Unless you have a friend or relative working for the federal government, you may never have considered the federal government as a potential employer. I am a federal employee who has worked for the federal government for a number of years. Having been furloughed due to the partial government shutdown, I thought I would do something productive with my free time and wrote this article. Although the shutdown makes it seem like the federal government is not a great place to work, at some point it will reopen, and things will hopefully get back to normal.
Those of us who in live in Baltimore are fortunate to have more opportunities to work for the federal government than people who live in other cities. This is because the headquarters of both the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are located nearby in Woodlawn, Maryland. Baltimore is also close to Fort Meade, where the NSA and other agencies are located; and Washington D.C., the headquarters of almost all the other major federal agencies.
This article will provide general information about working for the federal government for those who may not know anything about it, including what types of professionals the government hires, the hiring process, and the website USAjobs.gov, as well as background investigations and security clearances; federal pay; and benefits provided to federal employees, including annual and sick leave, federal holidays, and health and retirement benefits.
Who Works for the Federal Government and Why?
The federal government employs all sorts of professionals in many different fields. Every agency hires computer professionals to manage its information technology needs, accountants to keep its financial records, lawyers to manage its legal matters, and numerous other professionals. For example, CMS employs actuaries to estimate and project health program expenses, enrollment, and other relevant data; pharmacists and other health professionals to develop, monitor, and evaluate regulations, policies, procedures, and other guidelines for the Medicare prescription drug programs; and health insurance and policy experts to analyze, evaluate, and advise on public health programs. The IRS employs tax professionals to administer the tax law. The Department of Veterans Affairs hires doctors and other health professionals to take care of American’s veterans. The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), with offices located throughout Maryland, employs accountants to audit defense contracts.
What are the advantages of working for the government? Despite the current partial shutdown, federal jobs have always been considered more secure than comparable private sector jobs. Most federal jobs don’t require you to work more than 40 hours a week and don’t expect you to check emails and respond to them at all hours of the night. Economic downturns don’t necessarily directly or immediately impact federal budgets. Although federal salaries are typically less than what highly skilled professionals can earn in private industry, benefits, such as health insurance, are equivalent and sometimes better than in private industry, and retirement benefits are usually better.
Another benefit of working for the federal government is that a lot of federal agencies have embraced telework (working from home) for as many as a few days a week as a recruiting tool to encourage young professionals to consider a federal career. The government understands that telework generally increases productivity and job satisfaction and cuts administrative costs. It also allows employees to save significant commuting time and continue to work even though they may have mild sick symptoms. In the private sector, even if flexibilities like teleworking are allowed, sometimes employees feel pressure to be in the office to “show their face” or to “see and be seen” in order to have job security, obtain work to meet billable hour goals, or get the next job promotion. This mindset doesn’t seem to exist in the federal government, where there is no shame in teleworking, which is encouraged and recognized as a smart modern employee benefit. Many agencies make new hires wait until after their probationary period is over before allowing them to telework. The length of the probationary period varies by agency and job, but it could last for a full year or more.
How to Apply
Most federal agencies use www.USAjobs.gov to post their job openings. Although I’m sure the posters try hard to be clear, most applicants seem to find the application process complicated and overwhelming. It is helpful to have a resource or coach, such as another federal employee who has already been through the process, to help you with the job application process.
You’ll begin the process of applying for a federal job by setting up an account on USAjobs.gov. You’ll then create your profile, answer some questions, and begin searching for jobs. Before you can apply for a job, though, you will need to upload your college transcripts.
Aside from federal jobs available to the public, USAjobs is used by federal agencies to post jobs that are available only to internal employees, so you’ll want to check the box that limits your search to jobs open to the public. When looking at jobs postings, make sure the job you’re interested in says “open to all U.S. citizens.” Most job openings announce how many openings there are by saying “1” or “2” openings or “few” or “many.” It is always easier to be selected if the job you’re applying for has more than one opening. If it is a large mass hire, you can expect there to be more organized training for the new hires, while if the agency is just looking to hire one person, there may not be any formal training when you start.
You’ll need to create a federal resume by copying and pasting from your private-sector resume into the USAjobs’ resume builder. That is only the first step, however. In the private sector, job seekers tend to have one resume that they send to each job they apply for. But, according to USAjobs.gov, “You should tailor your resume to the job announcement rather than sending out the same resume for every job.” This means that your federal resume will be more detailed and longer than a typical private-sector resume. You’ll be expected to demonstrate that you’re qualified to fulfill the specific job duties in each job description. Because the federal resume requires more information than a civilian resume, you do not need to limit the length to one page. In fact, according to USAjobs.gov, “A federal resume requires more information than a civilian resume, therefore, it is typically longer than two pages.” You should spend as much time as you need writing your resume to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the job.
Many jobs have detailed occupational questionnaires that ask how much experience you have with certain specific job skills. It isn’t enough to just answer “yes” you have that experience, rather your resume will need to show where you have that experience. It may take a few hours or more to customize your resume for each job. However, many job openings reappear many times throughout the year, so if you have a specific job you’re interested in, it will be worth spending that time. You can then reuse that resume until you get selected. USAjobs lets you create up to five separate resumes for the different types of jobs you apply for.
Another thing to know is that applying for a federal government job may take some time; it is more similar to a marathon than a sprint. It is unusual to be selected for the first job you apply for. You need to be willing to put in the effort to apply for many jobs and to constantly adjust your resume until you get selected. The federal job hiring process is a long and drawn-out affair, and typically includes a background check, so start your federal job search early. Don’t delay starting it until you’re out of a job and desperate for an immediate job offer.
You should also be aware that federal agency budgets may vary widely based on which political party is in power and other factors. If there is a job opening you think you’re qualified for, but you don’t think it is the right time to apply, be aware that there is no guarantee that the job opening will post again and be available when you are ready to apply. Depending on political considerations and agency budgets, it could be months or years before specific agencies are allowed to hire again.
Where Will You Work?
At some point in your job search, you’ll need to decide how far you’re willing to commute. Those living in Baltimore should probably look at CMS or the Social Security Administration as a first option; both have very large offices nearby.
If you can’t find local opportunities, you may want to consider looking for jobs further out, in Fort Meade or Washington D.C. You may be able to find higher-grade jobs in Washington since agency headquarters are located there. While driving from Baltimore to Washington without traffic may only take an hour, most people take public transportation to get to Washington to avoid traffic and expensive parking. A popular option is the Marc train Penn line from the West Baltimore station to Union Station in Washington. The train ride takes 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how many stops it makes. It takes about 25 minutes to drive from our neighborhoods to the West Baltimore Marc station. Free parking is available. If your workplace isn’t within walking distance of Union Station, you’ll need to use the Washington Metro system, which has a Union Station stop, to get to your office, or find some other method of transportation. Some people find it faster and more convenient to pay for access to a bike-share program and ride a bike from Union Station to their offices.
Many agencies pay public transportation subsidies, so you may not need to pay anything out of pocket for public transportation. In general, the trip from the Baltimore community to Union Station is about an hour-and-a-half each way. But if you’re working in Washington, you will hopefully be able to telework some days, so you won’t necessarily need to make the long commute every day.
Background Investigations
Most government jobs require some sort of background investigation. For jobs in which the employee has access to classified information and secure facilities, a higher-level security clearance is required. All jobs require that that you registered with the selective service system between ages 18 through 25, if you are a male born after December 31, 1959.
I will discuss the general “Public Trust-Background Investigation” that is done for most government jobs since, if you can’t pass the background investigation, you may not want to consider a job with the federal government. Depending on the job, you will need to complete either the eight-page Standard Form 85 or the longer eleven-page Standard Form 85P questionnaire. If you’re serious about obtaining a federal job, you should look up both forms online and make sure that you can answer all the questions.
The Standard Form 85 asks for your name and citizenship information, where you have lived for the last five years, where you went to school, your employment activities for the last five years, and three people who know you well who aren’t your spouse or other relatives. The last question asks if, in the last year, you’ve used, possessed, supplied, or manufactured illegal drugs (including marijuana, or narcotics). You’ll need to sign the form and certify that your answers are true.
The longer eleven-page Form 85P asks more questions and goes back seven years. It also indicates that some investigations will include an interview. Besides asking for your name and citizenship information, it asks for the following information – all of them pertaining to the past seven years: where you have lived, where you went to school, your employment activities, and whether you’ve been fired from a job or quit a job after being told you’d be fired. It asks you to list three people who know you well aside from your spouse or other relatives, the name of your spouse if you’re married, and the name and address of your close relatives. In addition, it asks you to list foreign countries you’ve visited, your police record, and whether you’ve used, possessed, supplied, or manufactured illegal drugs (including marijuana, or narcotics). For your financial history, it asks whether in the last seven years you’ve filed for bankruptcy, been subject to a tax lien, or had a legal judgment rendered against you for a debt. You’ll need to sign the form and certify that your answers are true. If any of these questions are concerning to you, you should look up the form and its instructions for more information.
Salaries and Benefits
Most federal salaries are paid based on the General Schedule (GS) pay scale. Each job is assigned a grade (1 through 15) and then the salary for that grade is determined based on the duties and responsibilities of each position. Each grade has 10 steps, and if your performance is acceptable, it will generally take 18 years to progress through the 10 steps. Depending on your job classification, you may be able to apply for a promotion to the next higher grade. Many mid-career professional jobs are assigned grades of 11 through 13. Grades 14 or 15 jobs are typically reserved for subject matter experts, specialists, or jobs that have significant national responsibilities. The current salaries for the GS pay scale are available on www.OPM.gov. The dollar amounts for each step can be increased each year for inflation, although the President may decide to not provide an inflation increase for the year.
I will give some detailed information about typical health and retirement benefits that the government provides to federal employees, but it comes with a disclaimer: While the information is accurate as of the date it is written, federal benefits can change in future years based on decisions of politicians in Washington. For example, some members of Congress have advocated for saving money by reducing federal benefits to federal employees. If they are ever successful in their efforts, some of the benefits described here may be reduced or eliminated.
Most federal employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program that provides health insurance to federal employees. According to OPM (Office of Personnel Management), the plans cost are structured so that “employees pay about 30% of the premium, and the agency pays about 70%. Employees located in Maryland have a few dozen heath plans to choose from. The most popular plan seems to be the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan-Basic Option. The total annual cost for the employee portion for this health plan is about $4,500 for 2019. There is no annual deductible, and copays are $30 for primary care providers and $40 for specialists.
The federal government also provides dental and vision plans to federal employees, however none of the cost for these plans is paid for by the government, so employees pay 100% of the premiums. Family vision plans cost about $250 a year, and family dental plans cost about $1,000 a year. The federal government also has a Federal Employee Group Life Insurance program that you can participate in. You can also participate in a health flexible-spending arrangement to use pretax money pay for your share of copays and medical expenses.
Holidays, Annual Leave, and Sick Leave
One of the nice things about working for the federal government is that you’ll get off for 10 federal holidays each year. These include Columbus Day and Veterans Day in October and November; and the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Presidents Day in January and February. New federal employees get 13 annual leave days each year. After you’ve been working for three years, annual leave days are increased to 20 days, and after 15 years of service annual leave days are increased to 26 days. All federal employees also get 13 sick days each year.
Retirement Benefits
The federal government offers great retirement benefits. Federal employees hired before 1986 were eligible to participate in the old Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). Federal employees who started after 1986 are only eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The old CSRS retirement system was a defined-benefit retirement system. Employees didn’t participate in the social security system or the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), which is similar to a 401(k) plan, and were eligible to retire with a pension/annuity for life. Since new hires aren’t eligible to participate in CSRS, it doesn’t make sense to talk about it, so I’ll now discuss FERS.
Under the FERS retirement system, you’ll participate in the regular social security system by paying 7.65% of your salary in social security taxes. You’ll also be able to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The federal government matches your TSP contributions on the first 5% of your salary. The unique part of the FERS retirement system is that you’ll also be able to participate in a retirement plan that provides an annuity when you retire. Employees hired after 2013 need to contribute 4.4% of their salary to this annuity, while the government pays the rest of the cost. The annuity amounts are based on a complicated formula, and there are all sorts of details that go into calculating the benefit. According to OPM.gov, you’ll basically receive a benefit of 1 percent of your high-three average salary for each year of service. So, for example, if you worked for the government for 20 years and your high-three average salary was $100,000, you’ll receive $20,000 a year after your retire (1% of $100,000 for each of the 20 years that that you worked.). New federal employees who contribute 4.4% of their salary to FERS and 5% of their salary for the full TSP match will probably be surprised, when they see their first federal paycheck, that almost 10% of their salary has disappeared to pay for retirement benefits.
I hope I have given a good overview of working for the federal government and an idea of how to apply for a job.
