Product Description

With more than 40% of the federal government's 1.6 million employees retir­ing in the next 10 years, now is the time for anyone seeking a government job to take advantage of the massive retirement wave that has already begun. Yet until now, no truly up-to-date or comprehensive book has existed to give readers the tools and guidance they need to get hired for a government job, internship, or fellowship. Entertainingly written by a successful career coach who has served as a federal hiring manager, this reader-friendly book steers prospective applicants through every stage of their job search. Drawing on interviews with more than 100 other hiring managers, the book gives readers:

little-known ways for finding openings * shortcuts for instantly impressing the true gatekeepers on paper and in person * sure-fire tips for negotiating a top salary * and expert techniques for getting quickly promoted Including a companion CD filled with sample résumés and worksheets, this is the book to have when seeking a federal job.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29910 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 2
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780814401729
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review

“Peppered with cartoons and a touch of wit, Whiteman’s book is the layman’s field guide to a federal job search…The book is based on hundreds of interviews with federal hiring managers and job hunters.  Unlike other similar guides, it focuses on process rather than just aggregating information about agencies.  This book provides step-by-step instructions on crafting successful résumés, cover letters and essays that get applicants out of the pile and into the interview.  As readers gear up for the hot seat, Whiteman lets them in on the do’s and don’ts of interviewing for a federal job.  And when an offer does roll around, readers can find tips on negotiating salary and climbing the ranks.” - Roll Call, the Newspaper of Capitol Hill

“An excellent resource for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in securing an internship in the public sector… A great resource for new career professionals and mid-career professionals who seek a federal career and are interested in ‘insider’ tips to navigate the federal hiring process…describes the myriad diversity programs for women, minorities and disabled job seekers…provides for easy reading and a straightforward approach…will almost certainly ensure that job-seekers submit an A+ application…. Anyone looking for a federal job, or any job for that matter, would definitely benefit by reading this book.” - Journal of Public Management & Social Policy

"Bottom Line: This book provides clarity, insider advice, and hot tips into the federal government and its hiring process in an entertaining and informative way." - Oh My Gov! (OhMyGov.Com – News, Knowledge and Networking)

"For people who want to explore job and career options with the federal government...this excellent book is the dream resource they have been hoping to find. It's a 'how-to' book packed full of compelling, specific, tested advice and an impressive array of resources from a skilled federal career coach....This book is a timely and welcome addition to the literature on government careers. Job seekers in other sectors--private, nonprofit, state, and local government--will find a surfeit of superb counsel in these pages as well" -- NACE Journal

Review

"This book will become an instant classic. It is chock-full of make-or-break advice -- available nowhere else -- about every phase of the job-search process and about getting ahead in government."

--Kelly Paisely, former Deputy Director of the Vice-President's National Partnership for Reinventing Government

From the Inside Flap

f you’ve ever thought about applying for a government job, now is a great time to do it. With about 40% of the federal government’s employees expected to retire in the next 10 years, a massive retirement wave has already begun, and Uncle Sam’s door is now wide open for new hires. But with advantages like unbeatable job security, outstanding benefits, and salaries that are competitive with—if not better than—private sector salaries, competition for federal openings is fierce.

How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job gives you all the tools and guidance you need to get hired for a government job (domestic or overseas), internship, or fellowship. Written by a leading authority on federal careers, the book draws on interviews with more than 100 hiring managers to provide true insider perspectives on what works and what doesn’t when vying for a government job. Armed with the advice in this book, you’ll become a master at steering your way through the entire job search and hiring process.

Use the secrets of the experts to craft winning applications; write irresistible cover letters; excel at interviews; negotiate your salary and benefits; and then speed your advancement up the government ladder. This reader-friendly book gives you:

• little-known ways for finding openings

• shortcuts for instantly impressing gatekeepers on paper, online, and in person

• sure-fire tips for negotiating a top salary

• expert techniques for landing quick promotions

A free companion CD is loaded with easy-to-customize sample résumés and worksheets. Whether you’re seeking an executive position or a summer internship, this is the comprehensive guide that will get you that ideal federal job.

Lily Whiteman is a popular contributor to the “Jobs” section of The Washington Post, the career columnist for Federal Times, and a senior writer at the National Science Foundation. As a federal career coach, she has helped hundreds of professionals of all levels—from recent grads to executives—land jobs and earn promotions. She lives in Washington,

D.C.

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Customer Reviews

Good resource for all job-seekers
I found this book to be of great value even though I used it in the hunt for a good position in the civilian world and not within the government.
A friend in the "G" gave me a copy of this book and told me that it was "hilarious." Granted, Ms. Whiteman has some funny cartoons in it and her style is an easy read. But more importantly, gave me the get-up-and-go attitude to put on my game face and apply for jobs with more than a modicum of confidence.
The book comes with a CD of resume templates and other useful cheat sheets, if you will. It helped me get my career organized in a tidy, presentable fashion. It also inspired me to produce some attention-grabbing cover letters that conveyed my skills persuasively and attractively in my application packets. After studying it, too, I felt that I was prepared for interviews, or I was after I conducted the practice sessions that she suggests where someone sits and asks you potential questions. It makes you think on your feet!
"How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job" made a world of difference in helping me stay away from vague and long-winded answers and I was finally able to connect with prospective employers, including the one that actually hired me just last week. Whew.
I would really recommend this book to any harried jobseeker, whether they want to work for the government or a company. And I plan on using it again in my efforts to move up in the world for an even better position down the road.

Finally, a book that has it all
How I wish this book had been around when I began my federal service more than 20 years ago. For the first time, a book exists that compiles all the information candidates need to apply for their first federal job, or to apply for a better job if they are already in the system. What my husband and I found especially helpful are the worksheets. It is so much easier to write about a work experience using these outlines. It ensures that the narrative will follow a logical structure and reminded us not to leave out the most important points. With this book, my husband was able to revise his application into a much stronger document and I have updated my resume and related documents to be a step ahead for the next opportunity.

The best book on federal careers available
Other federal career guides are written by people who have either never worked for the government or are long retired. But this book is written by a very experienced, successful fed and career coach who knows the federal system inside out. As a result, this book is packed with savvy, insider advice available nowhere else about getting great government jobs and quickly moving up in the system. Plus, this book is written in a uniquely reader-friendly, engaging and even humorous style. I highly recommend this book to job-seekers of all levels and to current feds.