Understanding EIA's Job Announcements
Federal job announcements, including EIA's, can be a little confusing to applicants who aren't used to reading them, but it's worth the effort! These announcements provide important information about qualifications, duties, salary, duty location, and benefits. Each job vacancy consists of a job title, the career path, the series number and the pay band number. For example, in the "Economist, GS-0110-04" citation:
	"Economist" is the position title
	"GS" is the pay plan
	"0110" is the occupational series
	"04" is the grade level (the traditional Federal GS system can be 1 through 15)
Sometimes you will see two types of job announcements:
	Public notice. These jobs are open to all U.S. citizens; current or prior federal work experience is not required.
	Merit promotion. These jobs are restricted to current or former EIA and/or federal employees.
All job announcements also have: 1) an opening date, which is the date when the vacancy was initially opened for the submission of applications, and 2) a closing date, which is the final date that applications may be submitted for consideration for an available position.

Submitting Applications Online
EIA requires applicants to register and create an account with USAJOBS, the Federal jobs portal, which is available 24/7 at www.usajobs.gov. USAJOBS' online resume builder (My USAJOBS) allows applicants to create an electronic resume that contains all of the information necessary for Federal employment. We encourage you to create an account with USAJOBS and start building your resume today so when you find the EIA job that interests you, your electronic resume will be ready to go. Applicants who believe that applying online will present them a hardship must contact the personnel official identified on the announcement about alternatives to the electronic submission process. And remember, when you find the job and are viewing the announcement, make sure to check out the section "How to Apply," for more tips.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities or "KSAs"
Knowledge, skills and abilities, also known as KSAs, are a set of questions that describe the special qualifications and personal attributes that you need to have for a particular job. Your responses will help EIA determine qualities that set you apart from other candidates. In Federal personnel guidance, KSAs are defined as the factors that identify the better candidates from a group of persons basically qualified for a position. How well an applicant can show that he or she matches a position's defined KSAs determines whether that person will be seriously considered for the job. For tips on KSAs, please visit USAJOBS.

Essay Questions: Why You Can't Ignore Them
While some application questions may require a yes / no answer, others might be multiple choice. Job announcements also will contain both KSAs and essay questions which are a necessary part of the employment application. You must respond to these essay questions-failure to do so could impact your ranking. It is therefore very important to read each question carefully and prepare your answer accordingly. Some job applicants, especially those looking for their first Federal position, are not sure whether the essay questions apply to them or where a response is optional. There's an easy way to decide when to pay attention to these KSAs and essays. In a word, ALWAYS. Don't leave something out of your written responses just because you assume job officials will see it on your resume - redundancy is not a bad thing here. On the flip side, references to any significant experiences in your written responses should reflect points made on your resume.

What is Veterans Preference?
Veterans preference gives special consideration to eligible veterans looking for federal employment. Veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces during -specified time periods or in military campaigns are entitled to preference in the Federal employment process. To find out whether you qualify for veterans preference, visit OPM's Veterans Preference Information.

Application Tips
To ensure your application is processed correctly, please be sure to include the following on any supplemental materials you submit:
	Your name
	Title and general schedule (GS) pay grade level of the position you are applying for
	Vacancy announcement number listed on the front of the announcement
	Your Social Security number
	Your contact information

How Are Applicants Evaluated?
Government officials will rate you based on your experience and education. Your evaluation will be based on information you provide in your resume and application. The names of the best-qualified applicants will be forwarded to the hiring official who will contact you to schedule an interview.

Contact Information
For more information on job applications, or to learn about career growth opportunities with EIA in general, please email careers@eia.doe.gov. Persons with disabilities requiring assistance with the application process should visit OPM's Federal Employment of People With Disabilities.