Helping Federal Job Hunters Since 1974
Issue 1: January 2012
Insights and tips on issues that impact YOUR career and YOUR search for a Federal job.
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Worldwide Assurance for Employees of Public Agencies
Learn more about WAEPA
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| Editors Column ...
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How
to Prepare for Mid and Senior Level Jobs
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| Insights ...
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Freeze
of Pay Adjustments for Federal Employees
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| Life Insurance ...
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For Civilian Federal Employees...FREE
2012 Leave Chart/Locality Pay Schedule
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| This Month's Specials ...
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KSA Workbook/KSA
Sampler
...only $10 each (a savings of $2.95 per book)
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How to
Prepare for Mid and Senior Level Federal Jobs
As those of you in the professional and technical fields advance in your specialties and seek federal jobs at the mid and senior levels, you will find that your competitiveness will depend increasingly upon your abilities in a new area: how well you can organize and manage people and
projects. The point at which you will face this shift in emphasis from technical skills to management abilities will vary, depending upon your profession and your employer.
For example, a GS-12 electrical engineer may spend 95 percent of his or her time designing electrical systems. However, the
designer's supervisor, a GS-13 electrical engineer in charge of the design group, probably will spend 95 percent of his or her time supervising and training subordinates, assessing manpower resources versus workload requirements, preparing budgets, and completing other non-technical but necessary functions
Click to Continue
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| Freeze
of Pay Adjustments for Federal
Civilian Employees
The President has signed an
Executive order containing the 2012 pay schedules for certain Federal civilian
employees. This memorandum reviews relevant portions of the Executive order
and provides general information on the 2012 pay rates. The Executive order
provides that the 2012 pay rates for the civilian employee pay schedules
covered by the order are not adjusted and remain at 2010/2011 levels.
Click to Continue
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KSA Workbook and KSA
Sampler only $10 each (a savings of $2.95 per book)
As an individual seeking employment with the Federal
government, at some point in the application process, you will be asked to
write essay statements, which demonstrate your knowledge, skill
or ability to perform in a specific job. These essay statements (better
known as KSAs) come in all shapes and sizes, but they ALL
require the applicant to clearly write (in a narrative format) how well they
meet specific job requirements.
Some common KSAs that you may come across could include
your "Ability to communicate orally" or your "Ability
to communicate in writing." If applying for a specific
occupation, such as an Information Technology Specialist, you may be asked to
write about your "Knowledge of a wide range of computer techniques,
requirements, methods, sources and procedures, and knowledge of system
software." Maybe you're a Human Resources Specialist and need to
respond to your "Knowledge of federal position classification
sufficient to classify a variety of positions." Or, you're an
Administrative Assistant who needs to show your "Ability to plan,
organize, and direct office activities to maintain efficient workflow."
No matter what the KSA is that you are asked to
address, how well you respond WILL be the difference between getting
called in for a job interview or finding your way to the 'not qualified' list.
Since 1992, we have been publishing our popular books, The
KSA Workbook and The KSA Sampler, which not only take an
applicant through the KSA writing process, but provides dozens of sample KSAs
to help you learn how to craft a job-winning KSA.
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What are KSAs?
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities ... that list of special qualifications and personal attributes that someone has decided you should have in order to fill a particular job. It's not enough that you meet the basic qualifications for the position and have the specialized experience that's required. It's not enough that you have a polished and up-to-date application package that clearly lays out all your experience and expertise. Now you have to put more time and effort into developing a
"supplemental statement" or "essay," a set of responses to these additional evaluation factors that may be relevant only to a particular job vacancy. And you have to do it in time to meet the position's application deadline.
When required, KSAs are the single most important aspect of your federal application and our workbook will help you understand and craft job-winning KSAs.
Order
your KSA Workbook today for only $10
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Not sure what a KSA looks like...how long they should be...what writing style is used. Then take your KSA writing a step further - our KSA Sampler is loaded with over 75 sample KSA responses to help you avoid
"writer's block" and prepare clear and concise KSA statements.
The library of samplers included in this book are designed to help YOU find the best way to respond with YOUR background to the KSAS YOU personally face. This workbook will help you familiarize yourself with various approaches to responding to KSAs and to focus on what works best for you with your unique set of skills and interests
Review our sample KSAs and identify those that, with the substitution of a few keywords, are similar to KSAs you might encounter when applying for federal jobs.
Order
your KSA Sampler today for only $10
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FREE
2012 Leave Chart & Locality Pay Schedule
Federal
employees can order a FREE 2012 Leave Chart and the Locality Pay Schedule of
their choice at 2012
LEAVE CHARTS. Please order promptly, as supplies are limited. Federal
agencies and employee organizations can also submit bulk order requests at BULK
ORDERS. Again, quantities are limited so please order as soon as possible.
These
handy reference tools are provided by WAEPA --- Worldwide Assurance for
Employees of Public Agencies. WAEPA, a non-profit association founded in 1943,
enables federal employees to purchase life insurance that serves as a superior
alternative, or supplement, to FEGLI. WAEPA gives its policyholders more
coverage, more benefits, and greater flexibility --- yet costs much less. Visit www.waepa.org
to learn more.
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Why
Federal Employees, just like you, choose WAEPA |
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The
first month of a new year is one of the best times to review the state of
your family's financial affairs and plan for your family's future. One of
the most common financial planning mistakes that people make is failing to
review and update their life insurance. As your life changes, so does your
need for life insurance. Significant events such as getting married,
starting a new job, purchasing a new home, the birth of a child, or the
start of a child's college education all impact the level of life
insurance your family needs.
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Click
here to learn more!
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You can learn more about the insurance programs offered by WAEPA at http://www.waepa.org
where you can also use the online premium calculator to customize your own personal insurance program.
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FedJobs Career Chat, Federal Research Service's monthly newsletter on issues that impact your career and your search for a Federal job, is published monthly.
Do you know anyone interested in receiving this newsletter? Tell them they can subscribe to this free e-newsletter by visiting
http://www.fedjobs.com/account/new_account.html
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Federal Research Service, PO Box 1708, Annandale VA 22003
1-800-822-5027, www.fedjobs.com , info@fedjobs.com
Copyright 2012
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