Now about 20 minutes of that two hours was spent trying to create a user name and password because they government doesn't screw around when it comes to security. The password had to have at least one capital letter, a number, and a symbol. At the same time it had to be between the normal 8 and 20 characters. I was already enamored with this. Even if the fact that translating my usual password into the format proved a challenge that made me think that I might not be qualified for government work.
But the rest of the time was spent looking at jobs that I actually wanted! That was a welcome change.
Now there was one small problem. None of the jobs were in a Department that I had any particular interest in. I'm really wanting to find a place in the Department of Education, Department of Labor, or Department of Health and Human Services. And yes, I know, those are three Departments that the Republicans want to excoriate. What can I say? In some ways I'm a bleeding heart.
But, see, they're also where I'm qualified.
- For Health and Human Services, I did my senior thesis in college through my capstone course on public health (it was a fun paper on syphilis; and whether roadside educational advertisements did anything to lower transmission rates).
- For Labor, it's a personal passion of mine.
- And for Education, I come from a family of educators and administrators, and all of my real world experience is in it.
These are, however, apparently three Departments that are not really hiring. Because, like I said, the Republicans promise to cut off their money supply.
But one Department is seemingly on a hiring bonanza - the Department of Agriculture.
I had never even considered this. Even having lived in the midwest (near or in big cities, mind) my entire life.
But since I'm wanting to do entry level bureaucratic work anyhow, I guess it doesn't matter what department I'm in. And they had two jobs that close in the next three days. One I do not meet the one year at GS-7 level or below (because there's no educational alternative for this particular job and they want to promote from within. But the one that closes on Wednesday looks like one I'm absolutely qualified for:
Job Title: Program Support Assistant
Department: Department Of Agriculture
Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service
Job Announcement Number: NRCS-11-438999B-JO
SALARY RANGE: | $46,745.00 - $60,765.00 /year |
OPEN PERIOD: | Thursday, March 03, 2011 to Wednesday, March 09, 2011 |
SERIES & GRADE: | GS-0303-08 |
POSITION INFORMATION: | Full Time Career/Career Conditional |
PROMOTION POTENTIAL: | 08 |
DUTY LOCATIONS: | 5 vacancies - Washington DC Metro Area, DC |
WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED: | United States Citizens |
JOB SUMMARY:
| The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our national resources and environment. The agency emphasizes voluntary, science-based conservation; technical assistance, partnerships, incentive- based programs, and cooperative problem solving at the community level. http:///www.nrcs.usda.gov. This position is located on the Administrative Services Team, National Headquarters Staff, National Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), Washington, DC. The incumbent serves as program support assistant and provides administrative, clerical, and office support for the supervisor and assigned NHQ staffs. The position assists in meeting the operational and performance requirements for the Agency. The Supervisory Program Manager supervises this position and provides advice and guidance if significant changes in operations or data requirements occur. | |
KEY REQUIREMENTS:
|
Duties
Additional Duty Location Info:
5 vacancies - Washington DC Metro Area, DC
- Performs a wide range of, administrative, clerical, and office support for NRCS service-wide programs. Establishes and maintains tracking records, and the preparation of submission of documents and reports; and a comprehensive filing system; time and attendance reporting, processing, and scheduling travel arrangements for national and international travel, and meetings for team members as required.
- Provides administrative support to identify and resolve problems in assigned area. Keeps staffs informed of new capabilities and process improvements. Provides assistance in assembling, compiling and maintaining databases.
- Prepare and process travel audits and local travel claim for reimbursements. Cross-references travel voucher claims with the National Finance Center monthly reports to verify payments.
- Prepares draft general correspondence, reports, and visual presentations from existing drafts, notes, or oral instructions. Proofreads and assist in editing non-technical documents to ensure proper format, grammar, typographical accuracy, and conformance to procedural style.
- Provides assistance on specific projects, conferences, and meetings; maintains conformance with procedural requirements. Provides support for designated actions to process in accordance with applicable regulations and guidelines.
- Analyzes documents for inconsistencies or missing data. Maintains program filing/case system, adheres to filing requirements, distribution of documents, and intake of completed reports. Schreds/destroys aged reports in accordance with regulatory requirements.
- Maintains and keep up-to-date directives, policies, procedures, guidelines, and subscriptions to ensure the office environment is informed; providing accurate and current information on procedural requirements and other matters related to operation and functions of the staff and office. Maintains current directories of key contacts and other distribution lists associated with the office.
- Assist employees in locating websites, directives, and information systems concerning employee benefits, career programs, and employee development.
- Actively supports the Civil Rights policies are translated into appropriate actions related to the position's duties and responsibilities.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Evaluations
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
Specialized Experience for GS-08: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing administrative duties in a professional office setting answering phones, greeting visitors, responding to general inquiries, typing and formatting correspondence, managing incoming mail, ordering and maintaining office supplies, and maintaining electronic and paper files. Experience preparing travel, procuring and maintaining office files, and collecting budget information, also experience using office automatic software.
And, hey, it's not perfect so if I botch it for some reason, at least I get experience applying for a government job. Which, apparently, function different than normal jobs. Monster.com has started sending out specialized e-mails for interest areas and one of them in GovCentral. I got this story e-mailed to me about a week ago: http://govcentral.monster.com/benefits/articles/6403-4-steps-to-understanding-the-federal-hiring-process?utm_source=nlet&utm_content=gc_c5_20110304_10steps
I definitely need to update my resume and read that story. So in the next couple of days I will be reading that story and a few others trying to get my resume in governmental form. And just modernized in general. I realize now that I've been submitted resumes so out of the modern way that they still sort by work experience and not skills. Oops. Looks like having the same job for over a decade doesn't pay sometimes.
No comments:
Post a Comment