FAQs

RESUME PLACE SERVICES FAQs

If I don’t know what services to order, what do I do?
If after reviewing the services offered on the website you are still unsure, please call us at 410-744-4324 and press 1 for information about resume writing services. You can talk to Sam Amling or Bonny Day, Client Services Managers, about your project and questions.

If I know what services I want to order, what do I do?
1.    Go to our Services Menu and make your selection.
2.    Place the item in your shopping cart and make your payment.
3.    Complete your Federal Resume Profile (you will find a link to it at the top of every page).
4.    A member of our staff will contact you within one business day to begin your services and assign you to a staff writer.

If I find a great job announcement and the closing date is soon, what do I do to get fast services for my federal resume and application?
It’s best to order online for the fastest service. Then you can call the office to alert Sam or Bonny that you order is posted and that you have a deadline. They will expedite the project quickly to get it assigned and get the additional information we might need from you for the writing.

How do you communicate with clients?
We communicate in person and by telephone, email, and Skype. We are experts at working with clients throughout the world via email, internet, and telephone; you can discuss your preference with your writer. If you want to come to the office, you can meet a few of our writer/consultants who are in our Baltimore Office.  Our office is just 15 minutes north of Columbia, MD right off of I-95. We are also 20 minutes from BWI airport and about 15 minutes from the MARC Train Station.

Who can I call with questions?
If you have any questions, please call 410-744-4324 and press 1 for information about resume writing services.

What is the final product?
If you order our full service resume writing service, your final product will be a professional resume in our acclaimed, successful format, the Outline Format. You will receive your resume in a file via email.

If you order our full service ECQ/KSA/essay writing service, your final product will be a file with your professionally written ECQs, KSAs, or essays.

View a sample here taken from the Ten Steps to a Federal Job publication; click on the sample to see the entire Before and After.

Why should I hire an expert to write my résumé?
Check out our Success Stories! Writing a résumé is a difficult task and it’s important to do it right. After all, your job depends on it. To write a stand-out résumé, you need to objectively evaluate your work experience, accomplishments, and qualifications, then present them in the most effective format possible. Hiring an expert will make sure that you truly showcase your best skills and get the best results.

Why should I work with The Resume Place?
Read our Top Ten Reasons to Hire The Resume Place! The Resume Place has been helping jobseekers get results for over 30 years. Our certified résumé writers have years of experience writing private industry and federal résumés. We understand the federal hiring process and know the most effective formats. Kathryn Troutman, owner of the Resume Place, write the book on federal resume and KSA writing, and the documents produced by the Resume Place writing team are well received by Federal Human Resources Specialists and Supervisors.

What can I expect if I decide to purchase a service?
Your writer/consultant will make contact within 24 hours to discuss the project timeline and the best ways to communicate with you. We need 5 days to a week (preferably longer) to complete a writing project from start to finish. Your writer will review and analyze your documents and then prompt you for the additional information needed.  We will interview you by email and telephone to develop content for an effective resume.

What is the difference between full-service writing and a critique?
For full-service writing, you will work with an experienced résumé writer who will interview you and draft/rewrite/edit your documents to create a final product you can use to apply for a position.

For a critique, an experienced résumé writer will provide written feedback, suggestions, and make minor content changes to your résumé and/or KSAs in order to assist you in further developing your resume or KSAs.

What if I can’t afford full-service writing?
While our services are competitively priced and top of the line, we understand that you might need or want to do some of the work on your own. In this case, we recommend using our books, including “The Federal Resume Guidebook” and “Ten Steps to a Federal Job,” to get started. Once you have the basics down, we can also critique your résumé or KSAs, giving you valuable feedback at an affordable price.

Why should I have interview training with The Resume Place?
Congratulations on getting the interview! Now, you need to wow the hiring manager and demonstrate that you are the best candidate for the job. With our interview training, we can coach you to tell your best stories and accomplishments, frame your experience, and make sure you put your best foot forward. We will provide information on what to expect, what types of questions you might face, and how to respond. Best of all, we have different service levels to meet your needs, including the opportunity to participate in a practice interview.

FEDERAL JOB SEARCH FAQS

FEDERAL RESUMES

Why do I need a federal résumé?
Without the required compliance details, qualifications, and specialized experience information, the hiring personnel may not be able to tell if you are qualified for the job and you may lose consideration.

What are compliance details?
Compliance details include salary history, employment dates (with months), employer addresses, how many hours worked per week, supervisors’ names and contact numbers, education, and training.

Why is my salary required?
Human resources staff uses your salary to determine what grade level your experience is equivalent to, if your level of responsibility is not clear from the job description.

Why should the employment dates contain months?
Human resources staff uses the months of employment to calculate the “time-in-grade” to see if you have 52 weeks of experience at the next lower grade level.

Why are the hours per week required?
To be found qualified for a job, you need to demonstrate 52 weeks of full-time employment at the next lower grade level (or equivalent if you are not a federal employee). So, you must indicate if your position was full- or part-time by stating the hours per week you worked.

How is a federal résumé different from a private industry résumé?
A federal résumé contains compliance details required for hiring personnel to assess an applicant’s qualifications. Additionally, federal résumés show in writing that you have the qualifications and specialized experience for the job.

Can I use a functional format résumé?
A chronological format is preferred for federal resumes; because the human resources staff rates your application, they need to be able to clearly see where you gained your experience, how long you were in your positions, and what you accomplished. A functional résumé will not provide this information.

COVER LETTERS

Can I submit a cover letter?
If you are applying in person or by mail, fax, or email, you can submit a cover letter. While you never know if it will be read, we recommend including one; it may be the one thing that sets you apart from the other candidates. If the announcement directs you not to send a cover letter, do not send one. Online applications will not allow you to submit a cover letter.

KSAs

What are KSAs?
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) are narrative essays used by hiring personnel to assess an applicant’s ability to do the job. Depending on the agency, they may need to be submitted on paper or through an online system.

How long should my KSAs be?
The length of KSAs depends on how you are applying for the job. If you are submitting via paper (including in person, mail, fax, or email), your KSAs can be 2/3 to 1 page in length for each question. If you are applying online, you will need to follow the character limits for the system the agency uses.

How do I write KSAs?
KSAs need to demonstrate that you have the qualifications to do the job, so you need to give specific, detailed examples of your experience relative to the each KSA. Our best recommendation is in our book, “Ten Steps to a Federal Job.” It has some great sample KSAs and a chapter on KSA writing. You can order the book in hard copy or electronic version. We also offer a free KSA Builder to help you write examples that will demonstrate your KSAs. Try it out — http://www.resume-place.com/booksandbuilders/index_builders.html

The Federal Hiring Process

How are federal applications assessed?
Federal applications are assessed in a variety of ways, depending on the specific agency. Some agencies rank and rate applications and some scan for keywords. Regardless of the actual assessment process, the hiring specialists will always evaluate your application to see if you are qualified to do the job you are targeting. Therefore, it is important to apply for positions that match your qualifications and demonstrate your specific ability to do the work of the targeted job.

How do I know what positions are available for someone with my background, education, and experience?
Go to the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM’s) website, www.opm.gov, click on Job Seekers, and then on Job FAQs to find a wealth of information regarding the multitude of options available.

How do I know if I am qualified for a position?
You need to review vacancy announcements carefully to determine if you meet all of the requirements.

What is the difference between qualified and best qualified?
When reviewing applications, hiring personnel first determine if you meet the basic qualifications for a job. This might include education or time-in-grade requirements. Once it is determined that you meet the basic qualifications, your application is assessed again to see if you are “best qualified.” In this review, the HR specialist will evaluate your qualifications, specialized experience, KSAs, narratives and/or questionnaire. The best qualified candidates are forwarded to the hiring manager and usually interviewed.

Can I use my private industry resume to apply for a federal job?
It is not recommended. Private industry resumes lack the compliance details and specific keywords necessary to help you become selected for a federal position.

Why can’t I use a federal application form instead of a resume, like the SF-171?
Sometimes standard forms are still accepted, but the federal resume is a better choice because it streamlines the standard form and presents the information in an outline format to highlight your experience and skills as they relate to the position you are applying for.

How long does it take to be hired by the government?
Federal agencies are trying to hire within 45 days of the closing date of the announcement. However, it can take shorter or longer depending on the agency needs and priorities. If you are transitioning into government service, plan for a job search of three to six months.

After receiving a referral letter, how long does it normally take to receive further information?
It depends on the agency, the hiring manager, and the hiring situation, but it could be anywhere from a few days to several weeks. If you haven’t heard anything in two weeks or so, follow up with the HR specialist to inquire about what the next step is and what to expect.

What do I do if I haven’t heard anything?
We recommend following up one month after the announcement closes. Call the HR specialist (save a hard copy of the announcement!) and ask if you are still in consideration for the job. The HR specialist will tell you what the status of the position is, as well as your application. It is possible that you might not have made the cut or that they cancelled or re-announced the job.

What determines who is interviewed?
Generally, the applicants rated “best qualified” will be interviewed, but it depends on the hiring agency. They could interview three people (Rule of 3), or use the Category Rating system and interview all applicants in the highest category. Or, they can make a job offer without interviewing any candidates.

Which government agency is hiring the most people and has the most growth in the coming year?
One excellent resource is Government Executive magazine, which posts a list of the most popular agencies and the highest customer services responses every year. (www.govexec.com). You might also learn more about current hiring by reading www.recovery.gov, where President Obama’s initiatives and programs will be posted. Wherever the government is giving out money, government employees will be managing contracts, services, and grants.

ONLINE SUBMISSION SYSTEMS

Why do I need to submit my resume online?
Many federal agencies will only accept online resume submissions. In order to broaden your scope and increase your chances of finding positions that match your education and experience, you will want to submit your resume online.

What is USAjobs.com?
USAJobs is the government’s website for posting job vacancies. The majority of federal agencies use this site to post their positions. The site has a great information center about federal jobs and how to apply.

What is a USAJobs résumé?
USAJobs allows applicants to create online résumés that can be submitted to agencies that use their site. Users can create a username and password, then create their résumé on the site.

Should I only use USAJobs?
No. While USAJobs is used by many federal agencies, it is not used by all of them. It is important to also check agency websites.

What are Resumix, AVUE, and QuickHire?
These are online résumé submission and processing systems used by various federal agencies. Each system has its own parameters and requirements. If a particular agency uses the system, you will need to follow the directions and apply using that system. Of the three, only Resumix uses keyword scanning.

What is CPOL?
Civilian Personnel OnLine (CPOL) is the Army’s Resumix site, used for civilian hiring.

What is CHART?
Civilian Hiring and Recruitment Tool (CHART) is the Navy’s Resumix site, used for civilian hiring.

What is an Online Questionnaire?
A component of some online application systems; an online yes/no, multiple choice, and short answer response form used by agencies to help make distinctions among job applicants.

FEDERAL JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS

What is a closing date?
Federal job announcements almost always have a closing date by which applications must be received or postmarked.

How long are federal job announcements open for?
Generally, positions are open for two weeks. If the announcement is open for longer than that, the agency might be having trouble finding an adequate candidate pool or could be collecting a pool of candidates for future vacancies. If the position is open for less than two weeks, the agency may be expecting a lot of applications or have someone in mind for the job.

What is veterans’ preference?
Eligible veterans can have 5-10 points added to their résumé rating depending on their years of service and/or disability. Visit USAjobs.gov or OPM.gov for more information.

What is competitive service?
Competitive service positions are filled through a competitive selection and subject to civil service laws passed by Congress.

What is excepted service?
Excepted service agencies do not need to fill jobs through a competitive process, and are not subject to appointment, pay, and classification rules in Title 5, USC. Some agencies have both competitive and excepted service positions.

What is DEU?
A delegated examining unit (DEU) is used by agencies to fill competitive civil service jobs for applicants from outside the federal workforce, federal employees who do not have competitive service status, or federal employees with competitive service status. Alternatively, agencies will fill positions based on merit promotions.

What is the Senior Executive Service (SES)?
The Senior Executive Service is the government’s executive-level management — the highest level federal positions.

THE FEDERAL PAY SCALE

What is the federal pay scale?
Most federal jobs are classified using the General Service (GS) pay scale. Each grade level reflects pay and job responsibilities. The 2009 GS salary table is here: http://www.opm.gov/oca/09tables/html/gs.asp. The 2010 GS salary table is here: http://www.govcentral.com/government-payscale/articles/7565-2010-government-pay-schedule

MILITARY-TO-FEDERAL

How should part-time reserve duty (drills), which can be a higher level of responsibility than other work, be reflected on a federal résumé?
While you should usually list your most recent positions first in federal applications, in this case you have a choice as you are doing two jobs at one time. List the reserves experience separately and, if you can, list it first — especially if it is more relevant and a higher skill level. Be sure to add the technical responsibilities, software, skills, and project details to this position. If you have enough space in the builder, list any reserve assignments separately.

PRIVATE INDUSTRY-TO-FEDERAL

How do I tell what is the appropriate job level to apply for?
To discern whether you will qualify for a particular job, read the “qualifications” section of the announcement very carefully to see if your experience matches the “specialized experience.” Then, read any Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) or questions required by the announcement. If you have done similar work and have good examples, you should be qualified. Also, you can find salary tables at opm.gov, which will tell you the salary ranges for different jobs. The human resources personnel who review the applications will sometimes use salary as an indicator.

Can you determine from an announcement if external applicants have a chance or if there is an internal candidate slated for the job?
Yes, but you will need to study the announcement carefully. First, look at the Duties section to see if you can do the job based on the mission, services, and level of job responsibilities. Then look at the Qualifications and read the Specialized Experience and the One Year Specialized Experience statement to see if your experience will qualify. Next, read the examples they recommend you provide to demonstrate that you have the Qualifications. Then look at any KSAs required for the application and see if you have experience that will support these. Then look at the Questionnaire that could be part of the announcement and see if you can “self-assess” your skills at the highest or near highest level. If you can do all of these, the position is probably not slated for a particular candidate. Also, if the closing date is two weeks or more, that is a good sign that you can apply.