CAREERS NOW 02-08-09

Searcher For Safety Eyes Federal Jobs

DEAR JOYCE: After getting laid off from a well-known company at age 49, I'm ready for stability as my first criterion in my next job. I was checking out local government jobs until it became crystal clear that the hiring windows of my city and state agencies are nailed tighter than a drum.

So I'm starting to look at the only employer that doesn't seem to be pinching pennies: Uncle Sam. But I've been told that hiring for federal civil service jobs doesn't happen overnight. Moreover, I read a number of fractious blog comments by current federal employees saying that job security is not guaranteed, that they get little respect by the general pubic even though they work as hard as or harder than employees in the private sector, and that they do it for lesser pay and fewer benefits. So do you continue to rate a federal job as a good choice? - R.E.W.

Absolutely, positively YES. Appreciate people who carry red, white and blue lunchboxes. We can't get along without them! Employment doesn't get more secure than working for your Uncle. As for pay and benefits, compare and you be the judge. Surprising to many people, the vast majority of civilian federal jobs are located outside of Washington.

Uncle Sam jobs are good jobs - and sometimes great jobs. Go for it! Here are five tips to nail a government job.

GET YOUR BEARINGS. Make a project of learning the federal job ropes. Intense research now will fuel tomorrow's chase. For starters, decipher the jargon, such as "KSA" - which refers to a required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities statement. Learning to speak with a federal tongue will make your security search so much easier.

BE FLEXIBLE. Although hundreds of thousands of new employees will be hired this year and next, the exact number in each occupational category is a moving target, subject to the impact of two wild cards:

(1) Pay attention to the detailed outcome of federal stimulus legislation. If the package sends funding to cash-strapped states, it may pay to renew your search at local and state agencies, in addition to pursuing jobs at the federal level.

(2) The other wild card is the huge chunk of federal workers soon eligible for retirement. Many baby boomers had planned to hang it up within a couple of years, but an unknown number, anxious about their financial situations, are deciding to stick around for now. If significantly fewer managers than previously expected exit the federal workforce during today's uncertainties, fewer jobs at middle- to-upper pay grades will be available to outside older, experienced people, who may have to enter the system at a lower level than anticipated.

REALLY LEARN THE SYSTEM. Even experienced job seekers who've been through several rounds of searching in the private sector are puzzled by the federal experience. A new book by Kathryn Troutman masterfully addresses that issue: "Ten Steps to a Federal Job: How to Land a Job in the Obama Administration, 2nd Edition" (resume-place.com). The guidebook is a marvel in clearly explaining the mysterious myriad of federal customs, conventions and requirements.

USE RIGHT WORDS. "Keywords are extremely important," Troutman says. The author illustrates the keyword challenge between private and federal resumes with a true example of a sous chef who landed a job as a federal program analyst.

"Ensure cost control measures" became "Ensure efficiency, security, and reduce waste."

"Handle food operations" was reborn as "Conduct needs assessment surveys."

"Implement sanitation programs" emerged as "Analyze operations, procedures, and policies."

CHOOSE LIKELY AGENCIES. Troutman says that for job-seeking purposes, you can divide federal agencies into two categories - classic and hot. "Classic agencies continually hire people with certain skill sets, such as business. Hot agencies - for example, the Department of Homeland Security - have hiring money and focus on national priorities."

I like "Ten Steps to a Federal Job" so much that I wrote the foreword to it, noting that the question I am most frequently asked about federal jobs is, "How can I get hired sooner rather than later?"

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