Federal Job Search

Putting Together an Effective Individual Development Plan (IDP)

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While many agencies I work with offer employees the opportunity to put together an Individual Development Plan (IDP), most of the IDPs I see and hear about are simply training plans. An IDP is about much more than training! With a renewed interest in employee development (Priority 4 of the Federal Workforce Priorities Report), I thought it would be a good time to discuss IDPs.

At the end of the day, employees must develop themselves; although supervisors can assist employees on their journey, they cannot do the work for them. An IDP identifies an employee’s development goals in the context of their agency’s Strategic Plan. A good IDP contains training, education, and development activities to acquire or enhance the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to maximize job performance. This will help to ensure that you are prepared to carry out your responsibilities and contribute to your agency’s mission by helping you learn new skills, refresh old skills, and make use of emerging technologies.

An IDP gives you an opportunity to:

  1. establish objectives that support both the unit’s and employee’s needs and goals;
  2. give you a clear guide for working toward career goals and the supervisor a chance to channel your efforts in ways that help the unit achieve its goals and mission; and
  3. organize and set priorities for development experiences, that will help you:
  • learn new skills to improve current job performance
  • increase interest, satisfaction, and challenge in their current position
  • obtain knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to reach career goals that are aligned with your agency’s strategic goals
  • prepare for increased responsibility.

An IDP is NOT:

  • A performance plan or appraisal—the IDP does not replace a performance plan or performance appraisal. Strengths and areas for development are being considered, but you are not being rated for performance appraisal purposes. Discussions about performance and development share some common themes, however, the focus of each discussion is fundamentally different and should not take place at the same time.
  • A promise of promotion—the IDP does not guarantee advancement upon completion of the developmental objectives, but does increase your ability to compete for future jobs as you develop skills.
  • A binding document—when you and supervisor sign the IDP, it is simply an indication of intention and support for your development. You may not always be able to take advantage of developmental opportunities because of budgetary or workload constraints, among other reasons.

Creating a Draft IDP and Discussing It

Either you or your supervisor can initiative an IDP discussion. Ideally the discussion will begin with your supervisor explaining the IDP process, the supervisor’s role, and your role. Both you and your supervisor should review all information regarding your development status. In this process, you and your supervisor typically:

  • Identify knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) or competencies required by the current work assignment
  • Review and discuss strengths and areas for development in performing the current work assignment

Together, you and your supervisor should draft a plan by identifying developmental activities needed to reach the IDP goals. The IDP should specify:

  • Goals and competencies to be developed during the specified period
  • Developmental experiences that address the competencies
  • Measures of success
  • How your supervisor can support you
  • Potential barriers to success
  • Possible developmental activities and proposed dates

Your supervisor should monitor your progress and together, you and your supervisor should update and modify your IDP as appropriate.

Looking Over 2018 and Making Career Plans for 2019

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2018 has been a busy year for the government; I thought it might be a good time to reflect on some of the career-related matters that have come up; having a larger context for what is going on in the government from a Human Resources (HR) perspective can help you think about the decisions you might want to make for your career next year.

In February, the Administration issued the first-ever Federal Workforce Priorities Report. The report identified six Government-wide priorities and provided what it considered promising practices from agencies.

The priorities were in were grouped around two major initiatives: reshaping the workforce and maximizing employee performance, are as follows:

  • Priority 1: Succession Planning and Knowledge Transfer. Conduct succession planning activities to retain and transfer institutional knowledge, as workforce reshaping efforts are undertaken.
  • Priority 2: Deploying Communication Tools. Adopt tools that allow employees to easily connect, communicate, and collaborate with one another regardless of geographic location.
  • Priority 3: Securing Technological Solutions for Human Capital Analysis. OPM will seek to acquire or develop enterprise technological solutions to assist the Federal human capital community with human capital analysis.
  • Priority 4: Expanding Employee Development Opportunities. Provide employees with ample opportunities for continuous professional growth and skill development.
  • Priority 5: Bolstering Employee Recognition Programs. Administer robust programs to appropriately recognize and reward employees who demonstrate high levels of performance and significantly contribute to achieving organizational goals.
  • Priority 6: Enhancing Productivity through a Focus on Employee Health. Encourage employees to engage in physical fitness activities during time spent commuting and being at work.

During 2018, there were several new initiatives that supported those goals; these include new direct hire appointment authorities, the Open Opportunities initiative, upgrades to USAJOBS, and a new emphasis on coaching. We’ll discuss some of these in more detail in additional articles this month.

Deciding Whether You’re Senior Executive Service (SES) Ready

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Many people think they are ready for the Senior Executive Service (SES) if they have spent a year as a GS-15. There is actually no time-in-grade requirement for the SES; instead, it’s about your executive leadership experience.

Executive leadership includes the ability to provide strategic leadership and commitment to public policy and administration at the highest levels. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has identified 5 executive core qualifications (ECQ). The ECQs were designed to assess executive experience–not technical expertise.

They measure whether an individual has the broad executive skills needed to succeed in a variety of SES positions–not whether they are the most superior candidate for a particular position.

That decision is made by the employing agency, not OPM. Successful performance in the SES requires capability in each ECQ. The ECQs are interdependent; successful executives demonstrate successful competence in each.

As defined by OPM, the five ECQs are:

1. Leading Change – This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. This ECQ requires the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

2. Leading People – This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goals. This ECQ requires the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.

3. Results Driven – This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. This ECQ requires the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.

4. Business Acumen – This core qualification requires the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

5. Building Coalitions – This core qualification requires the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.

In addition to the five ECQs, there are also 28 competencies embedded within the ECQs. The competencies are the personal and professional attributes that are critical to successful performance as a SES.

Before deciding whether you want to apply for the SES, you should do some careful self-assessment to decide:

  • Do you actually want to be a member of SES—do you have the time, energy, and commitment to lead people and programs—and have the “buck” stop with you?
  • Do you have the requisite experience (either inside or outside the government) and can you document it? If you have never held a supervisory position or never planned and executed a budget, it may be difficult to meet the Leading People and Business Acumen ECQs.
  • If you do not have the experience already, are you willing to do what it takes to get there? Perhaps apply for a SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) or take a lateral or accept a detail / rotational assignment to obtain the necessary experience?

Once you decide you’re ready to apply for the SES, you should start to work on your SES package. In most cases, your package will consistent of your SES resume and your ECQs. OPM recommends that candidates be ready to spend 40+ hours preparing their ECQs. My experience tells me that more time is needed, especially if you have never written ECQs before or thought about the specific examples you want to use.

A subsequent article will address preparing your ECQs. If you do not want to wait, more information about the ECQs and preparing your SES package can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf.

What are Special Hiring Authorities?

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Here are a few special hiring authorities for non-veterans that may help you better compete for your target job:

• Direct Hire Authority: Some entire occupational series qualify for Direct Hire Authority (DHA). The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provides both government-wide and agency-specific direct hiring authority for filling vacancies when there arises a critical hiring need or severe shortage of candidates. Direct hiring authority can be used to fill a variety of types of appointments: permanent, temporary, and limited and term appointments with “not-to-exceed” dates. A few position types eligible for DHA government-wide include: Information Technology Management Specialist (Information Security)—grades 9 and above (job series 2210); diagnostic radiologic technologist (job series 647); medical officer (job series 602); nurse (job series 610); pharmacist (job series 660); and federal acquisitions positions covered under Title 41.

• Digital Services Experts: In mid-2015, OPM authorized excepted service appointments at the GS-11 to GS-15 levels for candidates with expertise in “modern digital product design, software engineering, product management, creating and maintaining flexible infrastructure, and designing and implementing agile governance structures,” as stated by the then OPM Director. If your work falls into this category, you may be eligible for this specialized hiring authority. Twenty-five agencies and a number of programs may use this authority. As you engage in career networking, be sure to mention your eligibility for this appointment; not all HR personnel and hiring managers may know about this.

• CyberCorps®: Scholarship for Service (SFS) is a unique program designed to broaden and strengthen the cadre of federal information assurance professionals that protect the government’s critical information technology infrastructure. SFS scholarships typically fully fund full-time student costs such as tuition and education-related fees, as long as you attend a participating institution. Funded by National Science Foundation grants, students receive stipends of $22,500 for undergraduate work and $34,000 for graduate programs. Visit https://www.sfs.opm.gov/ for more information.

• Former AmeriCorps and Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV): Agencies may appoint former AmeriCorps and PCV non-competitively within 12 months of their separation from volunteer service. The 12-month period can be extended in certain circumstances such as military service, higher education, or other activities at the agency’s discretion.

• Schedule A for People with Disabilities. Qualified individuals with disabilities can be appointed to federal jobs non-competitively through a process known as Schedule A. In order to be eligible for Schedule A, you must meet the qualifications for your target (i.e., have the required competencies and relevant experience to perform the job) and provide “proof of a disability” documentation. “Proof of a disability” is a letter stating that you have an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability. This letter is obtained from your doctor, a licensed medical professional, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any federal, state, or local agency that issues or provides disability benefits.

• Military spouse. This hiring authority is for: a military spouse who is relocating with their service-member spouse as a result of permanent change of station (PCS) orders; a spouse who is 100% disabled due to active duty service; or the spouse of a service member killed while on active duty. This appointment is authorized under Executive Order 13473. Military spouse appointments are non-competitive and may be made to competitive service (status) jobs. Because these are noncompetitive appointments, veterans’ preference is not considered for positions filled under this authority.

• Emergency Hiring Authority to support recovery from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Agencies have been authorized to make Excepted Service hiring appointments on a temporary basis for up to one year, to work on recovery and relief; these appointments can be extended in one-year increments.

The authorities above do not represent the full range of specialized hiring authorities, nor does it include the nuances of these eligibilities. Just being eligible for any of the above hiring authorities does not guarantee you a job. It does, however, provide you with some additional tools to use in your search. If applicable, ensure you include these eligibilities in your resume, mention them during networking, and include them when you complete your USAJOBS profile. Additional information special hiring authorities is located at www.opm.gov.

Helpful tips for using USAJOBS

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It is important to fully understand the distinctions for your federal jobs search. Here are some tips for using USAJOBS and understanding the system:

Job Searches in USAJOBS
When you save a search in USAJOBS, the system automatically seeks those jobs that match the keywords and other criteria in your search; this tool is helpful to further discover more jobs that fit your interests. USAJOBS email you daily, weekly, or monthly when there are new jobs that align with your desired criteria. Applicants can create and save up to 10 saved searches; however, after one year, a saved search will expire.

How to Save a Job Search and Sign Up for Email Notifications
1. Sign in to USAJOBS (only signed in users can save their search).
2. Search a keyword or location in the search box.
3. You can narrow results by using filters.
4. Click Save this search on the search results page located above the search results.
5. Give the search a name—this will help you manage your saved searches.
6. Choose how often to get notified (daily is recommended since some jobs can open and close within a week or less)
7. Click Save.

How to Manage Your USAJOBS Saved Searches
1. Sign into USAJOBS and go to Saved Searches.
2. to see more details of the search, click the +, and from here there are multiple options:
• Run saved search | Click View Results to run the saved search and see results.
• Renew a search | Click Renew to renew the search for an additional year after it expires.
• Edit your saved search | Click Edit search criteria to change keywords, location or filters. You may save you updated search.
• Edit your notification settings | Click Edit notifications settings to change notifications to daily, weekly, monthly, or to turn them off.
• Delete saved search | Saved searches can only be deleted from archived list. Go to archived saved searches and click the + and then click Delete located under the Unarchive Search button.
If a saved search is deleted, you will no longer receive emails for those search results.
• Archive saved search | Click Archive to move the saved search to the archived list.

Checking the Status of Applications
1. Sign in to USAJOBS.
2. Go to Applications located on the Home page; active applications display automatically.
3. Review list of applications (applications are listed by the date they were last updated). The application status is highlighted next to each job application.
4. Click the + to see more application details.

Meanings Each Status
Each status tells you at what stage application is within the application process—whether it’s been received, reviewed, selected, not-selected, etc.
• Advancing
Your application has been received and is being considered for employment.

• Received
The hiring agency has received your application.

• Reviewed
The hiring agency has reviewed the application but whether or not it meets the qualifications has not yet been determined.

• Referred
Application is among the best qualified and is referred to the next step in the selection process.

• Selected
The hiring agency has offered a position.

• Hired
Applicant has accepted the position.

• Paused
The job application has not been completed and requires further action.

• In Progress
The application is unfinished; it has been started, but not completed or submitted yet. If the job is still open, the application can be completed and submitted.

• Incomplete
The application is not complete; it may be missing required documents. If the job is still open, the application can be completed and submitted.

• Stopped
Application is no longer being considered for the job, or the agency canceled the job. Applications with this status will automatically archive three months after the last status update.

• Canceled
The job announcement has been withdrawn without anyone being hired. A job announcement can be canceled any time after the job is posted.

• Not Referred
Application is not among the best qualified and has not been referred to the next step in the selection processes.

• Not Selected
Applicant has not been selected for the position.

• Not Hired
Candidate was not offered the position or declined the offer.

• Unknown
The status of the job application cannot be determined.

Note: Unavailable status may appear because…
• The hiring agency may not have yet updated USAJOBS to show that your resume was received or that your application was complete.
• Applicant may not have completed the application process.
• Applicant may not have properly logged out of USAJOBS.
• The hiring agency’s system did not return the status of the application to USAJOBS.

Making Sure Your Resume Works in Applicant Tracking Software (ATS)

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Those of you venturing into the private sector for the first time should know that private sector resumes are much different than federal ones. One of the major differences is that virtually all private sector resumes are run through Applicant Tracking Software (ATS).

There is no industry standard for ATS. That being said, there are some commonalities across systems. Since you may be thinking about updating your private sector resume—or even creating your first private sector resume—in honor of International Update Your Resume Month, here are some things to know as you work on your private sector resume.

• Key words are king. Make sure that your resume reflects the key words for the position you are targeting, Not sure what the key words are? Try running the job announcement through a word cloud software.

• Do not put your name and contact information in the header or the footer. Not all ATS can read what you put in a header or a footer. Some ATS can but why take that chance?

• If you have a title such as PE, PhD, CEM or even Junior, you may want to leave it off your resume. You do not want the ATS to read your last name as PhD.

• Standardization is the way to go. Most ATS uses (and expects) standard section headers. This is not the time to get creative. Use headers such as Education, Work Experience, Certifications. Dates should be expressed as months and years. Many ATS calculate years of experience from dates and they need the months to do so accurately.

• Use Word and send your resume as a .doc if at all possible. Some ATS cannot read a PDF, JPG, or even .docx. If you are a Mac user, invest in Word for Mac (the real Word).

• Make sure that your email address, LinkedIn URL, and other links are not live. You do not want ATS to read your live link as a potential virus.

• For your experience headings, you should put Company, Location on one line and Job Title, Dates on a second line underneath the organization and location.

• Make sure the file name says more than “resume.” Instead, make your file name: Your Name, Job Title Applied For.