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establish a consistent and implied corporate image for the Agricultural
Research Service (ARS), the guidance provided in this section will
be used when employment advertisements are placed in print media (scientific
and technical publications and newspapers) and through online job
boards.
Typically, publications
charge by the line or word. Use concise but understandable language.
Your advertisements should simply alert potential applicants on
where they can get details about the position and how to apply.
Judicious use of white space makes an advertisement more attractive
to potential applicants and makes the advertisement much easier
to read.
The samples
provided show how advertisements should be prepared but do not cover
items such as font size, spacing, etc., which are typically addressed
in the advertisement criteria provided by each publication or web
site being used.
Use the links
below to learn more about placing print and online advertisements:
What
should you consider in deciding how to market your position?
As a Federal
manager or supervisor, one of your major responsibilities is to
recruit and retain staff to help you meet your established work
goals and objectives. This responsibility must be taken seriously
and appropriate time should be allotted by you to ensure that your
office is staffed with the "best qualified" employees
who can help you achieve your goals and objectives. The major steps
in the recruitment process are:
- Determining
what your exact hiring needs are
- Initiating
a recruitment action
- Issuing a
vacancy announcement for the position
- Marketing
the position to get high quality applicants
- Interviewing
those candidates that you believe can perform the work of the
position
- Selecting
the "best qualified" candidate for each and every position
you advertise
- Retaining
the employees once you have them
In the recruitment
process, the only mandatory requirement for posting positions is
that they must be included in the USAJOBS database maintained by
the Office of Personnel Management. It is the responsibility of
your servicing Human Resources Specialist to ensure that this requirement
is met. In ARS, we also post our vacant positions on the ARS web
site. Many locations also advertise positions on their own location
web site to further enhance the advertisement process.
In recruiting
for your position, you will need to decide whether to place an ad
for the position using other sources (print media or online) to
reach potential candidates. To increase the likelihood that your
announcement will reach the type of applicant pool you are seeking,
you should consider advertising your position:
- In local
newspapers
- In college
or university newspapers
- In major
scientific and technical publications (for example, Science magazine)
- On job boards
hosted by professional societies
- On job boards
hosted by private companies (for example, monster.com)
- On job boards
hosted by colleges and universities
- With disability
and veterans organizations
- With minority-serving
organizations
While there are
many resources available to use in advertising both print and online,
you will be the best person to decide how to reach the audience you
are seeking to interest in your position. For example, if you are
advertising a Research Chemist position, you may decide that the best
source for advertising the position is through the American Chemical
Society. If you are advertising a Biological Science Laboratory Technician
position, you may decide that there are sufficient candidates in the
local commuting area, and place an advertisement in a local or college
newspaper and contact local disability, veterans, and minority-serving
organizations.
Whatever your
decision, you should be working in conjunction with your servicing
Human Resources Specialist to appropriately time your advertisement
with the opening and closing dates of your vacancy announcement.
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What
should be included in your print or online advertisement?
- USDA/ARS
Logo {Mandatory for ads in scientific and technical publications}
– to present a consistent corporate image of USDA/ARS, the
logo should be used in all classified ads, unless a publication
prohibits its use. If a publication prohibits the use of logos,
use the sample ad without the USDA/ARS logo to prepare your text.
The USDA/ARS logo used in the attached samples is included as
a downloadable file from this web site.
- Position
Title/Grade {Mandatory} – if the Federal job title is
not descriptive for non-Federal applicants, consider using an
accepted title in the occupational field with the official title
in parentheses below. For example, Meat Microbiologist (Research
Microbiologist, GS-11/12) or Laboratory Technician (Biological
Science Laboratory Technician, GS-5/6/7).
- Salary
of Position {Mandatory} – include the salary range for
the step 1 of the lowest grade being advertised through the step
10 of the highest grade being advertised. Include the statement
"Salary range of $XX,XXX to $XX,XXX."
- Location
of Position {Mandatory} – when using the USDA/ARS logo,
your opening sentence should read, "The (name of lab/office),
(city and state), is ..." When the USDA/ARS logo is not used,
your opening sentence should read, "The U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), (name
of lab/office), (city and state), is ..."
- Type
of Position {Mandatory} – indicate whether the position
is permanent full-time, permanent part-time, temporary full-time,
temporary part-time.
- Brief
Statements Describing Job {Mandatory} – include 3 to
5 SHORT statements only; use plain English; express the assignment
in a way to interest the applicant. These statements do not need
to be complete sentences.
- Information
on Where to Find or Get a Copy of the Announcement {Mandatory}
– include the web address which will take the potential applicant
directly to the vacancy announcement <www.afm.ars.usda.gov/jobs/(insert-announcement-number).htm>
and a phone number to call for a printed copy.
- Citizenship
Requirement {Mandatory for all permanent positions} –
include the statement, "U.S. citizenship is required."
For ARS Postdoctoral Research Associate position advertisements,
include the statement "Citizenship Restrictions Apply."
- Closing
Date of Announcement – include the statement, "Vacancy
closes XX/XX/XX (date)."
- EEO Statement
{Mandatory} – include the statement, "USDA/ARS is
an equal opportunity employer and provider." The type size
may be such that the statement fits on one line. You do not have
to say "Minorities and women are encouraged to apply."
- Education
Requirements – you may include a statement such as, "Bachelors,
Masters, or Doctorate degree is desirable." You cannot say
that a degree is required unless the Office of Personnel Management
Qualification Standard being used indicates that a degree is required.
For example, while we typically seek to hire permanent research
scientists with a doctorate degree, the qualification standards
for most research scientist positions do not require that applicants
have a doctorate degree; therefore, we should not be indicating
that a Ph.D. is required. (Note: the ARS Postdoctoral Research
Associate appointing authority requires that candidates possess
a Ph.D. degree. For these positions, you should indicate that
a "Ph.D. is required.") Your servicing Human Resources
Specialist can advise you on appropriate language to use in your
ad.
- Benefits
– you may include a statement such as "Benefits package
available for qualifying positions."
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What
are your responsibilities and those of the servicing HR specialist
in placing ads?
Supervisor/Selecting
Official – prepares advertisements for use in print media
or for online job boards in cooperation with the servicing Human
Resources Specialist. The supervisor/selecting official is responsible
for submitting the advertisement text to the servicing Human Resources
Specialist for review and approval prior to placing the advertisement.
Ensures that any area/office established procedures are followed
in the process.
Servicing
Human Resources Specialist – works in cooperation with
the supervisor/selecting official in the preparation of advertisements
for use in print media or for online job boards. Reviews and approves
all advertisements for use in print media or for online job boards
prior to the advertisement being placed. Annotates
the advertisement copy by initialing and dating, and maintains a
copy of the approved advertisement in the case file for the position.
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| Are
sample ads available?
Sample
Ads Using the USDA/ARS Logo
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Berry
Disease Specialist
(Research Plant Pathologist, GS-11/12)
Salary Range of $XX,XXX to $XX,XXX
The
Fruit Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, is seeking a permanent
full-time scientist to: (1) develop classical and molecular
approaches to blueberry and cranberry disease control; (2)
conduct field hand pollination; and (3) publish and present
findings of research. For details and application directions,
see http://www.afm.ars.usda.gov/jobs/announcement-number.htm.
To have a printed copy mailed, call XXX-XXX-XXXX. U.S. citizenship
is required. Announcement closes XX/XX/XX. USDA/ARS is an
equal opportunity employer and provider.
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Graphic
Designer
(Visual Information Specialist, GS-7/9)
Salary Range of $XX,XXX to $XX,XXX
The Design
Unit, Information Staff, Beltsville, Maryland, is seeking
a permanent full-time designer to: (1) design graphics using
computer assisted design software for publications and (2)
work in a team environment with editors and clients. For details
and application directions, see www.afm.ars.usda.gov/jobs/announcement-number.htm.
To have a printed copy mailed, call XXX-XXX-XXXX. U.S. citizenship
is required. Announcement closes XX-XX-XX. USDA/ARS is an
equal opportunity employer and provider.
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Sample
Ads Without the
USDA/ARS Logo
The U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service
(ARS), Fruit Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, is seeking
a permanent full-time BERRY DISEASE SPECIALIST (Research
Plant Pathologist, GS-11/12) to: (1) develop classical
and molecular approaches to blueberry and cranberry disease
control; (2) conduct field hand pollination; and (3) publish
and present findings of research. Salary range of $XX,XXX
to $XX,XXX. For details and application directions, see www.afm.ars.usda.gov/jobs/announcement-number.htm.
To have a printed copy mailed, call XXX-XXX-XXXX. U.S. citizenship
is required. Announcement closes XX/XX/XX. Visit the ARS web
site at: www.ars.usda.gov.
USDA/ARS is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research
Service (ARS), Design Unit, Information Staff, Beltsville, Maryland,
is seeking a permanent full-time GRAPHIC DESIGNER (Visual
Information Specialist, GS-7/9) to: (1) design graphics
using computer assisted design software for publications and
(2) work in a team environment with editors and clients. Salary
range of $XX,XXX to $XX,XXX. For details and application directions,
see www.afm.ars.usda.gov/jobs/announcement-number.htm. To have
a printed copy mailed, call XXX-XXX-XXXX. U.S. citizenship is
required. Announcement closes XX-XX-XX. Visit the ARS web site
at: www.ars.usda.gov.
USDA/ARS is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
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What
sources are available for placing online or print ads?
There are many
sources available both in print and online where you can place your
position advertisement. Below is a list of sources linked to the
web site of some of the more commonly used advertisement sources:
Scientific
Publications
Science
Magazine
Nature
The
Scientist
Cell
Professional
Society Links
Animal
Science/Veterinary Medicine
American
Veterinary Medical Association Career Center
American
Dairy Science Association
Federation
of Animal Science Societies
American
Society of Animal Science
Association
for Veterinary Informatics
Association
of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
Biological
Science
Federation
of American Societies for Experimental Biology
The
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American
Society for Cell Biology
Society
for Developmental Biology
Society
for Experimental Biology
Society
for In Vitro Biology
Chemistry
National
Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists
and Chemical Engineers
American
Association of Cereal Chemists
American
Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
American
Institute of Chemical Engineers
American
Oil Chemists Society
The
Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies
Institution
of Chemical Engineers
American
Chemical Society
American
Institute of Chemists
American
Association for Clinical Chemistry
Crops/Soils/Agronomy/Horticulture
Crop
Science, Soil Science, Agronomy
American
Society for Horticultural Science
Weed
Science Society of America
Soil
Science Society of America
American
Society of Plant Biologists
American
Society of Plant Taxonomists
Botanical
Society of America
Crop
Science Society of America
American
Society of Agronomy
Engineering
Society
of Women Engineers
Society
of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists
Society
of Hispanic Professional Engineers
American
Society for Agricultural Engineers
Biomedical
Engineering Society
Entomology
Entomological
Society of America
Food
Science and Nutrition
American
Dietetic Association
American
Society for Nutritional Sciences
Institute
of Food Technologists
Library
and Information Systems
American
Library Association
American
Society for Information Science and Technology
American
Society of Indexers
Association
of Library Information and Science Education
Association
of Research Libraries
Research
Libraries Group
Microbiology
American
Society for Microbiology
Other
Science
American
Fisheries Society
The
American Phytopathological Society
American
Society for Mass Spectrometry
American
Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
American
Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
Toxicology
Society
of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Society
of Toxicologic Pathology
Society
of Toxicology
Other Online
Ad Sites
Association
for Women in Science
Bio.com
BioExchange
Biofind
BioJobNet.com
BioMedNet
Career
Builder
ChemJobs.net
DVMSearch.com
FindAPh.D.com
Future
Bio Jobs
Genome
Jobs
GeoWeb
The
Internet Job Source
JobHog.net
JobProfiles.org
NewScientist.com
Ph.Ds.org
Postdocjobs.com
Postdoctorate.net
ScienceJobs.com
Sigma
XI - The Scientific Research Society
The
SciWeb Biotechnology Career Center
VeterinaryLife.com
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Additional
Resources
Download and
save the USDA/ARS logo file below for use in print advertisements
by copying and pasting the logo to a directory on your computer
for easy use (e.g., H:/wpdocs/filename).
Bulletin
03-401, ARS Print and Online Employment Advertisements
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