Military Spouse Federal Employment Guide

TO FEDERAL & CONTRACTOR EMPLOYMENTTHE MILITARY SPOUSES GUIDE

Generously sponsored by the U.S.Chamber of Commerce Foundation

In Gear Career is a nonprofit organization developed in response to the specific challenges Military Spouses face in building long-term professional careers. To enable Military Spouses to continue their careers in any location, In Gear Career builds on the impact of existing programs by expanding professional networks, establishing local support communities, sharing resources, and providing the means for past and present Military Spouses to learn from each other. In Gear Career provides all of its programs free of charge and seeks to enable and advance the professional career employment opportunities for Military Spouses worldwide.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

THE BASICS: IS A GS JOB RIGHT FOR YOU?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GOVERNMENT SERVICE: AN OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Government Service, Nonappropriated Funds, & Other Hiring Authorities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

GS Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

NAF Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Competitive, Excepted, and Senior Executive Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Understanding GS Levels and Job Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Employment Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Internship Opportunities in the Federal Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Internship Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Recent Graduates Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

APPLYING FOR FEDERAL JOBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Overview of the Federal Hiring Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Best Practices: Job Searches & Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Writing Your Federal Resume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

MILITARY SPOUSE-SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Military Spouse Hiring Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Noncompetitive Appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Priority Placement Program / Program S (PPP-S) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Eligibility for PPP-S by Executive Order 12721 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Registering for PPP-S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

FINDING EMPLOYMENT WITH CONTRACTOR FIRMS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Contract Employment Pros. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Contract Employment Cons .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Finding Contract Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Finding Target Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

RESOURCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

400+$78,0000

Average Annual Salary

Occupational Specialties

2,100,000Federal Employees

2,100,000

Perhaps one of the most effective ways to create a portable, professional career as a Military Spouse is to enter the government civil service (often referred to as GS or civilian positions). Many military installations also employ civilians, and once you get into the system, you can transfer to other positions fairly easily. Government service is not a panaceathere are challenges in obtaining positions, transferring to other positions, and working within an often large and entrenched bureaucracy. That said, many Military Spouses find it to be the best option for maintaining forward progress in their career while transferring locations with their spouse.

Breaking in to government service isnt always easy, though. Spouses have told us that the system is confusing, that theyre not considered for positions at the level they truly qualify for, and that their nongovernmental service is often not considered by hiring officials. This guide aims to give Military Spouses an overview of the process as well as some strategies and tips for making it through the hiring process.

A note on sequestration: The legislation known as sequestration, which went into effect in January 2013, has had a significant impact on the entire federal workforce. Not only have there been furloughs for current federal employees, but almost all agencies are under at least a partial hiring freeze (with some agencies backfilling one position for every three employees who leave, and some agencies not able to backfill any positions.) There have been a few sporadic Reductions in Force (RIFs), and we may see more widespread RIFs as programs are dramatically reduced or eliminated. Since current federal employees facing a RIF get priority in other federal openings, it has become exceedingly difficult to break in to federal employment recently. Veterans preference and the active duty force draw-down may also contribute to the increasing difficulty for nonveteran spouses to obtain federal employment.

Federal Employees

INTRODUCTION

Depending on the outcome of the budget process in coming years, it may remain almost impossible to obtain new employment in the federal sector, or it may become easier once budgets normalize. Section IV of this guide discusses opportunities to work with the government in private sector contract positions, which may help to position spouses for direct-hire federal positions when hiring opens up. While these positions are also seeing significant reductions, they still may be easier for spouses to obtain in the short-term.

2

3Serving Career-Minded Military Spouses

THE BASICS: IS A GS JOB RIGHT FOR YOU? With more than 2.1 million jobs and over 400 occupational specialties (excluding postal service and military workers), the federal government offers more choices than any other single employer in the United States. In fact, not only is the federal government the largest single employer in the world, the Department of Defense alone is the single largest employer (surpassing Walmart, McDonalds, and the military of the Peoples Republic of China).

While each persons motives for professional careers are different, here are some considerations to think about before deciding on a career as a government civilian.

PROS CONS

Career continuity: transportable skills, tenure, and retirement

Difficult to obtain experience at appropriate-level jobs

Opportunity for advancement Bureaucracy

Compatibility with military lifestyle Difficult to break into the federal system

Competitive compensation & benefits Hiring process very unlike the private sector

More manageable work hours than the private sector

Difficult to overcome common Military Spouse Stereotypes

PROS & CONS OF FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT

Nearly every military post has civilian government positions available, which provide a wide array of job possibilities for Military Spouses looking for career progression and portability.

THE MILITARY SPOUSES GUIDE TO FEDERAL & CONTRACTOR EMPLOYMENT


GOVERNMENT SERVICE:AN OVERVIEW

NUMBER OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES BY AGENCY

There are more than 100 agencies and bureaus across the federal government, each with its own hiring and recruiting authority. The largest agencies are shown below, followed by a geographic breakdown of where the majority of these jobs are located. Fortunately, the government has standardized the process and made it possible for you to search for most of these agencies using USAJOBS.gov.

These steps are taken with rigorous adherence to, and respect for, the merit system principles upon which the civil service is grounded. While OPM maintains oversight of the initiative and plays a leading role in its implementation, federal agencies and bureaus across the globe maintain the ability to hire employees directly.

Civilian jobs on most military installations within the United States range from janitorial and customer service jobs through well-paying supervisory positions in finance, personnel, and scientific fields. Overseas bases offer more limited options, since Status of Forces Agreements with host countries often mandate that many nonsensitive positions be filled by local personnel. Proof of U.S. citizenship and the ability to pass a background check are required for virtually all positions on an installation.

On 11 May 2010, President Obama signed a memorandum entitled Improving the Federal Recruitment and Hiring Process, which launched Phase I of the administrations comprehensive initiative to address major, long-standing impediments to recruiting and hiring the best and the brightest into the federal civilian workforce. The memorandum is based on issues that agencies have brought to the attention of Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the outcome of this initiative is to support agency efforts to build the workforce needed to achieve their mission and strategic goals.

The Presidents initiative:

provides for a vigorous government-wide recruiting effort;

makes it easier for Americans to apply for federal jobs;

Raises the bar on candidate quality; and provides a commonsense approach to the

overall hiring process.

Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management

DEFENSE691,466

VETERANS AFFAIRS285,436

ALL OTHER AGENCIES498,538

HOMELAND SECURITY169,116

JUSTICE113,358

TREASURY92,397

TOTAL EMPLOYEES 1,850,311


GOVERNMENT SERVICE, NONAPPROPRIATED FUNDS & OTHER HIRING AUTHORITIESWhen beginning a search for a federal job, you may notice vacancies for both GS and NAF positions. GS position may be advertised locally, on the installation, and also through USAJOBS, but NAF positions are usually only advertised locally. There are other types of jobsGG (excepted service), WG (wage grade), and FS (foreign service), to name a fewbut the vast majority of the jobs available to Military Spouses are either NAF or GS. It is important to note that spousal preference is applicable to both types of jobs. (More information on spousal preference can be found in Section III of the guide.) The main difference is the type of job and the entity funding the position.

GS POSITIONSGS jobs are also referred to as appropriated funds (APF) positions. They are funded through, as

their name would imply, the appropriations processthe budget that Congress (generally) passes each year to allocate money across the federal government. Many GS positions, especially at the mid- to senior-levels, are white collar professional or administrative jobs.

The GS pay system is established by law and does not apply to Department of Defense NAF positions. Employees in these positions must be United States citizens.

NAF POSITIONSNAF jobs are funded by the installation rather than through the Congressional appropriations process. The funds are generated by fee-funded activities (such as Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) programs). These types of jobs usually include child development, food and beverage management, lodging, recreation, office management, and commissaries. NAF positions are usually easier for spouses to obtain.

1.92%

0.09%

1.92%

PERCENTAGE OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES BY REGION

Source: Fedscope 2010


12.8%5.47%

10.42% 15.48%

30.22%16.64%

6.65%


NAF employees are federal employees. However, they are not covered by most laws administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Employees in these positions do NOT have to be United States citizens. Employees selected for these positions are chosen based on qualifications and priority preference.

The focus of this guide is professional-level career tracks, and NAF jobs usually do not allow for professional career progression. Career-minded Military Spouse professionals will likely find that GS positions fit their educational and employment backgrounds better than NAF positions. NAF positions can be beneficial to add resume experience, but they do not necessarily make it any easier to obtain a GS position. They are viewed as any other job on your resume. If you decide to take an NAF position, then you will use your spouse preference (Program S) and not have it available if you a GS position in your field opens up before you PCS again. You will still have eligibility to apply for GS positions under EO 12721 and EO 13473 though, which allows you to compete with other federal employees and veterans. Your local HR representative can answer specific questions regarding these types of federal employment options.

COMPETITIVE, EXCEPTED & SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICEThe federal government consists of three types of services: the Competitive Service, the Excepted Service, and the Senior Executive Service (SES). Most jobs in the federal government are competitive appointments, which means that they go through a traditional competitive hiring process. They are subject to the merit system to ensure that the best qualified candidate is selected, although they are subject to other preference programs (such as veterans preference). Some jobs use a special authority to utilize streamlined hiring processes instead of the traditional competitive process; this is called excepted service.

Excepted (or noncompetitive) appointments can be used:

in career fields that may be in high demand; when there is a part-time or temporary job; when an applicant has a disability; or when another special circumstance exists.

There are a number of ways to be appointed into the excepted service, such as under an authority defined by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as Excepted (e.g., Veterans Recruitment Appointment) or being appointed to a position defined by OPM as Excepted (e.g., attorney).

Appointments in the excepted service are civil service appointments within the federal government that do not confer competitive status. These positions do not always have to be posted on USAJOBS.

The Senior Executive Service (SES) is comprised of the men and women charged with leading the ongoing transformation of government. These leaders possess well-honed executive skills and share a broad perspective of government and a public service commitment, which is grounded in the Constitution. We do not provide detailed information about the SES process here; other sources of information are more appropriate for the very small group of employeesMilitary Spouses or otherwisewho are eligible for SES positions.

To learn more about the competitive hiring process, hiring authorities available to agencies to hire veterans, students, interns, and information for current and former federal employees such as reinstatement or transfer, please visit www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/

Military Spouses may be hired under excepted service through the Executive Order for Military Spouse hiring. (see Section III)


UNDERSTANDING GS LEVELS & JOB SERIESWhen a GS job is posted, or a position description is written, it will be set up as a GS-(series)-(grade level). The numbers after the GS- say a lot about the job itself. It is important to first understand the series and grade levels in order to determine the appropriate jobs that best align with your experience and career goals. Series: This is reflected as a 4-digit code just after the GS-. The occupational series groups employment skills into professional categories. For example, a contracting officer is an 1102 (under series 1100-1199, Business and Industry), while a management analyst is a 0301 (under series 0300-0399, General Administrative, Clerical, and Office Services).

Find a list of the GS categories here: www.opm.gov/fedclass/html/gsseries.asp

Grade: The 2-digit code that appears after the series reflects the grade level of the position. GS positions are graded from a GS-1 to a GS-15. There is also a set of positions above a GS-15, called Senior Executive Service or SES; these are very high-level career or political positions with an entirely different set of rules and selection criteria. Generally, a GS-1-8 is entry-level or administrative, GS-9-12 is journey level or a mid-level career position, and a GS-13-15 is expert or senior-level, often with supervisory responsibilities.

Sometimes, a position will be graded across multiple GS levels. For example, a position may be a GS-7-9-11. These positions allow for forward progress through the grades without competing for the next grade level and are called career ladder positions. Usually, a position is graded at only one level (e.g., a GS-11), and moving into the next grade level will require competition. In these instances, every applicant needs to submit a resume to a new open posting in order to get a job at the next level.

While salary should never be the sole determining

factor in your job search, especially for a government position, the following provides an estimate of the base salary you could expect to be offered for each GS grade level (1-15) in all domestic locations, made up of a base salary and locality adjustment that is determined by a cost-of-living adjustment to the base pay scale: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/#url=2013 The GS assigns every job a grade level according to the minimum level of education and experience its workers need, along with series-specific requirements such as certifications or licenses. For example, jobs that require a bachelors degree and no experience are generally graded a GS-5 or GS-7, depending on an applicants academic credentials and an agencys policies.

The chart on the next page shows the GS levels for entry-level workers with different levels of education and little to no work experience. Keep in mind, higher education/degrees only qualify you for a particular grade level if they are related to the job. For occupations requiring general college-level skills, a bachelors degree in any subject can qualify you, but other occupations may require a specific major. After gaining work experience, people often qualify for higher GS levels. In general, you need at least 1 year of experience at a lower grade level to technically qualify for the next grade levelthough often in practice you need more than 1 year at the mid- to senior-level grades to be considered truly qualified at the next higher grade. (This is often referred to as a time in grade requirement).

Please keep in mind that these are the minimum qualifications for jobs at each grade level. Often, the positions are competitive enough that candidates will only qualify for jobs lower than their education and experience level would suggest in this chart. Additionally, most GS jobs require similar experience at the grade level below the grade you are competing for, and often it is difficult to show similar experience outside of the government.



GS-1 None

GS-2 High school diploma or equivalent

GS-3 1 academic year above high school

GS-4 2 academic years above high school, or associates degree

GS-5 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelors degree, or a bachelors degree

GS-6Bachelors degree with Superior Academic Achievement for two-grade interval positions, or 1 academic year of graduate education (or law school, as specified in qualification standards or individual occupational requirements)

GS-7Bachelors degree with Superior Academic Achievement for two-grade interval positions, or 1 academic year of graduate education (or law school, as specified in qualification standards or individual occupational requirements)

GS-9Masters (or equivalent graduate degree such as LL.B. or J.D., as specified in qualification standards or individual occupational requirements), or 2 academic years of progressively higher level graduate education

GS-11

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 academic years of progressively higher level graduate education, or for research positions only, completion of all requirements for a masters or equivalent degree (See information on research positions in the qualification standard for professional and scientific positions.)

GS-12For research positions only, completion of all requirements for a doctoral or equivalent degree (See information on research positions in the qualification standard for professional and scientific positions.)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR GS POSITIONS

Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management

QUALIFYING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTSGRADE

The table below shows the amount and level of education typically required for each grade for which education alone can be qualifying. At GS-13 and above, appropriate specialized experience is required for all positions.


EMPLOYMENT STATUSWhen advertising a job opening, federal agencies may choose to limit their applicant pool by placing certain restrictions on the job announcement. These restrictions often center on an applicants employment status and will help determine the applicants eligibility. To understand your specific employment status, weve broken them into the following categories:

Career Appointment/Employee: The employment status of a permanent employee who has completed three years of substantially continuous, creditable service.

Career-Conditional Appointment Employee: The employment status of a permanent employee who has not completed three years of substantially continuous, creditable service.

Career Tenure: After serving three years of substantially continuous creditable service, a career conditional employee becomes a career employee and gains career tenure. Employees with career tenure have permanent reinstatement eligibility and may be considered for positions without having to take another competitive civil service examination. Substantially continuous service means service without a break for more than 30 calendar days (i.e. the break must be for less than or equal to 30 calendar days).

Creditable Service: Qualifying service necessary to achieve full career status. For career tenure, creditable service is three years of qualifying experience.

Competitive Examination: A means of measuring the relative qualifications of applicants in competition for given positions.

Competitive Service: All civilian positions in the federal government that are not specifically excepted from civil service laws by or pursuant to statute, by the President, or by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under Rule VI. OPM is authorized to determine finally whether a

position is in the competitive service.

Excepted Service: All civilian positions which are specifically excepted from the requirements of the Civil Service Act or from the competitive cervice by statute or by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management by regulation 5 CFR 6.1.

Substantially Continuous: Service without a break for more than 30 calendar days.

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTThere used to be multiple internship programs run by the federal government, including many agency-specific and career-track specific programs. As of 10 July 2012, those programs were consolidated into 3 internship programs, collectively referred to as the Pathways Program. This program is comprised of the

Internship program Recent Graduates program Presidential Management Fellows program

The changes to these programs were made to allow the federal government to compete with the private sector for talented young professionals, but also to ensure that federal competitive employment standards were not being subverted by relying on internship hiring instead of traditional competitive employment hiring authorities. Therefore, most of the employment considerations for traditional GS employment (such as veterans preference) now still generally apply to the internship programs, even though these positions are considered excepted appointments. This may serve to make them less effective at recruiting current students or new graduate Military Spouses that hope to enter into federal service; however, on the whole they still may be a great path to federal employment for some Military Spouses.

Find Pathways internship opportunities here: www.usajobs.gov/studentsandgrads/



INTERNSHIP PROGRAMThe Internship Program is designed for current students. It provides paid internships for current students in high school, college or graduate school, trade school, and other qualifying educational institutions.

The internship can be term-limited or for an indefinite timeframe while the intern is completing the educational term of study. It also can be either full-time or part-time. The internship is administered by the hiring agency. Interns sign a participation agreement with the agency, and the internship must be applicable to the field of study.

Interns can be converted to career or temporary employees after the internship program if:

they complete their degree or certificate requirements;

they complete at least 640 hours in the internship program (agencies can waive up to 320 of these hours for outstanding academic achievement and job performance);

they meet the qualifications for the position into which they are converting;

they meet the internship participation agreement requirements; and

they perform successfully in the internship program.

RECENT GRADUATES PROGRAMAccording to OPM, the Recent Graduates Program:

provides developmental experiences in the federal government. It is intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who, within the previous two years, graduated from qualifying educational institutions with an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from qualifying educational institutions.

To be eligible, applicants must apply within the previous two years of degree or certificate completion (except for veterans precluded from doing so due to their military service obligation. They will have up to six years after degree or certificate completion to apply. )

Successful applicants are placed in a dynamic developmental program with the potential to lead to a civil service career in the federal government. The program lasts for 1 year (unless the training requirements of the position warrant a longer and more structured training program).

The program is administered primarily by each hiring agency. It requires a signed Participant Agreement that sets forth the expectations for the Program. Agencies have to provide OPM with information regarding their opportunities and post information publicly about how to apply for specific positions. The positions must provide mentorship, formal training (at least 40 hours per year of the program), and offer career advancement opportunities. Program participants may be converted to a permanent, career-conditional, or (in limited circumstances) term/temporary appointment upon completion of the program.


PRESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT FELLOWS (PMF) PROGRAM

The PMF program is a prestigious post-graduate internship program administered by the Office of Personnel Management. There is a comprehensive and formalized application and acceptance process for the PMF program.

Applicants must have completed an advanced degree (masters or professional-level) within the last two years. OPM announces the opportunity to apply for the PMF program, and sets forth the specific application process. Applicants go through a rigorous assessment process, and PMF finalists are chosen. The list of finalists is published and sent to all federal agencies, and PMFs can compete amongst each other for PMF opportunities published by Agencies. Those

positions are posted throughout the year, and usually there is an annual PMF hiring fair as well (which has recently become a virtual fair instead of an in-person fair).

The PMF program provides significant professional development opportunities throughout the 2-year program; in addition to formal mentorship opportunities and 80 hours of formal training requirements per year, most PMF participants are placed in developmental rotations outside of their primary job for additional professional opportunities through the program.

More information about the PMF program can be found at: http://www.pmf.gov.

Prospective applicants complete a rigorous application process that includes the following steps:

Application & Resume

PMF Application Process

In-Person Assessment

Online Assessment Job Fair



APPLYING FOR FEDERAL JOBSThe application process for federal GS positions is very different than the private sector. Not surprisingly, it is much more bureaucratic than the application process for even the largest civilian companies. This section will walk you through the process as it is defined by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and also give you some real-world tips and strategies for how to navigate the system effectively.

OVERVIEW OF THE FEDERAL HIRING PROCESSMost job opportunities are listed on USAJOBS.com and/or on an agencys websites. It would be ideal if there were one central location to search for federal vacancies, and USAJOBS definitely comes close. Its absolutely the first place you should start, but unfortunately it is not the last.

Many of the military civilian vacancies are posted on their own websites like www.nafjobs.org. There may be local websites, depending on your duty location, and were even been seeing posts on Facebook about upcoming available positions from certain groups. There are advertisements in base newspapers and on bulletin boards within certain commands on base. Keep your eyes and ears open, network, and search the web.

Generally speaking, a job gets posted (usually on USAJOBS) and it is either open to all U.S. citizens or is set aside for certain categories of applicants. In some cases, jobs are open only to internal candidatesthose who already have a job within that agency or even that sub-agency. In other cases, jobs may be open to career status candidates. Unless the job posting is changed to be more expansive, you cannot be considered for the job if you dont fit into the stated group to which the job is openunless the posting specifically states that the position is also open to Military Spouses eligible under EO 13473.

Usually, you must submit your resume electronically using the designated automated system (such as USAJOBS). This means that

you will create a resume in the system, and/or upload your prepared resume and any additional documents requested (college transcripts, military discharge papers, proof of prior government service, etc).

It is critical to double check all of the requested documentation and provide it before the deadline listed. Failure to upload even a minor document may render you ineligible for consideration.

There are generally two types of position openings on USAJOBS: open continuous positions with rolling deadlines for submission (or no deadline specified) and specific open positions with a hard deadline for submission. Hiring officials will often pull directly from an open continuous roster, so it is helpful to keep your resume up-to-date for all of these positions. However, submitting your resume for an open continuous position does not mean that there is a current opening in that job category in that geographical area.

On the other hand, specific job postings with hard deadlines for submission generally mean that there is a specific position (or set of positions) open in that geographic location and at the specified category/level. While the hiring official still may cancel the job opening for a variety of reasons, these postings generally represent your best bet for obtaining a specific position in a specific geographical location in a short time frame.

Until very recently, job candidates were first screened by an automated resume review tool, based on entered keywords. Many jobs require completion of a screening questionnaire that uses yes/no questions or self-rating scale to determine fit for the required skills, education, and training.

Now, most resumes are screened by an individual looking at resumes and determining best fit, but they may have hundreds of resumes to sort through. Generally, a system may screen out some of the applicants, and only the highest matches


make it to the HR official in charge of the process.

The HR official finalizes the screening of the resumesincluding verification of your screening questionnaire as compared to your resumeand sends the most highly qualified candidates along to the actual hiring official (the person attempting to fill the open positionusually the direct supervisor). This is known as making the cert. If an applicant is on priority placement and minimally qualifies for the position, they are the only ones forwarded for consideration. This is why it is often called the stopper list. Priority placement trumps all other considerations (even veterans preference).

The hiring official gets the cert (a list of names and attached resumes of the most highly qualified applicants). Interviews can be conducted, but are not necessary. Generally, hiring official cannot talk to anyone on the cert about the job outside of a standardized interview process. They can, however, do informational interviews or discuss anything about the position prior to the position being posted, which is why it is important to do as much networking with potential hiring officials in advance of a job posting. For higher-level jobs, a selection board is usually convened. They will do the interviews together, instead of just the one hiring official. In any case, qualified applicants on the cert are ranked in priority order based on how they interviewed.

At the conclusion of the interviews, the hiring official goes back to the Human Resources Office (HRO) with a prioritized list of applicants. The highest-ranked person will get a formal offer by the HRO. Often, the hiring official will call with an informal notification that the applicant was chosen, but until the HRO confirms that with a formal job offer, it is not finalized. Any offers that arent provided by the HRO are not formal, and should not be acted upon; informal offers do not bind the government.

If an applicant uses any employment preference (except veterans preference) in applying for a

position, and declines the job offer, they may lose that employment preference. Therefore, it is important that you only apply for jobs that you would want to take (or be willing to take) or you most likely cannot be considered for any others during that tour.

BEST PRACTICES: JOB SEARCHES & APPLICATIONSSearching USAJOBS: USAJOBS allows you to search by location and/or job series or level. Refer to the Minimum Qualifications for GS Positions chart in the previous section and determine the series for which you may be qualified. This way, you can effectively target your search using this criteria on USAJOBS.

When you do a search on USAJOBS, it is important to locate the radio button to search jobs for federal employees, even if you are not yet a federal employee. This is because some postings that are listed under federal employees are also open to Military Spouses; when you look at the who may apply section of a posting, there is a specific opportunity for Military Spouses to apply.

Some positions are open only to career status candidates, meaning positions may be limited to candidates already in the GS service. Other positions are limited to only people in that agency or command. If a position is set aside for career status or agency employees only, dont apply for those positionsyou will not make it through the first cut. (That doesnt mean, however, that you cant talk to the HRO or the hiring official to see if theyll change the hiring status; if they know that someone outside of the set-aside group is qualified, they may consider opening it up to a broader audience. However, some positions allow Military Spouses to compete directly with career status employees under the Military Spouse Executive Order; refer to section III for more details.



You may also search USAJOBS via keyword search. For example, if you have experience working in public relations or business, you may search for keywords such as marketing or advertising.

Learn more about advanced searches on USAJOBS usajobs.gov/JobSearch/Search/AdvancedSearch# Reviewing the Job Posting:There is a lot of critical information included in the text of the job announcement, such as specific skills, job duties, and related keywords. Read the job announcement thoroughly and pull out that information. Combine this information with learnings from other web-based or networking research you can do, into your federal resume. This will help you stand a good chance of making it through the first cut and getting your resume in front of the hiring official.

Hiring considerations: The government has a number of different agendas in filling positions, not simply who is best qualified. They have public policy, civil rights, and disability rights considerations, as well as commitments to military veterans and placing displaced federal workers (priority placement), to name a few. In order to meet their requirements, agencies often use specific hiring authoritiesinternships, veterans preference, Military Spouse preference, and the liketo ensure they are targeting the groups they want to emphasize in the hiring process. Understanding these special authorities, and using them to your advantage, is important.

Track and Follow-upMany online systems will make it easy for you to follow-up by giving you a status link for your application. You can generally expect to receive notification via email, but you have every right to call or email the HR specialists to inquire about the application process status. That doesnt guarantee that youll get a response from the HR specialist, but it doesnt hurt to (politely and

professionally) check in to see where the process stands and what information you can get about your application. Important Considerations About Taking a Low-Level Position to Get Into GS Employment: Once you are brought into the federal system at a specific GS level, you can only move up (generally) by making time in grade requirements for the next level. With very few exceptions, you cannot skip a grade level, even if you are qualified by education and experience at that higher level. For example, you are an HR professional with a masters degree in human resource management and have 5 years of progressively more senior-level experience (qualified at probably the GS-13/14 level, depending on job description). If you take a GS-7 level position in HR to break into the federal system, you generally cannot apply for a GS-13 when it becomes available.

Weigh your options carefully; it might be worth taking a lower-level job and working your way back up to ensure better career continuity in the long run, but it is important to understand what you give up when you take that lower level position up front.

Making the Cert: After the initial resume screening, the best qualified candidates are forwarded to the hiring manager for review.


WRITING YOUR FEDERAL RESUMEPrivate Industry vs. Federal GovernmentThe federal resume looks much different from a standard resume used to apply for jobs in the private sector. While brevity in resume writing is key in the civilian world, longer and more comprehensive resumes are the norm in the federal system.

Forget the old advice that says a resume should be no longer than 1-2 pages; your federal resume should be much longer than that, usually 5 to 10 pages, depending on your experience, skills, and industry.

Converting and tailoring a private industry resume into one appropriate for a federal job can be time consuming, but it is absolutely necessary for the federal application process.

There are many moreand very differentrequirements for a federal resume, and hiring managers want all of the details for each job you had, not just the highlights or accomplishments. They are looking for specific skills and abilities on which you do not normally expand when writing your private industry resume.

As in the civilian hiring process, you should have more than one version of your resume, because

for every vacancy announcement for which you wish to submit your resume, it is in your best interest to tailor your resume to that specific vacancy announcement. You may store up to five resumes on USAJOBS.

Occupational/Assessment Questions:Most postings now require you to rate yourself against an occupational assessment questionnaire; this is one of the main ways that a large number of applications are quickly screened. Obviously, you want to be able to have positive answers to most or all of the questions asked, but be prepared to back up your responses. Spinning your experience to be relevant to a related career field is legitimate; inflating your experience or not being truthful in your answers in order to screen well may get you through the first screening round, but if your responses cannot be backed up by a review of your resume, you wont make it past the next screening and youll risk angering the HR professionals who will likely be reading your resume for other jobs if you dont get this one.

It is important to incorporate the information in the questions into your resume for the specific position. HR officials are screening huge numbers of resumes, so the easier you make it for them to verify your responses in your resume, the more likely you are to make it past their screenings and on to the hiring officials for an interview.

The purpose of the resume in the private sector is to get an interview. In the federal government, the purpose of the resume is to show your qualifications.



MILITARY SPOUSE-SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONSThis section will provide information about Military Spouse-specific hiring considerations. While this version of the guide addresses CONUS-based Military Spouse hiring preferences, future versions will also address OCONUS-specific considerations and Military Spouse preference for employment during an overseas assignment; representing volunteer work or nonprofessional work in federal resumes; and addressing spouse-specific challenges, including stereotypes and nontraditional resumes. In the meantime, In Gear Careers website (www.ingearcareer.org)has information and advice about many of these topics.

MILITARY SPOUSE HIRING PROGRAMSThere is a great deal of confusion and several misconceptions about Military Spouse Preference (MSP). The following is intended to help clarify MSP. That said, it is important to remember that MSP has changed over time and will very likely continue to evolve. While the overall policies are generally consistent across the federal government, they afford wide latitude in the application of the authorities to the agency heads and even to the local hiring offices. Therefore, processes and procedures may vary at each installation and agency, so it is imperative that you check with the local HRO to determine how they interpret and utilize the various allowable authorities available to them.

The information here is accurate as of August 2013. Before applying for a position, be sure to check if anything has changed, and what the processes are at your current installation.

NONCOMPETITIVE APPOINTMENTSPer Executive Order 13473, which is incorporated into CFR 315.612, certain Military Spouses can be eligible for appointment to competitive service vacancies outside the traditional competitive procedures. This authority can take a number of different forms, and we have seen different DoD and non-DoD hiring offices use this completely differently (and think that their way is the only appropriate interpretation of the rules). Below are some of the ways that this authority can be utilized. Be sure to check with your target HRO to determine their specific interpretation.

Please note that the authorities under this are NOT a preference and do not confer a selection priority similar to veterans status or priority placement. Also, these authorities are not mandatory, meaning that agencies do NOT have to provide the ability for Military Spouses to apply noncompetitively to any or all competitive jobs that they post or open.

You are eligible for this hiring category if you are:

A spouse of a member of the armed forces serving on active duty who has orders specifying a permanent change of station (not for training);

This eligibility is limited to a maximum of 2 years from the date of the applicable documentation for the PCS, and is limited to the geographic area as specified in the permanent change of station orders. This includes the surrounding area which people reasonably can be expected to travel daily to and from work.


You are the spouse of a 100 percent disabled service member injured while on active duty;

You are the unremarried widow or widower of a service member who was killed while performing active duty.

NOTE: OPM eliminated the 2-Year eligibility limitation to provide spouses of certain deceased or 100 percent disabled veterans with unlimited eligibility for noncompetitive appointment effective 30 September 2011. There is a change to this policy in the works: it is expected that the time limit will be eliminated for all Military Spouses who are eligible under EO 13473.

Direct Appointment Authority: In some cases, HROs will allow for a spouse to be hired based on the expressed hiring request of the hiring official, as long as that spouse is minimally qualified. In other words, if a hiring manager wants to hire you, they have the ability to do so as long as HRO deems you qualified. The process is relatively simple; the hiring manager should forward a copy of your resume to HRO, indicating the competitive position to which they would like to appoint you. After evaluating your resume, the appointment will be approved or disapproved. If approved, you are hired!

Sometimes, these appointments may time limited. In these cases, after (or during) that time, you may have to apply for the position and must be found best qualified in order to convert to a permanent, continuing employment situation. It is recommended that if you are appointed to a position through noncompetitive appointment, that you update your resume immediately and revisit HRO to update your PPP-S registration to qualify under that program (see the discussion below).

Many hiring managers are not aware of this hiring authority, even when the HRO for that agency or command allows for it. If there is a vacancy that you want to fill, it may pay to approach the hiring manager and provide a win-win solution: they will be able to fill a staffing gap rather quickly and easily, and you get 120 days

of employment which could potentially lead to a more stable/permanent arrangement down the line.

Application to Positions Not Open to the General Public: Some HROs interpret the Executive Order to allow (or require) them to consider eligible Military Spouses for positions that are not open to the general public; these jobs may be limited to current status candidates (those currently working for the government in certain types of positions or reinstatement eligible former employees, or certain veterans). Generally, these positions will not be visible on USAJOBS unless you indicate that you are a current federal employee or are reinstatement eligible. In the position posting itself, these jobs should state that Military Spouses are eligible to apply.

In this case, the authority does not confer priority or preference, but only allows Military Spouses to be equally considered along with other eligible status candidates. Priority placement rules, veterans preference, and other competitive service rules will still apply to the hiring process.

PRIORITY PLACEMENT PROGRAM/PROGRAM S (PPP-S)Spouses who are currently in career- or career-conditional status GS positions may be eligible for the PPP-S program when they PCS from the duty station where they currently hold an eligible position. Spouses who meet one of the criteria below may be eligible:

Currently serving on a Veterans Recruitment Authority (VRA) appointment

Eligible as a noncompetitive reinstatement candidate

Eligible under EO 12721 (expires after 3 years)

Eligible under EO 13473 and accompanying sponsor on a PCS move with orders dated after marriage (expires two years after date of sponsors orders for each PCS)



Eligible under an interchange agreement

Termination from PPP-S occurs in certain circumstances, including:

Automatically, 12 months after registration. The registrant will be notified and can re-register if they are still eligible.

After 2 years from date orders were issued

If/when spouse accepts or declines a continuing position in a federal agency

Spouses refusal to participate in established competitive recruitment procedures (decline interview, do not apply for position after being matched by HRO, etc.)

The Priority Placement Program (PPP) is an automated mandatory placement program, which is often referred to as the stopper list. All hiring actions must clear PPP. If an individual registered in PPP qualifies for the vacancy, they willin most casesbe offered the position. The PPP was established to assist certain federal employees who were subject to displacement (e.g., due to BRAC, a natural disaster, a reduction-in-force) and give them priority for vacancies in order to retain employees impacted by these situations. Not all positions are eligible for PPP-S.

Requirements for positions under PPP-S include: DOD vacancies only

Competitive service positions only (not NAF, educator positions within DODDS, etc.)

CONUS

Commuting area of sponsors duty station (usually 50-mile radius)

There are three levels of priority for PPP, 1 being the highest priority and 3 being the lowest; Military Spouses who register in PPP-S are given a priority of 3 in PPP. In other words, if there are no matches among individuals registered in PPP that have a priority level of 1 or 2, the Military Spouse should be hired if they are found to be among the best qualified (BQ). If

multiple spouses registered in PPP-S are found to be BQ, the hiring manager can select any of them.

However, Military Spouses must understand that they must apply for the position in order to exercise PPP-S. It is not automatic. Referral through Program S (PPP-S) is the only means by which eligible, immediately appointable spouses will receive preference for competitive service positions in the continental United States.

Some hiring offices will notify the applicant that they are a match. The spouse will receive an email that states they are a match for a position (including title and grade for that position) and that they must apply via USAJOBS. If the spouse does not apply, they will be removed from the PPP-S. If they apply and are not found to be BQ, they do not lose eligibility in PPP-S. PPP-S can be used once per PCS (within two years of date orders are issued) for a permanent, continuing position (not temp, term, and/or intermittent).

ELIGIBILITY FOR PPP-S BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 12721You are eligible for this hiring category if you have completed 52 weeks in an appropriated fund position, performed under a local hire appointment overseas. Work must have been performed during the time the family member was accompanying a sponsor, officially assigned to an overseas area and the eligible family member (EFM) must have received a fully successful or better (or equivalent) performance rating. Creditable service may have been under more than one appointment and need not be continuous.

An individual must have been a family member at the time they met the overseas service requirement, but does not need to be a family member at the time of noncompetitive appointment in the United States. An eligible family member is a spouse or unmarried child under the age of 23.

Any law, Executive Order, or regulation that disqualifies an applicant for appointment in the


competitive service also disqualifies the applicant for appointment under EO 12721. An individual is eligible for temporary, term, or career-conditional appointment(s) under EO 12721 for a period of 3 years following the date of return from overseas to the United States to resume residence.

REGISTERING FOR PPP-SYou must make an appointment with the local HRO in order to register for PPP-S. It is recommended that you call the main number at your installation and request to speak with someone about registering. Depending on the installation, there may be one or several individuals with whom you need to meet.

You may be asked to provide documentation prior to your meeting so the HRO can verify your eligibility and review your resume. Be sure to bring the following to your appointment:

Federal Resume

PCS Orders

Eligibility Documentation (e.g., marriage certificate or license)

SF-50 and recent performance appraisal (if current or previous federal employee)

SF-75 (if applicable)

At your appointment you will be added to the PPP database and registered according to your preferences/availability, including whether you are willing to accept time-limited appointments and schedules other than full-time. You will be also be registered according to job series and grade level.

Your resume will be evaluated to determine which job series are applicable, as well as the grade level for which you qualify. You can be registered for up to five series, and will be qualified at a high grade and a low grade for each series. You will not be registered in the 300 series (General Administrative, Clerical and Office Services) unless you have held a federal position in that series.Ask questions if you have them. If you disagree with how you have been classified, inquire as to why you were rated in such a way. You can also request a

second opinion or schedule another appointment to request that your resume be re-evaluated. Keep in mind that the contents of your resume are what is used to classify you, so you may need to edit your resume to better reflect your experience.

You will then review a checklist with the HRO staff and initial it. This is done to ensure that you understand what you have registered for. At the conclusion of the meeting, you will be given a copy of the registration record.

DONT WAIT You can register 30 days prior to PCS.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK Understand the federal job classification system and how it works. Identify the series and grade level for which you qualify.

BE THOROUGH If your relevant experience, skills, and duties arent clearly stated on your federal resume, they wont count.

HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDEWhile many HRO staff want to help, MSP is not an entitlement.

KNOW HROS ROLEThis department determines if you qualify for a position, so they cannot give out resume advice or be your career coach.

BE FLEXIBLETO A POINTThe parameters you select when registering for PPP-S determine the likelihood of a position match, so dont overly narrow your focus.

6 TIPS FOR USING PPP-S



FINDING EMPLOYMENT WITH CONTRACTOR FIRMSDirect-hire government employment is not the only way that Military Spouses can work in the federal government arena. The federal government buys goods ranging from office supplies to weapons systems through the procurement process. In addition to the tangible purchases, it also buys services from companies, including professional services in a number of fields. Many firmslarge and smalldo business with the government and hire people at the professional level for direct client support or other firm-specific support. These firms may provide another employment alternative for Military Spouses looking for professional career paths that fit the portability requirements driven by frequent PCS moves.

CONTRACT EMPLOYMENT PROSThere are great reasons for Military Spouses to work for a federal contractor rather than working for the government directly. First, you may have a better chance of being hired into a contractor workforce than into a GS position without specific experience. Contractors often have less bureaucracy in the hiring process, which means that they can be more flexible in their hiring and promotion practices. This may yield additional career progression opportunitieseither with the same employer through various PCS moves, or with multiple government contractor employers once you have experience in the field.

CONTRACT EMPLOYMENT CONSFederal contract employment, like direct-hire positions, is not a panacea. With the new fiscal austerity measures, contracts are being cut significantly, and there are many highly-qualified contractor employees competing for open positions. Depending on the size of the firm,

and the availability of contract positions at new duty stations, you may not have job portability opportunities with the same firm. Pay and benefits can also vary widely from firm to firm, and from position to position.

One particular thing to note is that firms sometimes hire independent contractors (often referred to as 1099s based on the IRS form associated with tax filings for these individuals) instead of direct employees. There is nothing inherently wrong with being hired as a 1099 contractor, but there are implications of the status. With 1099 status, the firm does not pay employer taxes (the employee is responsible for paying them) and they do not provide benefits. Also, the general employment protections given to employees are not extended to 1099 workers. If you are offered a consulting opportunity as a 1099, you must ensure that your hourly pay is increased from what it would be as a direct-hire employee to compensate for those added costs that will come out of your own pocket.

FINDING CONTRACT EMPLOYMENTLike any other private sector, for-profit job, government contractor firms use a number of recruiting methods. Look for opportunities on LinkedIn or large job boards such as Monster (which also powers the job board for Military.com). Many contractor employers have joined the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) program run by the Department of Defense, and post their positions on the MSEP website (https://msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil/).


Check out the Military Spouse eMentor program (http://ementorprogram.org/p/milspouse/about), which includes mentors from many of the government contract firms; you may be able to find a mentor at one of your target firms, and leverage them to help you find employment with that company.

Remember, contracting firms are not government agencies, so use a corporate resume format (and cover letter) when applying for contractor positions.

FINDING TARGET COMPANIESThere are a few creative ways to find out which firms may be working on your military installation or with other government agencies around your local area. There are generally multiple firms that work as prime contractors as well as subcontractors in any metro area.

Targeted Web Searches: Many large contract awards are posted on fedbizopps.gov, and all contract awards are (supposed to be) posted on USAspending.gov. Search these sites to determine which firmslarge or smallmay have received contract awards in your area. Sometimes these large firms will list who their subcontractors are (e.g., on their website). Subcontracts are also often listed on USAspending.gov.

Small Business Oce: Most installations and local federal agencies have a contracting office, and many of those contracting offices have a small business office. Call or email them and ask if you can get a list of which firms currently have contracts or subcontracts on base. After all,

youre a firm who wants to do business with the governmentyou are just a firm of one!

Local conferences: In the same vein, go to conferences in your local area that are aimed at businesses in your field. Often agencies or commands will have small business conferences that help guide companies wishing to do business with that agency.

Professional Organizations & Chambers of Commerce: The local Chamber of Commerce is very plugged in to the companies that do business with the federal government. In military-affiliated communities, the Chambers may even have a military affairs committee. They will know who is doing (or trying to do) business with the government, and may be able to direct you to the right companies. They also likely have networking events that may be worth attending.

Professional organizations in your field offer networking opportunities where you can learn who are the big players in the area. Broad-based organizations like Women in Defense (WID) or the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and industry-specific organizations like the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) offer great opportunities to network for federal and private sector employment.

Informational Interviews & Networking: Just like with any other employment, the best way to get the lay of the land in a new area is to network. Set up informational interviews. Find out from the people on base which firms are providing services.

Finally, join one of In Gear Careers local chapters, which are located near major military installations. Membership is free, and provides Military Spouses with:

Opportunities to build professional networks

Supportive communities of like-minded spouses

Exclusive professional development workshops

Much more!Visit ingearcareer.org to join today



RESOURCESAVAILABLE JOB POSITIONS

http://www.usajobs.govhttp://www.nafjobs.orghttps://msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil/

FEDERAL CONTRACTING

http://www.fedbizopps.govhttp://www.USAspending.gov

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HIRING AUTHORITIES

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/

PATHWAYS PROGRAM INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

https://www.usajobs.gov/studentsandgrads/

POSITION CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS FOR GOVERNMENT JOBS

http://www.opm.gov/fedclass/html/gsseries.asp

FEDERAL SALARY & WAGES FOR GS POSITIONS

http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/#url=2013

CAREER ADVICE & NETWORKING

http://www.ingearcareer.orghttp://ementorprogram.org/p/milspouse/

Documents

Military Spouse Federal Employment Guide