(Baltimore, MD, April 30, 2003)-With the current increased interest in homeland security positions and other jobs with the U.S. government, career professionals need to be able to respond in an informed way to jobseekers trying to navigate the complex Federal employment system. To support this effort, Kathryn Kraemer Troutman has devised a new telecourse for resume writers, job coaches, and others who offer services to the Federal job applicant. From the offices of her Baltimore consulting firm, Troutman discussed the new Federal Resume Writer and Coach Certification Program (FRWC) telecourse, which she will present for the first time in six teleclasses held Wed. evenings, from 6 to 7 pm, EST, June 25 through July 20, 2003. A second set of classes will commence Sept. 3rd, 2003.
"I've been a professional resume writer for almost 30 years," Troutman noted. "I learned about Federal employment one client at a time. Now I want to help other career professionals learn the Federal employment process faster than I did."
Many career professionals will recognize Troutman as the author of the highly regarded Ten Steps to a Federal Job, which is the basis for the FRWC telecourse. Sponsored by The Resume Place and taught by the author herself, participation will require:
- Six one-hour teleclasses with Kathryn Troutman, the foremost authority on Federal jobs
- Communications via e-mail
- Completion of three Federal application packages, demonstrating competence in Federal formats, including paper and electronic resumes and KSAs
- Course exams
Troutman and her staff will analyze and critique the application packages. The course fee also includes the Ten Steps to a Federal Job Jobseekers' Guide curriculum workbook and three of Troutman's books.
"There's a lot more to Federal applications than using keywords to write resumes," said Troutman. Through the FRWC telecourse, writers and job coaches can gain knowledge and professional credibility in many aspects of supporting Federal applicants-including writing, editing, critiquing, and coaching. The teleclass also covers understanding Federal employment practices, announcement instructions, application formats, performance reviews, and individual development plans.
"It's not easy to prepare effective Federal application packages. You'll have to do a lot of learning to become successful at helping clients achieve the 'best qualified' ratings they need to receive in order to get interviews," counseled Troutman. "But in this tough job market, clients will appreciate your knowing how to apply for Federal jobs."
Troutman not only hopes to help jobseekers, but also wants to see small business owners and writers, who struggle to build business, boost their ability to attract clients. With the steady increase in Federal job openings and the great number of jobhunters, many inspired by patriotic duty, trained professionals can tap into a new pool of potential clients. "Career professionals must understand how the government hires. It's more important now than it's ever been," she emphasized.
This is the first Federal job search certification course open to resume writers, job coaches, and similar career professionals. In another Troutman certification course for Ten Steps Trainers, personnel trainers learn classroom instruction methods, along with the latest Federal job search methods. "Our clients' resumes now stand out from thousands of others piling up on the Federal human resources desks-landing them interviews," reported Cecilia Luna, the U.S. Navy's Spouse Employment Assistance Program Manager in Puerto Rico and a graduate of the Ten Step Trainer's Certification class that Troutman presented recently to military trainers.
The Major Federal Application Hurdles FRWC
Teleclass Participants Will Learn to Jump
Analyzing Inscrutable Job Announcements. Over generations of bureaucracy, the meaning of some government language has been lost-even to Federal employees. The ability to decipher jargon and difficult passages enables career professionals to understand instructions, determine qualifications, and recognize keywords to use in resumes and KSAs.
Writing in the Federal Resume Format-a Different Kind of Animal. Forget the stock advice about confining resumes to one page. You've now entered the Federal zone, where two to five-even seven pages-are actually preferred for hardcopy resumes. You'll have an advantage when you learn from the expert who designed the Federal resume format, who will cover both hardcopy and electronic resumes in-depth.
Composing Those Pesky KSAs. The KSA-or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Statement-is a mini-narrative or essay, showing how an applicant's background applies to the job sought. This Ten Steps teleclass dispels the "mystique" surrounding the KSA, a "boogey man" to the many clients who find narrative writing intimidating.
Comprehending Occupational Titles without "Subtitles." While every job that exists in the private sector-and some that don't-can be found in government, the Federal Occupational Series is unique to government. The FRWC course will help you understand titles so you can recognize keywords to use in resumes and KSAs and identify jobs best suited to your clients.
Other components essential to creating "best qualified" ratings for Federal application packages will be covered, including:
- Uncovering hidden Federal jobs
- Analyzing position descriptions to write resume content
- Using key Federal employment resources, such as the OPM's Classification Standards
- Identifying job titles best suited to clients' skills (in practice, Federal titles aren't consistent)
- Accessing online Federal job resources
Graduates will also receive three to six months of e-mail communications updating them on changes in Federal employment practices.
"There's a lot of Federal employment available," reported Troutman. "And people are already out there offering Federal job application services. This teleclass teaches career professionals how to support Federal jobseekers in the right way so these clients will have the best opportunity to land a job. Few services understand the real challenges of the Federal system right now."
Resources: The book, Ten Steps to a Federal Job, 290 pp. ISBN: 0964702533, The Resume Place, August 2002, paperback with CD-ROM. The website, www.resume-place.com
For information about fees and eligibility requirements for the FRWC certification course, call 8880 480 8265 or see www.resume-place.com
