FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Job seekers interested in federal government employment have the opportunity to gain an edge in the hiring process by attending the Army Community Service Federal Jobs Workshop Sept. 7.
How can a workshop better equip federal job seekers?
"The answer lies in the 'Ten Step' method popularized by Kathryn Troutman, renowned expert on the federal hiring process," Mike Kozlowski, ACS employment readiness manager, said. "Troutman and her team teach this method to state and federal employees in multi-day 'train the trainer' sessions. They, in turn, take what they've learned back to their respective organizations to teach others about how they can get into satisfying federal careers."
According to Kozlowski, by following her method workshop attendees will:
* Be better able to understand the process by which hiring officials and staffing specialists go through to list and fill federal positions;
* Be better able to identify jobs based on their specific experiences and qualifications;
* Know the critical importance of including accomplishment statements on their federal résumés;
* Be able to craft impactful USAJOBS.gov outline-based federal résumés, which bring out their KSAs -- knowledge, skills and abilities -- in a more effective way than before; and
*Understand the import of the follow-up when tracking the progress of their application packets.
The workshop, open to active duty Soldiers, their spouses and family members, retirees, and current civil service and non-appropriated fund employees, takes place 8 a.m. to noon at the Soldier Service Center, Bldg. 5700, Rm. 284. For more information or to register, call 255-2594 or visit www.eventbrite.com. Participants are advised to arrive no later than 7:45 a.m. to sign in for the workshop.
Kozlowski said attendees need only bring a thirst for knowledge.
"There is nothing that workshop attendees need to bring to this workshop," he said. "All materials will be provided to them at the start of the workshop including folios, pens and a free copy of Kathryn Troutman's book 'Ten Steps to a Federal Job�, 7th Edition.'
"As a matter of fact, I encourage all participants not to bring their résumés," he added. "The information I'll be presenting will possibly be a 'paradigm shift' for them, i.e., the way they thought a federal résumé should look will, in many instances not be what gets them referred for the job they really want."
The workshop will help federal job seekers understand how the federal process compares to seeking employment in the private sector.
"The federal hiring process has several similarities to those found in the private sector," he said. "For example, one still must be able to conduct targeted job campaigns (as opposed to hunts, since nobody really enjoys job hunting) in the occupational fields for which they have career suitability, based on work experiences, qualifications and credentialing.
"Both processes require the creation of résumés which effectively capture an individual's work experiences, qualifications and credentialing," he added. "Both processes also require follow-up with their targeted employers."
However, Kozlowski continued, an individual's federal job campaign contains several distinctions from its private-sector counterpart.
"For example, you should not limit your search to positions found in the Department of Defense," he said. "There are several federal agencies and programs whose missions may be a better fit for your qualifications and credentials, many of which are not located at Fort Rucker."
The workshop will also give attendees tips on building a résumé for federal employment applications, which Kozlowski said differs from private-sector résumés.
"The federal résumé is a different kind of animal," he said. "The format is more along the lines of a hybrid style, combining the traditional reverse chronological style with a functional format. It's also quite a bit longer than its private sector counterpart.
"Some federal résumés can be as long as 19 pages, although the optimum length should be limited to three to five pages," he added. "There are a host of other key differences I could cite, and I plan to bring them out during the course of the workshop proper."
At the conclusion of the workshop, according to Kozlowski, participants should be able to better understand the federal hiring process.
"Following the 'Ten Step' method provides a framework for this understanding," he said. "Attendees at the last workshop have commented to me that they now understand the process as being more than routinely applying for a job on USAJOBS.gov -- that there are so many items they have previously overlooked that they now incorporate into their federal job applications. Many have told me that they are now getting referred to hiring officials for federal positions, a step in the process which has evaded them until now."
Pre-registration is required due to space and materials limitations. The workshop is limited to the first 60 registrants. The registration deadline is the close of business Sept. 5.
Jobseekers can also attend an employment readiness workshop to learn successful job campaign essentials in the private sector, such as crafting a strong private-sector résumé, prepping for interviews and various other tips.
"I am encouraging folks to register for my workshops -- to include the Federal Job Workshop -- online," Kozlowski said. "While I do accept workshop reservations via phone, email or personal office visits, I encourage online registration in my ongoing effort to automate my processes."
For more information or to register online for future workshops, visit https://rucker.armymwr.com/programs/employment-readiness or www.eventbrite.com. The registration deadline for these workshop events is no later than two days prior to the event.
For more information, call 255-2594.
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