USAJobs Part 1 – Federal Employment Overview & Tools

If you ever wanted to apply for a Federal Job, you have probably found your way to USAJobs. USAJobs isn’t the most user friendly site and can be a bit confusing. I wanted to start by providing an overview of the site. This will be a 3-part series to assist you in the process of applying for a Federal position. I’ll provide information as I learn & in part 3, I’ll show you the steps I took to apply and update my results.

What is USAJobs?
USAJobs is the official site for Federal Jobs and Employment Information. If you want a Federal Job, USAJobs is the site you’ll need to use to apply.

How the Process Works
How Jobs Get Filled will show you how the entire process works. Some additional information such as the hiring process, federal job applications, civil service exams & hiring trends can also be found at Information Center.

Search Options
Search by keyword, location, job category, salary range and pay grade. You can also search by eligibility for federal employment. USAJobs – Job Search
Jobs in Demand

Post Your Resume
Once you are a member, you can build your resume online, apply for federal jobs & establish job alerts. You can use the Resume Builder and keep up to 5 active resumes online. In addition to your resume, many jobs require Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs).

Resume and KSAs Tips
Interview Tips

Job Applications
Once you apply for a job, it will direct you to an online application, such as Application Manager. The first time you use it, you’ll need to register. I’d recommend using the same username and password from USAJobs.
Application Manager Quick Start Guide

Additional Features
Veteran’s Employment Resource Center – Resource center for all Veterans. It includes jobs, benefits, forms, training assistance, etc.
Forms – Forms that may be required for certain positions.

Helpful Info
Government Jobs – How to Find a Federal Government Job
USAJobs Tutorials & Guides
Career Opportunities & Interest Tools

This has been a bit of an introduction to USAJobs. I plan to expand upon this in the near future and provide some personal tips on resume building, KSAs and application manager that I’ve learned along the way.