The 411 on the Federal Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF)

What is the 411 on the Federal Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF)?  According to President George W. Bush, “The purpose of the Program is to attract to the Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.”

PMF was established in 1977 by the Executive order to attract outstanding men and women from a variety of career paths and academic disciplines to the Federal service.  The common thread is an interest in and commitment to excellent leadership and managing public programs and policies.  PMF brings in graduate students from various social and cultural backgrounds to effectively face the challenges of serving the public.

PMFs will receive at least 80 hours of training each year of their fellowship with an Orientation Training Program held by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). PMFs will follow a written outline of technical skills and core competencies called the Individual Development Plan (IDP) before being converted to a target position with at least one other rotational assignment to another functional area.

Applying for these coveted fellowships may be done through the USAJOBs website and requires applicants to follow federal specifications for submitting a resume.  Hiring a professional resume writer who is familiar with federal specifications is a solid investment in your future and can mean the difference between landing that fantastic fellowship or just wishing you had.

Federal KSA – Demystifying the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities the OPM is Looking For in You

When you apply for a position with the federal government you will most likely need to prepare an accompanying KSA statement, which is a short term that stands for “knowledge, skills and abilities”.

Knowledge is the body of information you have factually and procedurally to perform the job.  Skills are the ability to verbally, manually and mentally work with things and data competently.  Ability is your power to perform an activity.  You need to provide your knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the job you want on the statement you present to the OPM.

Write clearly about your KSAs and job so anyone can understand your responsibilities.  Number and title each KSA in bold and type responses in single space.  Include your name, social security number and the job vacancy  number at the top of each page submitted.  Be very detailed and specific, answering what, who, why, when, where and how and avoid repeating your resume or referring the OPM to another part of your application.  Write your Federal resume in the first person and make sure the reader knows what position and experience you are discussing.  Instead of using puffed up language, use specific examples and descriptions that make the reader come to the conclusion themselves.  Include as much as possible to show your qualifications.

If you want to really get noticed by prospective federal employers, invest in a professional resume writer to prepare your application.  This solid investment in your future can mean the difference between getting the job and not even getting a call.

For Veterans’ Day, U.S. Department of Labor encourages employers to participate in 25-day, nationwide ‘blitz’ of job fairs

Events are latest effort of HireVetsFirst campaign to connect employers and veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In observance of Veterans’ Day, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced plans for a 25-day blitz of 107 veterans’ job fairs to be held in every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico between October 23 and November 16.

“The qualities America’s service members are known for — discipline, a strong work ethic, leadership and technical skills — are in high demand by employers,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “These job fairs are an important part of our effort to help America’s service men and women transition back to civilian life when their tours of duty end and a tremendous opportunity for employers looking for great workers.”

“The United States military is the finest, most technologically advanced in the world,” said Charles S. Ciccolella, assistant secretary of labor for the department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). “Our nation invests billions of dollars annually to train America’s armed forces, instilling and developing valuable hard skills in our service members. Equally important are the skills service members learn, such as loyalty, discipline, selflessness, leadership, and the ability to follow instructions and perform under pressure. These are all inherent to the military culture. The HireVetsFirst campaign is about increasing employer awareness of the skills veterans bring to their businesses, and to encourage employers to hire veterans, not just out of a sense of patriotism, but because it makes good sense for employers who want to grow their businesses.”

A list of job fair locations by state and more information about the HireVetsFirst campaign are available at www.hirevetsfirst.gov. For more information on all the veterans’ employment programs offered by VETS, visit www.dol.gov/vets.

Public Speaking & The Art of Persuasion for Executives in Federal Government SES Positions

When a candidate is fortunate enough to get a coveted position as an SES executive with the Federal government, it is essential to continually educate yourself and hone your professional skills.

Through supplemental courses and seminars, many SES executives are sharpening their abilities in the areas of public speaking and the art of persuasion.  Because SES executive are the leaders within the Federal government, these skills are essential for them to adequately handle their jobs.

The ability to harness the power of public speaking can make a major difference in an SES executive’s career.  Communicating the objectives and position of government leaders to employees and the public is a key element to a successful system.  Speaking clearly, concisely and appropriately to gain the attention of all types of people is a valued skill as an SES executive.

The power of persuasion is helpful in many ways for SES executives.  From other federal agencies to employees to public entities, there is some level  of persuasion required on behalf of SES executives.  By encouraging people to follow the intended plan and vision of your department or agency, you are furthering the abilities of the Federal government.

To become a key player within the Federal government and realize significant earnings as an SES executive, sharpen those public speaking and persuasion skills today.

How is Your Personal Brand Image? Public or Private Sector – It Really Does Matter

To advance your career in the public or private sector, having an outstanding personal brand image really does matter.  Much like well-known retail brands such as Pepsi or Coke, people will know about you from your personal brand image.

Without a great image, Pepsi and Coke would just be carbonated, colored water with sugar.  It is the hype and anticipation that keep people coming back for more.  This concept works the same way when it comes to personal branding.

To effectively create a personal brand image, consider your strong points and what makes you more special than anyone else in your field.  Are you are great writer?  Do you always finish jobs ahead of schedule?  Is it always possible for you to bring people together, even in the face of controversy?  Figure out your strong points and make sure you share them with everyone around you.

Offer your talents in a variety of forums to gain notoriety, such as moonlighting, networking, freelancing and teaching.  The more people who become familiar with your unique talents, the more famous you will become in your field.

Whether you work in the public or private sector, having a strong personal brand image is a key element to your overall success.

Career Advancement Series: On the Job Success Tips to Get Yourself to the SES Level

Being a Federal employee gives greater opportunity for advancement than most other employers. In fact, at the senior management level referred to as SES Service , the average salaries range from $107,550 to $162,100 with over 7,000 SES employees currently serving the government.

If you want a desirable SES level position, it is a good idea to get in the door as a Federal employee. For example, most Federal positions have promotional potential or a “career ladder”. An entry-level position may give you the potential to get rapidly promoted after successful service for at least one year. As you progress in grades, you will receive a substantial salary increase and additional responsibilities to add to your resume. As a Federal employee, your probationary period is usually 1 year and then you are almost guaranteed lifetime employment and few such employees are ever fired, laid off or forced to transfer. Thus, your daily job performance will be a determining factor in how far you go as a Federal employee.

SES positions are the highest level of civil service and personnel , responsible for entire functions of an agency. You need at least 10 years experience to qualify for SES position. Even if you are a Federal employee, you need a resume and additional statements such as Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) statements to show your leadership competencies such as leading change, leading people, business acumen, results driven and building coalitions.

As a Federal employee in a lower level position, always show your ability to learn, innovate, be flexible, serve customers, manage conflict, leverage diversity, build teams, be accountable, solve problems, deal well with technology, manage finances, manage people, communicate openly and negotiate effectively. Developing these skills and crafting an effective resume and ECQ statements will lead you to a coveted SES position. For a distinct advantage in a competitive Federal job market, have a professional resume writer prepare the documents to pursue that dream SES position.

Career Advancement Series: Hiring a Business Coach To Guide Your Success in the Federal Government

Are you looking for a successful career in the Federal Government? There are many guidelines to follow and a variety of opportunities available with the government and often they can be difficult to understand. To property guide your success in the Federal government, considering hiring a business coach to optimize your potential.

With over 50 agencies or “departments” within the Federal government, there are an incredible number of positions to fill and jobs to contract in every possible area of employment. There are possibilities for employment with the Federal government as a small business,veteran, disabled veteran, woman and minority. The greatest obstacles toward obtaining coveted Federal employment are navigating the systems and its guidelines, knowing the right questions to ask the right people, following the proper specifications for application and being persistent.

If all of this seems overwhelming to comprehend while trying to decide the most viable areas of the Federal government to work in for your unique skills, talent and knowledge, a business coach can give you the direction you need. By working with someone who is familiar with business success and Federal government requirements, you will have a distinct advantage pursuing a successful, lucrative and secure career with the Federal government.

The Employment Situation in America: September 2007

The employment situation in America as of September, 2007 was positive because employment rose.  Further, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.7 percent of the population being out of work according to the United States Department of Labor.

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 110,000 after an increase of 89,000 in August, 2007.  Jobs continued to be added in industries such food services, professional services, health care and technical services.  Employment areas that trended down were construction and manufacturing.  The average hourly earnings for employees rose by 0.4 percent, or 7 cents.

The total number of unemployed people as of September, 2007 were 7.2 million.  This time last year there were 6.9 million people unemployed, so this is an increase in the number of folks out of work.  The total employment was 146.3 million and the civilian labor force was 153.5 million and both rose during September.  There are 1.3 million people marginally attached to labor who want to work and are seeking employment and only 276,000 discouraged workers who believe there are no jobs available for them.

With these statistics in mind, there are many jobs opening up in a number of industries.  If you are looking for a position, have a professional resume writer revamp your resume and go for that dream job during a great time for seek employment.

Federal Government Stats: Who Really Works for Uncle Sam?

Did you ever wonder who really works for Uncle Sam?  Where the jobs are with the Federal government?  What jobs exist with Uncle Sam based on position and location?  You can find out all the statistics about who works for Uncle Sam by visiting their website online.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management website features statistical facts about the size and composition of the Federal civilian workforce.  There are also free electronic publications with hundreds of charts and tables.  The primary source for the data provided on the website is the Central Personnel Data File maintained by the Office of Personnel Management.  The website features additional links and portals to find out statistics about the United States labor force and more federal facts.

You can discover fascinating statistics about government employment.  Consider that 97.7 percent of Federal civilian employment exists in the executive branch while 1.2 percent is in the judicial branch and 1.1 percent is in the legislative branch.

Check out the information at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (http://www.opm.gov/feddata/) to find out more about Federal jobs and who works for Uncle Sam.  You may decide to hire a personal resume writer and to help you apply for a desirable Federal job yourself!

What Happens if I Exceed the Character Limits on my Federal Resume?

Q.  What happens if I exceed the characters limits on my Federal resume?

A.  Remember that your Federal resume is the first impression your prospective employers get of you and your qualifications.  Federal resumes and job applications follow a specific format and you must follow the guidelines provided for applying.  When your Federal gov resume or job application exceeds the designated character limit, the Federal system will recognize you did not follow the instructions right away.

When you are applying online, if your Federal resume or job application goes over the character limit, in some cases, you will be prohibited from completing the online job application process or at the very least only parts of your resume will make it into their database because the application will prompt you to reduce the character limit for each section.  You will not be able to move onto other sections of the Federal job application if your required document exceeds the stated character limit.  When you consider character limit, you need to remember that spaces count because certain Federal systems do not have the feature that counts your characters meaning you will have to keep track of this on your own.  Also, each Federal job you apply for will have their own unique requirements and a different number of characters allowed on your application and resume.  Therefore, it is necessary to carefully review the specifications and character limits for each Federal job before you apply so you can comply with the guidelines for submission.  If these requirements seems tough to comply with, consider hiring a professional resume writer who is familiar with Federal specifications to prepare and submit your resume.  Having the right resume and job application in the competitive Federal job arena can mean the difference between landing a coveted Federal position and just dreaming about it.