You are starting with an advantage since you are already working in federal
government. Unlike those just starting to explore career options, you have a
good sense of what is available in your agency and possibly know of a number of
occupations job series that you would like to explore. Many federal
employees that work at entry and mid-level positions deal with a large segment
of their organization and interact with specialists from many fields. You may
already have an informal network of federal employees that you deal with on a
regular basis and others who you contact from time to time. You’ll build on this
network as you progress through this guide.
You are already working for an organization that offers considerable
advancement opportunities. Maybe not where you are currently employed but you
must consider the entire federal sector. Uncle Sam employs just about 2,700,000
civilians. The diversity of work and the ability to transfer to other agencies
and locations further improves your chances.
Unlike the famous baseball comedy routine of Abbot and Costello, “Who’s on
first and What’s on second”, you need to know who’s who in your agency.
You also need to know what’s available from your personnel or human resources
department and who there can best help you identify career enhancement
opportunities. There are excellent tools available that agencies offer employees
to explore their interests and to develop their careers.
Before You Enroll: Check the Facts
61.3 percent of colleges and universities in the United States offer some
type of distance learning. Distance learning is a broad term, but includes
programs like correspondence and
online classes.
Distance learning programs are gaining popularity, especially with adults. These
programs provide students with opportunities to gain additional training and
competencies, but with the benefit of not having to sit in the classroom.
Members of the military, working adults, and parents raising small children have
enrolled in the greatest numbers, but anyone can benefit from the convenience
and flexibility of distance learning.
Unfortunately, not all distance learning programs are the legitimate. Some
universities, in fact, have falsified credentials and the degrees they award are
worthless. They falsify their credentials and operate out of many states. For anyone
who has been awarded a degree from these fake Universities, they might be surprised
to find out that their school is a fake. Establishments like these
are referred to as diploma mills (or sometimes degree mills).
It is up to prospective students to be concerned about the quality of their
education. One way to be certain that a school has not falsified their
credentials is to learn about its accreditation status.
Accreditation
helps ensure the quality of the education provided by your education provider.
It does not matter what kind of training or education is received. Technical
training schools as well as the Ivy Leagues are accredited. Accreditation status
is important regardless of the type of course being taught. Correspondence and
online courses need to
be provided by accredited schools, just like the more traditional on-campus
courses.
The U.S. Department of Education grants organizations (or agencies) the
ability to accredit each and every education provider in the United States.
Referred to as accreditation agencies, they are in charge of awarding
accreditation to each school. An accreditation agency reviews several factors
when evaluating schools, colleges, and universities including
online colleges and universities.
Just like other types of reviews and inspections, accreditation must be renewed
after a period of time.
There are many types of accrediting agencies. For example, there are national
accrediting agencies and regional accrediting agencies. There is very little
difference between the two major types of agencies. Historically, regional
accrediting agencies have awarded accreditation to academic institutions based
on whether their main campus was located within a particular region. For
example, the University of Massachusetts (and its distance learning division,
UMass Online) has campuses located in Massachusetts, and is accredited by the
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). NEASC is a regional
accreditation agency and typically reviews and awards accreditation to schools
in the New England region of the United States.
One of the most important facts to check before enrolling in an educational
program, especially a distance learning program, is the schools accreditation
status. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) is a reliable
resource to research if a school is accredited by an agency that is recognized
by the U.S. Department of Education.
Attaining the appropriate education can be time intensive, but many are
turning to online education to begin a new or enhance their current career.
Article contributed by
eLearner.com.
A successful career development plan starts with thorough preparation and
planning. This is true whether you are beginning your career, seeking
re-employment or considering a more satisfying occupation. An
important first step in this process is to assess your personal
characteristics; take a good look at who you are and what you have done. This will require time and effort, but the time you invest will be
worthwhile. Self-assessment can help you to decide on a realistic career
objective. The information you compile will also be helpful when writing
your resume, completing job applications and preparing for job interviews.
One point to remember is that Uncle Sam rates applicants based on education
AND/OR work experience. The qualification standard for
Administrative and Management Positions lists the entry grade of a GS-5. To meet
the basic qualifications for this entry grade you must have either a four year
bachelor’s degree or three years general experience. All grades above the entry
level require 1 year equivalent specialized experience at the next lower grade.
Your experience can come from volunteer work, temporary details or
promotions, and from past and present jobs that you have or now hold. Remember
that education can substitute for work experience. If a job requires three
years experience you can use a combination of related education and actual work
experience to qualify. It all boils down to a comprehensive evaluation of your
background and then presenting it in a way that raters will understand it. Use
the workbook to write down key
information and contacts. This way all of your information will be in one
location for future reference.
Comprehensive KSA Definitions (General Employee Competencies) including
supervisory KSA definitions are included in Chapter two of
Take Charge of Your Federal Career along with all of the critical
assessment forms that you will need. The following forms are available on this
site at NO COST. You can download them for your personal use to
start planning for your career advancement.
- Caution, you will
need the
workbook to effectively analyze your assessment results. Not all
evaluation tools are included on this site.
The IDP Workbook, Take Charge of Your Federal Career
includes many additional planning tools and forms that you can use it in
conjunction with these online forms to complete a realistic career development
plan. This workbook was updated to a new second edition in 2010 and is now
available from
online.
Download the following forms to start your personal assessment. The forms are
in either Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF formats. Other forms and checklists needed for a total
assessment are located in the workbook, Take Charge of Your Federal Career.
Search for Federal, State, and Private Sector Jobs at
www.searchfedjobs.com
Return to Home Page
Go to IDP Plans
Go to Supervisory IDP Plans
