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A completed application, your resume, and additional skills or professional certification documentation are the basic requirements when applying for a federal job. But there are other federal job requirements not related to job skills. These range from age and U.S. citizenship requirements to concerns like a criminal background or security clearance. The federal government has detailed policies and procedures to address these issues. Here is a quick overview:

AGE REQUIREMENT
The minimum entry age requirement to apply for most federal jobs is age 18. However, 16-year-olds can apply if they meet any one of these situations: graduated from high school or possesses an equivalent certificate, completed a formal vocational training program, received a statement from school authorities stating employment is preferred over education, or is under a formal student employment program.

All federal job opportunities are open to veterans, students and individuals with disabilities who meet the application requirements in terms of experience and skills. To encourage applications from veterans, students, and persons with disabilities, the federal government has implemented hiring programs designed to address specific needs.

VETERANS
The Veterans’ Employment & Training Service (VETS) provides job services and resources to assist veterans seeking employment with the federal government. By law, active-duty and disabled veterans of the Armed Forces, receive special consideration over non-veterans in recognition of the sacrifices they made in serving our country. Veterans meeting the 5 or 10 point preference requirements as outlined by the U.S. Office of Personnel should indicate “Preference” on their application or resume. These points are added to a veteran’s written examination score.

Too much red tape and mounds of paperwork are the two main reasons why people don’t apply for federal jobs. But thanks to the Internet, these roadblocks have been removed and, as a result, the federal hiring process is much more streamlined. So here is the new and improved federal hiring process.

The federal hiring process is based on the class assigned to the position. The two categories are Competitive Civil Service and Excepted Service. Competitive Civil Service jobs have more stringent requirements in the hiring process as dictated by civil service laws passed by the U.S. Congress. These laws are aimed at ensuring that all applicants receive fair and equal treatment during the hiring process. As such, more attention is given to make certain that an applicant meets all the qualification requirements of the position.

There are both similarities and differences in the hiring process between federal, state, and local government jobs.

The federal job hiring process is a very standardized procedure with set requirements and interview questions for jobs. It is a very formal process to ensure that all candidates are considered equally for the position.

Perhaps the major difference between federal, state, and local government hiring practices is the involvement of workers unions on the state and local level.

There are several avenues available when searching for a job with the federal government. They include:

INTERNET
Here at Government Jobs Central a jobseeker can search all available Federal, State & local government jobs. Job seekers can search for any type of government job in their particular state or by category. You’ll also find detailed information about job qualifications, application requirements and pay grade level is provided. You can also apply and submit all documentation online.

The federal government job hiring process uses a structured interview format in which questions are standardized and scored. As such, each candidate applying for the same position would be asked the same questions that are scored against criteria (called benchmark proficiencies) established for the position.

For example, the hiring manager will place a numerical number after your response to a question based on how well you demonstrated your knowledge and experience in answering the specifics of a particular area. This scoring system ensures that each candidate is evaluated based on a non-bias, quantifiable score.

By all accounts, the outlook for federal jobs looks bright for years to come. Even during economic instability, the federal government workforce remains stable as job growth increases in certain areas and people retire or leave federal employment.

The latest figures show that the federal government is the largest employer in the United States, employing more than 1.8 million civilian workers. That number excludes the U.S. Postal Service. And if you think all those jobs are around our nation’s capital, think again. The most recent job report indicates that nine out of 10 federal employees work outside the Washington, D.C. area.

The federal government sets salaries for positions according to its grade level. A grade level is determined based on the requirements of the job and the level of responsibility. The system under which grade levels are categorized is called the General Schedule (GS) and range from GS-1, which is the lowest grade, to GS-15, which is the highest.

The GS system is used for most professional and administrative federal employees. A separate pay system is used for senior executives. For blue-collar workers in the trade or craft areas, the Federal Wage System is used to ensure that federal wages are in line with current regional wage rates for similar jobs. This gives the federal government flexibility to pay more competitively in geographic areas where rates are higher for these trades.

While the federal government seeks candidates for career opportunities that range from entry-level to managerial, it actively recruits people with sound executive-level experience for its Senior Executive Services (SES).

Established by the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act, SES is managed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Its mission is to ensure that the executive level of the federal government is “responsive to the needs, policies, and goals of the nation and otherwise is of the highest quality.” The SES also consolidated the multitude of separate executive personnel authorities, thus unifying all the hiring requirements and executive management processes into one streamlined personnel system.

Why work for the federal government instead of the private sector? Both areas offer their own set of pros and cons, so the choice ultimately comes down to what is right for you and your circumstances. To help in the decision-making, here are some pros and cons to consider:

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

PROS
1. Job security. Layoffs are rare.
2. Good benefits. Federal jobs have solid and generous benefit packages.
3. Regular salary increases. Federal jobs fall under pay grades that dictate increases and cost-of-living adjustments at regular intervals.
4. Job fulfillment. There’s a sense of satisfaction as you work for the good of your country.