According to Kathryn Kraemer Troutman, federal human resource consultant and author, the government's burdensome application process compounds the more obvious difficulty of recruiting on such a large scale.
In 1995, Troutman, an outspoken advocate of Federal job application reform, designed the standardized federal resume format now required for all applicants. Her new book, Ten Steps to a Federal Job: Navigating the Federal Job System (ISBN 0-9647025-3-3, $39.95, The Resume Place, Inc.), shows people how to maneuver each step of the federal job application obstacle course.
The accompanying CD ROM contains resume templates in MS-Word, which readers can use to plug in their own data-including samples specifically for airport security positions.
Troutman expressed concern that the difficulty of applying for federal jobs may discourage qualified applicants. Joyce Lain Kennedy, Tribune-syndicated career-advice columnist, agreed that "Applying for federal jobs is complex and puzzling… It can be a real pain." In spite of the difficulty, applicants must, insists Kennedy, "follow directions to the letter!" She advises her readers to consult Troutman's books and website to understand how to complete federal applications correctly.
Paul Light, V.P. and Director of Governmental Studies, Brookings Institution, also acknowledges Troutman's special expertise in the federal job market: "She's got the application process down to a science, and she gives job hunters the tips and formats needed to present themselves in the best light possible."
Long before 9-11, Troutman foresaw the government's need for a major manpower push to replace a graying federal workforce-more than half of which will take mandatory retirement within the decade. She encourages people motivated to do something for their country to educate themselves about the federal job application steps, suggesting it's a sort of grass roots activism. "If you want to do something for your country, the application process doesn't have to stop you. The rewards of federal employment far outweigh the initial inconvenience," noted the author.
On her website (resume-place.com), Troutman offers helpful free tips and links to government job listings and other useful sites. For detailed help with applying, her Ten Steps to a Federal Job: Navigating the Federal Job System will be available through Baker & Taylor, Ingram, JistWorks Distribution, the Resume Place, and retail booksellers in August 2002. Until then, Troutman's The Electronic Federal Resume Guidebook and The Federal Resume Guidebook, can get readers on the right track. Ten Steps is the author's fifth book. A polished speaker, Troutman is available for interviews on the Federal job-hiring situation.
