Take Charge Of Your Federal Career
Take Charge of Your Federal Career
A Practical, Action-oriented Career Management
Workbook for Federal Employees
by Dennis V. Damp
2nd Edition - Completely Revised
Cover by George Foster,
http://www.fostercovers.com
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978-0-943641-27-8 || $29.95
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Do you dream of a better life , more pay, a challenging position with
responsibility and one that takes full advantage of your background and
experience? You can turn your dreams into reality and be one of the many
thousands of federal employees each year that are promoted or obtain higher
level government jobs.
What separates those who want to improve and progress in their careers from
those who actually achieve success? The fact is that it’s not enough to dream
about promotions, great new jobs, and higher pay you have to plan a course of
action to achieve those goals. The factors that will determine whether or not
you succeed are motivation, personal initiative, and taking the steps (ACTIONS)
necessary to make your dreams come true.
If you’re not satisfied with your current job or if you’ve been bypassed for
a promotion don’t despair, help is out there if you know where to look. You have
many options and career paths to pursue in the federal sector. Even if you lack
the required education or experience there are ways to obtain skills needed to
reach your career goals.
Take Charge of Your Federal Career
is a practical, action-oriented career management workbook
for federal employees. Packed with proven tips and valuable assessment and
evaluation tools. This unique workbook provides federal workers with the
individualized know-how and guidance they need to identify, obtain, and
successfully demonstrate the skills and experience required to qualify for new
and better federal jobs.
You’ll learn how to design a career development plan that includes:
- Self Assessment
- Locating Job Opportunities and Career Enhancement Details and
Assignments
- Setting Realistic Goals
- Develop a Realistic IDP for Targeted Goals and Positions
- Networking Techniques
- How to Complete a Dynamite Application
- Interviewing Techniques, and
- How to Stay on Track.
The potential for upward mobility in the federal sector is excellent
for those who know how to aggressively pursue their career goals. Federal
employees that take the personal initiative to plan their future have a better
than average chance to succeed and be promoted. Uncle Sam is this countries
largest employer and hires about 2% of the total civilian workforce. The
diversity of work and the ability to transfer to other agencies and locations
further improves your chances. There are so many options available that you can
easily get off track if you don’t focus your efforts on realistic targets of
opportunity.
Most federal agencies encourage employees to develop their careers
through (IDPs) Individual Development Plans. However, it’s the employees
responsibility to initiate the process and to develop personalized and realistic
plans to achieve their short and long term career goals. All agencies provide
training to improve your skills for the position you now occupy. However, they
don’t automatically provide training that is outside the duties and
responsibilities for your current Position Description unless you develop an
IDP.
The opportunities are almost limitless by comparison when you
consider the numbers. Federal retirements continue to increase and the average
federal employee's age is approaching 49. Retirees often vacate higher level
jobs and that means opportunities for those who remain.
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About The Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii
Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .viii
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction to Career Development . . . . . . . .1
Upward Mobility 4
Changes in Government 8
OPM Then and Now 9
The Keys to Success 11
Self Assessment
Locating
Job Opportunities
Your IDP- Individual Development Plan
Completing Your Application
Networking and the Informational Interview
Follow-up (Staying on Track)
Federal Career Development Training 7
Summary 7
CHAPTER TWO
Self Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
What to Expect 10
Who's on First, What's on Second 10
The Process - Getting Started 10
KSAs - Knowledge/Skills/Abilities 11
KSA Description
KSA Definitions (General Employee Competencies)
KSA Definitions (General Supervisory/Manager Competencies)
Assessing Your Skills, Experience and Interests 15
Definitions
Your Personal Profiles 17
Workforce Experience Profile 18
Key Contacts 19
Education and Training Profiles 20
Personal Characteristics and Attitudes Profile 23
Personal Activities 24
Overall Assessment 25
Assessment Review 26
Additional Resources 28
Interest Inventories 29
CHAPTER THREE
Exploring Job Opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . .31
Occupation and Job Opportunities Chart 33
Qualifying for Federal Jobs 34
Qualification Statement 35
Job Announcement 40
Merit Promotion Program 39
Position Description 48
Identifying Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) 51
Your Career Goals 55
Engineering Conversions 55
CHAPTER FOUR
Individual Development Plans. . . . . . . . . .57
Career Development Checklist 58
The IDP Process 59
Evaluating Your Present Position 61
Goals and Objectives 62
Suggested Developmental Activities 65
IDP Developmental Worksheets 66
Preparing a Draft IDP 68
IDP Forms and Samples 70
CHAPTER FIVE
Supervisory and Management IDPs . . . . . . . .75
What is a Supervisor? 75
Supervisory Roles 76
Supervisory Responsibilities 76
Supervisory Skills and Abilities 77
Manager Positions 78
Preparing for A Manager's Jobs 79
Self Assessment for Managerial Positions 80
Managerial Competencies 81
Supervisory Developmental Assignments 88
Sample Supervisory/Management IDP 91
The Senior Executive Service (SES) 93
CHAPTER SIX
Explore Opportunities in Your Agency First. . .97
Merit Promotion Program Job Announcements 98
Internal Placement Program 100
Voluntary Applications 101
Hardship Transfers 101
Details and Temporary Promotions 102
Agency Career Development Programs 102
College Credits for Government Courses 104
CHAPTER SEVEN
Jobs with Other Agencies. . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Improving Your Chances 106
Common Job Resources
Job Openings 108
Web Sites 109
Directories 112
General Information 113
The Largest Occupations 114
CHAPTER EIGHT
Networking and Interviews . . . . . . . . . . .217
Contacts, Contacts and MORE CONTACTS 118
Understanding Interviews 118
Informational Interviews 122
Employment Interviews 125
Before the Interview 126
During the Interview 128
Typical Question Samples 131
Illegal Questions
After the Interview
Follow-up
Interview Checklist
CHAPTER NINE
Completing Your Employment Applications . . . .137
Required Information 139
Agency Forms 142
Completing the OF-612 Form 144
Federal Style Resume 148
Sample Hard Copy Resume 150
Electronic Resume Format Checklist 156
Sample Electronic Style resume 157
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) 164
Instructions for
Addressing KSAs
Formatting KSAs
Sample KSAs
KSAO Checklist
CHAPTER TEN
Career Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Apply Early 173
Your Application and R‚sum‚ 174
Apply Frequently 175
Getting in the Front Door 177
Locate All Job Vacancies 177
Training and Experience 177
Keys to Success 178
Perseverance Pays 178
APPENDIX A Career Transition Checklist. . . . . 267
APPENDIX B Federal Occupation List. . . . . . . 185
APPENDIX C Training Analysis & Courses. . . . . 197
APPENDIX D Agency Skills Index. . . . . . . . . 207
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
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We're confident that you, whether you're a wage grade or general schedule
employee, will find this guide useful throughout your career as a federal
government employee.
— Federal Employees News Digest (FEND)
