How Federal Jobs are Filled
How Federal Jobs are Filled
By Barbara Adams, CPRW, CEIP, CFRW, CMRW
www.careerproplus.com and www.militaryresumewriters.com
The federal government is the nation’s single largest employer, with more than 35,000 vacancies listed on its official Web site, www.USAJobs.gov, per day. However, many people who attempt to gain employment with the federal government often find the process to not only be intimidating, but also frustrating.
While many agencies within the government fill their vacancies much in the same way as private companies, there are some very notable differences. One of the biggest sources of confusion to the job-seeker exploring federal employment for the first time is understanding the types of vacancies and the eligibility criteria for each.
Unlike the private sector, where a candidate submits a resume and cover letter for a vacancy for which a candidate believes they possess the qualifications, the federal government operates a little differently.
To begin with, there are three categories of federal jobs within the executive branch. Each category has its own unique set of criteria for eligibility, including but not limited to specific education levels, security clearances, professional certifications and licenses, and, in some limited cases (such as FBI special agent positions), age and physical condition mandates.
The Three Categories of Federal Jobs
Competitive Service. This covers jobs that fall solely under the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) jurisdiction and which are subject to the civil service laws passed by Congress to ensure that applicants and employees receive fair and equal treatment in the hiring process. Candidates are chosen from an applicant pool based on their qualifications and how closely they meet the desired competencies stated in the vacancy announcement.
Competitive service jobs cover the majority of federal employment opportunities. The objective is to identify the best qualified candidates for the vacancy. Applicants typically consist of persons from the private sector, the federal employment ranks, and former military service personnel who are attempting to transition to post-military employment.
Excepted Service. Excepted service positions are excepted by law because the agencies offering these types of positions have direct ties to national security and/or intelligence functions. Examples of positions that fall under excepted service include attorneys, chaplains, and medical doctors, because for these types of jobs, it is difficult to use standard qualification requirements such as what’s used in competitive jobs to rate applicants. Examples of agencies that fill the bulk of their vacancies via excepted service include the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of State, the National Security Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
While civilian, transitioning military and existing government professionals are invited to apply for these positions, they need to be aware that these jobs are usually filled under a special circumstance, such as part-time or temporary positions in remote locations or when there is a critical hiring need. Also, since these jobs are directly tied to national security, candidates will typically need to pass a government security screening, a physical fitness test, and other special criteria depending on the position.
Excepted service positions are not required by law to be posted on USAJobs.com. Candidates who are interested in these types of position should consult the official Web sites of the agencies that offer this type of employment opportunity.
Senior Executive Service (SES). The SES was established by Title IV of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 and focuses on top management positions within the federal government (those at a GS-15 or higher). These professionals are the equivalent of Directors, Vice Presidents, and CEOs of medium- to large-scale companies in the private sector. They are the people who are given the challenges associated with leading the continuing transformation of the federal government.
Unlike the competitive and excepted service jobs, SES positions are not graded; instead, salary is linked to individual performance. Members of the SES are not eligible for locality pay. There are two ways in which a candidate may apply for SES positions. The first is to apply directly to a federal agency offering an SES vacancy. The second is to apply to the federal agency’s SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), to gain the eligibility necessary for a career appointment to an SES position without further competition.
Competitive Service Jobs: Who’s Eligible for Employment
The basic criterion for Competitive Service jobs is United States citizenship. A candidate will submit an application packet consisting of a federal resume (which varies from a civilian resume), and other documentation such as a Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) statement; formal education transcripts, DD-214s, and others.
Eligible candidates are then grouped into three categories:
1) Candidates who have applied and met the qualification requirements for a specific vacancy announcement. This is the most common method of entry for candidates who are new to the federal hiring process.
2) Candidates who have civil service status. These are candidates already employed by the federal government who are eligible for noncompetitive movement within the competitive service. When these candidates are chosen for positions, it’s usually the result of a merit promotion, reassignment, transfer, or reinstatement.
3) Candidates that qualify for a special noncompetitive appointing authority established by law or executive order. This category includes military veterans who are eligible for Veteran’s Preference points, or members of the Peace Corps.
