Customer Reviews

Ten Steps to a Federal Job: Navigating the Federal Job System, Writing Federal Resumes, KSAs and Cover Letters with a Mission

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a former federal personnelist and now a professional job searcher and writer/editor of federal style resumes and KSAs, I can tell you that this book is an excellent resource for the federal job seeker. The chapter on writing KSAs alone is worth the price of the book, since this seems to be a major hang-up for those seeking federal employment. The section, "Writing the Unwritable KSA" is invaluable. There are numerous sample resumes, KSAs, and templates in the book and on the accompanying CD-ROM and links to a "document builder" web site. If fact, your resume and KSAs are practically already written for you. All you have to do is fill in information about your own experience.

There are however a few shortcomings: There is scant information on grammar and proper usage. Also, there is no information on writing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) for Senior Executive Service (SES) positions. I find this to be inexplicable since this is a book on federal employment. SES aspirants will have to look elsewhere for help or pay Troutman's company to write their SES packages. Finally, there are only a few examples of resumes or KSAs for GS-13/14/15 level positions. Most of the examples provided are for entry, mid-level, and Wage Grade positions.

I am a resume coach at North Seattle Community College in Seattle, WA. I want to tell you how helpful this book is in teaching my two-year students to write resumes for hard-to-find jobs. Many of our students are technical and electonics students, jobs that took a very deep dive in the 2001 - 2003 downturn.

Yet, no one thought about applying to the federal government -- Ten Steps to a Federal Job makes the process a real option! By using this book, an IT/Electronics student wrote a federal resume that got him a database development job -- after being out of work and looking diligently for 18 months! I also worked with a deaf student who received special status toward a job as a biologist, categorizing plants for the US Forest Service in Wenatchee. The diversity of jobs available through the government is broad indeed.

As Kathryn's book points out, you don't have to live in Washington D.C. to be a successful candidate! Seattle - like many cities - has many local agencies that are hiring - like the IRS, the EPA, Social Security, NOAH and Immigration. People don't think of the federal government as an employer-- but they hire tons of people. They hire technical people, and even ones with gray hair! And I personnally have seen people win, using the principles laid out in Kathryn Troutman's book.

By using the simple processes and writing tips -- and the great examples on the CD -- you can find appropriate jobs and write a winning application packet. Kathryn Troutman is the absolute authority on this subject--she teaches classes to federal employees at federal agencies all the time--And by working with her book, I can now write a resume that gets jobs for students, disabled workers, boomers and techies.

The government is hiring, here and abroad. And in ten steps, you can be a contender for a federal job.

For those of you on active duty wanting to make the transition to the GS side Kathryn Troutman's Ten Steps to a Federal Job is the first weapon of choice!

Her book and supplemental CD-ROM, filled with numerous examples of excellent resumes, arms you with the Step by Step manual to get started, solidify your work experience with the correct verbiage, and hammer home your marketable skills.

Do not be fooled into thinking you can navigate the Federal hiring process armed with only the information provided during your separation lectures, these are nice but Kathryn's book gives you more - much more! Inside you will find how to formulate your Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's), selecting the correct job series to parallel your experience, great web links, and even interview tips! Additionally, if you are unclear about the material call the Resume-Place for FREE advice! You just might get to talk to Kathryn herself, she quickly emailed me the answers to my in-depth questions!

This book is a must have in any rucksack - right next to Kathryn's Electronic Federal Resume Guidebook & CD-ROM!

I advise you to learn how to play the federal job game. And there is no better book to teach people moving from the entrepreneurial world into government agencies than one out now by federal job expert Kathryn Kraemer Troutman.

At [the price], Ten Steps to a Federal Job: Navigating the Federal Job System is pricey. But it's a bargain because it serves as an experienced consultant-in-print taking you by the hand and, with a warm, friendly style, leading you painlessly through a complex process. A CD-ROM (PC or Mac) is included with the book that contains samples, templates and helpful appendixes for your federal job hunt. Ms. Troutman covers aspects of the federal job search in her 10-step format that I haven't seen pulled together elsewhere, one of the reasons I like it so well.

The book should be called Ten Steps...Lite. I didn't think the book had much substance.

There were useful features, especially for myself: in the private sector and seeking a federal job. The sections on deciphering the job announcements and writing KSAs are very good. It certainly took the mystery out of it.

This book has a lot of annoyances. I got the impression that the book is an advertisement for the author's services. She's constantly pitching herself and her company. And this three-page indulgence at the end, where we are treated to family pictures and told how wonderful they are, serves no purpose other than boosting her business.

There are margin comments throughout the book that are distracting and useless. In many cases they extol the virtues of the author's business. Using an italic typeface was also annoying; read this book for more than 10 minutes a sitting and you'll think the letters are going to run off the page.

Based on my experience it appears that on-line applications will be the way to apply for a federal job. This book didn't cover this in sufficient detail, and certainly it obviates the need for an entire chapter on cover letters.

The on-line KSA feature is useless, unless you ask them to re-write it for you, for a fee of course.

Overall, it helped lift the shroud of mystery regarding federal jobs, especially KSA and job announcements, but little more.

"Ten Steps to a Federal Job" written by Kathryn Troutman, founder of The Resume Place, is the most comprehensive handbook ever published for any U.S. citizen attempting to understand and navigate the Federal Government's hiring labyrinth.

Applying for a Federal job can be a daunting experience for the uninitiated. Those who have never been employed by, or applied for a job with, the Federal Government will be quite surprised to learn that each agency has its own rules and requirements for job applicants. Something else not commonly known is that Federal resumes are unlike anything used in the private sector, rendering the typical resume useless.

And, as though the Federal hiring system wasn't already complex enough, various changes and transitions are in progress as a result of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) implementing some long overdue improvements. Kathryn very clearly explains how to effectively deal with these situations.

U.S. citizens who are truly serious about obtaining Federal employment will be ill-prepared to begin their journey without "Ten Steps to a Federal Job." This book reduces an otherwise steep learning curve, which can take several frustrating months to plod through, and probably without a successful outcome, down to ten precise steps that can be mastered in a matter of days.

So, instead of using the far more common "Fire, Ready, Aim" approach, find success with Kathryn Troutman's laser-guided "Ready, Aim, Fire" plan of attack in "Ten Steps to a Federal Job" to become a member of our wonderful country's Federal workforce.

Kathryn Kraemer Troutman is a godsend to federal job seekers and employees everywhere! "Ten Steps to A Federal Job" is capstone to her two other works "The Federal Resume Guidebook" and "The Electronic Federal Resume Guidebook". This dynamic trilogy covers everything that you ever wanted to know about applying for and obtaining a Federal Job.

Her book "Ten Steps to a Federal Job" demystifies the federal hiring process and explains the steps of applying for a Federal job in a manner that everyone can understand. It starts with networking, and moves through reviewing the process, researching the vacancies, analyzing core competencies, analyzing vacancies, writing a Federal resume, writing KSAs and cover letters, applying for jobs, tracking applications, and finally preparing for a Federal job interview.

Troutman attacks the myths about Federal hiring and discusses the realities. Kathy provides valuable tips and insight from her 27 years of experience in helping her clients write resumes and KSAs for Federal positions. In addition, her web site and CD provide wonderful tools to build high-impact cover letters, Federal resumes and KSAs as well as address questions that may come up with in the course of completing the application materials.

"Ten Steps to a Federal Job" is required reading for anyone who is seeking to obtain a Federal position. I used the techniques in her "Federal Resume Guidebook" to obtain my current Federal job. Troutman's latest book "Ten Steps to Federal Job" gives even more insight into the hiring process. I give this book my highest recommendation and stamp of approval.

I am a Army Staff Sergeant just getting out of service after almost 10 years of service. I bought your book "Ten Steps to a Federal Job." I used the suggestions in the book to my own information and applied for a position at the library of congress as a Information Technology Specialist 2210-GS-12. Well I just got some good news today after doing some out processing from the army. The HR department had left a message on my answering machine they had called to offer me the job!!! I was so excited I called them back right away to say I want the job. I have applied for Fedjobs.gov for about a year. Your book was what I needed to help me realize all of my training and experiences can be used to help give the person looking at your application a better picture of who you are and you ability to get things done. Thanks for your book, I am buying some for my family members who are in the federal job market. Thank You.

Tips for other Federal jobseekers:
Apply for everything you think you are qualified for, with that said make sure to read the vacancy announcement and to use Kathryn Troutman's book "Ten Steps to a Federal Job." if you read it and understand it, the book will be worth it's weight in gold. plus remember if and when you get hired you will have to use these same steps to get a transfer or even get promoted.

Tips for interview techniques and strategies:
Stay focused, answer the questions without babling, keep eye contact, stay calm and smile occassionaly

This book provides excellent information on applying for a federal job and how to fill out the all important and sometimes make or break KSAs. If I had read this book earlier, I most certainly would have been selected for an interview instead of those that really didn't deserve to be promoted. I recommend buying a used book over a new one to save on costs.

Kathryn Troutman is obviously passionate about helping people get through the Federal Job Search process. Not only has she created an easy-to-follow 10-step formula, but she tells success stories and gives words of encouragement about a difficult job application process. She is including important "federal HR intelligence" that will help the jobseeker understand the hiring process, the job titles and the importance of SELLING your best accomplishments and skills in your "federal-style" resumes. The chapter on KSAs is insightful. Now I can see how they are done! This is job-search story-telling at it's best.

Ten Steps to a Federal Job by Kathryn Troutman is an invaluable reference and resource to anyone considering applying for a federal job. It is well written, comprehensive, and replete with real-life examples of resumes, KSAs and how to analyze vacancy announcements and respond to them effectively. It reflects many years of experience by Ms. Troutman and her staff in helping applicants for federal job write resumes and complete their applications in exemplary manner. The numerous samples of resumes and KSAs are very instructive. This books takes away much of the complexity and pain associated with the application process for a federal job. It is a gold-mine. I highly recommend it