How to Apply for a Federal Job

4 min read. Updated on September 20, 2016

Ronda Suder

Career Expert

Learn how to apply for a federal job to begin a civil service career.

Federal employment seems like a dream job for many, though applying for federal job vacancies can seem daunting. In addition to a lot of competition, the application process has some nuances that differ from applying for jobs outside of the federal government.

But don't feel like you should give up before you even begin! Below, we offer tips on how to apply for a federal job to help you land one, if that’s your goal.

Benefits of federal jobs

People seek out federal jobs for several reasons. Federal jobs are known to offer:

Job stability
Good benefits
Competitive salary
Meaningful work
Diversity in opportunities

These benefits make federal work appealing to many. Conversely, type: entry-hyperlink id: 1DCtGh88oX4tdmAnXHwx8q are often slower-paced, come with cumbersome bureaucracy, and are highly competitive.

Myths about federal jobs

Many give up on learning how to land a federal job due to a couple common myths, highlighted below.

Myth #1: you need to take a civil service exam

Some think you need to take a civil service exam for the majority of federal jobs. This is untrue. Some jobs may require you to take an exam, though not all of them do.

Myth #2: you need to have experience in federal agencies or government

You may also worry that you are not eligible for most open type: entry-hyperlink id: 4oy0mZntBX3MnHtWgGABjP if you've never served in the military or held a federal position previously. This is also untrue. Yes, federal employment is highly competitive, but the good news is that federal jobs are open to all qualified applicants to help ensure the best possible person lands the job.

How to apply for a federal job tips

When it comes to how to apply for a federal job, the application process is similar to that of private sector jobs. However, you do need to submit a federal resume that includes additional information compared to a standard resume.

You also need to apply for federal jobs through specialized government websites. Below are some tips on how to apply for a federal job to help you navigate the process more easily.

Create a federal resume

Because of the competitive nature of federal job vacancies, a well-written type: entry-hyperlink id: 47G6FTUKEMztY5byJJnaxU is critical. You want to submit a focused, concise, and error-free resume.

USAJobs, where you apply for federal jobs, allows you to create your resume on the site or copy an existing resume onto their forms. However, you may find more success writing your resume ahead of time and tailoring it for each job you apply to.

A federal resume looks different and requires additional elements when compared to a resume submitted for jobs in the private sector. For a federal resume, you’ll include the heading, education, skills, and work experience information that you would for a standard resume.

In addition, you’ll need to include the following:

The job announcement title, grade, and number.
Country of citizenship, if other than the U.S.
Your mailing address.
All relevant experience, including work experience, volunteer experience, and extracurricular activities. For work experience, list your most recent employer and the rest in reverse chronological order.
For each position, Include the employer’s address, the average number of hours worked per week or state “full-time,” your salary or hourly rate, and the supervisor’s name, telephone number, and address. If you have held or hold a federal job, include the occupational series number and your starting and ending grade.
Note if it’s okay to contact your current supervisor.
Your education details. For education, include your college name, city, state, and zip code. Also include your majors, the year your degrees were conferred, and the number of semester hours completed. If requested, include your high school name, city, state, zip code, and date of your diploma or GED.
The title and year of job-related training courses.
An extensive inventory of skills, including your self-management skills, functional skills, and technical skills. Refer to the job description requirements to ensure you incorporate the right types of skills and keywords.
Job-related awards, memberships, special accomplishments, honors, publications, leadership activities.
Job-related type: entry-hyperlink id: 1tbJUJXWyf22Wj9yS6XWRG and licenses that are current.

Refer to the job posting or U.S. Department of Labor for additional requirements for Veterans, Persons with Disabilities, and Peace Corps /AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers.

Expert tip: Though it’s recommended that you keep your resume to one or two pages in the private sector, this isn’t the case for federal jobs. It’s common and expected for federal resumes to go longer than two pages, so include all important details related to volunteering, work experience, extra-curricular activities, and academic accomplishments that help you stand out from the competition.

Research and apply for open federal jobs

Once you've written the perfect federal resume, you're ready to research and apply for available positions.

To begin applying for federal job vacancies, visit USAjobs, the federal government's official employment site. You can only apply through this site online.
You won't find any federal positions on Monster.com. Instead, all opportunities are posted on USAjobs. The website functions like a Monster.com or other job website – you have the opportunity to create a resume, search for open positions, apply and upload additional materials.
You must complete the job application in its entirety for consideration.
You will likely need to provide proof of U.S. citizenship for most jobs.
A written test or interview may be required to proceed.

Expert tip: You can save various resumes and sign up for job alerts through USAJOBS.gov.

Include educational transcripts

You will need to submit unofficial educational transcripts with your application if you’re using education to support your qualifications for the position. All academic transcripts from each relevant institution that indicate the type of degree and required courses should be included.

Your civil service career is right around the corner

As you can see, there's no reason to be intimidated by applying for federal job vacancies. It's similar to any other job search: have a solid federal resume customized for the position and follow the job-application instructions. Welcome to the first step to a career in civil service!

Need help writing your federal resume? Get a free resume review today.