Career Guides >> Browse Articles >> Government Job Search

Six Common Myths of Federal Job Hunting

Most federal job seekers spend a majority of their time hunting for positions online, using websites such as USAJOBS.

According to the Office of Personnel Management, in the next 10 years, 60 percent of federal workers will be retiring in the next 10 years. There is plenty of opportunity, but job seekers need to remember that the process for landing a job with the federal government is radically different than what they may be used to in the private sector.

We’ve compiled six common myths job seekers believe when going for that government job, based on calls and emails to the USAJOBS customer support team and feedback from federal recruiters.

Myth 1: “Enrolling in a Federal Jobs Seminar or Buying Job Listings Will Get Me Hired”

Myth 2: “I Can Breeze Through These Screening Questions”

Myth 3: “The Feds Can Translate My Private Sector Resume into Their Format”

Myth 4: “I Don’t Need to Mail/Fax in Those Forms”

Myth 5: “My Application Disappeared into the Black Hole of Government”

Myth 6: “The Recruiter Will Figure Out If I’m Qualified”