I received a prompt answer from the agency I applied to, meaning I had left no gaps in providing the required information. But the job was an open enrollment, and I still had to wait for an opening. So the question became: What next? What to do while I was waiting? What else was available? How would I know where I fit?
"Ten Steps" answers those questions. It has a broader perspective than the author's earlier work. Although it covers resume preparation in detail, it focuses on giving you an overview of government agencies and areas where you might look for a job--areas you might not think of because of the peculiar structure of government and even the occupational titles and codes. The book guides you through the maze of categories to areas that are most relevant to you.
It is also full of sample resumes in different forms and formats, including electronic or scannable. Since the government allows you several ways of providing resume information and has its unique inventory of KSA's (knowledge, skills, and abilities), this aspect is most useful. A compact disk accompanying the book provides more examples.
Ms. Troutman has some unique suggestions for following up tactfully on your application. She helps you distinguish nominal acceptance from a response that suggests you are a serious contender. She tells you how to find out what was missing if you are not chosen for a particular job. Walking through these steps with her is like having a mentor at your side.
Ms. Troutman is a seasoned career counselor and founder and head of theresumeplace.com. This book shows all the thoroughness and professionalism of its predecessors.
At [the price], Ten Steps to a Federal Job: Navigating the Federal Job System is pricey. But it's a bargain because it serves as an experienced consultant-in-print taking you by the hand and, with a warm, friendly style, leading you painlessly through a complex process. A CD-ROM (PC or Mac) is included with the book that contains samples, templates and helpful appendixes for your federal job hunt. Ms. Troutman covers aspects of the federal job search in her 10-step format that I haven't seen pulled together elsewhere, one of the reasons I like it so well.
I had been told that you must start out "at the bottom" if you wanted to work for the federal government - that the only way "in" was through entry level positions. What I learned from reading this book (Ten Steps) is that it is possible to move into a position comparable in grade and salary to the non-federal job that you hold. Also, I had become discouraged by vacancy announcements that required knowledge of a particular agency's policies, procedures and/or programs. "Ten Steps to a Federal Job" describes how to perform research and to familiarize yourself with an agency and its programs, and how to then incorporate the knowledge you've gained in an open and honest manner into your job-search materials.
"Ten Steps to a Federal Job" also goes into great detail to describe the process for writing successful essays about your knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's). This was completely unfamiliar territory to me, as it is not part of a non-federal job search process. I now feel confident in my ability to write KSA essays, as well as a good resume directed at federal vacancies. Regarding resumes, I learned that I needed to forget everything that I had ever learned about them! The advice that I had always been given was to limit your resume to one page - two if absolutely necessary, but never more. Your federal resume may need to be three to even five pages in length, in addition to the three to six required KSA essays of approximately one page that may be required.
This book will tell you how to read federal vacancy announcements to determine their exact requirements - length of resume, KSA requirements (if any), how to submit your resume, etc. It also provides valuable information about the electronic resume process. But, if you are serious about securing a job with the federal government, I would strongly recommend Kathryn's "Electronic Federal Resume Guidebook" as well, as it goes into even greater detail explaining the requirements of the electronic process. Buy them both, and read them very slowly! My efforts in carefully studying these two books were rewarded with greatly increased knowledge, and the confidence to actively pursue a job with the federal government.