Your Next Federal Job:Finding & Getting It Kevin MartsU.S. Office of Personnel ManagementMarch 2016

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Background

•Times (were) hard•Jobs are there•Many are looking•Many are leaving• Inside and outside, opportunities are there

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But What Are Bosses Looking For?

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Today’s Topics

• Finding and applying for Federal jobs• Resume writing and qualifications• Occupational questionnaires• Narrative statements• Distinguishing yourself• What succession planning means to managers

• Thoughts and research• Common career “derailers”• Q & A (minus B) on politics, favoritism, fairness, and the like

Getting a Job Somewhere Else

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Step One: USAJOBS.gov

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• Official Federal employment information system• Lists more than 30,000 Federal jobs daily, worldwide• Allows job seekers to apply online

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Job Search Agents

• The easiest way to find jobs• Set it and forget it• The way HR folks find their jobs

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Step Two: Build and Use a Network

•Leverage your network of contacts•Every colleague, every classmate, every customer, every boss

•You can get a job even when there are “no vacancies”

•“You know, I’d be great at that job…”

The Job Application

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Overview of the Online Process

• Create your Federal resume

• Answer the questions posed online

• Submit the complete application package by the stated deadline

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Resume Writing Tips

•DO include all required information• USAJOBS resume builder can help with this

•DO NOT cut and paste your position description!

•Boring doesn’t sell•Use bullets and storytelling

• Three to five sentence description summarizing position

• Bulleted list of top 3 – 5 results achieved• Then take defining characteristic of your

success and tell a story with it

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Job-Related Questionnaire Tips

•Give yourself all the credit you deserve, but none you don’t

•Check your responses against your resume and narrative statements

• Do they match up well?• If not, you’ve got some work to do

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Narrative Responses

• Can be called KSAs, Competencies, Narratives, etc.

• Can be extremely important

• Vary depending on the job

• Are similar to interview questions

Agencies commonly require narrative responses to address characteristics they seek

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• Situation: Describe the specific problem you had to address and the factors that contributed to it (What did you have to solve or resolve, why did the issue exist, etc.)

• Action: Describe the steps you took to solve the problem (Team-based work is fine, but say what YOU did)

• Result: Outcomes of your actions (What was the difference you made – highlight the most impactful results)

Response Approach:Situation, Action, and Result

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More Narrative Response Tips

• Address key words/phrases mentioned in the announcement

• Focus on outcomes• Use plain language, without

acronyms• Review answers to ensure they

are succinct, easy to read, and grammatically correct

• Tell a story about your best example

• Inject drama where you can• Use a “magazine article” format

• Start with a hook• Lay down the facts• Tie it back in

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Summary Tips for Finding & Applying

• Plan ahead but be ready to apply quickly

• Select carefully

• Be patient

Getting PromotedWhere You Are

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Distinguishing Yourself Without Selling

• Glenn Llopis, Forbes, says today advancing your career is less about you and more about others

• Self-promotion may get a seat at the table faster, but you may be unprepared when you get it

• Instead:• Be a silent influencer• Do more than your job

description• Help your colleagues

succeed• Don’t get caught up in the

political• Practice constructive conflict• Be yourself

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A Word About Authenticity

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Succession Planning Is…

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Ensuring the availability of well-qualified staff to fill leadership and mission-critical positions

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Succession Planning Is Not…

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Absolute or static

Equal treatment

Pre-selection

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What That Means to Managers…

Retention

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Really Scientific Research

• CAREEREALISM-Approved Experts on Twitter:

• One of the keys is demonstrating leadership and the ability to inspire/mentor those around u to reach goals. (@kgrantcareers)

• Go above & beyond, facilitate others’ work, see big picture, focus on solutions, pitch in, take lead. (@juliaerickson)

• Focus, leadership traits, and a commitment to org goals is what they look for. Engage ur peers to generate consensus. (@DebraWheatman)

• Demonstrate character & vision: earn positive rep as ethical, persuasive, skilled, risk-taker who “gets” bottom-line. (@lauralabovich)

• Lead by example (with the work you do and the way you treat others) The rest will follow. (@gradversity)

• Ability to work with ALL personalities is a MUST for leadership roles. Try this test: http://ow.ly/SFhk (@jtodonnell)

• Most valued traits are initiative and leadership. Don’t worry about alienating other people. this is your career! (@louise_fletcher)

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Real Research Says We’re Looking For…

• Dan Schawbel conducted major 2013 survey• Identified some key things managers want:

• Someone who does more than she was hired to do• Someone who can prioritize work• A team player• An “intrepreneur”• Someone who’s had “face time” (let’s discuss)• A patient person• Cross-functional experience• Soft skills over hard ones

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Potential “Derailers” – Avoid These Thoughts & Actions

• Thinking that:• Promotions are about reward and

punishment, compensation, or longevity• It is enough to be "qualified"• Promotions are about the past, not the

future• You become a leader by being promoted• You don’t need to cross over to the dark

side• Your agency can read your mind

• Focusing on convincing people you are good (rather than being good)

• Obsessing about "politics“• Forgetting to work hard and do a good job

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Q&A

Thank YouKevin Marts, OPMKevin.Marts@opm.gov(202) 553-1256

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