(BALTIMORE, MD - November 21, 2003) - In spite of recent signs of an economic thaw, the meagerness of job listings in Sunday papers suggests that many people seeking employment will be out in the cold for a while longer. This could be a good time to warm up to the idea of working for the nation’s largest employer—the Federal government. Over the next few years, the government must fill about 250,000 positions in the U.S. and throughout the world. But applying for a Federal job can seem like feeling your way in the dark for a secret passage through a huge, impenetrable wall.
Now, thanks to leading fedjobs expert Kathryn Kraemer Troutman and Monster.com’s recent move to set up a new message board, there is a voice to direct jobseekers through the bulwark of complex government application procedures. Getting answers from Kathryn Troutman may not be as earth-shaking as the walls tumbling at Jericho, but it can be a breakthrough for those struggling with the complexities of government job applications.
“Monster’s new board is a very important resource for jobseekers,” remarked Troutman, author of the award-winning book Ten Steps to a Federal Job and the newly released 3rd edition of the Federal Resume Guidebook. “This is the first time I know of that the general public has been able to post questions about the Federal employment process on the Net—and the service is free.”
Kathryn Troutman has written seven books on Federal employment, lectures to scores of government agencies each year, and runs The Resume Place, a resume-writing and federal employment consulting firm in the Beltway. She joined Monster.com on November 3 as a moderator and the Federal Job Coach associated with their new Government/Public Service Careers Message Board (http://forums.monster.com/forum.asp?forum=3336).
Monster.com, an Internet job search site well-deserving of its name, launched the Government/Public Service Careers Message Board after taking over the management of the Usajobs.opm.gov website in April 2003. Usajobs is the official job site for the United States government. “This website has improved greatly since Monster.com took it over,” observed Troutman.
Users of Monster.com’s new public service careers message board can log-on 24-7 to ask questions about how to get Federal jobs. Troutman will respond to message board queries 3 times a week, typically Monday, Wednesday and weekends. Already, she has responded to questions about:
- How Federal resumes differ from regular ones
- What to consider before accepting a job with the federal government
- Prospects with the Department of Homeland Security
- How to break into the government job market
- Translating military jargon and military job titles to civilian language
- Transferring from one job to another within government, and
- Searching tips to find federal jobs by geographic area.
“People ask me a lot of very interesting questions on my website for The Resume Place,” Troutman notes, “but the queries aren’t accessible to the general public and the answers aren’t posted anywhere. I respond directly to those that I can. Monster.com will be collecting, posting and archiving visitor questions and my answers for all to read online on their site.”
As a hands-on Federal job coach for 30 years and a lecturer at over 50 federal agencies annually, Troutman has in-depth knowledge about what the human resources staffers expect in an application. And no one is better at advising applicants on how to meet the expectations, which vary from agency to agency.
Troutman notes that so far many jobhunters have sketchy information on this vast and complicated job market. “Frequently unemployed people are unaware of the variety and quality of the jobs available in the Federal government,” said Troutman. “This will be an opportunity for jobseekers to discard old stereotypes about these positions, and see that there are openings in many fields—including public relations, engineering, information technology, the sciences, management specialists, and so on. The positions are also on many levels—from administrative to senior executive.” For further insights, see the article “Getting a Good Job in a Bad Economy” which covers the experiences of four successful federal jobseekers. You’ll find it at http://www.resume-place.com/media/goodjobs.html.
Kathryn Troutman will continue answering questions monthly on The Washington Post’s live Internet radio show, “Federal Diary Online,” hosted by reporter Steve Barr. She also makes regular appearances on FedTalk Radio. In addition, Troutman’s depth of knowledge, quick wit and upbeat attitude have made her a welcomed guest on many call-in radio shows throughout the country.
Explore Troutman’s www.resume-place.com to find more information about Federal job search techniques, buy one of her books or the fed resume templates, view helpful articles, and find links to other useful sites. To inquire about one of the author’s professional fedjob certification programs, lecture engagements, classroom curriculums, or to set up an interview with her, please call 410/744-4324 in Baltimore.
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