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Most tour-of-duty paths advertise openings themselves. You can find out more information about each in the tour-of-duty section.

USAJOBS is the official website for federal government jobs where you’ll find nearly all job opening announcements. These step-by-step instructions and more information from the Partnership for Public Service will help you navigate the site and start searching for relevant roles.

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According to the Partnership for Public Service, to gain full access to USAJOBS, you’ll need to create an account, which allows you to:

You can refine search results by various criteria, including:

With an account, you can save search criteria and sign up to receive email alerts when a new job is posted that meets your criteria. You can save up to 10 different sets of criteria and update them at any time.

If you find a job you’re interested in, read the entire announcement to make sure you’re eligible and you meet the qualifications. For each job there are specific qualifications — your application must show how you meet them.

Notable sections in the job announcement:

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Most tour-of-duty options have their own application and hiring process. You can find out more information about each in the tour-of-duty section.

USAJOBS applications for career path opportunities have five steps including:

1. 1. Select Resume
   2. Select Documents
   3. Review Package
   4. Include Personal Info
   5. Continue Application With Agency

More information about the application process can be found at USAJOBS – How to create an application.

The SES application and hiring process is different from the standard competitive service process. You can learn more in section 11 about SES positions.

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Preparing a resume for a job with the federal government is very different from preparing one for a private sector job. According to the Partnership for Public Service, a federal resume needs to be more detailed and will likely be five pages or more, because you are asked to go into greater depth about your skills, accomplishments and previous responsibilities. 

Since the federal government processes many applicants, you should make it abundantly clear that you are qualified for each role you are applying for. Only a fraction of applicants will be invited to interview and only based on the connection between the job description and resume. Therefore, you should think of your federal resume as a written account of the accomplishments that you would want to highlight in an interview. 

Keep in mind that often the first person reading your resume is an HR professional and will likely not have any experience in your area of expertise. They may not be familiar with the team that is looking to hire for this role nor what the work will entail, beyond what is written in the job description on USAJOBS. As a result, you must use the same terminology and phrasing to describe your qualifications that are used in the job description. You will likely need to update your resume for each application you submit to make sure the terminology is the same.

Your federal resume should include the following elements: 

(The below information was drawn directly from Solutions for the Workplace)

For technologists and folks from the private sector, this can often feel like writing a resume in the exact opposite way to what you have been taught. It can feel like writing:

How to write a government resume by 18F. This is specifically speaking to technologists writing resumes for government.

USAJOBS – What should I include in my federal resume?: Notes several details your resume must include along with general best practices.

USAJOBS – How to build a resume: Walkthrough of how to upload your resume to USAJOBS and use the Resume Builder tool.

Partnership for Public Service – Writing your federal resume: Guide on what to include in your resume when using the USAJOBS Resume Builder tool.

Partnership for Public Service – Building your federal resume: Guide on what to include in your resume when uploading to USAJOBS.

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All federal jobs require a background investigation. In addition, positions that include access to sensitive information will require a security clearance. Read the “Background and Security Clearance” section of the job announcement to see what security level is required. This section gives an overview of the background investigation process, followed by information on the types of security clearances, the assessment process and tips.

A completed background investigation and/or security clearance is not needed to apply. If the agency wishes to hire you, you will receive a job offer contingent upon successful completion of the background investigation and/or obtaining a security clearance. After a job offer has been accepted and the required background check and security clearance forms have been submitted, according to Go Government, it can take up to a year to complete the process depending on the backlog, the need for additional information and the depth of the investigation. 

In exceptional circumstances, the hiring office may request an “Interim Determination,” which allows you to start working before completing the background check and/or security clearance process. The determination is made after review of a complete security package and after certain investigative checks such as a credit check or criminal history review come back with favorable results. A denied Interim Determination does not negatively impact your final eligibility for a security clearance.

A background investigation will be conducted to ensure that you are reliable, trustworthy, of good conduct and character, and loyal to the United States. 

The depth of the background investigation depends on the position. Federal jobs are designated as low-risk, medium-risk or high-risk, depending on the potential impact that an individual could have on the agency’s mission. For example, high-risk positions include those involved in working with federal information systems or overseeing large amounts of government funding.

Regardless of the level of background check, you will have your fingerprints taken, you will need to answer questions regarding past residences, employment, education, and any military history or police records.

The security clearance process assesses an individual’s trustworthiness and reliability before granting them access to national security information. The level of security clearance depends on the type of access to classified information and secure facilities needed to perform the job.

Agencies that may require a security clearance:

(Information below is drawn directly from the Partnership for Public Service’s Go Government website)

The three levels of security clearance are: 

1. Confidential

2. Secret

3. Top Secret

The security clearances are hierarchical, meaning that receiving a clearance at one level allows you to access information at all lower levels as well. The process takes longer as the level of security clearance rises.

The security clearance assessment process considers factors that could cause conflicts of interest and place individuals in a position of having to choose between commitment to the United States and another loyalty. 

The government uses 13 guidelines for making individual assessments on whether to grant clearance:

As part of the process, you will be asked to list all foreign activities and contacts, because the concern is dual loyalty or potential for coercion by a foreign entity. 

Foreign activities include foreign financial interests, such as ownership interests in a foreign business or foreign bank accounts. Foreign contacts are considered to be foreign nationals with whom you or a spouse/partner have had “close and/or continuing contact with,” in the last seven years and are bound by affection, influence, common interests and/or obligation. 

The security clearance process evaluates the whole person, weighing a number of variables. Mitigating factors are considered, such as whether the candidate voluntarily reported the information, sought assistance and followed professional guidance, or demonstrated positive changes in behavior. A security clearance will likely be denied if the information available shows a recent or recurring pattern of questionable judgment, irresponsibility or emotionally unstable behavior.

Please note that a mental health diagnosis, treatment and counseling is not a reason to deny or revoke a security clearance. In fact, the application forms now specifically state: “seeking or receiving mental health care for personal wellness and recovery may contribute favorably to decisions about your eligibility.”

The next section shares more about important things to remember when filling out a federal application.

Applicants are usually given 24 to 72 hours to complete and submit a form online. Before you are asked to submit the information, review the Questionnaire for National Security Positions (SF-86) form or the Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions (SF-85-P) as applicable to the position and begin to gather the information you need. Review this checklist of items you will need in the Guide for Standard Form SF-86.

You must answer all questions on the clearance application form truthfully and completely. When reviewing any issues involving misconduct, investigators consider passage of time and other factors. You will have the opportunity to explain your answers during the clearance investigation.

While it is possible to amend your submissions after the fact, doing so may cause concern as to why the information was not reported correctly in the first place. Further, every amendment or resubmission may delay the overall process and your clearance.

Having international experience, foreign contacts or financial holdings is not a negative for you as an applicant. However, there could be increased scrutiny because of these activities and any personal connections as they relate directly to the topic of national security.

Tech Transformation Services Handbook: Clearance

USAJOBS – What Are Background Checks and Security Clearances?

The Partnership for Public Service – Background Checks and Security Clearances

The Partnership for Public Service – Background Checks and Security Clearances for Federal Jobs

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Senior Executive Service (SES) members are high-level executives who work with presidential appointees as well as the rest of the federal workforce. They may manage, supervise and aid in policy-making. 

Throughout the application process, you’ll see references to Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQs), which are outlined in the “Options for serving in government: Career civil service ses-positionspaths” section of this playbook.

SES positions use a pay-for-performance compensation model and have salaries that can be higher than the General Schedule Scale. The minimum and maximum salaries can be found on OPM’s website. This does not mean that a given SES role is more critical or impactful than a given GS-15 role.

You will apply through the specific hiring process using USAJOBS for most SES positions. Ten percent of the SES may be political appointees, or “noncareer SES.” This determination is out of the applicant’s control. OPM estimates that applicants will spend between 40 to 80 hours preparing their application materials for an SES position.

Preparing a resume for a federal job is quite different than preparing one for a private-sector job. For private sector jobs, you typically summarize your work history in one to two pages. A SES federal resume will typically be five pages long and is required to include detail about your skills, accomplishments and previous responsibilities. 

An SES federal resume should include the following elements:

You will need to address all five ECQs and the TQs in your resume, even if separate narratives are required for each.

There are five ECQs required for all SES jobs. These are designed to assess executive experience and potential. In many cases, you will need to write an essay for each of the five ECQs that tells a specific story or stories that emphasize your executive experience. Hiring assessments for SES positions are centered on how well applicants demonstrate the ECQs in the essays. The five ECQs are:

Most of the time, ECQs are evaluated based on one essay per ECQ. These essays should focus on your leadership experience instead of technical expertise. You might find it helpful to follow a template like the Challenge-Context-Actions-Results (CCAR) method to talk about your expertise in a compelling way. Within these five ECQs, there are several competencies that you can use to guide your writing for each of the five essays, including qualities such as creativity and innovation and accountability.

According to federal talent specialists, the ECQ format is typically fairly specific. For example, provide two examples per ECQ and don’t go back further than 10 years. Each example should be one page, single spaced. 

Also, whenever possible, do not use an acronym unless it really is a widely known acronym. The people reviewing your ECQs may not be at the agency or in the same technical field as you are, so they won’t be familiar with certain terms. Additionally, you can use one example that is not work-related (for example, you may want to reference a strong volunteer leadership role).

You can read more about the ECQs and see the full list of competencies within the ECQs on the OPM website.

TQs are specific to the job in question and have no official format. They will vary by agency and job announcement. In your application, you must be able to provide specific examples of when you demonstrated each TQ in your work. 

Use at least two specific examples for each TQ. You may repeat examples that you use in your ECQs, but be sure to frame them differently. ECQs are focused on your leadership, while your TQs are focused on technical knowledge and expertise.

Agencies assess candidates for SES positions using one of three different assessment methods:

Before being hired, SES applications are subject to final review and certification by the Qualifications Review Board (QRB). The QRB is made up of three SES members from different federal agencies. 

The QRB board specifically evaluates the applicant’s ECQs and may approve or reject the application. This independent and objective review is intended to ensure that the government is hiring executives with the qualifications needed in today’s environment. The board evaluates the candidate’s ability to lead in times of ongoing change. The board is also designed to make sure that technical expertise does not outweigh leadership skill in the selection of new senior executives.

More information on QRB can be found on the Selection Process website.

Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) Model for ECQ and TQ Narratives: In this article, Nancy Segal outlines her model for how to write ECQ and TQ narratives.

USAJOBS – SES and ECQs: This page on USAJOBS outlines how to learn about SES job announcements and what you need in order to apply.

OPM SES selection process: This page on the OPM website has additional information about how agencies allocate and hire for SES positions.

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Congratulations! You have completed the Federal Government Hiring Playbook. As a technologist searching for meaningful work in the public sector, you have countless opportunities, and we hope this playbook helped give you an idea of how you can best use your strengths. 

The federal hiring application process can be cumbersome, and we are excited that you are dedicating your time and interest to working in the public sector. 

The opportunities are vast and the need for technologists like you is urgent as this government continues to deliver essential services or solves complex challenges for people living in the United States.

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ECQ: Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) are five qualities that many departments and agencies use to assess those who apply to Senior Executive Service positions. The five ECQs are: Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business Acumen, and Building Coalitions. 

GS Scale: The GS Scale is used to classify work and compensation. The most up-to-date pay scale for each grade and step can be found on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website. 

path: An established way for someone to serve in the federal government. Agencies have various paths set up to meet their staffing needs. 

SES: Senior Executive Service role. SES members are high-level executives who work with presidential appointees as well as the federal workforce. They may manage, supervise and aid in policy. 

SL: Senior Level role. SL employees generally do little or no supervising or managing, but they are responsible for broad and complex work that varies by department. There are approximately 640 SL positions allocated to several executive agencies. 

ST: Scientific and professional role. ST employees generally conduct high-level research and development in a scientific field. There are approximately 470 ST positions allocated to several executive agencies.

Telework: Remote work. 

TQs: Technical qualifications are special learned skills required to do a job. They are specific to whatever role the candidate is applying for.

USAJOBS: The federal government’s official employment site where you can find available career opportunities.

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We are deeply grateful to the many nonprofit organizations and individuals who have developed online content to help Americans apply to serve in a government role. To make the path more clear to incoming technologists, we drew directly from the websites and documents of many of these organizations and individuals and included links to their websites. 

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM): OPM is the center of human resources for the federal government. With over 2 million employees in the federal government, applying for roles can feel like a complex process. OPM has created several sites and presentations to help translate the hiring process for potential federal employees. They also host an online site called USAJOBS.gov, where open roles are housed. We drew from many of OPM’s sites throughout this document. 

The Partnership for Public Service: The Partnership has been building support systems for people who want to join the federal government for years. We drew largely from two of these support systems: 

1. 1. Ready to Serve: an online handbook to help professionals understand how to be considered for a presidential appointment. The site highlights key steps in the appointment process and works to answer questions about each. 
   2. GoGov.org: an online handbook to help professionals understand how to start a federal service career and apply for government civil service roles.

Tech Transformation Service Handbook: TTS “applies modern methodologies and technologies to improve the public’s experience with government by helping agencies make their services more accessible, efficient and effective.” They also have provided a solid resume guide and security clearance guide for technologists looking to join government. If you are curious, they also developed an excellent onboarding guide for a team member’s first 90 days and an acronym glossary that would be helpful to any technologist entering government.

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We are grateful to the following individuals for their generous input and feedback on federal government hiring. We deeply appreciate their time and their advice. The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the views of those with whom we engaged, and the views of participating federal officials do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the federal government or its agencies.

Barbara Cohn
Senior Consultant, Chief Data Officer
The Americas Clobotics Wind Services

Jenny Mattingley
Former Executive Director of the Performance Improvement Council
Former Director, White House Leadership Development Program

Nancy Segal
Professional Resume Writer and Consultant
Solutions for the Workplace

Rogers Weed
Former Director, Department of Commerce
Washington State

Vennard Wright
Former Chief Information Officer
Prince George’s County, Maryland

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