Customer Reviews

Ten Steps to a Federal Job: How to Land a Job in the Obama Administration

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Learn about the federal application process, start to finish. Kathryn Troutman is the foremost expert on federal hiring and her methods work consistently for job seekers.

With really important information about how the hiring actually works, this book tells you just how to prepare your resume and KSA narratives/questions to rate well and get hired. Plus the book has numerous samples from real life people who have had success with the Troutman Method and includes before and after illustrations of each.

Federal HR reviewers respond well to the outline format resume shown in the book. As someone who works regularly with federal jobseekers, I hear consistently that the methodology taught in this book have helped them understand the process and successfully prepare and submit applications. With so many new federal jobs coming on line under Obama, this book is a must have resource!

Other great features of the book include information and character counts for USAJOBS and the other online builders and application systems, help in answering self-assessment questions, sample KSAs and lots, lots more.

Landing a Federal job is tricky and time-consuming, but well worth the effort in this economy. The process of applying is so different than the private sector process that one would be lost without a guide like this. Written by the acknowledged leader in the field, it's the perfect guide for the first-time Federal job seeker. I've used it myself, and it works.

Most, if not all, of these so-called "reviews" by Amazon customers are actually shill reviews. These "independent" reviewers all have reviews of only this book or books written by this author. What a shame/sham!!!!

DO NOT BUY. I saw this book in the bookstore and it's a bunch of nonsense. Really simple stuff that you can figure out yourself without the this book. The internet is your best tool.

I would strongly recommend "Ten Steps to a Federal Job" by author Kathryn Troutman. The techniques she explains to include: keyword analysis of vacancy announcements, outline format of Government resume, and method for constructing KSA's was extremely valuable. I also found the CD (which is included with the book) a huge help in providing a template by which to craft my professional experience and transferable skills. I would also like to share that taking her one day workshop will give you a big advantage as she shares tips and advice that are extremely helpful, and not available anywhere else either online or print.

Ms. Troutman has written several outstanding books on the federal job application process including "Federal Resume Guidebook" and "Ten Steps to a Federal Job". Her new book "Ten Steps to a Federal Job: How to Land a Job in the Obama Administration" follows in their footsteps as a superb new volume that addresses the rigors of applying for federal employment in the current job market and on the current USAJobs website.

The overall approach, including instructions and recommendations, made an incredible difference in my application. One can glean much of the salient material quickly, which was important to me since I was under some time pressure. The book is full of useful and illustrative examples that make the techniques easy to apply.

I cannot believe how much better my application is after using this book. Like night and day.

This book is helpful because (1) it provides many samples of resumes and KSAs and (2) it concisely lists the various GS classifications and job titles; however, if you are looking for an extensive resource about specific federal job possibilities and how to increase your chances of securing the job you want, then you will probably be disappointed.

In my case, I was already familiar with about 90 percent of the career websites and federal agencies that were mentioned in this book. I've been searching for federal jobs for several months now. I was looking for insight about hidden possibilities--those that I couldn't uncover on the web in two minutes. A significant amount of the information provided in this book can be obtained by doing simple web searches for federal agencies and then following their respective employment links.

If you write well, have great organizational skills, are internet savvy, and can tailor your resume to the job for which you are applying, then this book will probably not be very helpful to you.

My first contact with Kathryn Troutman was a free workshop at the public library. After attending this workshop I attended her one day workshop and purchased the book. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in landing a federal job. I work with students and clients and I use this book as a resource. Most people are way off on how to navigate the process. This book brings it all together, down to important information about searching on USAJobs.gov. Have you ever typed in a job title and entered your city and hoped the perfect job appeared? Well, once you purchase this book, you'll learn that's not the most effective way to search for the ideal position. You'll also learn which agencies aren't required to post their jobs on USAjobs.gov and where to find them.

From great samples of resumes, KSA's, and most importantly follow up tips, this book is a must have. There are actually scripts on what to say when you call to follow up on your application. And who and who to write when you have not been selected for a position - how valuable is that information? You thought you were a PERFECT match, yet you were not selected. Find out why and where you went wrong. This book literally takes you through 10 Steps to Land a Federal Job.

Simply a Win Win!

I did not read the book but did use Kathryn's consulting services relating to Federal resume writing and KSA statements. One particularly important piece is the Top Ten Accomplishments. It took me much longer than I expected but was extremely valuable in my job search. While I landed a job in the private sector - working for a Federal contractor, the Top Ten Accomplishments did help me keep a working set of experiences that I could cite during interviews. I think that definitely helped in my confidence and ability to articulate my strengths during interviews and contributed to my securing my new job. Even if you are seeking jobs outside the Federal sector, this books is worth purchasing.

Ten Steps to a Federal Job by Kathryn Troutman is an absolute must, especially for those who are new to the Federal application process. Step 7 (Conquering the KSAs and Questionnaires) sheds new light on not only what is expected content within these essays, but also how these essays and narratives are graded. Troutman eliminates all the mystery behind KSAs and puts an end to lingering rumors regarding what KSAs "should be". The book also discusses the tried and true method of utilizing the famous "CCAR formula" during development of the KSAs. This formula focuses on highlighting your accomplishments as well as gives one the opportunity to illustrate their knowledge of an agency's specific mission. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is finding difficulties translating their private sector skills into "Fed" language, has questions regarding their education and qualifications in regard to federal employment and for those who are just plain interested in landing a federal job.

I connected with Kathryn about a year ago in the context of what I do in counseling job seekers. Little did I know that she was local to me. Not only have I read the book, but I have taken her one-day class as well. Whenever I meet with someone who is interested in the Federal Sector, I recommend the book and her class, given that Kathryn literally "wrote the book on the subject".

Kathryn's approach is critical to the novice. Applying to the Federal sector is NOT the same as applying to private industry. You cannot merely copy and paste your resume into the web application. In her book, Kathryn goes through how to approach Federal job annaouncements on USAJOBS and navigate the process. While I recommend both her class and the book, the book is definitely an excellent starting point for anyone who is serious about applying to the government.

Elliot L., Ph.D.