Federal FAA Job Applications?

[Delta3]

I was going to apply for a position at the FAA but I'm confused about what I need to send in for a federal application.

It asks you to state your knowlege skills and abilities (KSAs), but do they want it in an essay or just in your resume? Also, what other forms do you have to send in? They listed a few other forms that i need to fill out but I can't find those forms on their website.

 

[New2Flying]

You might check with Kathy, the Resume Writer, to see if she knows anything. You can email her at [email protected] or go to her website to see if she has an article written about federal job applications. www.awriteresume.com

 

[bobbysamd]

SF-171

First thing to do is take a good look at the listing. Chances are, you will have to prepare an SF-171.

Preparing an SF-171 is an art. I had a friend tell me two things about preparing the form: (1) Provide the most thorough and copious description for each of your duties as possible, even if you need extra pages. That helps you score extra points. (2) Watch how you cite FAR references. Do not use, e.g., FAR 61.57. The GS-2s who screen the forms do not know FARs. They do know the Code of Federal Regulations. Therefore, cite it as "14 CFR 61.57."

I followed my friend's advice when I applied to the FAA. It worked. I got a high placement on the register. Never was called, though. Although the register had been opened there apparently was no hiring off it.

Finally, I heard somewhere that there is now a short-form SF-171. I've also heard it recommended not to use the short form but to submit the standard SF-171. The extra time taken to prepare it will be worth it.

Hope that helps. Good luck with your efforts.

 

[Typhoon1244]

[nitpick] Would a "Federal FAA Job" be a "Federal Federal Aviation Administration" job? [/nitpick]

(This post brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department.)

 

[New2Flying]

Hey All,

I shot Kathy an email asking her about this information. Here is what she had to say:

>>Hi Mark,

Many federal vacancy announcements require separate narrative statements called KSA’s, in addition to a federal resume as the main application package. Most announcements request 3 to 6 written supplemental statements. The KSA’s are generally not part of the federal resume and should be written separately. They should be attached at the end of package. (Make sure you read the announcement carefully—some KSA’s are actually supposed to be addressed in the body of the resume, i.e., for Resumix applications.) The KSA’s are similar to interview questions. The human resource staff and the selecting officials want to read about your experiences and knowledge that will demonstrate you can perform the advertised job.

The narrative statements are actually "rated and ranked" or "graded" with a point scale. The higher your points, the better qualified you will be. In fact, if your points are high, you could be "qualified" or, better yet, "best qualified.”

There are few positions, if any, that require SF-171's. For the most part, they were replaced by KSA's.

Hope this information helps your friend.

Kathy Sweeney
Certified Professional Resume Writer
The Write Resume
www.awriteresume.com
1-866-726-9052<<<

I swear Kathy knows something about everything!

If you are still struggling, give her a call. If you really want the job it may be worth your investment.

Mark