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Tips for Federal Government Applications

Tips for Federal Government Applications. Fall 2011. Resources on Government Hiring . http://www.usajobs.gov/ http://makingthedifference.org/index.shtml http://www.luc.edu/law/career/govt_handbooks.html University of Arizona Handbook Government Honors and Internships/Public Policy

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Tips for Federal Government Applications

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  1. Tips for Federal Government Applications Fall 2011

  2. Resources on Government Hiring http://www.usajobs.gov/ http://makingthedifference.org/index.shtml http://www.luc.edu/law/career/govt_handbooks.html University of Arizona Handbook Government Honors and Internships/Public Policy http://www.luc.edu/law/career/pdfs/Government_Chicago.pdf CBA Government Services Career Fair (spring) Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference (MPILCC)--February 4, 2012 at Northwestern www.pslawnet.org 2011-2012 NALP Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide There are two primary components of the initial application process, federal résumés and assessment tools.

  3. Tips on Resumes • Federal résumés are a critical component of the application process for government jobs and internships. These résumés, which are created on USAJOBS.gov, require more detail than a private sector résumé. • Examples of the additional details that you will need for this document include information about your past employment, such as dates and number of hours worked per week, as well as supervisor contact information. • One of the best features of USAJOBS.gov is that once you create an account, you can build and save up to five federal résumés, each tailored to a different position description; • This is extremely important! Review the duties section found in each job vacancy announcement, identify the keywords in the description and include them in your résumé.

  4. Tips on Assessment Tools •  The federal government has traditionally used two assessment tools for applicants – questionnaires and essays. With regards to the former, many agencies will ask applicants to answer a variety of multiple choice questions; these questionnaires can contain upwards of 100 questions. If you are applying for a position on USAJOBS.gov, you can preview the questionnaire in the “How to Apply” section of the job vacancy announcement.

  5. KSAs • Agencies may also ask applicants to answer knowledge, skills and abilities essays, better known as KSAs. These essays are meant to determine what makes an applicant stand out in a particular area. Examples of these essay questions include “Ability to communicate in writing” or “Knowledge in applying advanced IT principles.” There is no set number of KSAs for a position; therefore, the number will vary by agency and opening.Typically, a KSA response runs between a half-page and a full-page in length. When writing these essays, it is extremely important that you focus on the description of duties found in the job vacancy announcement. As you would when creating a federal résumé, you must identify the keywords and include them in your essays. Agencies will often use a computer to run keyword searches, so by using the words found in the position description, you will be sure to grab readers’ attention.Federal agencies are in the process of implementing a number of hiring reforms. One of these changes surrounds KSAs. After November 1, 2010, agencies cannot require applicants to answer these essays during the first step of the application process. It is likely that agencies will implement another type of assessment in place of these essays.

  6. Mission Driven • You should convey your interest and enthusiasm for the work of the agency in your application materials and in an interview. • Be knowledgeable about the work of the agency and speak with attorneys/fellow students about their experiences.

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