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12 Biggest Mistakes of Federal Job Seekers
72 Comments
If you are a first-time federal jobseeker, feeling desperate for a good, stable job, read this list of mistakes and avoid them. You will waste valuable job search time, energy and enthusiasm if you are doing it all wrong. In the current job market, it is better if you slow down, read the announcements for the qualifications, carefully review the questionnaires, and write good answers to questionnaire essays and KSA narratives. Consider the federal job search your “job”.
Your mission: To get a GOOD Job.
This article is a collection of the biggest mistakes that I am seeing when reviewing and critiquing resumes from private sector candidates seeking federal jobs or coaching people in federal job search who are out of work right now and want a federal job.
Featured Author: Kathryn Troutman
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mutombi
over 3 years ago
8 comments
Number 1 Worst Job Hunting Mistake: Living in America. Outsourced jobs... sold out workers... no viable retirement/pensions... what else could make working here worse? IBM just recorded vast profits for the last quarter... yet laid off 10,000 American workers. They are sending the jobs of hard working Americans that built their company great straight to Ching and Abu so they can pay them only $1.97/hour.
Informeplease
over 3 years ago
2 comments
There is something fundamentally wrong with the Federal Government's OPM hiring procedures that require specially written "Federal-Style" resumes and cleverly worded KSA replies to Essay questions resulting in foolish applicants paying "professional" essay writing companies hundreds of dollars to produce such breathtaking nonsense. Dispense with the obstacle course games, and streamline the application process. Downloading a simple resume with official college transcripts should suffice. Based on the average caliber of current federal employees, where is the risk in hiring recent American citizen college grads with high GPA's who have already proven themselves--and invested thousands of dollars in their education?
lory
almost 4 years ago
10 comments
what a bummer... another job application rejected... but I'm staying motivated.
Tukunder
almost 4 years ago
8 comments
Ms. Troutman, what are the 5 major sites where I can create a job search profile? They are not listed in your "12 Biggest Mistakes of Federal Job Seekers" article in GovCentral Newsletter on 7/23/09.
TushMoorman
almost 4 years ago
4 comments
If someone could provide me the steps to writing narratives and questionnaire essays, any kind of draft or examples to submit these KSA's, then that would be most helpful and greatly appreciated!
akkarim
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
I've applied for several jobs on Usajobs, Fedjobs and other sites but not getting any calls or interviews. I don't know what else I need to do. I've been unemployed for over 7 months now.
AKK.
gorilla311
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
If the federal government knows that this many people are having trouble getting interviews and/or getting to the next step in the application process; then why not make it more accommodating to the applicant. I have tried to apply for a Security Officer job through USAJOBS and I'm usually running in to a data base one year away Feb. 2010. Leon E.
verny27
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
I applied for several hundreds federal jobs and I'm not getting nowhere. I have a Master's degree in Security Management and still nowhere. I'm a veterans and still can't get OJT from VA. I am willing to work for free to get more experience to get jobs. When I applied with some of these federal positions sometimes I can't even get them to tell me why and what happen. Last year I applied for a School Monitor job on the bus through the federal agency and still didn't get a callback. I applied for interns, no callback. I guest I was hoping the stimulus package would help out the unemployed, but it seem those jobs are gone to whoever. What do I do try for another degree? I'm still hanging in there.
minhwanl
almost 4 years ago
4 comments
DHS and FEMA has job announcement mailing list.
http://www.fema.gov/help/getemail.shtm
maryhannon
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
I've been using USAjobs, submitting applications, and basically getting no where. Homeland Security just sent me an email letting me know my score was 99. How can I be more proactive, possibly getting asked to come in for an interview?
dprophet21st
almost 4 years ago
6 comments
Can you please explain what they really mean by asking if you have at least one year specialized experience at the next lower grade? Are they assuming that all applicants have prior federal experience, this is kind of tricky? How do they evaluate your other experience to determine whether you meet that criteria or not?
r_schultz
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
I have applied for several jobs at Usajobs.gov. I have been successful at uploading my resume, DD214 and other documents. I am a business professional and I am not familiar with KSA's. If I am missing out on additional opportunities I would appreciate any assistance.
Sincerely,
Robert Schultz
willisaw
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
I thought you'd be able to use this information.
jwcoon50
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
Not a good article. Mentions the mistakes but provides NO real clarity for correcting them, especially when it talks about the five sites for job searches but does not name them.
re-work the article for more in-depth answers and you would have someething there.
dk550
over 4 years ago
2 comments
take a look at this