Ten Steps to a Federal Job: Navigating the Federal Job System,...

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 290 pages
• Published by: The Resume Place, Inc.; Pap/Cdr edition September 2002
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0964702533
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0964702530
• Book Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 1.6 pounds

Writers Digest, April 5, 2004
"If someone is serious about working in the Government, he/she would only need this bookWell done!"

Joyce Lain-Kennedy, The Dallas Morning News, August 4, 2002
"Troutman covers aspects of the federal job search in [a] format that I haven't seen pulled together elsewhere"

Reader Reviews
I recently completed my master's at a DC area school. I have spent the past year applying for federal jobs. I started off with the Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) Program application. Despite a stellar resume by any standard, I was rejected in the first round. I think my lack of understanding of the KSA was the death knell for my PMF application. Although the PMF application does not refer to its required essays as KSA's, that is certainly what they are. If I had had this book before applying for the PMF, I am sure I would have made it to the next stage. And I encourage all PMF applicants to pick up a copy. It will give you an advantage over your competition. After losing out in the first round of the PMF competition, I was pretty discouraged to say the least. The faculty at my school had driven home the fact that the best way into the federal government for a recent master's recipient was through the PMF program. Since this was no longer an option for me, I set out to find alternate ways into the federal government. I began by filling out applications for any and all positions on usajobs that interested me. However, I was never invited to an interview. I realized I was doing something wrong and did my research and found this wonderful book. What I learned from this book is that the KSA(s) makes or breaks an application. I truly believe that it is more important than any other step in the application process, including the interview. If you don't know how to write a KSA, you will not get a federal job. Hence, the importance of this book. It clearly explaines the federal job application process. It starts with the basics, so newbies to the federal process understand exactly what to expect. The book provides brief examples of what a federal resume should look like. Finally, it breaksdown the KSA and explains exactly what it should look like. The book even gives sample KSA's so you can model yours around it. I found this extemely helpful. So did this book work for me? Indeed it did. After reading the book, I applied its principles to an application with a federal agency. It was a position I really wanted, and I spent a great deal of time refining my KSAs. And six months later, I was called for an interview. A month after that I got a conditional offer of employment. I am now awaiting the completion of my background check. If all goes well, I will begin working for the federal government very soon. I feel that I owe a lot to this book. Without it, I would probably still be going around and around on the federal government application wheel. Comment | | (Report this)