Good news! Your job search expenses may be tax deductible. It is time to find out whether the money you spend on federal career consulting, federal resume writing, travel and expenses supporting the job search, USAJOBS uploads, Ten Steps to a Federal job books and training are in fact tax deductible.

Here are the top six things the IRS wants you to know about deducting costs related to your job search, and my comments about them.

1. IRS: “You can deduct certain expenses you have in looking for a new job in your present occupation, even if you do not get a new job. You cannot deduct these expenses if: …You are looking for a job in a new occupation.” (IRS Publication 529, Job Search Expenses)

My comment: The federal government is NOT a new occupation, it is a new employer. If you are looking for a federal job related to your previous position, you may be able to deduct your expenses. The key is whether you are looking for positions requiring some of the same transferable skills from your past position to your new position. For instance, management/leadership skills are the same from private industry to federal government … accounting skills are the same … research and analysis skills are the same … customer services is the same.

2. IRS: “You can deduct employment and outplacement agency fees you pay in looking for a new job in your present occupation.”

My comment: The Resume Place, Inc. is considered an “employment and outplacement agency,” so any fees you incur enlisting our help with your federal job search would meet this criteria. Qualifying fees include our federal resume services, federal career consulting services, federal career training, and books.

3. IRS: “You can deduct amounts you spend for preparing and mailing copies of a résumé to prospective employers if you are looking for a new job in your present occupation.”

My comment: Remember to save your receipts for portfolios, envelopes, stamps, faxing, rented computer time, or any other expenses related to writing and sending your resume.

4. IRS: “If you travel to an area and, while there, you look for a new job in your present occupation, you may be able to deduct travel expenses to and from the area. You can deduct the travel expenses if the trip is primarily to look for a new job. The amount of time you spend on personal activity compared to the amount of time you spend in looking for work is important in determining whether the trip is primarily personal or is primarily to look for a new job.”

My comment: If you drive to The Resume Place, Inc. or attend our Ten Steps One Day class in Gaithersburg, MD, the expenses to get there and back are considered tax deductible.

5. IRS: “You cannot deduct job search expenses if there was a substantial break between the end of your last job and the time you begin looking for a new one.”

My comment: The IRS did not define how long a “substantial break” is, but even if you have been out of work for awhile, you may still be able to deduct the expenses. Please check with your accountant.

6. IRS: “You cannot deduct job search expenses if you are looking for a job for the first time.”

For more information about job search expenses, see:

IRS Publication 529, Miscellaneous Deductions »
This publication is available on the IRS Web site, IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

About.com article: Job Search Tax Deduction Tips by Alison Doyle »

Article: Potential Tax Write-Offs for Job Search Expenses by Karin Combs »

Money Saving Idea #1: Consider Federal Job Search an Investment

First, I want to set the stage by showing you that landing a federal job is an investment you can make in landing a job with a highly competitive salary, promotion potential, and great benefits. For example, this could be your future government job salary:

– The average entry-level job in government (GS-9) in the Washington, DC area pays: $51K to $67K.
– The average mid-career position in government (GS-12) in the Washington, DC area pays: $62K to $82K.
– The average senior-level position in government (GS-13) in Washington, DC area pays: $89K to $115K.

View the full OPM Salary Charts here.

So, while you may need to spend some money to successfully get hired by the federal government, the money you spend may bring you great returns.

Money Saving Idea #2: Take Advantage Of All The FREEBIES You Can!

When it comes to federal job search, you CAN get something for nothing. Look at all of these free sources of information and inspiration:

Free – Federal Job Webinar with Kathryn Troutman

Our free webinar is an hour full of insights about federal resume writing, follow-up on federal applications, and USAJOBS searches. Submit your question for Kathryn to answer and watch on your computer as Kathryn demonstrates the federal job search and application techniques online.

Free – Important Federal job Search Websites

Follow the White House’s budget activities:
If you want to know what’s happening with the budget for your favorite agency, read the Fact Sheets and follow the US Budget to your next job.

Read the website of your favorite federal agency: Read the agency’s mission, find out how many jobs they have, how many cities they have offices in, and what’s new at the agency. Get involved in your favorite agencies, so that you can write a compelling federal resume and KSAs that can demonstrate you will help the agency meet their mission.

Study USAJOBS.gov: Search for jobs in your geographic city, or search for jobs in your dream city. Look at the duties, qualifications, and skills. Marvel at the “who to apply” lessons, so you can get ready to apply for a federal job.

Free – RP’s Federal Resume and KSA Builders

Kathryn designed the popular KSA Builder in 1996, with the very successful KSA formula: Context, Challenge, Action and Results. Try out the KSA Builder to write your best story to demonstrate your Knowledge, Skill, or Ability.

The Resume Place’s Federal Resume Builder can be your first-stop before copying and pasting the resume into the USAJOBS Builder. Practice your federal resume writing with our builder, which includes fields for all of the important “compliance information” for your federal resume.

Free – Performance Management Keywords

Want to see some of the important competency keywords in government? Check out our Performance Management Keyword Tree. These keywords and skills represent various career levels in government. See how many times the words “overcome obstacles and change” will appear in the Keyword Tree. Use these keywords in your resume and application where appropriate.

Free – Read Kathryn’s articles and blogs on federal resume and KSA Writing

These pages are full of free information Kathryn has written about federal resumes, KSAs, and keyword searches:
– Kathryn’s Blog
– Articles by Kathryn

Money Saving Idea #3: Do It Yourself

With a little help from our value-priced and value-added training and books, you can create an effective job application package. Our training and books do not just cover the resume, they cover the entire TEN STEPS it takes to land a federal government job.

One Day Open Enrollment Workshop

Consider classes in federal job search, including The Resume place’s One Day Ten Steps to a Federal job Course in Gaithersburg, MD – held twice each month. Fee: $199 includes a copy of the book, Ten Steps to a Federal Job.

Resume Place Award-Winning Books

Purchase and read books on federal resume writing to see samples of federal resumes, learn how to search for keywords and understand the application process for federal jobs.

Recommended Resume Place publications:
– Federal Resume Guidebook, 4th Edition, Kathryn Troutman
– Ten Steps to a Federal Job, 2nd Edition, Kathryn Troutman

Recommended books by other authors:
– How to Land a High Paying Federal Job, Lily Whiteman
– Book of US Government Jobs, Dennis Damp

Money Saving Idea #4: Save Time and Frustration — Hire a Professional Consultant

Anyone who has tried all of the ideas above will still tell you that embarking on a federal job search takes months of time and energy. Many federal job searches take up to and over a year to be successful. By hiring a professional consultant, you may dramatically decrease the amount of time you will have to spend on your federal job search, and you will certainly decrease the amount of uncertainty about whether you are sending out the best possible application you can for each vacancy. If you land a federal job faster, you will in the end save money through your increase earnings.

Our top three most popular writing and consulting services are:

Federal Career Consultation
90 minutes of packed specific information for YOUR career and skills
If you’re not sure what position you are best qualified for, or how you can match your background into a federal job, it is a VERY wise investment to hire a Federal Human Resources consultant to ensure that you are applying correctly before you spend hundreds of hours applying for jobs on the USAJOBS website.

Federal Resume Writing
5 hours of time to improve your keywords, qualifications, duties, accomplishments, format and content of your first, best federal resume
Get it right the first time! If you are not great writer, or do not have 100% confidence in your federal resume document, hire a consultant / professional federal resume writer to make sure that your Template Federal Resume is the best it can be. Make SURE the federal resume is right the first time, so that you can change it each time you find a new announcement, selecting new keywords for each announcement.

KSA Writing and Editing
4 hours of time to improve your best KSA Accomplishment Stories
The KSAs and essays must demonstrate your past performance and expertise in certain important areas that will be critical to your performance in your federal jobs.

Looking for a discount?
Order a package combination of the services listed above and receive great discounts. Check our packages page regularly for periodic sales on these already great prices!

You don’t have to wait for the Congressional Jobs Bill to find a federal job. The Office of Personnel Management has updated their Federal jobs website to help you search for federal jobs anytime you get in the mood to look for a great paying job in your city and state – or any city and state that you can consider relocating to.

On average 40,000 jobs are listed everyday. Very soon, after the White House Budget is passed, there will be more jobs posted to support many of the new programs being implemented to create more jobs throughout the United States.

Here are some comments and helpful hints for using the new website. Let’s start with the home page.

Top left links:

Search Jobs – My favorite search tab is International / Advanced Search. This page gives you the most search criteria for the best search.

My Account – Used to be MY USAJOBS. Click this link for returning to your USAJOBS account.

Info Center – Very useful area. I wish that the GS Salary Schedule was a top link! The GS Salary page is STILL impossible to find, but you can locate it on Info Center – Main Page > Federal Employment > General > General Pay Schedule. Or click our button link to the right to see this page.

Center of USAJOBS homepage:

I like the new logo / brand – it’s very nice!

(What?) Keyword and (Where?) City, State, Zip

These are great starter search fields. You can use this field to quickly search for an announcement number, USAJOBS control number, college major, keyword, agency, direct hire, Recovery Act, TARP or other unique federal job searches.

Sample quick searches you can perform right off of the homepage:

1) “Administrative” and “Boise, ID”: 15 jobs found. Beware! These announcements do have the word “administrative” in them, but they are are NOT all administrative jobs. But it’s a fun, fast search page.

2) “TARP”: 4 jobs found in the entire U.S.

3) “Direct Hire” and “Washington, DC”: 110 jobs found. These jobs are available quickly due to Mission Critical Needs.

Browse Jobs -a Quick Overview Page

Still in the center of the home page and to the right of the input boxes, this link brings you to a nice overview page. You can see on one page the number of jobs open in all of the agencies, all of the states, and all of the jobs. It can be both exciting and discouraging at the same time. Agriculture has 1127 jobs posted today; Commerce has 213.

International / Advanced Jobs – Start with this link for a detailed search!

Just under the Browse Jobs link is a link to my FAVORITE SEARCH PAGE! My favorite search is this:

Occupational Series – Scroll down and choose your series … or SELECT ALL for all of the jobs.

Location Search – Scroll down and select your city/state … or SELECT ALL for all jobs in the world.

Agency Search – Scroll down for your favorite agency … or SELECT ALL for all of the agencies.

Compensation Search – Type in your highest and lowest acceptable salary … or type in the upper and lower grade levels you will accept.

Applicant Eligibility – If you have a special hiring authority, you can check off YES, but a lot of first-time federal applicants who have not been in the military will click off NO.

Then, SEARCH for Jobs – see what comes up!

From your search listing, you can click the back button and your search criteria will STILL be there!

Now, you can easily order the Career Dummies Books right here from your account at Amazon.com – just click the titles below.

I know that if you are reading this blog you are REALLY looking for a federal job, but you should always have a good keyword, private industry resume ready to customize for networking, job fairs, friends and family. Cover letters are needed for emails, online applications and maybe even an email federal application. Job interview preparation is critical. I can’t tell you in enough ways that you must PREPARE for an interview. Reading a terrific book on preparation can’t hurt you. Looking for a new job is a JOB these days requiring practice, research, and resources!

All this book’s resumes by The award-winning Resume Place Resume Writers

The Resume Place expert writing team wrote ALL 50 of the sample resumes in this book. They are filled with keywords and accomplishments and are easy to read, edited to be compact, and impressive. I recommend this book for writing your private industry resume (paper version), networking resume, LinkedIn resume, online builder resume, upload resume, and career change resume. All of the resume samples are tightly-focused toward specific keywords from an advertised opening or announcement! The Resume Place writers are MASTERS at keyword resume writing (because of our Federal resume expertise).

COVER LETTERS FOR DUMMIES, 3rd Ed., Joyce Lain Kennedy

This book won the Benjamin Franklin best-career-book-of-the-year award for 2009.

Benefit with a collection of the best cover letters by about 50 of the best resume writers in the country. All are certified by the major resume-writing certification programs. The cover letters (and related self-marketing documents) are interesting, informative, clever, keyword-filled, fun and usable for YOU to write your own cover letter. The formats include paper, email, LinkedIn profiles, and many more self-marketing documents. Choose some great opening and closing phrases and ways to list your top skills and interests in powerful ways. In this job market your cover letter is critical to GRABBING the employer’s attention.

JOB INTERVIEWS FOR DUMMIES, 3nd Ed., Joyce Lain Kennedy

This book won the Benjamin Franklin best career-book-of-the-year award for 2008

Veteran syndicated careers columnist and author Joyce Lain Kennedy has tips and techniques for mastering a job interview — if you are LUCKY enough to land one. Check out this book to prepare, practice and get ready for job interviews. Practice your best accomplishment stories with tips from Joyce’s book. Engage the interviewer and show your personality, interest in the job, and excellent skills with your best interview answers.

Last evening, I listened closely to President Obama’s speech for new ideas about jobs for Americans that would give us all hope.

I heard about clean energy jobs, something President Obama discussed during the election, but it was not clear where the jobs would be coming from, or even what jobs might be.

I also heard about ideas for small businesses getting help in the form of tax breaks and SBA loans so they could hire more people. I listened closely to this topic because of my recent difficult experience with it. I am the president of a small business, and two weeks ago I got an SBA loan to grow the business and hire more staff. BUT, it took me one year to get the SBA loan, and collateral I had to put down was disproportionately huge — four times the amount of the loan. Basically, the SBA and the small community bank could take over everything I own if anything ever happens to me or to my business. Very few small business owners have this amount of collateral to support a business loan. So, I was understandably skeptical about Obama’s ideas regarding the SBA loans as a way to create more jobs.

Needless to say, I did not come away from the speech with much positive news to share with you.

This morning I took a new approach. I decided to look past the political rhetoric and examine the actions actually being taken right now to generate more jobs for Americans. So, I read the transcript of last night’s speech to compare Obama’s NEW JOB IDEAS with the NEW AND PROPOSED BILLS that will support those ideas.

This is what I found out:

PASSED BILL (2009):

Recovery Act (passed) to create Construction Jobs
This bill has been passed last year and is in action.

BILLS PASSED RECENTLY OR WILL PASS:

New GI Bill and Military Family Bill for more Military Family / Vet Services Jobs
This bill has passed, and these jobs will begin to appear very soon.

New Education Bill to create more Education Jobs
This bill will probably pass and will create more education / teaching jobs.

BILLS IN PROGRESS:

The Jobs Bill - $154B Bill for Transportation and Instructor Training Jobs
This bill has not passed yet.

SBA Loans for Small Businesses ($30B to community banks) to create new Small Business Jobs
The Main Street Lending Restoration Act was just proposed in December 2009.

Doha Bill for more Global Exporting / Business Jobs
This problematic bill has been in the works for a long time and may not pass.

Climate and Energy Bill to create new Clean Energy Jobs
This bill has not passed yet the Senate yet.

and …
A NOTE ABOUT THE SPENDING FREEZE: For those of you who have been worried about a spending freeze, the one piece of solid good news I can give you is that the spending freeze will not start until 2011. Let’s move forward with hope that the programs will begin to have a positive impact on our jobs situation soon.

SUMMARY:

My feeling last night was right: the speech did not say much about REAL JOB CREATION TODAY. So, moving forward, I will continue with my federal job search counseling, training, book publishing and other activities as I have been doing. I will continue to encourage jobseekers to write the best possible resume and federal resume. And I’ll keep encouraging people to stay strong and focused toward the future. Don’t think or worry about what the government is doing. It’s all up to each person to figure out their way to a new job and to solve their financial issues. If the government does come up with programs that will help us, that’s GREAT! But I am not going to sit around and wait. I will continue to be the entrepreneur that I am!

Thanks for reading. Good luck with your job search.
– Kathryn Troutman
Author of several books on federal job search;
Founder and President of The Resume Place, Inc. for 35 years;
and the lucky recipient of an SBA loan!

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Write your Senators in support of the Jobs Bill, which has already passed the House. This bill COULD make a difference for you and millions of America’s jobless.

• Find out how to contact your Senator »
• To watch the speech or read the transcript »

No password is required, it’s free and easy to use!

Published with permission by http://www.wordle.net/.

By Kathryn Troutman, Author, Ten Steps to a Federal Job, 2^nd ed.. President, www.resume-place.com, Federal Career and Federal Resume Writing Services, Established 1973

Lots of people have friends and relatives who have safe, wonderful jobs in the government.  Most of these jobseekers are current out of work, or almost out of work. Everybody knows that the application process for a federal job is complex, difficult, daunting, burdensome and every agency has their own way of applying. BUT THE GOVERNMENT JOBS ARE AMAZINGLY GOOD.

So, I predict the following changes in attitude (acceptance), writing and application strategies toward finding and landing a federal job by first-timers who REALLY NEED A GOOD, STABLE JOBS!

One: Jobseekers will accept the complex announcements and become federal job announcement interpreters and background researchers. In order to understand a federal job announcement,  a federal jobseeker must look up an agency or office mission to read a job announcement in context.

Here’s my advice: If you find an announcement that seems right for your qualifications, do some background study on the announcement or office.  Interpret the words in the job announcements, so they can apply for the job successfully.

As an example, for the Contact Representative job announcement, many agencies need Contact Representatives to talk by phone to the American Public who need help with Medicare, Taxes, Financial Aide, Passports, Immigration, and other government services. The Contact Representative job is a very good entry-level position and is quite similar to a Customer Services Representative for a corporation or business.

Here is a complicated duty statement and “specialized experience” for the Contact Representative: “The incumbent will provide technical assistance to individuals and/or businesses primarily through telephone interaction in a dynamic call center environment, and/or face-to-face contact.

My interpretation of this duty: You will talk on the phone or see people in person; answer questions and be very busy.

Your federal resume could include description similar to this one if you want to provide that you have this “specialized experience”: Communicate daily by phone or in-person with more than xx customers who inquire about products, services and problem. Listen to the information provided, research their inquiry in our databases, interpret rules and regulations as needed, and resolve problems. Refer some problems as needed to supervisors efficiently. Ensure customer satisfaction and attention to detail. Recognize priority and critical situations and use diplomacy to resolve complex problems.

Two:  Jobseekers can learn how to apply by practicing applying for federal jobs. It just takes practice to get good at anything – sports, cooking, computer skills. Same with applying for federal jobs. It takes practice and learning the hard way.

Here’s my advice for practicing: Practice applying for federal jobs. Practice applying for jobs that are NOT perfect for you, or maybe they are perfect, but expect to make mistakes in applying. This way you will be ready to apply correctly for the perfect job.  Or apply for a job in a state where you don’t want to live. And if you are referred to the position, you can wait and see what happens. If you do get an interview (amazing), you can decide what to do then.

Three:  Write your federal resume with federal job announcement keywords and learn how to paraphrase an announcement. First-timers can’t believe that the federal resume is on average two times the length of a private industry resume. An average federal resume IS 4 pages.  The reason the federal resume is longer, is that the resume needs to show that you have the skills for the position – in writing! That means, more words, more descriptions in your federal resume.

Here’s my advice for changing your language and writing style for your federal resume: Select your best vacancy announcement from USAJOBS. Go to the Duties section. Read the first 5 sentences and select 5 keywords that are nouns or verbs. Add these words to your resume – if they are true and you can add them.  The language of federal jobs is different than private industry job descriptions. In order to successfully “go federal”, you have to interpret your skills into federal language.

The USAJOBS announcement for a Program Assistant includes this set of duties:  “The incumbent will research, gather, assemble, analyze and consolidate program information to support organizational goals; analyze documents to ensure distribution, consolidation of comments, and needed follow-up action.”

Your private industry resume might include this sentence:

Research information and analyze documents for projects; compile information for comments.

Your federal resume should include a more detailed sentence, paraphrasing the announcement:

Gather, analyze and research data for project review.  Organize information to support project objectives. Prepare documents for distribution and final comments. Follow-up and handle details for project completion.

A recent article in the Washington Post highlighted the need for reform of the Federal government’s Senior Executive Service. The article summarized the findings of a report developed jointly by the Partnership for Public Service, and the consulting firm, Booz Allen Hamilton, supports plans being developed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to overhaul the entire SES program, from selection to development to retirement. The report indicates that the SES, with an outstanding program concept for government executive leadership, has not reached it’s potential for a variety of reasons, including stagnation, lack of applicants and simply not enough attention to development and retention of exceptional leaders.

The report, and OPM’s proposal both recommend significant changes to the SES program, including rotational assignments, and a streamlined selection process. Additionally, the report advocates for development of an “elite” corps of managers that regularly move across agencies. Other recommendations call for OPM to recognize qualified executives for temporary or permanent assignments, especially to address natural disasters, emergencies, administration changes or other policy or technology changes already in place. OPM will begin to review and propose solutions to these issues through the development of an “SES office” that will serve as a clearinghouse for all senior executive issues within the government.

About the ECQs: The report describes the ECQs as essays where applicants write how they have demonstrated their competencies through work experience or training and development. Often times these essays run 10 pages or more. OPM has responded by developing 2 alternatives. One being the accomplishment record, the other being a strict resume-based application method.

As OPM begins to review and potentially change elements of the SES program, The Resume Place is your expert to assist you in developing a competitive application package. Our SES experts are tracking the OPM changes, and are providing feedback to OPM on recommended changes. We will be happy to work with you on changes to your materials if the selection process changes. If you are considering applying for SES positions — don’t wait for these changes — there are great opportunities out there today — call us for a consult or log on to http://www.resume-place.com/services/services-menu/ses/ to learn more.

Important SES Websites:

SES Salaries
http://www.opm.gov/ses/performance/salary.asp

Career SES Pay for Performance Awards – Charts
http://www.opm.gov/ses/facts_and_figures/SES_AnnualReport_FY2007.pdf

OPM’s Main Senior Executive Services pages
www.opm.gov/SES

Executive Core Qualification Descriptions
http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/ecq.asp

SES Job Vacancies
http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/vacancies.asp

Performance and Salaries
http://www.opm.gov/ses/performance/index.asp

Partnership for Public Service
Read a pdf file of Reimagining the Senior Executive Service here:
http://www.ourpublicservice.org/OPS/publications/viewcontentdetails.php?id=136

Susan Custard brings a unique perspective to her coaching — more than 30 years of experience working across HR functions. With this experience, Susan applies her in-depth knowledge of various government occupations and positions to develop and execute an effective career management strategy.  Susan also brings outstanding interview training to clients with expertise in behavioral interview training.  Susan has coached and worked with clients in career transition at all levels from entry-level to the C-suite.

Susan specializes in offering customized services to clients that can include consulting, coaching, resume development, and interview preparation. Susan’s consulting services  include comprehensive employment application development, content strategies, content analysis, discussion and brainstorming on leadership examples, competency analysis and decision-making, writing and focusing strategies.  Other clients can benefit from Susan’s approach to career coaching, which includes strategic career planning and counseling, focused on a particular area or level. Susan excels in developing effective partnerships to coach clients in creating a personalized career management strategy that will leverage opportunities and experience to an effective and satisfying placement.

LOOKING FOR A DOOR INTO FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT?
THIS OPPORTUNITY MAY BE FOR YOU.

THE POSITION PERTAINS TO MULTIPLE FEDERAL AGENCIES IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS.

ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: PH-09-JL-290071

The title of the position is Contact Representative and is an excellent entry level position at the GS-05 level. The application period extends until December 31, 2009.

As a Contact Representative, your typical work assignments might include directing customers, issues, questions, or complaints to the appropriate person or place; using computer systems or applications to access, update, or retrieve data, files, or other information; providing direct and personal service to the public; maintaining security or confidentiality of records, equipment, or computer access; and searching files, documents, or other sources for information.

The qualifications required involve assisting individuals in resolving problems; researching background material; providing information on organizational policies or procedures; determining eligibility requirements for benefits or services; and reviewing records to resolve discrepancies. You may also demonstrate qualifications through education or a combination of education and experience. The knowledge, skills, and abilities questionnaire questions are centered around competencies such as managing and organizing Information, writing, interpersonal skills, speaking/oral communication, and customer service.

GO FOR IT AND GOOD LUCK !!!

Peter R. Orszag, head of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) says that Federal civilian agencies should grow their acquisition workforce by at least 5% over the next 5 years. Last year, these agencies awarded and managed an estimated $138 billion in civilian contracts, according to the Federal Acquisition Institute.

Knowing this, would you like to change your job series from Administrative, Program Analyst, IT, or other job series and move into the Business and Industry Career Series? Would you like new challenges, training, customers, projects, and opportunities for growth? Why not consider analyzing the 1101 and 1102 job series? If you are interested, then it’s time to add contracting, life cycle management and acquisitions into your Federal Career Toolkit. First you will need to study the Qualifications, Education and Specialized Experience in order to build your federal resume or KSAs toward Contracts and Acquisitions work.

Sandra Lee Keppley, retired Human Resources Specialist and Director, Labor Employee Relations at Department of Labor joins Kathryn Troutman to answer Frequently Asked Questions by current federal employees about applying to the Contract Specialist job series.

Educational Requirements

What are the basic educational requirements: To qualify for positions at grades GS-5 through GS-12 in the 1101 or 1102 job series, you must possess either a bachelor’s degree OR have completed at least 24 semester hours of coursework in certain business-related fields. In order to qualify for positions at grades GS-13 and above, you must possess a bachelor’s degree AND at least 24 semester hours of coursework in certain business-related fields. The 24 hours may be included in, or in addition to, coursework taken to complete the degree program.

Does the phrase “a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree” mean I must have a degree, or just that I must be enrolled in a degree program? The phrase means you must possess a bachelor’s degree conferred or approved by an accredited U.S. college or university based on a 4-year course of study. Simply being enrolled and working toward a degree does not meet the qualification standard. Furthermore, “honorary” degrees or other degrees with no basis in coursework do not satisfy the standard.

Does the degree have to be a business degree? No. A qualifying bachelor’s degree may be in any field of study and may be of any type, such as Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Business Administration. The 24 semester hours, however, must be in some combination of the eleven fields listed in the standard.

When the degree AND 24-hour coursework requirements must be met for GS-13 and above positions, can I count courses taken as part of my degree program to satisfy the 24-hour requirement? Yes, coursework could simultaneously count for the degree requirement and the 24-hour requirement. For example, if you earned a business degree, you should have completed sufficient credits in the required fields to satisfy the 24-hour requirement. However, if your degree is in another field, such as sociology, you might need to take some additional courses in the fields identified in the qualification standard to complete the 24-hour requirement.

“Grandfathering” — The Exception Provisions

I am currently working as an 1102 in a civilian agency. Am I “grandfathered” for civilian agency positions based on having a certain number of years of experience (meaning the requirements do not apply to me)? The 1102 qualification standard does have some grandfathering features for the existing workforce, although none of those features are tied to a prescribed number of years of experience. Every 1102, regardless of grade, is considered to meet the standard for the position and grade held as of January 1, 2000, and is qualified for positions in other civilian agencies at the same grade without having to meet the educational and training requirements. In addition, an 1102 can be promoted through grade GS-12 without meeting the qualification requirements. There is no grandfathering provision that allows experience to substitute for education in order to qualify for promotions to GS-13 and above.

Do existing Federal employees in other series, such as GS-1105, have to meet the educational requirements to move into the 1102 field? Yes. The 1102 standard applies to every civilian agency 1102 position and must be met by individuals entering the series from outside the Government, or from other series within the Government. If you are a current 1105, you must meet the educational requirements to lateral or promote into the 1102 series.

What does this phrase mean: “Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12″? This statement is found in the “exceptions” paragraph for GS-5 through GS-12. Simply stated, it exempts employees hired by January 1, 2000 from the educational requirements for any position up to GS-12. If you meet neither the degree nor 24-hour requirement, you can still be promoted through GS-12. All individuals hired since January 1, 1998 should meet the educational requirements since they were hired under the former standard. However, many 1102s hired before January 1, 1998 do not have the education now required, and the exception accommodates those employees. Additionally, in the event someone was inadvertently hired into the 1102 series between January 1998 and January 2000 who did not actually meet the former standard, that employee would be covered by the exception.

Education Waivers

Can the qualification requirements for positions in grades GS-5 through GS-12 be waived? No. All new entrants into the GS-1102 career field at grades 5 through 12 must meet the qualification requirements. The requirements cannot be waived. However, if you are already an 1102 below grade GS-12 as of January 1, 2000, the “exception” language of the standard allows you to be promoted through GS-12 even if you do not have the education specified by the standard.

Do I need a waiver for any promotions up to GS-12? No. A waiver is not necessary for promotions under grade GS-13 because all promotion candidates would either meet the standard or qualify for the “exception” at those lower grades. Waivers only exist for the requirements that apply to positions at GS-13 and above.

I do not meet the educational requirements for a position at GS-13 and above. Do I have to obtain a waiver to apply for a job? No. The senior procurement executive of the hiring agency must grant a waiver only if the agency wants to select you to fill a position. If the vacancy announcement indicates that waivers may be granted, you can apply for the position. The human resource office will forward your application for review, along with the other applications, with a note that one or more applicants may need a waiver. At the agency’s option, the waiver may be applied to any of the educational, training, or experience requirements, or combination thereof, as specified in the vacancy announcement.

Can I get a waiver and “carry it with me” every time I apply for a job? No. A waiver is the prerogative of the hiring agency and would be granted based on the unique circumstances of a hiring action. “Blanket” waivers do not exist.
If I receive a waiver for a GS-13 position, do I need a new waiver for a GS-14 promotion, even if it is in the same agency? Yes. Waivers are specific to a selection action, so any selection for a future promotion would require another waiver if you still did not meet the qualification requirements.

As the government grows its acquisition workforce, more career opportunities will become available, and you should consider whether a move to the 1101 or 1102 job series is right for you. If so, now is the time to work on building a resume with the right education, qualifications, and specialized experience. I hope this FAQ helps you think it out!

Sandy Keppley comes to The Resume Place as a Human Resources Professional with over 25 years of solid experience as a manager, supervisor, team leader and technical professional in the field of Human Capital Management. Sandy began her Federal career in the clerical field at one of the lowest levels, GS-2. Through years of diligence, self improvement, and hard work, she recently retired as Director, Labor Employee Relations at Department of Labor, Washington, D.C. at the GS-15 level.

Her career spans various Federal environments such as Navy Supply, Army installations, Army Research and Development, Army Corps of Engineers, and Department of Labor, and she uses her knowledge of professional, scientific, administrative, clerical and trades occupations to help Resume Place clients present their qualifications effectively. Her own experience in leadership, human resources management, team and partnership building, and problem solving allows her to inspire applicants to develop application content on their own accomplishments. She also has experience in labor and employee relations (union and non-union); alternate dispute resolution; position management and classification; training; staffing; workers compensation; performance management; employee benefits; and employee recognition; she is a certified mediator.

Sandy’s expertise in federal application writing includes the federal resume as well as KSA narratives and self-assessment questions. She has comprehensive knowledge of automated staffing mechanisms such as RESUMIX, and has extensive first-hand experience with the federal hiring process.

This article was reprinted with permission from fedmanager.com