Synopses & Reviews
Back Cover Copy
Advance Praise for How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job:
“I wish that Lily Whiteman’s ground-breaking book had been around when I was in grad school. The book provides the essential toolkit for anyone interested in cracking open the federal hiring process. An invaluable resource to be used throughout your career. You won’t find another book on the market with more honest, relevant advice for landing your dream job in the federal government.” - Katherine Hudson Walker, President of Young Government Leaders
“Peppered with cartoons and a touch of wit, Whiteman’s book is the layman’s field guide to a federal job search…The book is based on hundreds of interviews with federal hiring managers and job hunters. Unlike other similar guides, it focuses on process rather than just aggregating information about agencies. This book provides step-by-step instructions on crafting successful résumés, cover letters and essays that get applicants out of the pile and into the interview. As readers gear up for the hot seat, Whiteman lets them in on the do’s and don’ts of interviewing for a federal job. And when an offer does roll around, readers can find tips on negotiating salary and climbing the ranks.” - Roll Call, the Newspaper of Capitol Hill
“This is the perfect book for anyone wanting to get into the federal government for the first time, or for current feds seeking promotions and jobs in the senior executive service. Providing previously unavailable ‘behind the scenes’ information and resources, this book has it all. Plus, its fresh writing style entertains and educates. If you buy one book on federal jobs, make it this one!” — Cory Edwards, Creator of Career Directors International’s Certified Federal Résumé Writer Certification Program
This is the perfect book for anyone wanting to get into the federal government for the first time or, for those already in the federal government, to get promoted within the federal system…This book has it all: from creating a federal resume, writing KSAs and ECQs, interviewing and negotiating a salary to job leads and special hiring programs. Uses a fresh writing style that entertains and educates. If you buy only one book to help you get a federal job, make it this one!” -Association of Career Professionals
This book pulls together needed and hard to find information on ways to get a job in federal government. It is a very helpful resource. -Sandy Hessler, Director of Career Advancement, Harvard Kennedy School
This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to decipher the federal government’s hiring system. Don't apply for a federal job without it. -Paul C. Light, Paulette Goddard Professor of Public Service, Robert Wagner School of Public Service, New York University
"This book is a must read. Anyone who aspires to a federal position or promotion within the federal service will find Whiteman's advice invaluable as they prevail over obstacles of entry and advancement throughout their federal careers. Whiteman gives her readers access to a wide range of information on the federal service application process, interview techniques, and how to successfully sell your "resume" to hiring managers. Her "hot tips" are excellent resources that are appropriately positioned throughout the book to help the reader gain additional insights. This is a superb reference book and action plan for all prospective and current federal employees." - Farrell J. Chiles, former Chairman of the Board, National Organization of Blacks in Government
“An excellent resource for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in securing an internship in the public sector… A great resource for new career professionals and mid-career professionals who seek a federal career and are interested in ‘insider’ tips to navigate the federal hiring process…describes the myriad diversity programs for women, minorities and disabled job seekers…provides for easy reading and a straightforward approach…will almost certainly ensure that job-seekers submit an A+ application…. Anyone looking for a federal job, or any job for that matter, would definitely benefit by reading this book.” -Journal of Public Management & Social Policy
"Bottom Line: This book provides clarity, insider advice, and hot tips into the federal government and its hiring process in an entertaining and informative way." - Oh My Gov! (OhMyGov.Com – News, Knowledge and Networking)
“Most books on how to find a federal job are about as interesting as the tax code. But [this book] offers a mountain of helpful advice in a visually appealing, easy-to-read format.” - Government Leader
“Whiteman’s enlightening, entertaining book will teach you everything you need to know about how to put the right spin on your credentials on paper and in person.” - Ray Kurzweil, Recipient of the National Medal of Technology, author of The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology
This nugget of a book will tell you what you don't know, what you need to know and what you may not have thought to ask about federal employment and promotion...How to Land a Top Paying Federal Job is an invaluable tool for the federal job and promotion search, but the guidance in these pages will serve the reader wherever good jobs are available."- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, D.C.
"The strength of Lily Whiteman’s manual lies in her ability to present information in an easy-to-digest format… In addition, Whiteman does an admirable job of providing extensive “how-to” examples for her readers. From sample ways to transform “boring” resume accomplishments into attention-grabbing statements to her many self-assessment worksheets, the author focuses on really showing, not just telling job-seekers how to be successful...Whatever one’s interest area or experience level, there is something for all in this manual." - The Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers
Lily Whiteman is a popular contributor to the “Jobs” section of The Washington Post, the career columnist for Federal Times, and a senior writer at the National Science Foundation. As a federal career coach, she has helped hundreds of professionals of all levels—from recent grads to executives—land jobs and earn promotions. She lives in Washington,
D.C.
Review
“Peppered with cartoons and a touch of wit, Whiteman’s book is the layman’s field guide to a federal job search…The book is based on hundreds of interviews with federal hiring managers and job hunters. Unlike other similar guides, it focuses on process rather than just aggregating information about agencies. This book provides step-by-step instructions on crafting successful résumés, cover letters and essays that get applicants out of the pile and into the interview. As readers gear up for the hot seat, Whiteman lets them in on the do’s and don’ts of interviewing for a federal job. And when an offer does roll around, readers can find tips on negotiating salary and climbing the ranks.” - Roll Call, the Newspaper of Capitol Hill
Review
“An excellent resource for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in securing an internship in the public sector… A great resource for new career professionals and mid-career professionals who seek a federal career and are interested in ‘insider’ tips to navigate the federal hiring process…describes the myriad diversity programs for women, minorities and disabled job seekers…provides for easy reading and a straightforward approach…will almost certainly ensure that job-seekers submit an A+ application…. Anyone looking for a federal job, or any job for that matter, would definitely benefit by reading this book.” - Journal of Public Management & Social Policy
Review
"Bottom Line: This book provides clarity, insider advice, and hot tips into the federal government and its hiring process in an entertaining and informative way." - Oh My Gov! (OhMyGov.Com – News, Knowledge and Networking)
Review
"For people who want to explore job and career options with the federal government...this excellent book is the dream resource they have been hoping to find. It's a 'how-to' book packed full of compelling, specific, tested advice and an impressive array of resources from a skilled federal career coach....This book is a timely and welcome addition to the literature on government careers. Job seekers in other sectors--private, nonprofit, state, and local government--will find a surfeit of superb counsel in these pages as well" -- NACE Journal
Review
"Peppered with cartoons and a touch of wit, Whiteman's book is the layman's field guide to a federal job search." —Roll Call
Review
"An easy read using everyday language, Whiteman explains the often difficult and hard to navigate human resource system within the government, making it easy for both the neophyte and the well-seasoned government expert to move through the book with limited bumps and hurdles.” —OhMyGov!
Review
"Overall, a broad and optimistic view of federal jobs and the employment process that should both prepare readers for the job hunt as well as inspire them." —Career Opportunities News
Review
"From lesser-known ways of finding openings to negotiating salary and getting quickly promoted, this is an outstanding guide recommended for any library strong in job opportunities and career guidance." —Midwest Book Review
Synopsis
With over 40 per cent of the federal government's 1.6 million employees retiring over the next 10 years (including about 90 per cent of senior managers), this is the perfect time for job seekers to land top-paying, secure and dynamic federal jobs and for current federal employees to quickly climb the federal career ladder. Yet until now, no truly up-to-date or comprehensive book has existed to give readers comprehensive, practical advice on how to land a federal job, internship, or fellowship and how to land federal promotions.
Entertainingly written by a successful career coach who has climbed the federal career ladder herself as a hiring manager, this reader-friendly book steers prospective applicants through every stage of their job search -- from finding unadvertised openings to sealing enviable deals. This book draws on interviews with more than 100 other hiring managers. Including a companion CD filled with sample resumes and worksheets, this is the book to have whether you are seeking an internship, your first federal job or an executive promotion.
Synopsis
f you’ve ever thought about applying for a government job, now is a great time to do it. With about 40% of the federal government’s employees expected to retire in the next 10 years, a massive retirement wave has already begun, and Uncle Sam’s door is now wide open for new hires. But with advantages like unbeatable job security, outstanding benefits, and salaries that are competitive with—if not better than—private sector salaries, competition for federal openings is fierce.
How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job gives you all the tools and guidance you need to get hired for a government job (domestic or overseas), internship, or fellowship. Written by a leading authority on federal careers, the book draws on interviews with more than 100 hiring managers to provide true insider perspectives on what works and what doesn’t when vying for a government job. Armed with the advice in this book, you’ll become a master at steering your way through the entire job search and hiring process.
Use the secrets of the experts to craft winning applications; write irresistible cover letters; excel at interviews; negotiate your salary and benefits; and then speed your advancement up the government ladder. This reader-friendly book gives you:
• little-known ways for finding openings
• shortcuts for instantly impressing gatekeepers on paper, online, and in person
• sure-fire tips for negotiating a top salary
• expert techniques for landing quick promotions
A free companion CD is loaded with easy-to-customize sample résumés and worksheets. Whether you’re seeking an executive position or a summer internship, this is the comprehensive guide that will get you that ideal federal job.
Lily Whiteman is a popular contributor to the “Jobs” section of The Washington Post, the career columnist for Federal Times, and a senior writer at the National Science Foundation. As a federal career coach, she has helped hundreds of professionals of all levels—from recent grads to executives—land jobs and earn promotions. She lives in Washington,
D.C.
Synopsis
How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job is the ultimate guide to securing a government job, internship, or fellowship. Written by a successful career coach who has climbed the federal career ladder herself and served as a hiring manager, the book steers applicants through every stage of their job searches—from finding unadvertised openings and getting interviews to sealing enviable deals and even get ting promoted.
Drawing on interviews with more than 100 federal hiring managers, the book reveals the secrets to impressing these gatekeepers online, on paper, and in person—information that is available nowhere else. The updated second edition includes more get-ahead tips; new templates for writing winning applications; expanded directories for internships, fast-track management training programs and fellowships; and the latest helpful websites.
Complete with a companion CD filled with sample résumés, checklists, and templates, this indispensable book gives readers the inside scoop on landing some of the nation’s most secure, well-paying, and rewarding jobs—in all 50 states and abroad!
Synopsis
Praise for How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job:
“I wish that Lily Whiteman’s ground-breaking book had been around when I was in grad school. The book provides the essential toolkit for anyone interested in cracking open the federal hiring process. An invaluable resource to be used throughout your career. You won’t find another book on the market with more honest, relevant advice for landing your dream job in the federal government.”
— Katherine Hudson Walker, Past President of Young Government Leaders
“This is the perfect book for anyone wanting to get into the federal government for the first time, or for current feds seeking promotions and jobs in the senior executive service. Providing previously unavailable ‘behind the scenes’ information and resources, this book has it all. Plus, its fresh writing style entertains and educates. If you buy one book on federal jobs, make it this one!”
— Cory Edwards, Creator of Career Directors International’s Certified Federal Résumé Writer Certification Program
Which employer is continually hiring everyone from new grads to seasoned professionals no matter how the economy is doing? The federal government—that’s who!
The federal government offers some of the most secure and highly paid jobs around. And with a whopping 200,000 people hired each year both nationwide and overseas, the federal government is the nation’s largest employer. But federal jobs are not always easy to get—especially if you approach the job-search process the same way you would for private sector employment. Federal employment requires a different set of strategies and behind-the-scenes information on what really works and what doesn’t.
Now you can find out exactly what it takes to nail a great federal job, internship, or fellowship with the all-new second edition of this bestselling classic. Written by a federal career coach and columnist with decades of personal experience climbing the federal career ladder herself, How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job is the ultimate insider’s guide to successfully navigating every stage of the federal job search. You’ll find all-new information on how to:
•Locate every appealing job or promotion for which you qualify—including unadvertised openings.
•Impress federal hiring managers online, on paper,
and in person—crucial tips culled straight from the gatekeepers!
•Model your application materials on the most persuasive résumés and door-opening cover letters—each included on the accompanying CD.
•Negotiate a top salary (often tens of thousands of dollars a year above what is initially offered!)
•Pass formidable security clearance processes and expertly handle potentially deal-busting problems.
•Access special hiring programs for young professionals, women, veterans, and people with disabilities.
•Accelerate your rise up the federal career ladder—with pivotal advancement strategies available nowhere else.
Don’t let some of the best job opportunities pass you by! With this up-to-the-minute book and invaluable disc packed with résumés, templates, checklists, and tracking sheets, plus inside tips on how to painlessly write eye-catching, impressive application essays (all of which are also available for easy access online), you’ll beat out the competition to land a highly sought-after federal job—the best employment option available today!
Lily Madeleine Whiteman is a popular contributor to the “Jobs” section of The Washington Post, the career columnist of Federal Times, and a senior writer at the National Science Foundation, a federal agency. Whiteman’s career advice has been featured in many other national outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, and U.S. News & World Report. She lives in Washington, D.C.
About the Author
LILY MADELEINE WHITEMAN is a popular contributor to the “Jobs” section of The Washington Post, the career columnist of Federal Times, and a senior writer at the National Science Foundation—a federal agency.
Table of Contents
Contents
What’s on the CD. . .
Foreword by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton
Preface: Common Myths About Federal Jobs
P A R T I
GEARING UP TO APPLY
1 A Great Time to Go Federal
2 The Search Is On: Finding Openings
3 Fast Track into Management: Internships and Fellowships for Novices
and Experienced Professionals
4 Location . . . Location . . . Location: Working in Agency Headquarters
Offices vs. Field Offices
5 Into the Capitol Hill Power Vortex: Working for Congress
6 Those !@#! Vacancy Announcements
7 The Basics of Security Clearances
P A R T II
CRANKING OUT YOUR APPLICATION
8 Think Like a Hiring Manager: How Applications Are Screened
9 Your Bragging Writes
10 Mastering Online Applications
11 Crafting Irresistible Résumés
12 Application Essays (KSAs and ECQs): Who Needs “Em?
13 Cover Letters That Open Doors
14 Waiting for a Response to Your Application
P A R T I I I
THE TALKING STAGE
15 Acing Your Interviews
16 Commanding a Top-Dollar Salary
17 Responding to an Agency’s Decision
P A R T IV
ACCELERATING YOUR ASCENT
18 The Fed “Get Ahead” Guide
A P P E N D I X E S
1 Tip Sheet for Veterans and Their Families
2 Tip Sheet for Applicants with Disabilities
3 Formatting Tips
4 Glossary
Index
About the Author