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Job Seeker Help > FAQ
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| Q: |
How do I apply for Federal jobs? |
| A: |
Forget what you
have heard about the complexities in finding a Federal job. We have made the
process simple! Your job search for Federal career opportunities is now a '3 -
Step Process'.
STEP 1: CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
Set up your My Studentjobs account to:
- Create & post resumes
- Attract employers
- Have jobs emailed to you
STEP 2: SEARCH FOR JOBS
Just enter your desired job information and search the database of thousands of jobs. Use your resume to apply online instantly. STEP 3: MANAGE YOUR CAREER
Get all the information and advice you need on obtaining a job in
the Government. |
| Q: |
What happens when I Apply Online? |
| A: |
When you see a job that you would like to apply to, you can click the Apply Online link at the bottom of the posting. When you click Apply Online (all jobs do not have this option), you will have to log into your account if you were not previously logged in. Once you are logged in, if you have one or more Resumes, you will have a choice of which Resume to send. Likewise, if you have any cover letters stored, you will also have the option of submitting a cover letter along with your Resume.
If you have an account and are logged in but do not have any Resumes stored, when you click the Apply Online link, you will get a message that says, 'You are logged in but do not have any Resumes stored.' You will then have the option to Create a New Resume. If you do not have an account opened and you click Apply Online, it will take you to the Create Account/Log In page. |
| Q: |
Are there any considerations for People with Disabilities? |
| A: |
The Federal Government recognizes that people with disabilities have a right to full and fair consideration for any job for which they apply. It strives to offer an environment in which all can reach their highest potential and make a difference for our country. For more information, click here. |
| Q: |
What should I use for keywords? |
| A: |
Enter keywords for the job descriptions you would like to see. Entering keywords as part of your search will result in links to jobs containing those words in their descriptions appearing on your results page. Keywords can be anything including a job title or skill, the name of an occupation or agency, or a location. Examples include programmer, SAP, telecommunications, North Dakota, human resources, marketing, Cincinnati, etc.
Go to our helpful
Keyword Search Tips page. |
| Q: |
I have created a resume using your
Resume Builder and I want to submit it online for a job vacancy. How do I do
this? |
| A: |
Not all
announcements allow for the submission of an online resume. If the vacancy
announcement you are applying to accepts resumes online, there will be a link that says Apply Online. When you select this link,
it will take you into the resume builder. After preparing your resume, you will
be given the option to send your resume. When you select this option, your
resume will be automatically sent to the office that is processing the
announcement. (You cannot submit a resume online that was produced on another
program.) |
| Q: |
I have forgotten my username and password and I have switched email addresses. HELP!
|
| A: |
If you previously had a Resume stored under an email address that you no longer have access to, please Contact Us with your
previous email address, first name, last name, street address, city, state, country, zip code, and
phone number. Once we verify this information, we will change your account to
your current email address and email you your username and password. |
| Q: |
I share an email address with another
person. Is there a way we can both set up an account? |
| A: |
You can only have one
account opened under one email address. You will need to get an additional email
account in order to open up another account. There are several web sites that
offer free email services that you can check from any computer. Many websites, including Yahoo, Hotmail, and Excite, offer free email services. Note: This is not an all-inclusive list of email
providers and being listed here should not be considered an endorsement of any
particular service provider. |
| Q: |
How do I update my email address or change my
password? |
| A: |
In order to change the email address on your account and in our database you need to login, then click on Account Profile. Enter your new email address in place of the existing address, enter your password at the bottom of the page to confirm your changes and then click Submit. |
| Q: |
I get emails from my Search Agents saying that
there are matches but when I go to view the results, it says 'No Jobs Match the
Query.' |
| A: |
To view your Agent results, log into your account with your login information. Click on Agents in the navigation bar at the top of the screen. This will take you to your Manage Agents page. Click on View to access the jobs that your search Agent has
found for you.
If you get the 'No Jobs Match the Query' message, select a new time frame (i.e 'Last 3 days', 'Last 7 days', 'Last 60 days', etc) that coincides with when you received your email. After you select a new time frame, click Subsearch to see the jobs that your Agent has
matched for you. |
| Q: |
When I run my Agents, the page shows what my search words are, a 'Sort By' drop down and a 'Today', 'Yesterday', 'Last 3 days', etc dropdown. My problem is that I often experience 'Today' producing more and different results than 'Last 3 days'. How and why is this? |
| A: |
This issue sometimes occurs when you are using multiple keywords. To get better results, you should format your keywords using the Boolean logic guidelines listed on our Keyword Search Tips page.
When multiple keywords are entered that do not meet these guidelines, the system first tries to find jobs that contain ALL of the keywords entered. If there are no jobs that contain ALL keywords, then the system automatically re-tries the search to find jobs that contain ANY of the keywords entered.
So, when you ran the 'Today' search, there were no jobs
that contained ALL keywords but the automatic re-try produced multiple results
which contained ANY of the keywords. However, when you ran 'Last 3 days' search,
there were results which contained ALL keywords. This resulted in a smaller
number of jobs being displayed, and the automatic re-try search for jobs with
ANY of the keywords was not run. |
| Q: |
Do jobs that I have applied for online count
towards my Resume views? |
| A: |
Any jobs that you Apply for online will be logged in your Application History section. The Resume Views counter will only keep a tally of the
number of times your Resume has been viewed from the searchable database. When
you initially Apply Online, this will not count towards your Resume views
because your Resume is received in the form of an email. However when you Apply
Online, your Resume ID number will be provided to the employer, thus giving them
access to your Resume in the searchable database. This could result in an
increase in the number of views that your Resume receives. |
| Q: |
What are the levels of confidentiality that I can have for my Resume? |
| A: |
You have three options
when storing your Resume. You can make it completely public with
all contact information available to employers; you can make it confidential and not
show your contact information, but still searchable in the database, or you
can remove your Resume from the searchable database by deactivating the
Resume.
Active - When you enter your Resume, do not select the option to Save my Resume as confidential. This will make all of your contact information, work experience, and references (if you opt to enter them) viewable by employers. When you are finished creating your Resume, click Activate and your Resume will be entered into the Resume Database for employers to search. You will only be able to have one of your Resumes saved as Active at a time.
Confidential and Active - Storing your Resume as confidential will keep your contact information, present employer, and references private, yet your Resume is searchable by employers. Employers will be able to contact you by routing an email through us that we forward to your email address. It's your choice to contact the employer. Checking the box marked Save my Resume as confidential on the Contact Information screen of the Resume Builder will store your Resume as confidential. If you want your present employer's name hidden, be sure to choose Present as the end date for your current job on the Work Experience screen of the builder.
Deactivated - Your deactivate Resume will be taken offline so that employers are unable to search for it. However, your Resume still remains in our database. You can still send it to the employers you choose by clicking the Apply Online option which appears at the bottom of a job description. Deactivating your Resume is a good option if you want to apply to a specific position without being contacted by other employers who have found your Resume online. If in the future you do want your Resume to be searched by all employers, simply click on Activate to make your Resume appear online. |
| Q: |
How do I change the Confidential status on my Resume?
|
| A: |
First, login to your account and click Resumes on the navigation bar near the top of the page. Then click Edit below your Resume Headline. Click Candidate Info on the list of Resume sections. On this page, make your desired selection in the check box next to Make this information confidential. Then click Save. |
| Q: |
I am not getting any hits on my Resume. Am I doing something wrong? |
| A: |
First, make sure that your Resume is active. If it isn't activated, you will not receive any hits. If it is active and still not getting any hits, try clicking on Renew on your Resume Listings and Activity page. This
will make it appear as though your Resume was just posted. |
| Q: |
How do I copy and paste text? |
| A: |
Follow these steps:
- Selecting: Click and drag your mouse cursor over the text or link that you wish to copy.
- Copying: With the text now selected, press the
CTRL key (CMD key for Macs) and press
C .
- Pasting: Click the mouse on the place where you wish
to paste the information, and press CTRL + V (CMD +
V for Macs).
|
| Q: |
I'm having trouble accessing the link provided to me in
an email. What am I doing wrong? |
| A: |
You need to make
sure that your browser is receiving the entire link that we provided. Sometimes, if the URL is too long, your email program may display it on 2 lines, and the second line of the URL is not sent to your browser. You may
need to copy (CTRL + C; CMD + C for Macs)
and paste (CTRL + V; CMD + V for Macs) the second line of the URL to the end of the address bar
in your browser. |
| Q: |
How do I change the phone numbers listed on my resume?
|
| A: |
First, login to your account and click Resumes on the navigation bar near the top of the page. Then click Edit below your Resume Headline. Click Candidate Info on the list of Resume Sections. On this page, you can change the phone numbers that you previously entered. Then click Save. |
| Q: |
What is the Outstanding Scholar
Program? |
| A: |
The Outstanding Scholar Program is a special hiring authority established to be used as a supplement to competitive examining for some entry-level positions. To find out more, click here. |
| Q: |
What is the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program? |
| A: |
PMF is designed to attract to the Federal service outstanding graduate students (master's and doctoral-level) from a wide variety of academic disciplines who demonstrate an exceptional ability for, as well as a clear interest in and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. To find out more, click here. |
| Q: |
What is the Scholarship for Service (SFS) Program? |
| A: |
The program provides grants (funding) to colleges and universities and scholarships (undergraduate, graduate and doctoral level) to students. The objective of the project is to increase the number of qualified students entering the fields of information assurance and computer security and to increase the capacity of the United States higher education enterprise to continue to produce professionals in these fields to meet the needs of our increasingly technological society. Partnerships designed to increase participation by underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged. Additional funding up to $100,000 per year for 2 years is available to partnerships that include minority institutions. To find out more, click here. |
| Q: |
What does this error mean? |
| A: |
You are bound to run into error messages occasionally while surfing the Internet. Here are some examples of the errors that you are most likely to run into:
Microsoft OLE for SQL server error #- Occurs when our database management system that responds to queries is not functioning correctly. This may prevent you from logging into your account, creating or editing a Resume, or accessing your Agents.
HTTP 404 File Not Found # or Page Cannot Be Displayed #- Occurs if there is a failure in the connection between your browser and our server or if the URL is not entered correctly. You can often bypass this error by clicking refresh or reload on your browser toolbar.
HTTP 500 Internal Error #-Occurs when the file or web page cannot be accessed because of server-configuration problems. This occurs when our server 'goes down.'
CreateRecordset error '8004166a' Expecting Phrase #- Occurs when there is extra punctuation in the criteria of a keyword search. For example, if you had a comma after your last keyword, this error would occur. For tips on keyword searching, click here. |
| Q: |
How do I clean out my cache or my temporary internet files?
|
| A: |
Please follow the instructions below for cleaning out your temporary internet files or cache:
Netscape:
Click on Edit on the tool bar at the top of your browser and then select Preferences.
Expand the Advanced category by clicking on the + sign next to the word Advanced.
Click on Cache, then click on Clear Memory Cache and then Clear Disk Cache.
Click OK and you're all set.
Internet Explorer 6.0 for Windows:
Click 'Start' menu from Desktop.
Point to 'Settings'.
Click 'Control Panel'.
Click the 'Internet Options' icon.
Select the 'Privacy' tab.
Move the 'Privacy' settings slider to Medium.
Click 'OK'.
Close 'Control Panel'.
Internet Explorer 4.0 and 5.0:
Depending on which version of Internet
Explorer you are using you will click on either View (version 4.0) or Tools
(version 5.0) on the tool bar at the top of the browser and then select
Internet Options. The pop-up screen defaults to the General tab.
Under Temporary Internet Files, click on Delete Files.
Under History click on Clear History.
Click OK and you're all set.
AOL 4.0 and AOL 5.0:
Click on My AOL on the tool bar at the top of
your AOL screen and then select Preferences.
Under
Preferences click on the WWW icon.
The pop-up screen
defaults to the General tab.
Under Temporary Internet
Files click on Delete Files and under History click on Clear History.
Click OK and you're all set.
|
| Q: |
How do I enable my cookies?
|
| A: |
Internet Explorer 5.X and AOL
8.0/7.0/6.0/5.0 for Windows:
Click 'Start' menu from Desktop.
Point to 'Settings'.
Click 'Control Panel'.
Click the 'Internet Options' icon.
Select the 'Security' tab.
Click the 'Internet' icon.
Click 'Custom Level'.
Scroll down until you see 'Cookies'.
Select 'Enable' under 'Allow cookies that are stored on your computer'.
Select 'Enable' under 'Allow per-session cookies (not stored)'.
Click 'OK', and click 'OK' again.
Close the ‘Control Panel.’
Internet Explorer 4.X and AOL 4.0 for Windows:
Click 'Start' menu from Desktop.
Point to 'Settings'.
Click 'Control Panel'.
Click the 'Internet' icon.
Select the 'Advanced' tab.
Scroll down until you see 'Cookies'.
Select 'Always accept cookies'.
Click 'Apply' and click 'OK'.
Then close the 'Control Panel.'
Internet Explorer for Macintosh:
Click the 'Edit' menu.
Click 'Preferences'.
On the left margin, click 'Cookies' under 'Receiving Files'.
Next to 'When receiving cookies:’, select 'Never Ask'.
Click 'OK'.
AOL for Macintosh:
Click the 'My AOL' menu.
Click 'Preferences'.
Click the 'WWW' icon.
Click 'Advanced Settings'.
On the left margin, click 'Cookies' under 'Receiving Files'.
Next to 'When receiving cookies:', select 'Never Ask'.
Click 'OK' and click 'OK' again.
Netscape 6.X:
Click the 'Edit' menu.
Click 'Preferences'.
On the 'Categories' list, click 'Cookies' below the 'Advanced' option.
Select 'Accept all cookies'.
Click OK.
|
| Q: |
Are there any summer employment opportunities? |
| A: |
Are you looking for a summer experience that allows you to work with people who manage the day-to-day business of our Nation? The Federal Government may have the right opportunity for you. Summer job opportunities are available in Federal agencies throughout the United States and cover a wide variety of positions. For more information, click here. |
| Q: |
Are there any Temporary and Term appointments?
|
| A: |
Temporary and term appointments are used to fill positions when there is not a continuing need for the job to be filled. Neither type of appointment is a permanent one, so they do not give the employee competitive status or reinstatement eligibility. Because temporary and term employees do not have status, they may not apply for permanent appointments through agency internal merit promotion procedures, which are used for filling positions from the ranks of current and former permanent Federal employees. However, qualifying experience gained while employed in a temporary or term position is considered when applying later for a permanent position. For more information, click here. |
| Q: |
Are there any Volunteering opportunities? |
| A: |
Have you ever applied for a job and been told that they are looking for people with "experience"? Have you ever wondered what it is really like to work in a particular career field? Have you ever been curious about how the Federal Government works? If your answer is "yes" to any of these questions, Volunteer Service may be right for you. For more information, click here. |
| Q: |
Can you describe what benefits I would receive? |
| A: |
The Federal Government recognizes many people are interested in the many benefits available to permanent Federal employees. Each Federal agency has a unique mission and requirements, and they each offer unique benefits packages. Below is a sampling of the benefits that may be available to you as a permanent Federal employee. For more information, click here. |
| Q: |
How can I let employers know what I have to offer? |
| A: |
So, you found the job you want. And it's with the Federal Government. Congratulations! You're embarking on an exciting journey with dynamic opportunities that Federal jobs provide. You're also competing with some of the best candidates around. How do you know you've shown future employers' your worth? For information, click here. |
| Q: |
I'm worried about fraud on the Internet. Can you
reassure me?
|
| A: |
Information on job vacancies with the Federal Government and the Postal Service is provided free of charge. However, many Americans are victimized by scam artists selling information about Federal job opportunities. These scam artists place classified advertisements in newspapers, magazines, and periodicals offering--for a fee--to help job seekers locate and apply for Federal jobs. Some companies go so far as to use names that imply affiliation with the Federal Government, such as the 'U.S. Agency for Career Advancement,' or 'Postal Employment Service.' For our full statement on the issue, click here. |
| Q: |
How are Federal jobs filled? |
| A: |
Many Federal agencies fill their jobs like private industry by allowing applicants to contact the agency directly for job information and application processing. Most Federal Agencies are responsible for their own hiring actions. Resumes are preferred when applying; however, the Optional Application for Federal Employment, OF 612, is also accepted. Most positions do not require a written test. While the process is now very similar to that in private industry, there are still significant differences due to the many laws, executive orders, and regulations that govern Federal employment. To find out more, click here. |
| Q: |
Can noncitizens apply? |
| A: |
Several factors determine whether a Federal agency may employ a noncitizen. To find out more, click here. |
| Q: |
My job search results are not listed in order according to
date. How can I change this? |
| A: |
If you used keywords in
your search criteria, you can now sort your job search
results by relevancy to give you the closest match possible. Your job search
results are sorted by date, unless you specify otherwise when setting
up your search criteria. If you prefer to have the results sorted by relevancy you
can specify this in your original job search criteria. At any time, you can
change the way your job search results are sorted by clicking
Relevancy at the
top of the results page. |
| Q: |
I search for jobs nearly everyday and it
seems that I never see new jobs matched up with my search. What's wrong?
|
| A: |
If
you return everyday and do not see a variance in your job search
results, you may want to try one of the following options:
- Change the value for Show Jobs Posted to Today. You will only see jobs posted
in the last 24 hours. Using this in combination with the Relevancy sort will
rank the most recent jobs by how well they match your search criteria.
- Sort results by Date in order to have those posted in
the last 24 hours appear at the top. You may also want to expand your search
criteria to incorporate additional Locations and Categories in order to
broaden your search. Or, you may try utilizing different Keywords.
|
| Q: |
How can I search by Department?
|
| A: |
To see Vacancy Announcements for a certain Department, enter the full name of the department surrounded by quotation marks in the Keyword search field. Example: "Department of Agriculture"
|
| Q: |
How can I search by Region of the U.S.?
|
| A: |
Regions of the U.S. are included in the Location Search menu. They currently appear on the list in alphabetical order between US-TX and US-UT. Important note: Not all recruiters and hiring managers will specify a Region with their posting so it is recommended that you also select each desired state individually to see all results in those locations.
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| Q: |
When I click to Edit my resume, the Resume Builder sections open but after I save new information the Preview Resume page still shows the original resume. How can I successfully update the Preview page?
|
| A: |
The resume that your are attempting to edit was originally posted using an old version of the USAJobs website. The website has been redesigned and now includes a new format for job seekers to use when posting and editing resumes. Your original resume can be used to apply to jobs, however, you will not be able to edit that resume. Please follow the steps below to post a revised resume and remove the original resume.
1. Login to the Manage Resumes page.
2. Click the Edit link below your resume.
3. Save your new resume information in each of the applicable Resume Sections listed on the left margin.
4. On the Finishing Up resume section, there are links to View Original Resume and Preview Resume (revised). You can delete the original resume by checking the box to Delete My Old Resume, I Don't Need it Anymore, and then clicking either Make My Resume Searchable or Click here to save and exit.
Tip: To save time, view your original resume in one window, and then copy and paste information section by section into the new resume builder fields.
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| Q: |
How can I subscribe to receive Vacancy Announcements by email?
|
| A: |
You can create Job Search Agents to receive email notifications when Vacancy Announcements are posted that meet your saved search criteria. To setup a Search Agent, click MYUSAJOBS to create or login to your career account. Then click Create New Agent to select your search criteria and the frequency you would like to receive emails.
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| Q: |
Can I specify a salary range for the jobs I want to receive in my Agent email notifications?
|
| A: |
At this time, the salary range option is not available on Job Search Agents. We recommend adding Keywords such as GS-11 in defining your search criteria to see results which include that pay grade somewhere within the Vacancy Announcement. You will be able see the Pay Plan and Salary information listed with the Job Title on the Detailed View page of the search results. (Note: You can perform a salary range search by clicking Advanced on the SEARCH JOBS page.)
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| Q: |
How can I contact USAJobs?
|
| A: |
* For questions about information in a Vacancy Announcement or about the status of an application you submitted, you will need to contact the agency that posted the Vacancy Announcement.
* For questions that need to be directed to the Office of Personnel Management, click here.
* For assistance with using the USAJobs website, click click here.
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