When most of us look at a federal job announcement, we tend to focus on the grade of job and not much else. However, if we want to be successful applicants, we need to spend a lot more time focusing on job announcements. Anyone considering applying for a federal job should pay special attention to each of these parts of the job announcement:
We’ll look at each of these in turn:
If it has been a while since you’ve looked for a new government job, it may be helpful to review the two basics before you get started.
Test your USAJOBS user name and password to make sure that they work. If you cannot remember your user name or password, recover/reset them before you start applying. You do not want to find yourself unable to get into your USAJOBS account at 11:58 PM on the night the job is closing! Contact the USAJOBS Help Desk for assistance.
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sftw the federal application process 01-2015
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First and foremost, a successful SES application will demonstrate that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) which serve as the leadership competencies for all SES positions.
The ECQs are:
In addition to the 5 ECQs, there are 28 sub-competencies to the ECQs including everything from Accountability to Political Savvy. The full set of ECQ definitions and sub-competencies can be viewed here. Most ECQs narratives are 10 pages long (2 pages per ECQ); the Office of Personnel Management has set font and margin size requirements as well as page limits, and recommends a specific rubric for preparing ECQ statements.