Various types of professionals like military veterans, college students and former corporate executives can gain federal employment. The United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) works with federal agencies and organizations to create and publish job qualification criteria for federal jobs. Standard criteria helps to increase the likelihood that published job qualification requirements are equitable, accurate and effectively help federal hiring managers attract quality personnel.
Work and Academic Qualifications
Federal employees must be:
- A United States citizen
- Registered national or
- Lawfully admitted registered immigrant alien
Research, scientific and certain other professional jobs in career fields like:
- Psychology
- Engineering
- Biology
- Healthcare
- Accounting
require federal employees to have a college degree in their specific area of work. Generally, General Schedule (GS)-5 through GS-7 jobs do not require applicants to have a college degree. On the job training and hands on work experience are often sufficient at these job levels.
Jobs at the GS-9 level typically require the applicant to have a master’s degree while GS-11 level jobs typically require that the applicant have a doctorate degree. Required degrees must be earned at an accredited college or university.
Civil Service Examination and Agency Ranking
Males aged 18 to 25 are required to register with the Selective Service System before they apply for a federal job. Applicants, regardless of age or gender, should check the federal job announcement to note test specifications associated with the particular job they are interested in completing.
During the hiring process, federal hiring agencies rank and score each applicant’s work experience, education and overall background against every other applicant who has applied for the job opening. Applicants with the highest rank have increased chance to land the job.
Blue Collar Jobs
Apprenticeships are classified as blue collar federal jobs. Applicants for these jobs must complete necessary trade and apprenticeship classroom and on the job training. Before being hired, applicants seeking these jobs must demonstrate their abilities through:
- Successfully completing trainings
- Examinations
- Work related assignments
Examples of apprenticeship and trade jobs include plumbers, electricians and carpenters. Licensed contractors will likely already have much of the necessary training and certifications to apply for a government job.
Temporary Appointments
Applicants can also gain employment with federal organizations by working on a temporary status. Temporary, career, blue collar and other professional federal jobs are posted online with USAJobs.gov. Interested persons can also inquire about current opening by dialing 703-724-1850.
Hearing impaired persons can dial 978-461-8404. Applicants are encouraged to submit a resume and conduct an interview prior to receiving employment.
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