As of mid-March, only 921 vets have applied out of the 77,000 the Pentagon estimates are eligible, according to numbers provided to The Associated Press by the Physical Disability Board of Review…

Veterans’ advocates say more outreach is needed….

“Less than 1,000 have applied, to me they really need to do a better effort to get the word out,” said Mike Hayden, deputy director of government relations for the Military Officers’ Association of America. “The success rate tells me there was a definite problem and the Physical Disability Board of Review is out there to correct it.”

The article does a great job of shedding light on the military population’s general lack of awareness when it comes to benefits. But it fails to mention one important point. Aside from added income and health care for families, there are hiring benefits associated with a service-connected disability of 30% or more. The federal government extends special hiring privileges to disabled veterans. For more information on this topic, please read my previous post on veteran’s preference.

So be proactive in applying for benefits to boost not only your financial bottom-line, but your federal military resume and job search as well.

For professional military resume and federal resume writing services, as well as military-to-federal career search advice, please consult the professional military resume writing team at Military Resumes.

1. Myth: All government jobs are in Washington, DC.

Fact: Only 15% of federal jobs are actually in DC…

2. Myth: Federal government salaries are low.

Fact: Actually, government salaries have risen faster and higher than private sector salaries. In most cases you will find they are very competitive. In fact, it’s been reported from 2000 to 2008, the pay for federal civilian employees skyrocketed 57%, while the pay for workers in the private sector grew by only 31%. And the White House recently proposed a 1.4% pay increase for federal employees.

3. Myth: To get into the federal government you have to be connected…

Fact: If that was the case, then the government wouldn’t currently have over 60,000 job openings worldwide. Don’t you think the people that know the current government workforce would have networked their way in if that was the case? Networking always helps…

4. Myth: The government is not hiring for what I do.

Fact: The OPM (Office of Personnel Management) uses a classification of 21 occupational groups and families for all GS (General Schedule) positions…. there are literally hundreds of job titles.

5. Myth: The federal government is one huge bureaucracy.

Fact: The Government is made up of several entities. Each of the over 300 departments and agencies operates as their own stand alone “corporation” within a network of agencies designed to serve the best interest of America. Some do operate more efficiently than others, and are more progressive than others. Based on your agency research, consider 3-5 agencies you would like to further explore.

6. Myth: All federal jobs are posted on usajobs.gov.

Fact: Only about 70% are on usajobs.gov. Many jobs are on each federal agency website. And some are not posted on the sites at all.

7. Myth: The federal hiring process is so long and complicated.

Fact: The federal hiring process differs from private sector hiring, and federal resume writing is different. But the process does not have to be long. There are programs, tips, and opportunities that drastically speed up the process…

To these 7 myths, I would like to add an 8th.

8. Myth: If I apply to enough federal jobs using my standard military resume, something will stick.

Fact: As Houston stated in myth #7, federal resume writing, especially federal military resume writing, is different. Federal military resumes must be carefully key-worded. Unfortunately, this is a little known fact among veterans seeking federal employment. As a federal job search trainer, I know this to be true. I hear the same story time and time again: “I’ve been applying for federal jobs for 6 months and haven’t received a response.” But there is good news; this doesn’t have to be your fate. Consider hiring the professionals at MilitaryResumes.com. Our professional military resume writers are experts are targeting federal military resumes using federal resume writing processes that produce results.

The Order also establishes a Veterans Employment Program office within most federal agencies. These offices will be responsible for helping veterans identify employment opportunities within those federal agencies, providing feedback to veterans about their employment application and military resume status, and helping veterans recently employed by these agencies adjust to a civilian workplace culture. Also of note, the Office of Personnel Management will issue a government-wide strategic plan that will focus on creating leadership commitment and an infrastructure in each agency to promote employment success for veterans. The strategic plan will also include marketing strategies aimed at agency hiring managers as well as veterans and transitioning service members.

The initiative’s timeline was not made clear in the press release. But there has never been a better time to explore federal employment opportunities and build your military federal resume. At the end of the fiscal year 2008, there were approximately 480,000 veterans employed by the federal government. It has been and will continue to be the largest employer of veterans. Find your ideal federal career at www.usajobs.gov. For reputable, professional federal military resume writing services, please visit www.MilitaryResumes.com.

One of Military Resumes’ most frequently asked questions is, “how do I determine my veteran’s preference points?” This article aims to answer that question in summary. For the most comprehensive explanation and additional qualifiers, please visit the Office of Personnel Management’s website on veteran’s preference at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ei3.asp.

By law, veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military campaigns are entitled to preference over non-veterans in appointments to federal jobs.

Each federal application package is rated and receives a numerical score based on qualification factors. A minimum score is required for consideration and referral. Let’s say that the minimum passing examination score or rating for a certain job is set at 60. A veteran with a score of 60 based on her examination or rating alone may not be as competitive as a civilian with a score of 65. However, because this veteran has 10 veteran’s preference points, she actually has a score of 70 and thus is more competitive than her civilian counterpart.

Here is how to determine your veteran’s preference points:

5-POINT PREFERENCE (TP)
5 points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a veteran who served:

-During a war.

-For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955 and before October 15, 1976.

-During the Gulf War from August 2, 1990 through January 2, 1992.

-For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning September 11, 2001 and ending on the date prescribed as the last day of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

-In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized. Any Armed Forces Expeditionary medal or campaign badge, including El Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Somalia, and Haiti, qualifies for preference.

10-POINT COMPENSABLE DISABILITY PREFERENCE (CP)
10 points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a veteran who served at anytime and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of at least 10 percent but less than 30 percent.

10-POINT 30 PERCENT COMPENSABLE DISABILITY PREFERENCE (CPS)
10 points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a veteran who served at anytime and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

10-POINT DISABILITY PREFERENCE (XP)
10 points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a veteran who served at anytime and has a present service-connected disability or is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs but does not qualify as a CP or CPS; or a veteran who received a Purple Heart.

FEDERAL HIRING PREFERENCE FOR MILITARY SPOUSES
Under guidelines recently issued by the Administration, an estimated 250,000 spouses per year will be eligible for streamlined application processes when applying to work at federal agencies that elect to use a new hiring authority that took effect this month. Spouses who are relocating because of their service member’s new assignment, some physically disabled military spouses, and unmarried survivors of service members killed in action will soon be able to bypass some of the red tape involved in applying for federal jobs.

Additional information on veteran’s preference is located at http://www.opm.gov/veterans/index.asp.

Emphasis will be placed on training veterans who are interested in “green jobs”, specifically energy efficiency and renewable energy, modern electric-power development, and clean vehicles. For more information, visit www.doleta.gov and look for the “green jobs” heading.

Through the VWIP grants, veterans from targeted groups will receive skills assessments, job counseling, labor-market information, training, and placement assistance regarding veteran employment. More information on the Labor Department’s unemployment and re-employment programs for veterans is available at http://www.dol.gov/vets/.

Outside of the VWIP’s green jobs initiative, the federal government is a rich source of career opportunities for military experienced job seekers. Veterans are afforded special hiring privileges under the Veterans’ Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA). For more veterans’ job seeker information, visit the Office of Personnel Management’s website.

To make the most of your veteran’s preference and maximize your federal job search, thoroughly research your rights, understand the federal hiring process, and craft a keyword intensive federal resume targeted for each job announcement that you apply for. Also consider consulting the professionals at your local transition assistance program or hire a professional military resume writer. Visit www.MilitaryResumes.com for more information.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

#1: Target regional industries by “translating” your experience. According to Shannon LaCom, Northwest regional manager at Bradley-Morris, Inc., a leading military recruiting firm, Seattle-based companies look to BMI to source military-experienced talent for sales, manufacturing and field-service positions. But you may be thinking, “But I don’t have sales, manufacturing or field-service experience.” This may be true, but the fundamentals required for success in the military directly correspond to the fundamentals required in these fields.

Click the permalink for more.  A special thank you to Randy Woods and nwsource.com.

• Analyze your qualifications to determine your grade or salary level. Learn how to interpret the pay bands posted on many job announcements. Use your military rank and pay as a guide. The Office of Personnel Management’s website is a great place to get started.
• Then determine if you can qualify for a certain job title or series. The Handbook of Occupational Groups and Series can be found at www.opm.gov/fedclass/text/HdBkToC.htm. Detailed information about the work performed by a particular job series can be found at www.opm.gov/fedclass. Qualification standards can be found at www.opm.gov/qualifications.
• Review the list of government agencies to determine your top 3 to 5 agencies of consideration. A full listing is available at www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml. This will allow you to focus your resume toward a particular mission.

With a target job title, grade, and preferred agencies in hand, you will better equipped to apply for jobs online, attend job fairs, and network.

• He/she can tell you when they are hiring.
• He/she can hire you directly, if they have the authority to do so.
• He/she can hire you non-competitively if they are able to take advantage of the Veteran’s Hiring Programs.

But what if you don’t know a supervisor?  First, ask your inner circle who they know in the Federal government and, if possible, for their contact information.  Contact them via email to introduce yourself and tell them about your objectives and interests.  Establish a writing friendship by asking about their job and agency.  Ask them for ideas on career opportunities and who else they might know in their agency or others.

Second, write to or call an HR specialist to ask a question.  You might be surprised at how much you insight you gain into your resume, upcoming announcements, job fairs, and more.  Finally, never miss an opportunity to go to a job fair.  Agencies that attend are serious about meeting you.  Go prepared with a “sticky” job fair resume and dress the part.

This is the first post in my series on Federal Jobs. Let me know your feedback at The Inbox link on the upper left navigation, or leave a comment.

Jessica