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.

Disabled veterans with disability ratings of 30 percent or greater may also qualify for Selective Placement Programs. For information on this program, the Vietnam Era Veteran Readjustment Act, or other services, contact the local Department of Veterans Affairs, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Offices or the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in your area.

STUDENTS
To encourage students to consider federal employment, all levels of students, from high school to professional degree, qualify for federal job opportunities under the Student Educational Employment Program.

Opportunities under the Student Educational Employment Program include: the Student Career Experience Program, which features work-study arrangements between students, their school and federal agencies involved in the program; Internships, which are offered through several colleges, organizations and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management; and Student Temp Educational Program (STEP), which offers temporary employment opportunities or summer employment.

To apply for these programs, students should talk with their school guidance office, their college career planning and placement office, or the federal agency employment office where they would like to work.

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Individuals with disabilities can apply directly to a federal job opening or use the special hiring program established by the federal government. These Selective Placement Programs are designed to assist people with special circumstances in their job search for federal employment.

Selective Placement Coordinators are available within each government agency for people with mental retardation, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities who submit proof of disability documentation and a certification of job readiness from a licensed medical professional, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or a government agency issuing disability benefits.

Those using a Selective Placement Coordinator should submit their application, documentation and resume directly to the coordinator. During the interview process, candidates should discuss with the hiring official any workplace accommodations they may need.

To use the Selective Placement Programs service, contact the government agency where you want to work and ask for their Selective Placement, Disability Employment Coordinator or their equivalent.

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.

The state government hiring process is less formal, however U.S. states are required to comply with certain hiring criteria, such as standardized requirements or testing, when selecting individuals for certain positions. But hiring for other positions is more flexible allowing for referred candidates to be given higher preference over others.

Because many positions in state government fall under a union’s collective bargaining agreement, current union employees are given preference to positions over non-union employees and out-of-state applicants.

There are also positions within state government that do not fall under a union’s contract. They may have different employment applications, job titles and salaries than those of contract employees.

The hiring process within each municipality in a state is much like the hiring process for state government. If there is a union in the city or town, union employees receive first choice of a job opening. Otherwise, all candidates who meet the qualifications for a job opening are placed on an eligibility list and the hiring manager decides which candidates to interview. Often times, qualified candidates who are referred by a municipal employee, a local official, or a person with connections to local government are granted interviews and given a higher preference in the hiring decision.

With both state and local job openings, the Human Resources Department usually reviews all applications to confirm that they meet the required qualifications. Those that do are referred to the hiring manager of the agency, division, department, or unit within the job vacancy. The hiring manager then arranges for interviews with top candidates and makes the final hiring decision. Depending on the job, approval from other levels of government may be required.

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.

TELEPHONE
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has an automated telephone system that provides current job openings. Job seekers can also use the interactive voice response telephone system to obtain applications and required forms. Depending on the position, the application process can be completed by phone. The phone number for the Automated Telephone System is 1-703-724-1850 or TDD 1-978-461-8404.

NEWSPAPERS
Federal jobs are sometimes advertised nationwide in the classified jobs section of your local daily newspaper, as well as the Federal Jobs Digest, Federal Career Opportunities and Career America News newspapers. Also check the business or classified ads section of national newspapers, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and U.S.A. Today. All these publications are available at your local library or bookstore.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
If there is a local government agency or office in your area where you would like to work, inquire about job openings and drop off a resume with the Human Resources or Personnel Department.

EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES
Employment agencies operated by state government have access to all federal jobs. Computers are available to search and apply for these jobs, free of charge. Private employment agencies can also assist with your job search. While a private agency spends more time with you and assists you with the application and interview processes, there is a fee for their service.

LOCAL PHONE BOOK
Your state or local phone book is a great source in finding government agencies in your area. The phone book has a federal government section that lists the names, addresses and phone numbers of each local agency. It’s a great starting point when searching for federal job opportunities in your local area.

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.

All federal jobs list a pay grade level. However, the same job description could have several pay grade levels. As an applicant, you will be placed in a pay grade level based on your educational background, experience, and skills. For example, a person applying for a position with a bachelor’s degree and experience might be placed in the GS-7 pay grade, while a person with a master’s degree and experience applying for the same position might start out in the GS-9 pay grade because of their higher education.

Within each GS pay grade are steps, which are based on length of service and job performance. There are 10 steps within each grade level, with each step representing an increase in salary.

The federal government also provides locality pay increases as a means of addressing local labor market conditions. Each year, the federal government reviews survey comparisons of private sector pay rates versus federal wage rates in each geographic area. If it is determined that federal employees in a particular state are being paid well below the private sector, a locality pay increase would be applied to their salary. Federal employees working in areas with higher costs of living are also eligible for a locality pay increase.

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.

Under the federal government, senior executives are a level below the top appointees made by the President of the United States. They are the main link between the President’s appointees and federal employees. When leadership sets its agenda, it is members of the SES who coordinate its implementation. They are accountable for the performance of their specific government agency and its employees in executing the specifics of the President’s agenda.

In addition to executive positions, SES is comprised of managerial, supervisory, and policy positions. Under federal classification, the SES represents positions that are above Grade 15 or the equivalent in the executive branch.

The SES also manages a Candidate Development Program for government employees who want to advance into managerial and executive roles. Those who successfully complete the SES Candidate Development Program may be eligible for appointment to the SES.

Applying for an SES position is straightforward. Each government agency seeking an SES position advertises its opening with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.  Applicants complete and submit all aspects of the application’s requirements, which could include an essay outlining mandatory Executive Core Qualifications. The application is submitted to the agency who then selects a candidate. The candidate’s Executive Core Qualifications are then forwarded to the Qualifications Review Board of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. This board must certify all candidates before they are appointed to the SES.