Federal Government Work

Federal Government Work

Federal Government Work is the ideal work for anybody! "This document is written with the understanding that the writers and publishers are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other such professional advice. Every attempt has been made to provide accurate information. Furthermore, the writers or publishers can not be held accountable for any error or omission. If legal or accounting advice is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought."

Overview

There is no larger employer in the world than the United States Government. Positions are available on a near regular basis, despite recent cutbacks. Not only are there opportunities domestically, but employment outside the United States is a possibility on military bases, overseas embassies and various departments of defense and state agencies.

Initial contact to determine types of employment that are open in the various government agencies at any one time should be made with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) at 1900 E Street, NW, Room E453, Washington, DC 20415, 1-202-606-2440. Here, you can obtain specific job listings and other personal information. The Federal Personnel Man-ual covers all aspects of personnel management within the federal government structure and is available on a subscription basis.

You will have to become familiar with a whole new employment language. This is the federal government, after all. A special occupational classification system exists which determines pay and job grades.

There are four basic types of positions within the federal government:

1. Career. The career position is the one to which most federal workers ultimately subscribe. This is full-time, entitled to all rights and privileges of government employment. A three year probationary period must be completed first before you achieve this category classification.

2. Career-Conditional. This position of a probationary nature, lasting three years after which you become eligible for a career classification. During this period of time, employees are measured on their abilities and effort in an attempt to decide if they can be upgraded to career at the end of the three year period. Since the career employee is generally the last one affected by cutbacks (like those being experienced now), this probationary period is a critical one for the individual aspiring to full-time permanent status within the US Government.

3. Term. These are positions filled for a finite period of time. Generally, an agency may be given a project or research study lasting for a set period of time (one, two, three years, for example) after which a report is due. Since assistance may be needed to complete this project, the grant money awarded is used to hire term employees, hired until the end of the project. Health benefits will likely be available. Pension benefits probably will not. The term employee who perform well may have an inside track to future employment within the career-conditional employment level mentioned above.

4. Temporary. These positions are less than one year in length and do not carry any special privileges or benefits like health insurance. However, work well done is generally remembered. In addition, you may be privy to hearing about other openings and if your work has been satisfactory, a supervisor’s recommendation can help move you into position for other work.

As you can see, these are stepping stone types of positions. This is the way the federal government works. Within this structure is a pre-programmed format within which one moves slowly up the ranks. There is little room for diversity and flexibility within this framework, but there is a certain amount of stability and security the farther along you go. There is also the chance for part- time work on either a temporary or term basis and that information would be listed along with the posting of the position itself.

The controlling organization is the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). OPM fills the available Federal positions with few exceptions. They are the clearing house for applications to which they compare your qualifications with the listed positions. Or, if your application is to just be put on record, OPM reviews it with an eye towards agency suitability and places your name on a list for further reference as positions come up.

When a job opening then becomes available, this list is consulted for a potential name(s) to be sent directly to the department looking for workers. A number of factors are used in qualifying people and your success will depend as much on your experience as it will on compensation available, number of people applying for the position and number of openings. OPM’s lists do fill up and there are times when they are so plentiful, they take no further applications, instead inviting you to contact them at a later date.

Your best bet is to contact the Federal Job Information Center located in the nearest metropolitan area to you.

This network of centers provides information on summer employment, necessary exams, employment application forms and other aspects of obtaining federal employment. There is a free directory Federal Job Information Centers that will have the latest contact points for you. This publication can be obtained by contacting the Federal Job Information Center office in OPM at 202-606-2700. Listed below are the latest addresses available at press time.

Alabama Office of Personnel Management 806 Governors Drive Huntsville, AL 35801 (205) 453-5070

Alaska Federal Building 701 C Street Anchorage, AK 99513 (907) 271-5821

By contacting your local center, you can find out what jobs are available in your area and receive information regarding the appropriate qualifications for each position. Higher paying jobs are going to attract the most competition, naturally. These positions also require the most schooling and experience, usually. Ascertaining these specifications can help you decide which positions you best qualify for application.

Finding An Available Job

Once you’ve contacted the local center and received information about the job, it’s time to try and obtain one. You will receive an application to complete. How you complete it can give you an advantage when it comes down to being short-listed for a specific position.

Whether your work experience is regular or volunteer, note it all in as much detail as you can. Government loves detail and the more descriptive your duties, tasks and accomplishments the more likely something might flash in the eyes of a personnel officer. Be sure and indicate how your past experiences qualify you specifically for the job you are seeking. Do not assume the person reading your application will make the obvious connection. Spell it out in detail and make the correlation for the personnel officer.

Do not miss an application deadline. If you do, you won’t be considered this time a round. In addition, do not leave out any information requested on the application. If you do, that could kick out your application as well. The government is very picky about this type of detail. The application is almost like a sweepstakes entry. One error and you’re out of the running.

Along with the application may be the condition that a test be taken. The application packet will provide details about this testing and a list of testing centers where the test will be administered.

These tests are meant to give some indication of your proficiency level.

Typing positions often require a typing test. Postal service positions may have several tests measuring you ability to recall names and addresses. Pharmaceutical positions will take math tests. Correctional officers will be tested on their ability to handle people. The exact scope of the test will be detailed in your packet.

You will have to take whatever test is required. This is not an option. Failure to take disqualifies you from job consideration.

Don’t worry about it. If you have an interest in the position you’re applying for and a relevant background to qualify you for it, you will be able to take on the test. You’ll be in with several other people taking the test, too. If you fail one, take another. Experience will make you better at test taking.

Certain Rules and Requirements

You will be assigned a rating following review of your application. Your former employers will be called to verify the information you put on the application and how productive you were in your prior position. The more experience you have and the positive feedback from prior employers, the better your rating.

A college degree improves your rating. Successful passing of any required tests helps your rating. The higher the score, the more likely you will attract attention from potential hiring people.

Your Notice of Rating will have a score and an identification number. This will be your reference point for current and future applications. Other information required is your name, birth date, social security number and address. If you move, you will need to notify OPM so they may update your file.

Hiring may be done through these OPM back lists or the agency involved may simply ad-vance internally or even hire back a past employee. You won’t know which, but the higher your rating, the more likely you’ll land on the short list of three applicants per position, one of whom must be hired.

Those individuals that are handicapped will be given every opportunity to earn a rating and qualify for a job, too. The Americans With Disabilities Act specified non- discrimination in hiring practices between handicapped and non-handicapped individuals. Audio tests will be administered for the blind; and interpreter provided for deaf applicants, and so forth.

Veterans will also be given preferential treatment through increased rating points. Extra points above and beyond what the individual scores will be given for a Purple Heart, a service-related disability and honorable discharges. Widows of veterans will also be eligible for extra points. There are some restrictions but most veterans get some additional assistance in the hiring process.

If you feel you have been discriminated against in the hiring process, you have the right to go through a formal appeals process. Write a written letter of complaint to the agency stating the details of the situation within 30 days of the incident.

In positions of national security, you will be subject to a special investigation of your personal background. Your fingerprints will be checked, personal references will be contacted, all in the task of identifying the level of your integrity and reliability. You may be asked to review a list of organizations to ascertain if you have any connection with them.

Typically, the minimal age requirement is 18. Some positions such as federal law officers have a higher age standard required, but this is more the exception than the rule.

Completing your education is important to you--and the government. OPM will encourage you to finish school even as you are working full or part time or temporarily with the govern-ment. There are specific work-school programs that, if you fit this bill, you may be interested in. Your high school counselor (if you are still in high school) can help and so can OPM in your area.

You must be a citizen of the United States, with a few exceptions that are noted in the publication Federal Employment of Non-Citizens. Normally, only US citizens are allowed to compete for civil service positions. But foreign job situations do provide exceptions, so you should look into his further if this applies to you.

Drug testing is an extreme likelihood, so be prepared. If a job has certain physical qualifi-cations such as FBI agent or Border Patrol officer, this will be spelled out in your application packet.

Job Grading and Advancement

Job grading is something you should become familiar with in your search for government employment. A job grade dictates superiority and compensation level. OPM sets the compen-sation levels. These are based on a number of parameters such as past job experience, tech-nical knowledge, your education, job performance accountability and any specialized assign-ment out of the ordinary requiring specific qualifications.

The OPM or Federal Job Centers can give you the various ratings and the applicable com-pensation ranges within the classification. Whether you go to the bottom or the top of the class-ification will depend on the above measurements.

Advancement is not uncommon in the federal job market. As you become more proficient, you will likely be promoted up the ranks.

A general schedule of compensation grades applies to the white collar worker and ranges from grades GS-1 to GS-18. College educated white collar positions will qualify as a GS-5 to start, while secretarial positions begin in the GS- 1 to GS-3 range.

The blue collar worker will be categorized on a wage grade basis. Here, the compensation received changes with the locality of the work.

You can advance, salary-wise, from within a specific GS rating, based on the lower to upper ranges, of compensation within that grade. To go further, once you’ve reached the upper limit of pay within a grade, would require reclassification. The more proficient your work record, the greater likelihood of grade advancement.

You might even be able to obtain some training for higher level grades while working in your current position. Done after hours, this can put you in line for that promotion to place in a higher grade rating and, thus, in a higher pay range.

The usual number of hours worked in a week is 40. Monday through Friday. Some jobs, like a physician on call, is an exception to this rule. If the agency authorizes overtime, you may be eligible to work it. You can receive either pay or comparable time off as compensation. Bonuses may also be possible depending on the way the agency is funded.

Transfers are also acceptable ways to move around within the system. Your own agency’s personnel office can assist you with the necessary paperwork. You must first apply for a posi-tion in the other department and be accepted, but at least you know this is a possibility and is not discouraged among agencies.

You will be eligible for sick leave (13 days annually) and vacation (beginning at 13 days and increasing based on years of service). Health insurance is available through the Federal Employees Health Insurance Program, a wide array of benefit plans to choose from. There is also a Federal Government retirement program that is one of the best around.

After application, you will be advised about additional tests, information you should know is coming based on your review of the application packet. OPM will advise what examinations need to be taken on the position you’re applying for, and when and where these exams should be taken. While many positions need no additional testing, be prepared!

When the OPM has filled their lists, they will stop taking applications for a time. In general, they should be able to predict when they will next be accepting new applications.

Employment Sources

If you are looking for specific information on any particular federal subject, the following listing should be of interest to you. There are many and varied amounts of data on a wide assortment of ideas as this listing shows.

Affirmative Employment: OPM attempts to eliminate non-merit considerations such as race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin and the like from all aspects of federal hiring practices. There is also a selective program to place mentally and physically handicapped applicants, veterans, women and youth. This information can be obtained by contacting:

Office of Affirmative Employment Office of Personnel Management 1900 E Street NW Room 6355 Washington, DC 20415 (202) 606-1059

Federal Job Banks

Each government agency has an office within it responsible for personnel. Often, there are Dial-A-Job recordings that can give you information about immediate job openings. If you want to know about future employment prospects, the interview process and other questions about civil service can be answered by these agencies, too. This listing will also give you an idea of the range of federal agencies and where you might best fit into a future employment opportunity.

ACTION 1100 Vermont Ave. NW #5101 Washington, DC 20525 (202) 606-5135

Admin. Conference of US 2120 L St. NW Suite 500 Washington, DC 20037 (202) 254-7020

Summary

There are many great opportunities for employment among the federal ranks. It does require following the rules and doing things exactly by the book but for those with the discipline and patience, there are great chances for employment. This booklet should be a primer for you to get started. Order as many information pamphlets as you can. Be familiar with all of the rules. It will help you land a job! Good luck finding your ideal Federal Government Work.