2009 unc chapel hill holmgren careers in federal libraries

Careers in Federal LibrariesOctober 1, 2009

Typical Path to

Federal Recruitment

Stephanie HolmgrenBiomedical LibrarianNational Institute of

Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)[email protected]


Establish Job Series Determine Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) Determine Position Level and Salary Range

Job announcements

Screening of Applications Referral List to Selecting Official

Interviews Query References Selection

Apply


Search USAJOBS and specific agency web sites Set up email alerts for new jobs Join professional organizations (at student rate,

if applicable) Join professional listservs (as allowed) Check campus bulletins Investigate intern programs Consider positions with contractors Network with librarians & other federal

employees

Job Announcements


USAJOBS: Official Job Site

of U.S. Federal Government


Search or Browse for a Job Keyword or title, agency name, location, or job series


View Job Postings

Who May Apply? Status (current or former Federal employees)PublicU.S. Citizens and StatusAll Sources

Appointment Term Permanent or Temporary

Job Status Full-Time or Part-Time


Pool of Applicants


Pay Plan

General Schedule (GS)e.g., GS-1412-09/11, GS-1410-11

Pay Banding or Performance Based Systems

Government Accountability Office (GAO)e.g, PT-2210-03/03 Information Technology Specialist (ITS)

National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST)e.g., ZP-2210-01/05 ITS

Department of Defense (DoD): National Security Personnel System (NSPS)e.g., YC-1410-02/02 Supervisory Librarian and YA-1410-02/02 Librarian


Series: Four-digit code that represents a particular job functionOther agencies (DOD, …) have different designations

Grade: Level of employment that determines the salary

GS ExamplesGS-1410-09 (straight 09 – typical starting level for graduates)GS-1410-09/11 (promotion potential to GS-11)GS-1412-15 (highest GS level)

GS Examples1410 – Librarian Series 1411 – Library Technician Series1412 – Technical Information Specialist Series1420 – Archivist Series1421 – Archives Technician Series1499 – Library & Archives Student Trainee


Job Overview


Key Requirements of Position

U.S. Citizenship Required for most federal jobs Specified on announcement

Proof of Education Required official transcript –

sometimes as attachment, mailed separately, or requested later

Announcement will specify level of degree for series and instructions


Other Possible Requirements

Security Investigation Secret or Top Secret Clearance Drug Test Polygraph Mandatory Emergency Status Travel


Job Duties


The Position Description (PD) in the job announcement is based on

factor levels for the position.

TIP: Read the OPM’s Classification Standards for the Library and Archives Series - http://www.opm.gov/fedclass/html/gsseries.asp#1400

http://www.opm.gov/fedclass/html/gsseries.asp#1400



Follow the instructions exactly

Application process Date/time for final submissions

What documentation is/will be required


Assess your eligibility

Thoroughly review entire announcement

Determine if Status, Public, Veteran, etc.

Consider mobility for a different location(moving expenses are not reimbursed unless otherwise indicated)

Contact the Human Resource person listed on the job announcement if you have questions about your eligibility.

Before you apply


Enter personal information

Create username/password

Enter citizenship status and veterans’ preference

Create a My USAJOBS account



Application Process Differs by agency

- OPM electronic resume

- Resumix (DOD), Acuvue (LOC),…

- Federal style resume with online application

- Optional form OF-612

- among others

Tailor your application to each position

Print each job announcement to file with your application. The online announcement will disappear after the deadline

Save each resume according to the application you submitted.

Track your deadlines and allow lots of time to prepare an online application!


Federal Resume(not the average resume)

Includes personal information Includes more work details More than two pages May contain narrative

descriptions


Required Personal Information


Required Work Experience


Personal information Summary of skills/core competencies Education Work Experience Other Information (awards, publications,

professional activities)

What to include

TIPS Work history only needs to go back ten years Work experience most important section, with current job

needing the most emphasis in terms of length. Put education section before work if you are just

graduating; otherwise reverse the order Refer to the numerous federal resume writing guides for

further assistance


Knowledge: Organized body of information, usually of factual or procedural nature, which, if applied, makes adequate performance on the job possible; e.g., cataloging principles

Skills: Proficient manual, verbal, or mental manipulation of data, people, or things. Observable, quantifiable, measurable; e.g., code webpages in XML

Abilities: Power to perform an activity at the present time; e.g., manage a team project

KSAs


I have performed the job of ______________•Never•Occasionally•As a regular part of my job with supervision•As a major part of my job, usually independently and without review by supervisor

•To review the work of personnel under my supervision

•As a recognized expert in the field, to train other divisions or the federal community

KSAs – Multiple Choice

TIPAnswer the questions honestly. They may be used as the basis for your interview or queries to your references.


“Knowledge of principles, concepts, and techniques of library science.”

“Ability to plan and manage a program for a library’s _______(Reference Services, Document Delivery, Cataloging, etc.)

“Ability to lead and supervise a diverse workforce.”

“Ability to communicate effectively in writing.” “Skill in coding web pages in XML and using

cascading style sheets.” Ability to design, plan, and implement an

outreach program to promote use of library services

KSAs – Essay Questions


Sample KSAThe following selective placement factor is mandatory. Applicants who do not provide sufficient information to support possession of this factor will not be qualified for this position.

Experience in information systems development and management.

The following knowledge, skills, and abilities will be used to evaluate the quality of applicant's qualifications for this position. KSAs identified with an asterisk (*) will receive double weight in the evaluation process. You are encouraged to provide work examples for each factor to demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities. *1. Ability to apply emerging digital library/info access technologies, particularly WWW technologies, to collect, organize, store, retrieve, and disseminate information. 2. Knowledge of information system and design processes, including needs analysis, system design, system development, configuration management, operations, and maintenance. *3. Skill in communicating technical concepts orally and in writing. 4. Ability to design, plan, and implement an outreach program to promote use of library services.


Develop a job diary – written detail of your education, work history (incl. volunteer and internship work), awards, etc.

Thoroughly review the vacancy announcement – Do you understand what they are looking for? - For each KSA begin a draft of your experiences that fit the KSAs

Match your experience with the KSA in as much detail as possible. Keep the following in mind when writing the KSA:

KSA Guidelines

Context: Describe the situationChallenge: Describe what needed to be done Action: Describe your role & specifically what you didResults: Describe outcome in concrete, verifiable terms. Did the action produce a significant impact in some way?


TIPS Submit well-written, truthful essays with specific and relevant examples.

Use concrete, action verbs, and specific nouns.

Avoid acronyms, abbreviations, special characters, and library jargon.

Quantify using numbers, statistics, and specific time periods

Focus on your skills, accomplishments, and KSA tasks more than duties

Use relevant terms from job announcement

Do not assume a person (or machine) will understand your experiences.


Screening of Applications Review by Agency Human Resources

Specialist and/or Automated System (NOT a Career Librarian)

Evaluation of your application against the position’s qualification requirements

Ranking relative to the other candidates (for some agencies) based on the points assigned for meeting the Factor Levels

Human Resources Office submits list of (most) highly qualified candidates to selecting official

Panel or selecting official reviews candidates’ applications

Being qualified does not guarantee you will be interviewed or selected.


Interview Most agencies conduct interviews of top candidates

only

Interview by panel or selecting official

Interview in person or by telephone (Trip not provided)

One or two rounds of interviews

Writing samples of relevant work may be required

Same questions for ALL applicants - to be fair & equal

Maybe a thought-provoking or situational question Officials take notes and evaluate the responses

Usually, opportunity provided for candidate to ask question(s) about the job at the end


Successful Interview Prepare!

Review your printed copy of the job announcement and your submitted application.

Write down building, room #, and time.

Check directions to the location in advance.

Be on time.

Have the contact number with you in case of an emergency.

Dress professionally.

Relax! You are considered a highly qualified candidate.

Send brief thank-you message - nice gesture & memorable.


Queries to References

Usually by telephone and/or email Standard questions for all candidates from

the group Reference sometimes offers to send

additional material

TIPS

Notify your references in advance so they will expect queries about you.

You may request that agencies should not notify your current employer unless you are a final candidate.


Selection Selecting official submits first (and possibly alternate choice) to

Human Resources.

Human Resources (not Selecting Official) contacts selectee with job offer and salary.

Specific time designated for response.

All government positions require background checks. Many positions dependent upon Security Clearance. Don’t quit your job until the clearance has been provided.

Report date determined by agency and HR.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) paid by new employee (unless advertised otherwise)

TIP If starting salary is lower than existing salary, you may request consideration of a higher step prior to acceptance. (Not guaranteed. Agency must follow regulations. If any variation is allowed, it requires justification and approval by agency.)


Some Final Notes

Apply for more than one job

Process may take months – so be patient

Call the contact listed on the job announcement if you have any questions about the application process.

Automated systems allow you to check application status, otherwise call/email the agency contact after minimum 4 weeks.

This overview is only meant to provide a starting point for your job search and cannot include all of the details about the recruitment process for a federal position. Personnel systems vary by agency, and some are in the process of changing.


Helen Q. ShermanDirector, User Services

Defense Technical Information Center

Acknowledgement

Documents

2009 unc chapel hill holmgren careers in federal libraries