JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA -- Lt. Col. Lance Jacobsen, who is stationed at the Pentagon, has an extensive resume and almost three decades of experience in the U.S. Army. He also has post-retirement concerns.
"I have 28 years of military experience. That's 28 years of experience not having to apply for a job," Jacobsen said. "The military ends for all of us at some point--and it's a fairly complex process separating out of the military. I feel like I'm playing catch-up trying to figure out how to move on with my life. I think preparing myself and better understanding how to apply for federal jobs is very important."
Jacobsen isn't alone. On Aug. 4, he sat alongside others in similar circumstances, a military spouse and a junior NCO to name a few, during a workshop entitled, "Uncovering the Secrets: Finding and Applying for Federal Government Jobs" on the Henderson Hall portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.
Guest speaker David Kelly Williams, Jr., Veterans Employment Program manager for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provided factors applicants need to know in order to be hired. Williams has spent his summer traveling to installations throughout the National Capital Region providing the workshop stressing persistence and patience are just two factors job seekers need to be hired in the federal sector.
"Timing is very important--it takes an average of seven years for an active duty service member to actually get a federal position," Williams said.
Williams previously spent years working at Henderson Hall within the Transition Assistance Program and has decades of experience helping military personnel and family members navigate the labyrinth that is the federal hiring process.
"Most agencies are trying to stay in an 80-day hiring model, but a lot of people are unaware of the complexities that make them qualified for any of these positions before applying," he said. "The first step is to know what your Military Occupational Classification (MOC) crosswalk is."
Williams urges job seekers to use resources like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website VA for Vets, an online tool that provides a military skills translator and resume builder for job seekers. This tool will help candidates create a master resume, which should highlight at least eight to 10 strong skill sets and qualifications candidates will need to showcase when applying for a job. Job listings are posted based on qualifications, according to Williams.
The tool will also assist job seekers with applying within the specific occasional groups or "families" they're qualified to work in.
"There are very specific things written in a job post at varying levels," Williams said. "Those are complexities that have to be highlighted and prioritized within the resume to be seen as qualified. At the end of the day you need to market yourself and your talents for the recruiter because you can't do the duties unless you're qualified for the job."
Federal job seeker do's:
- Cast a wide net of searches on USAJobs.com by occupational series, key words, etc.
- Carefully read the qualifications of each vacancy before applying.
- Subdivide your resume in sections. Include summary, education, experience, memberships, affiliations and awards.
- Place the most relevant experience first.
- Address the breadth and scope of your experience with action words.
- Include all relevant attachments during the application process (e.g. transcripts, forms, letters of recommendation, etc.).
- Call or email the HR contact listed on the vacancy announcement 72 hours after the job post closes to request feedback/application score.
- Build a physical portfolio to showcase your expertise, range and quality of work prior to the interview (work samples, etc.).
Federal job seeker don'ts:
- Cut and paste straight from the job post into the resume builder when creating your resume, use different words to express what the agency is looking for.
- Limit content and breadth of your resume; a master resume could be 15 to 20 pages in length.
- Limit resume format. Create a functional, chronological and combination resume that is tailored to the positions you apply for.
Williams called his workshop a sermon, one that explained how the federal hiring process will work for most applicants who remain persistent in their search.
"Job seekers need to not only look at what types of positions are out there, but what's required," Williams said.
It's a message that resonated with the job seekers who attended the workshop. But concerns still loomed for the most experienced attendees.
"Come to a transition workshop like this five years before you think you're going to retire," Jacobsen said. "There's information people need to know years in advance, not months before they transition."
Uncovering the Secrets: Finding and Applying for Federal Government Jobs is sponsored by Marine Corps Community Services Henderson Hall and is open to all DoD ID card holders. To attend the next seminar, call 703-614-6828.
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