Overview
How Federal jobs will be filled is determined by the Federal civil service laws and regulations, augmented, in some cases, by additional statutes and Executive Orders. And methods may differ depending on the agency and the nature of the position. Many Federal agencies permit applicants to contact the agency directly for additional job information and to better understand the application process.
Depending on the circumstances, Federal jobs can offer greater stability than jobs with private companies. Many Federal agencies particularly value candidates who are veterans because they regard such candidates’ skill as highly transferable to the work of those agencies.
For many veterans, pursuing opportunities in the Federal Civil Service is a natural transition, and those positions, therefore, are highly competitive. You are competing against other highly skilled, highly educated, and highly qualified veterans as well as other applicants interested in Federal service.
Applying for a Federal job requires time, preparation, and attention to detail.
To better support and facilitate hiring of veterans into the Federal workforce, the Veterans Employment Initiative established Veteran Employment Program Offices at federal agencies.
While the process may be similar, in some respects, to that in private industry, there are significant differences due to the many statutes, executive orders, and regulations that govern Federal employment, as well as case law interpreting them.