretaries.
Variations in workload of employees with similar grade levels are a management problem.
Good managers will strive to find, and implement, a solution.
If you review several federal PDs, you’ll see that levels of responsibility are very important in
establishing grade levels. As a new federal employee, you should pay attention very carefully to
these different levels. Employees should understand the difference of levels among similar
positions, not just one specific position. The reason is to increase awareness and understanding
of enhancing skill sets to get to the next grade level.
There is an additional challenge with levels of responsibilities. Some managers incorrectly
classify a position based on an initial need, but find out later another type of position (and level
of responsibility) is needed. For example, let’s say a position is classified as a main advisor in
complex problems. The employee is hired and managers later find out they really need a clerk.
So the new employee ends up handling clerical duties. This hurts the employee because he or
she is not working on the skill sets associated with the level of responsibility of the official
position.
So how do you track down PDs? You can ask HR specialists for a few. If you’re given the
cold shoulder, there are helpful websites available to the public, like the Fully Automated System
for Classification (FASCLASS), a system used by several federal organizations to store official
PDs for jobs at various locations.
In summary, it is a good idea to get into a habit of reviewing PDs of various positions within
your job series, to help you stay on track with your career goals, and levels of responsibility.
How Your Position, Duties, and Performance Affect Your Future
As a new employee, you are assigned duties comparable with your occupational specialty, and
the goals of management. Very rarely will you get to pick and choose which tasks you are
responsible for. As a new employee, it will be your responsibility to manage your assigned tasks
to the best of your abilities. There are two areas one should pay close attention to.
How well do you manage your duties? Do you complete your tasks within the designated
time frame? Do you independently resolve complex problems on your own? Are you
demonstrating professional communication skills? Each employee should demonstrate a
commitment to excellence. This includes attainment of program-specific and organizational
knowledge, knowing how to navigate through simple and complex steps, and demonstrating
teamwork. Don’t follow in the footsteps of those who perform poorly. Here are some
characteristics of poor performing employees:
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Poor performance of assigned duties.
Bad conduct (e.g., frequent tardiness).
Bad attitude.
Tendency not to share program-specific or job-related information, or block transparency
initiatives.
Spending countless hours on discussing personal items and gossip.
Are your assigned duties challenging and enhance professional development? Does your
official position description match duties within your performance appraisal? Are you assigned
tasks that challenge your skills and add on to your previous experience? Is management giving
you a path for additional training and work opportunities? Your duties should not be menial to
your current skill level. Challenging tasks will help you prepare for other opportunities and
higher levels of responsibility.
So why are the previous topics so important? Why does an employee need to concentrate on
the position description, evaluation, work performance, and levels of responsibility? It has
everything to do with the beginning stages of a professional reputation, the primary thing that
can make or break your career in the federal government.
Many managers can demonstrate tunnel vision, a propensity to focus only on what is in front of
them, or what their boss wants, leaving various other areas unattended. Some managers don’t
mind giving employees an abundance of duties of a lower grade level. This can damage your
career. Let’s say you’re a budget analyst, but expected to manage phone rosters, work orders,
and other clerical tasks, versus professional analytical work. You take on these duties, and have
been known to do it well. You now have a reputation of an administrative assistant. Your
reputation expands and you are offered less opportunities of a higher grade level. You are now
stuck in your position trying to prove to the organization that you have skills which are
commensurate with your occupation and grade level. This problem can further expand by
creating two additional challenges.
1. It will be difficult trying to craft your resume and interview responses that reflect professional
level achievements and duties.
2. Your boss may only know you as a clerk and might get confused if a Selecting Official calls
and asks for a reference to a promotional opportunity.
In other words, if you are trying to get a job with complex analytical responsibilities, but your
boss only knows you as someone who performs clerical duties your boss’s responses to questions
might give the impression you are lying about your KSAs, and that you are not ready for the next
higher level of responsibility. Unlike a military career management system, you will be the only
one looking out for your career. You must be on guard for these types of situations. Having an
abundance of menial tasks can definitely hurt your professional reputation.
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CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Let’s assume you are now starting out as a new federal employee. One of the first things you
need to do is develop a strategy for strengthening your existing skills, and learning new ones.
Even the best and most advanced employees need to continue education, training, and self-
improvement. This section of the guide covers topics for specific skill sets and training that are
constantly discussed and planned within the HR and management channels.
Soft Skills
Soft skills are skills that are usually not tangible and quantifiable. Some refer to these skills as
people skills. You can learn these skills in a classroom, but they must be put into practice before
mastery can occur. Teamwork is a soft skill. If you have consistently demonstrated a
willingness and success of working well with others, helping others meet deadlines and goals,
and changing your pace to accommodate others then you can make an argument that you have
developed this soft skill. There are other soft skills. They are important because you, as an
applicant, or existing federal employee, will be rated based on your soft skill strengths. Did you
know that some HR specialists want to see a balance of soft skill and hard skill questions (later
discussed in detail) in job vacancy announcements? Applicants may have technical talent. They
may have graduated from Ivy League schools. Until you can prove your soft skills are strong, or
at least improving, your federal opportunities will be limited. I encourage you to read up on the
subject to ensure you have a thorough understanding of the most important soft skills for your
occupational series.
Hard Skills
Hard skills are the things that will typically allow you to qualify for an occupational series. In
other words, a hard skill is a technical skill. For example, you need a degree and computer
experience to qualify as an official computer programmer. You can say the same about a welder.
Welding is a hard skill, a labor-specific occupation that must be learned and crafted. Having
specific degrees can qualify you for some occupations that are heavy in technical skills. For
example, those with nursing degrees can qualify for positions as nursing assistants or as entry-
level nurses. As in the case of soft skills, employees should strengthen existing hard skills, and
learn new ones, such as proficiency with a new computer program. It is always a good idea to
quantify your technical skills and write them down on paper, then compare them to your soft
skills. Use this analysis as a way to plan to have a healthy balance between soft and hard skills.
Social Media
Younger generations that are entering the federal workforce are well-versed with social media
tools. Social media has been a strong movement for years and continues to shape our lives. My
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observations have led me to believe that many individuals think they can use social media to
substitute physical interaction. I used to hear of an old saying when I started out as a supervisor-
you can’t manage from behind a desk. The point behind this is that face-to-face communication
is always best. Over the course of several decades, the world has changed the way we deliver
messages. First, there was the letter, then the telegram, then the phone, then email, and now
social media. In every one of these periods it can be proven that one-on-one social interaction is
the best way to communicate. Just because an employee is well-versed in social media doesn’t
mean that person has more skills than another, or that the person should be hired solely on the
basis of mastering social media tools. It is best to treat social media as a tool, rather than an
acquired skill. The true skill is the ability to effectively communicate with employees and
stakeholders.
Mentorship
Mentorship is a method used to teach employees skills and how to be successful in an
organization. A typical scenario involves a special professional relationship between an
employee and a manager. A senior manager, who has completed mentor training, meets
periodically with an assigned employee. During these meetings, the senior manager discusses
career development goals, special training programs, situational analysis, and the political
environment (how to interact with senior managers). This arrangement can be quite effective for
placing employees on the right path, to increase opportunities for success. This arrangement is
not just for new employees. Seasoned employees may participate in these arrangements to help
them develop at a crossroads in their career. Mentorship is often undervalued and
underestimated in organizations. It is always a good idea to participate in a mentor program as a
new employee.
Training
Professional development is crucial for those wanting opportunities in other positions. In the
last decade, the federal government has seen a surge in the amount of training courses available
via the web, and a corresponding decrease in resident courses. Online training that can be
accessed at any time, at work, or at home, is invaluable, especially for those employees who have
complex schedules. The IT platforms used today help foster a good relationship with telework
initiatives, allowing more employees to take training while working from home.
In the past five years, I’ve seen these IT platforms get marketed as a way to replace all resident
training. As budgets dwindle, organizations can justify using IT platforms for more online
courses. These platforms can also serve as a way to address organizational weaknesses, to make
all employees take online mandatory training courses. As an old saying goes, too much of
anything is a bad thing. Having online training videos available for a computer database training
course is nice. But sometimes, a classroom environment is needed because not all of us learn the
same way. Some employees learn from reading. Some learn from presentations. Some learn by
participating in tasks. This is why online training is not always effective. I encourage new
employees to attend resident training whenever possible. Getting one-on-one training is vital,
especially as one learns the organization.
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Train the trainer is an effective method used to train a small group of individuals, who will
then go to organizations and train larger groups. This method has been used by the military for
several decades. In some agencies, it appears that the train the trainer method is not used for a
variety of reasons. As a new federal employee, you have the option of volunteering for this
opportunity. In some cases you will have to present an effective argument to management. But
it will be a win-win situation for your organization. You will have an opportunity to receive
specialized training. You’ll help your career by practicing training instruction methods and
presentation skills. You’ll help the organization by saving hundreds, if not thousands, of training
dollars (organization pays for training for one individual instead of one hundred).
Government-sponsored certifications are on the rise because agencies want employees to
possess specific bodies of knowledge. The acquisition federal workforce has opportunities to
pursue certification by way of completing online and resident courses. These certifications are
very useful as it exposes employees to in-depth course study and situational analysis. However,
it does have its faults. Some certifications, such as the Contracting Officers Representative
(COR) and Program Financial Management (PFM) training have requirements of attending
resident courses that are only offered in a few parts of the country, mainly Washington, D.C. In
this age of dwindling travel budgets, it is difficult for staff to get authorization to attend several
resident courses (in a Temporary Duty status) to complete the certification. This is an example
of tunnel vision, where government managers have created opportunities that have significant
barriers to entry. Unless you are working in Washington, D.C., very few staff will be able to
complete some government-sponsored certifications (e.g., acquisition). New managers are
needed to find ways to take down the barriers, such as offering webcasts in place of resident
courses, or allowing groups to attend resident courses via video-teleconferences. You, as a new
federal employee, have opportunities to change these types of situations.
Special note for introverts
Shy employees don’t like to step out of their comfort zone. If you are an introvert, then
challenge yourself and ask questions in discussion groups. Others in the group may be just as
shy. By participating in the training, it will help your understanding of the material, as well as
work on your oral communication skills.
Participating in Clubs
In the last few years, I’ve noticed an increase in groups (or clubs) being created by new
employees, to help support each other with their career goals. I encourage new employees to
join these groups to help adjust to the organization, but also to follow a constructive path to
success. Some organizations have book clubs, where a group participates in reading professional
books and discuss topics of how the information in the books relate to the organizational
environment. These groups help promote comradery, professional development, and interactions
with senior managers. If these groups do not exist in your organization, I encourage you to start
one. It is a great way to communicate with co-workers, and polish your skills. Other clubs may
exist as leader networks. Members in these networks discuss process improvements in various
areas, give opportunities for new employees to work on their presentation skills, and allow
participants to learn from guests, mainly senior leaders.
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Take a Career Inventory
As you accumulate time with a federal organization you’ll need to take a periodic look of your
career and goals. Some employees just worry about what is in front of them, and then find that
time passes by quickly, and with it, lost opportunities. It is best to take a career inventory at least
once a year, to see if you are on track with training, skills development, and your goals. The
following is a list of recommended steps for taking a career inventory:
Part I
One year after you’ve worked in your new job, take an inventory of what you have
accomplished.
List all the training courses you completed. You can leave out any mandatory training
courses, such as No Fear Act training.
List all special accomplishments. Examples include tabulating data for a special audit,
working on a special project, receiving awards, etc.
List all your assigned duties. This is another reason why your position description is
useful-to help with a career inventory.
Using the information above, update your USAJOBS resume and LinkedIn account if
you have one.
Part II
Think of where you want to be in the next few years. Is it the same type of position?
Would it involve an upgrade? Would it be a supervisory position?
Use USAJOBS and a PD library (FASCLASS) to search for that job you have in mind,
even if it is advertised for a different location or agency. Print out the document.
Using a print out of your new resume, compare the information to the USAJOBS
announcement, or the PD of the position you are trying to get. Highlight the skill sets,
training, and other items you lack to get to your next job.
Next, create a planning calendar. Plan out the specific types of training and skills you
need for the next job, even if you are unsure about what month you’ll be able to complete
the training. You can always go back and adjust the calendar.
Work with your supervisor and the organization to make sure you have access to training,
and projects, to get the required skills and experience.
Implement your planning calendar and take another career inventory a year later.
Here are some special notes:
As a general rule, you want to spend the 1st year learning about your position and
organization; the 2nd
year improving your performance and pushing your limits; the 3rd
year applying to other positions. Three years in one position is long enough. Any longer
and Selecting Officials might begin to wonder why you have stayed put for so long. A
shorter time period might get Selecting Officials to think you are a challenge, or too
ambitious. Some military career managers use this three year rule.
You don’t want to plan to get to a dead-end position. Make sure you have a position that
has universal skill sets (e.g., supervision) and does not specialize in skill sets that cannot
be easily transferred (e.g., running a printing press).
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Talking vs. Walking
True initiative and leadership is demonstrated through actions, not with words or speeches.
I’ve had opportunities to work with many outstanding employees and leaders. One of the traits
they all shared is that they acted on decision-making processes. I remember working in a
hospital where flu shots was a performance metric. The goal was to get 60% of the staff and
patients to get a flu shot. One of the managers I worked with was the first to get his flu shot.
This was a simple example of walking instead of talking. By getting his flu shot first, the
manager demonstrated his commitment toward the hospital metric, not with words, but with
action.
In a previous position, I remember a senior executive making a speech to several employees in
All Hands meetings. He said a lot of nice things, and that he valued the work of employees, but
he spoke with few individuals, or understood their job functions. There will be several times in
one’s federal career where a walking the walk commitment must be demonstrated. This effort
can be summarized in three basic steps: Analyze, Decide, and Act.
Analyze. This step involves identifying all options to resolve a problem, or address a
challenge. This includes thorough communication with stakeholders to identify all issues.
When thorough communication is used it is that much easier to Act. On many occasions, you
won’t need to involve others with your work, as the problems you are working on only pertain to
you (e.g., only you have a computer problem). If the problem affects other employees, then
thorough communication is a must.
Decide. Think clearly about weighing each of the options. Choose the option that will help
the most people. The option that takes the least amount of time, or is the least controversial, isn’t
necessarily the best one to pursue. It is best to employ strategic planning with a decision. This
involves treating the decision as an investment-how it can resolve other challenges.
Act. Implement the decision. This is the step that many employees fail to follow. Acting on a
decision involves initiative and courage, especially when the decision will be unpopular with
several employees. During this step, you should know there is a possibility of sabotage. This
could be as simple as someone not wanting to help out. Or it could be extensive, such as outright
resistance, or insubordination. Acting is the deciding factor of defining an employee as a walker.
Carrying Your Own Weight
For those of you starting your career, you want to make sure you’re an active and valuable
asset. You’ll start to notice good, average, and bad employees. Make sure not to pick up any
bad habits. The ability to carry your own weight is very important for having a strong
reputation. For example, if your one that is in need of constant assistance and having others do
your job for you, then you won’t get anywhere in your career. I used to work in an organization
where we hired too many employees. This was the case because the managers did not want to
correct performance issues. In that organization, it was typical to see two employees having the
same job, because one was underperforming. I recall acting on a senior manager’s desire to
frequently recruit more personnel. He did not like being informed of personnel performance
problems because it required him to make uncomfortable decisions. So his strategy was to
recruit, all the time. His philosophy was if you hire a certain amount of staff you’ll eventually
get a job done. At the staff level, several employees were augmented with assistance from new
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staff. I’m not sure if they realized it or not, but the employees who were being augmented had
demonstrated a reputation of not doing their job. Very rarely did they get promoted or
reassigned into another opportunity. They had created their own dead end, and usually stayed in
their position until retirement.
If you are not able to independently carry out your own job functions, you will get passed over
for promotion and not receive valuable opportunities. The organization may forget about you
and your career. Don’t limit your future. The ability to carry your own weight is such an
important characteristic to have as a federal employee.
Apologies
Keeping one’s pride in check is a must. Every employee will make a mistake. When your
mistake affects others, go ahead and apologize. In so many different ways, people are told not to
apologize-for wanting the best in life, for saying something that is politically incorrect, etc.
Here, I’m talking about apologizing when a mistake is made. I’ve seen so many employees not
apologize for their mistakes. When noticed by others, it makes these individuals always look
like they are hiding something, and untrustworthy, if they don’t apologize. Apologizing is not a
weakness, but a sign of strength and true character. Others will see you as trustworthy if you
apologize for the mistakes you make. Correcting the mistake is not as important as how you
correct the mistake.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
Natural and Unnatural Barriers
A barrier is simply an obstacle that restricts movement. In the case of the federal government,
a barrier separates the willingness to solve a problem and the actions needed for getting the
problem solved. The federal government is a large organization. It is very efficient in some
areas. But at times, it can be challenging. As a new federal employee, you will notice a lot more
restrictions than in the private sector. There are a multitude of barriers that restrict one from
getting a job done. In the federal government, there are two kinds of barriers.
Natural barriers are things that an organization has very little power over, or to change. A
federal organization can’t just go out and spend money. There are several rules and regulations
in place for managing and dispersing monies that are appropriated to each federal agency. These
restrictions act as a natural barrier.
Unnatural barriers are obstacles that have been put in place by an organization to restrict
movement, more restrictive than national guidelines. For example, an organization might require
that every purchase be approved by a senior executive. This is not a generally recognized
requirement of all agencies, but an added restriction put in place by the organization.
Sometimes, added restrictions are needed. And sometimes they exist as additional barriers to
prevent others from submitting actions, either in an effort to buy more time, or to discourage the
action altogether.
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Your success will depend greatly on how well you can navigate through these barriers. It is
important to note that barriers should not be used as an excuse for failure. The sky is the limit on
what can be achieved. Employees just need to find a way, or strategic plan, to navigate through
the barriers to achieve success. In the end, we are only limited by the barriers we put in place
ourselves.
Risks and Internal Controls
The federal government has several initiatives in place to monitor and reconcile deficiencies.
These initiatives have been created for the purpose of preventing waste, fraud, and abuse. Not
enough progress has been made in this area. Everything should be analyzed-programs,
procedures, and people. It’s nice to think that a good program can run its course for several
years without any difficulty. But that’s not realistic. The same can be said about people. Even
the best employees need to be reviewed. There might come a time when those stellar employees
lose steam and need to be reminded about following correct procedures.
A risk is anything that can lead to a problem. For example, a faulty seat belt in a car is a risk
that could be life-threatening if not corrected. When you enter the federal workforce, or get
another federal job, you should look out for how your organization is assessing risks, and action
plans on how to resolve problems. You may have the opportunity to work with Lean Six Sigma
specialists, or teams involved with change management. These are signs that an organization is
committed to identifying risks and pursuing continuous improvement. At the same time, if you
have an organization working on correcting risks and senior managers don’t give teams the
opportunity to implement change then that is another sign-senior managers don’t want to change.
An internal control is any process (series of steps) used to address risks and prevent associated
problems. Using the example above, a series of steps, to include manufacturing check-and-
balance systems, can be created to prevent faulty seat belts in vehicles. There is a very important
program called the Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA) that all agencies must
participate in. Each year, agencies are required to submit FMFIA Assurance Letters to the
higher headquarters, giving a few details about significant problems, action plans, and process
improvement projects that will help eliminate risks, or improve efficiency. I’ve seen
requirements of this program get treated as an unpopular homework assignment from senior
managers. However, it remains as a legitimate program, and a necessity, that all federal agencies
should review risks and internal controls.
Let’s face it, as federal employees we have an obligation to taxpayers, to make the government
more accountable and efficient. If not, then what’s the point of working for the federal
government? Why work in an organization concerned with following the same procedures for
several years? The point is that programs and people should be reviewed. This can be the
difference between an efficient and a poorly run organization. So where will you fit in? These
are some things you can do to help your organization with risk management and internal
controls:
Study the programs and internal controls.
Talk about continuous improvement processes (mentioned next).
Volunteer to be a member of an internal control workgroup.
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Continuous Improvement
Your obligation to the federal government is to perform work associated with your job
function. But you have a duty to improve yourself, and the organization. This involves learning
about all your strengths and weaknesses. This effort extends to understanding the strengths and
weaknesses of an organization.
Throughout the years, the federal government has adopted several performance management
processes. In the 1980s and 1990s, Total Quality Management (TQM) was a popular method of
process improvement. Now, there is Lean Six Sigma. These methods were/are designed to
identify weaknesses and turn them into strengths. For many years, some organizations, like the
Department of the Army, had/have several Lean Six Sigma managers that devoted all their time
to working on large process improvement projects. Many private companies support Lean Six
Sigma as a viable way to analyze problems to improve workflow and customer service.
However, many problems can be resolved with just a simple amount of focus or thorough
communication with stakeholders. Continuous improvement should be exactly that, continuous.
How to Improve the Federal Government
If you ever have the opportunity to serve on an influential workgroup, you may be in a position
to affect change, not just for your organization, but for the entire federal government.
Workgroups can be used to help solve major problems, some of which resurface every year.
This guide covers many areas that workgroups can work on and improve. Gaining support for
improvement should be done first. Without it, all efforts will fail. Next, create the demand to
support change. This can be accomplished with various marketing methods, such as forming
focus groups and holding various meetings with staff. When you have both support and demand
for change it will be that much easier to achieve success, through the efforts of a workgroup.
One of the best things about being a new federal civilian employee is having a fresh pair of
eyes. Maybe you had the opportunity to work in the private sector. Maybe you have several
years of military experience. Maybe you had the opportunity to work on a large Lean Six Sigma
project, within the workplace, or at a university. All of these experiences, added with college
education, can certainly be used to tackle big problems in the federal government. Don’t be
discouraged if your ideas for positive change are not supported. Keep at it. Navigating through
rejections will only make you stronger.
Nepotism
There are various definitions of nepotism. It essentially means an organization is hiring friends
or relatives. It can be a problem in some federal organizations. If it was important enough to
create a word to describe this situation, it is equally important to prevent nepotism in the
workplace. I used to work for a large federal organization that was, and still is, composed of at
least 25% relatives (200 employees). There are sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, cousins,
mothers, fathers, and married couples, all working in the same building. There are a few
instances of extended families. There are sets of twins. There were even certain arrangements
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made to move relatives around just to make sure there were no legal liabilities. A lot of labor
dollars were spent trying to navigate through delicate situations, situations which would have not
existed if there were no relatives in the workplace. Through these arrangements, the
organization demonstrated that it values personal relationships over the need to hire the most
qualified and talented people available.
There probably will always be a few instances of nepotism in each agency. There are times
when two individuals can’t help but get personally involved to the point of starting an intimate
relationship. But having dozens of relatives in one organization, I feel, is inappropriate, and a
sign that progress and continuous improvement could take a back seat to fostering extended
personal relationships. If you were a supervisor how would you feel counseling an individual
who was the son of a powerful director in your organization? Organizations tend to forget how
hiring average-skilled individuals (in this case, friends or relatives) can create interpersonal
conflicts within the workplace. Staff can become quite irritated when having to work with
employees who are not able to handle the job expectations.
You may come across a similar situation. As a federal employee, I encourage you not to
support nepotism. Most federal employees don’t have enough power or influence to affect hiring
decisions. However, you can voice your opinions and talk about it openly with others you trust.
Conversations with others may lead to a small movement of change. If nepotism gets out of
hand, you can certainly report it to the Inspector General’s Office, or some other independent
oversight committee. One should consider how a taxpayer might feel about senior management
taking a blind eye to hiring relatives and friends. In the end, nepotism creates clumsy situations,
costs extra labor dollars, and invites controversy.
MANAGEMENT
Working with managers can be challenging, to understand what they want, or to deliver a good
or service in a timely manner. It requires thorough and skilled communication, and empathy for
the directives that are given to management. Sometimes, federal employees will get impatient,
not able to understand why management is not resolving a problem in a practical way. But there
are things we, as staff, cannot see that are not so clear cut. For example, let’s say you and a
manager are responsible for lawn maintenance. The grass is high so you feel the need to cut it
with a lawnmower-a feeling that most people would share. You go out to the garage, prepare the
lawnmower, fill it up with gas, and proceed to cut the grass. You are interrupted by the manager,
who tells you not to cut the grass. You can’t understand why there is a need to stop the process.
The manager tells you to refrain from cutting the grass for the next few weeks. It seems like a
bad decision. However, the manager has been directed from senior executives not to use any
gasoline due to a severe fuel shortage. Existing supply will be rationed and prioritized for use.
One can see by this example that a practical decision to take care of a simple problem is not so
simple for very good reasons. This is an example of when managers seem like they are not
making good decisions, but end up pursuing a course of action for very good reasons. The
information below will define some very difficult examples of how staff members interact with
managers.
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Organizational Politics
One of the most difficult areas to understand in the federal government is organizational
politics. I am speaking of the way in which messages and information are sent, received, and
discussed. Almost every problem addressed or resolved will involve a certain amount of
organizational politics. It is by no means an easy topic to understand. It must be learned through
trial-and-error, and experience. The way organizational politics is managed will vary from one
senior executive to the next. Organizational politics can be used as a way to deliver an
unpopular message, or decrease the amount of controversy. It can be a way to emphasize
allegiance to leadership. But when used too much it can be a significant obstacle between
identifying and resolving a problem.
Accomplish a goal
Organizational politics can be used to accomplish a goal. You may find yourself in a situation
in which outcomes are hard to change, while being expected to demonstrate improvements. For
example, let’s say you are responsible for ensuring that 95% of new patients get scheduled for
medical appointments within a 30 day window. You are now made aware that the organization
wants a 99% compliance rate, and realize the difference of 4% means 200 more patients must be
seen each month-a significant challenge. You discuss your concerns with the organization.
Your comments are ignored. One of the managers responds “What is your plan to get a 99%
compliance rate?” This is an example of how organizational politics can be used to accomplish a
goal. In this case, managers don’t want to hear about excuses of how the new compliance metric
cannot be met. In some cases, managers don’t even want to hear negative feedback. There are a
few organizations that may demand the impossible and this will test your patience and your
ability to the support the organization, through the process of organizational politics.
Demonstrate loyalty
Organizational politics can be used as a way to demonstrate loyalty to a senior manager or
organization. Let’s say you are planning a special event with your family. A manager expects
you to travel out of town to attend a conference because that manager has other commitments,
and cannot be in two places at once. The conference conflicts with your family event. There is
an expectation that you will proceed with making your travel arrangements without further delay.
You have two choices: 1) disappoint your family or 2) disappoint the manager. A political
response would involve telling the manager that you’ll make the travel arrangements. An
emotional response would involve telling the manager that you have to break the news to your
family because you were planning on spending time with them. You may be faced with this type
of situation, but should choose your response very carefully. Either decision will be difficult
because you’ll have to disappoint your family, or your organization. This kind of situation is
difficult for even the most experienced managers. As a new federal employee, one of the things
you can work on immediately is trying to learn how to react to a challenging task. In the case of
organizational politics, how you react is going to be more important than what you do to
accomplish the task. Mentors can be a very important resource in trying to understand how to
react to challenging tasks.
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Disseminating information that is unpopular
Organizational politics can be used as a way to disseminate information that is unpopular.
Let’s say a group of employees are using a computer software program which exists as the
primary tool for their job. It crashes. Hundreds of pages of data are lost. Not only is the
information unavailable, once the program is operational it will take many days to reconstruct
lost data. The employees are angry. They demand immediate action and insist the senior
director be informed. A lower level manager has the following response: “This situation is
unfortunate and we will need to focus on remaining commitments while waiting for the problem
to be resolved.” In this case, the manager is not participating in the negative emotions of the
employees. Instead, the manager is trying to be as positive as possible, and persuade employees
to get work done, without creating too much controversy. This example might serve as an
excuse for some staff not to respect the manager. Most staff like managers who empathize with
challenges of employees at lower grade levels. So, this situation can be difficult for a manager.
Avoiding resolving a problem
Organizational politics can be used as a way to avoid, or delay, solving a problem. For this
example, let’s say you are a division secretary and are making a senior manager aware of a
serious problem. One of the employees in the immediate office has doctored a time and
attendance sheet on several occasions, falsifying the facts of signing in and out of work. You, as
the secretary, have solid proof of foul play. The senior manager makes comments like “How do
we know there is a problem? Maybe the employee was confused.” You push further with the
facts and make a strong case. The senior manager responds “The employee tends to be ethically-
challenged.” The manager does very little to correct the problem. Unfortunately, there will be
several occasions in your career where you’ll witness individuals or managers not wanting to
confront controversial or very serious infractions. What you do, as a witness, and a federal
employee, will test your character, your patience, and your loyalty to those who are faced with
trying to resolve the problem. In this case, the manager may be trying to diffuse the temptation
to get upset and prevent causing additional negative emotions for the secretary. However,
avoiding the problem will create an additional problem. By not holding the employee
accountable, other employees could see doctoring time and attendance sheets as tolerant
behavior, and follow suit. In this case, organizational politics can be quite challenging for both
staff and senior managers.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
The Office of Personnel Management is the federal government’s proponent for administrative
programs for each federal agency. They set administrative guidelines. They create helpful tools
to assist agencies with managing human capital. Regardless of your occupation, it is likely you
will analyze one of several OPM guidelines and regulations. You may get the opportunity to
meet an OPM employee. It is an excellent opportunity to ask questions about OPM’s strategic
plan, or to find out what improvements they’ll be making in the following months. The
interaction might be a good opportunity to solicit a suggestion to improve administrative
processes, or modify regulations. In any case, I recommend using the OPM as a reference for
future administrative challenges.
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Cookie-Cutter Solutions Management
Over time, new employees will see that a solution that works in one case, does not work all the
time. This dilemma occurs both for problems and people. A computer upgrade may allow a user
to use a new feature in a software program. A year later, the user may need another upgrade to
use the same feature. A performance improvement plan for one employee isn’t necessarily going
to work for another employee, in part mainly because each person is different. The point is that
whether you are a staff member or a supervisor you must be flexible. Maintain an objective
view, and always weigh all the options. Very rarely, will there ever be a cookie-cutter solution
that will work at all.
Relationships
Some individuals can’t help but get personally involved with co-workers, whether it is a
friendly greeting on a daily basis, or participating in extracurricular activities outside the
workplace. One should understand the difference between professional relationships and
friendship circles. A professional relationship exists when two individuals interact in the
workplace, and work toward a common goal. A friendship circle is where at least two people
have interacted, worked well together, demonstrated their allegiance to each other, and have
confided in each other as friends. Existing in the friendship circle, for many individuals, is more
important than accomplishing a goal, or carrying out the correct action. It can be dangerous
when one friendship circle includes senior executives and subordinate staff. Unfortunately, these
friendship circles can do more harm than good, like hiring people who they know, or creating
positions strictly for one person in mind. When these actions are pursued, the person filling the
position might not be able to handle the responsibilities. In one of my previous organizations, a
person was hired as a regional Lean Six Sigma manager. An announcement went out to the
divisions. There was an application process. Interviews were not conducted. That person had
been selected as the very best candidate. That individual had been a part of a powerful
friendship circle composed of senior managers. Unfortunately, the individual could not handle
the workload or commitments. Two seasoned staff members, each of whom had more Lean Six
Sigma experience, had to step in to save the regional program, proof that senior managers did not
make an objective decision to select the right person for the Lean Six Sigma manager position.
Personal Agendas
We all have personal agendas. Some of us want to stay in the same position or location and
have a comfortable life. Others want to advance through promotional opportunities. However
simple or complex, federal employees should never allow their personal agendas to influence or
interfere with successful operations in the workplace. It is tempting to take advantage of a
situation for personal betterment. For example, let’s say you pass by the secretary’s desk of an
organization’s senior director. There are two proposal packages in the inbox, one from you and
one from a counterpart. Both of you are competing for an opportunity. The deadline for
submission is today. Now there is a temptation to remove the packet of your counterpart, so that
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only your package is submitted. Do not give in to this kind of temptation! In the long run, the
truth will be known and will affect your reputation. You may discover a few employees in your
career that might give in to such a temptation, but they will stumble somewhere down the line,
and ultimately destroy their reputation.
Personal agendas also act as a significant obstacle in trying to do the right thing, like focusing
on your career instead of improving a process, or taking a blind eye to items you won’t have to
worry about in a few months because you’re moving on to a new position.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
What happens in your federal career is mostly what you make of it. There are things that you
can’t control, like recessions, hiring freezes, and the political environment in organizations. But
there are several opportunities for success where you can be instrumental with improving a
process, or modernizing an organization. It is easy to become frustrated with decisions or
outcomes of an organization. We need to make sure these negative emotions have a very short
life. Replace them with a positive outlook, to look for the next opportunity for a positive impact.
At times, you’ll come across questionable situations. A staff member may indulge in illegal
activity, such as falsifying time cards, or sabotaging the efforts of a team. A manager may
neglect to follow important policies, or laws, such as contracting rules. A staff member may
intimidate others to look the other way. A manager may discount or patronize your efforts to
correct these problems. You may be an observer, challenged with being a part of a team where
these activities exist. You will be tempted by both the need to resolve the problem and to shy
away from the problem, based on possible retribution from powerful people. It’s true that you
have an obligation to staff to help them as much as possible. You have an obligation to
managers to follow their direction, and help them accomplish their goals. There is a much bigger
obligation you have, one that is often forgotten by federal employees. The most important
obligation you have as a federal employee is to serve the best interest of the taxpayers. There are
millions of hardworking families who pay their taxes each year. How would all these taxpayers
feel if they became aware that you observed questionable activity within the federal government
and looked the other way? Imagine if you were in the middle of a scandal and CNN decided to
interview you, live on national TV, and millions of Americans were watching. How would you
explain your position to them? Taxpayer dollars pay the salaries of federal employees. Our
allegiance to taxpayers is a necessity.
Special Note for Military Veterans
While you are making preparations to transition to the civilian sector you will wonder about
changes you’ll have to adapt to. The military wants its service members to have a wide variety
of experiences, to enhance the potential of each individual. In many cases, the federal civilian
system concentrates attention for career potential as it applies to an individual competing for a
specific position, not necessarily for the entire federal civilian workforce. There are no career
managers in the civilian sector as you were accustomed to in the military.
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In the military, boards are used to review personnel files (evaluations, awards, education, etc.)
and determine which military service members are eligible for promotions, and challenging
assignments. For the most part, the playing field in the military is level for everyone-everyone
has an equal chance of getting to the next level of responsibility. In addition, when you
volunteered for tough assignments (drill sergeant duty) you increased your chances of getting
promoted faster. There are larger gaps of inequality in the federal civilian system. Top
performers, and those who have the best potential, may only realize a promotion if they have
good resume-writing skills, do well in interviews, or have adequate face time with senior
managers. It can be argued there are larger gaps in gender and minority inequality in the federal
civilian system, compared with the military career system.
As discussed in previous sections, you may find yourself being disqualified for positions that
you would normally qualify for if you were in the military. This is unfortunate and a reality that
many federal civilians face on a daily basis. However, when this happens it is important that you
not give up, and look for the next job vacancy announcement.
Don’t be overly committed toward getting a special position. Always keep your options open.
For example, let’s say you are competing for a highly technical position in a special location.
Only three individuals are qualified for the position. You are one of them. Based on having a
history of outstanding performance, and that you have the most experience, you conclude that
you’ll be selected for the position. This conclusion would be correct in the military. However,
the civilian Selecting Official (usually one individual) might select another candidate because of
various reasons. The point is not to be committed to a specific agency, location, or position,
because the federal civilian system is different than the military. The selection will be made
based on how the Selecting Official feels, instead of having the selection made from an
independent board of senior personnel (where each board member’s scoring is weighted
equally).
Many federal civilians face lost opportunities for getting ahead in their career, based on
resume-writing skills. It is important that applicants have very good resume-writing skills,
whether you are a cook, IT specialist, engineer, police officer, facility manager, or any other
occupation. You’ll have to have a good resume in order to get past HR specialists, who will
continue to be independent gate keepers of all opportunities.
As you develop your career, I encourage you to study existing processes and propose new
systems that will level the playing field for all employees. With regards to hiring and career
development, the federal civilian system has been unchanged for several years. Some could
argue that it has not been changed for several decades. It is in need of major structural changes.
Many senior managers are unwilling to tackle major challenges, one reason why the federal
civilian system has remained unchanged. You as a new federal employee have many years to
work on being a part of workgroups that could help promote change. There is strength in
numbers. In order for the federal civilian system to change there must be a high, and
coordinated, demand for that change.
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Deciding to Stay with or Leave an Organization
As a federal employee, there will be several times (or crossroads as some say) where we must
make a decision to stay where we are at, or leave and go to another position or agency. These
decisions can be tough for anyone. Here are some things to consider when weighing your
options, to stay or to leave.
Consider Staying
Leadership is well-respected and takes care of employees.
Work is challenging and will allow you to grow. The experience gained will help prepare
you for more challenging roles and promotional opportunities.
There are several opportunities for details and advancements.
The organization employs a career management system, where senior leaders are engaged
in assessing the potential of all employees, and allow them to demonstrate skills
equivalent to a higher level of responsibility.
Knowing When to Leave
Your advice and work are not valued. Senior managers marginalize your ideas and
efforts for positive change.
Emotionally, you feel uncomfortable after you’ve had several chances to work things out.
The organization repeats mistakes, but makes no attempt to improve a process, or hold
people accountable.
Lack of transparency.
Senior managers hire people that are close to them.
Senior managers argue with one another on a frequent basis, or play games to undermine
professional efforts.
Conclusion
Don’t give up on your dreams. Don’t be discouraged by unfair advantages, or intimidation
from powerful people. Everyone has weaknesses and strengths. Show off those strengths! Stay
true to yourself, manage your competencies accordingly, and strive for continuous improvement,
whether it is professional development, or making a process better. Good luck with your federal
career!
Part II should be developed in the near future, with robust coverage of other topics, such as:
implementing a career management system; supervision; interactions with Unions; how to hold
all civilian employees accountable; cross-coverage of organizational functions; steps for
resolving major problems; IT systems planning; other topics.
