WRITTEN BY DAVID MARWICK FOR KEMPMILLJOBASSIST ON 24 AUGUST 2017.
Understanding the federal hiring process is the first step in the process of applying for a federal job. These two for-profit companies provide webinars, trainings, online guides, and other services to those seeking federal jobs. Some of these services are free, but others require payment. Both companies offer email sign up lists for updates on new resources.
Resume Place
Kathryn Kraemer Troutman is the grande dame of federal job search. She has specialized in federal resumes since 1996. Her website is www.Resume-Place.com.
According to the website, the company produces an average of 1,500 resumes a year and the website gets 15,000 visits a day.
Troutman’s website includes tools to help construct federal resumes, accomplishments (using the CCAR — Challenge, Context, Actions, and Results — format), and cover letters. The website also features completed sample resources — such as federal resumes and accomplishment statements — and blog posts. Blog topics for 2017 include:
“How to Get In On the Hiring Free-For-All for Border Patrol Agents”
“Federal Employment Programs Offer Enticements to Students and Recent Grads”
“What You Need to Know About Jobs in the Trump Administration at 117 Days”
Among Troutman’s many books are “Federal Resume Guidebook—Writing the Successful Outline Format” (sixth edition) and “Creating Your First Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide to Write Your First Competitive Resume,” both published in 2016.
This past May, Troutman recorded an informative interview with Mike Causey of Federal News Radio, entitled “Is it time to update your federal resume?”
Federal Job Results
Corliss Taylor Jackson is the new kid on the block, having started her company in 2007. In her 10+ years at the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Health and Human Services, she worked her way up to a GS-15 Human Resources Manager position. Her website is www.FederalJobResults.com.
Jackson presents free in-person workshops in the DC area, but most are in Northern Virginia; workshops in Montgomery County are rare.
She also presents free webinars on federal hiring and related topics. For example, in August, Jackson presented three 30-minute webinars: “Hiring Freeze Lifted — Five Steps to Take Now,” “Ace Your Next Interview,” and “The Senior Executive Service (SES).”
In addition, she provides a substantial amount of on-demand content on her website, including a list of agencies that are not covered by www.USAJobs.gov, and about two dozen educational videos. Two of the videos are free: “Why Work for the Federal Government?” and “Cracking the Code to Your Federal Job Search.”
The other videos, at $4 each, cover topics specifically related to federal jobs, as well as topics of more general interest. Federal job topics include understanding the federal resume format, navigating USAJobs.gov, and security clearances. General topics include cover letters, LinkedIn, and networking.
Last year, Jackson published a book titled “Cracking the Federal Job Code: Top Secret Tips for Today’s Federal Job Seeker.”
The Bottom Line
These web sites offer a lot of content, and it is worthwhile to explore both of them.