Customer Reviews

The Book of U.S. Government Jobs: Where They Are, What's Available & How to Get One (10th edition) (Book of US Government Jobs)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I think this book is good but feel it's a little outdated. He talks a lot about the paper submission of resumes and applications. I haven't applied for any government job that requires the paper method. He has incorporated discussions on the electronic resume, USAJOBS, etc but you can tell it's just an add-in. His story examples are from 1969 and I just really don't feel they work so well in today's government hiring model. I'd like to see updated success stories incorporated.

In spite of the above comments, his discussions on ways to enhance your resume to get your foot in the door helped. My resume has made it to the hiring official over 90% of the time since I read his hints and I've been called for 2 interviews. This is a marked improvement and I feel it's a matter of time before being hired. I've only been working with his book for 30 days and review it frequently for tid-bits I missed earlier.

I recommend this book to anyone trying to break into government employment. Good luck!

I'm new to the whole government jobs search. So, after doing an internet search for help, I came across Damp's website and this book which I quickly requested from the library. I read it pretty thoroughly minus the sections that didn't apply to my status. Then I proceeded to write my federal resume in MS Word format, later to be edited to fit the USAJobs format. Well, I submitted my resume a day ago, and today I received another federal resume guide that I had requested from the library by Kathryn Troutman. This second guidebook would've been way more helpful than Damp's, and I'm regretting some of the ways I incorporated my information now that I've perused through Troutman's book. If I apply for another federal job, I'm going to use Troutman's as my guide for it's simple, easy to understand, and given to more details than Damp's book which in a sense is outdated in an electronic understanding of how USAJobs is being run. Also, he gives about 3 examples max. for resumes, while Troutman has too many to count. What was hard for me to understand is how all of his sample resumes had people with prior federal experience (granted they've already gone through the federal resume experience), and didn't give any examples of someone coming from the non-federal sector. Troutman, likewise, has many examples with federal experience, but doesn't exclude the entering private sector applicant. I shall update this review if I ever do get the job using Damp's guidebook!

An INDISPENSIBLE guide to finding and getting a federal job. I used the information in the NEW 10th edition and was granted 5 interviews, 3 job offers and accepted a GS-12 position; then negotiated a significant PAY increase; just 2 month into my search. After arriving at my new position, I used the Federal Job career information section to obtain additional vacation time for my prior military service and to make the right decisions on my benefits. Dennis Damp hit a GRAND SLAM with this book; it is simply the BEST Federal Jobs Guide on the market today. If you are looking for a comprehensive federal jobs guide that really puts you ahead of the competition, this is the book to buy. Thank you, Mr. Damp.

I purchased and received this book two days before Xmas 2007. I was referred for a vacancy annoucement on January 4, 2008. The purchase of this book is a nobrainer. Mr. Damp gives all the details needed to analyze the annoucement and revamp your resume for the positions. Every penny spent here is worth the precious reciept of a certificate for a particular vacancy. The last thing I want to add is that I just started applying in November 2007. This book got me to the top of the list. Thanks Mr. Damp.

This book is terrific for those who are interested in applying for a federal job but have no idea how to go about it (like me). I am half-way through a Master's degree in Forensic Psychology and I really wanted to get my feet wet with a law enforcement position. It was recomended to me to apply federally instead of a state police department because I am still so young. I am really glad that I know what I am doing and how to do it since I purchased with book.

This book does everything it says and Much more. The writer has broken in to things that just about nobody could figure out for Federal job employment.

This book is an excellent read! When the book arrived, it was in "mint" condition. Absolutely SUPERB!!! I would highly recommend this seller to anyone!

FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT EXPERT: Dennis Damp has written 26 books on federal employment and he understands federal employment from his own career of moving up over 35 years with Department of Defense agencies and the Federal Aviation Administration.

NEED EXTRA INSPIRATION? If you are trying to be inspired to cope with the federal hiring process, refer to the introduction of the book - I am SOLD that government jobs are the best. His Intro to Government Employment is understandable and could be called "Uncle Sam 101".

EMPLOYMENT SECRETS FROM A FORMER FED MANAGER? I especially like Chapter 12, Employment Secrets, including his Keys to Success. For instance, "Don't give up when you receive your first rejection". This sounds simple, but rejection is really hard. I agree that determination is critical for landing a federal job.

MANY APPLICATIONS ARE AN "ABSOLUTE DISGRACE". Dennis talks about his own experience being on a hiring panel in government, his first impressions by a rating official (page 51). "I can't tell you how many thousands of applications that I reviewed during my career that were an absolute disgrace." Then he refers the reader to Chapter 6, where you can see a couple of great federal resume samples from The Federal Resume Guidebook. And his "One Size Doesn't Fit All" paragraph on page 51 - PLEASE read this one!

SPECIAL HIRING PROGRAMS: Dennis offers easy to understand interpretations of special hiring programs for people with Disabilities (and lists of contacts), Veterans (explanation of preference points) and Military Dependents.

IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES: And if you want to know Where the Jobs Are Available, Chapter 3 is insightful, including numerous resources and techniques to "improve your chances".

MUST READ: So, in summary, if you are determined to land a federal job, this book is a MUST READ to get the Basics of Federal Employment. This detailed, federal employment resource can help your campaign to land one of the best jobs available in America today!

Kathryn Troutman, Author, Federal Resume Guidebook, 4th ed. and Ten Steps to a Federal Job, 2nd Ed.

This really is a great book. It is very easy to read and explains the material in a concise, understandable manner.

For any one who is new to getting a government job, you can start here. It lists different agencies, explanation about the hiring process, and some tips about what you should do.

Definitely check out the additional resources presented in this book (especially websites).

If you're thinking of changing your job and are looking into getting a job with the United States government, then this is the book that you're looking for. It includes everything that you need in order to begin and complete your quest for the job that you've been looking for.

If you're not familiar with the types of jobs, benefits, and pay scales that exist in the federal job market, you'll be able to find that information here. Also, you'll be able to find information on how to write a successful job application and on how to pass federal interviews.

For those who don't know what types of jobs are available, these are described in this book. In particular, there are chapters on overseas jobs, jobs with the postal service, and jobs with homeland security. If you're interested in any of these types of jobs, this book will give you a helping hand.