Applying for vacancies on-line is a three-step process. You first must register in GSAjobs (Select the "New User" button) by providing personal and work history information, including a resume. This information is provided only once, but can be updated when necessary. Second, you answer vacancy-specific questions, which have been developed to determine basic eligibility and the group of candidates who will be referred to the manager for consideration. Third, you must submit appropriate paper documentation requested on the vacancy announcement. This documentation must be received in the appropriate HR Office within 48 hours of the closing date of the announcement (not including weekends or holidays).
Detailed application instructions are contained in each Vacancy Announcement, so it should be clear which process is being used. If you attempt to apply on-line for a position that requires paper applications, the announcement will not have any vacancy-specific questions, but will refer back to the Announcement for application procedures. If you have questions, contact the HR Specialist listed on the announcement.
It closes at midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. After midnight Eastern Time, jobs that have closed will not be available for review or application.
No. Exceptions will be made in the instance of extreme hardship cases (for example: an applicant lives in a remote area where it would pose a major hardship for the applicant to get to a computer in any location). Applicants requesting an exception must contact the HR Specialist listed in the vacancy announcement prior to the closing date. Applicants who are given an exception must also respond to the same vacancy questions as those applying on-line. The HR Office will input the data into the system on the applicant's behalf for the specific job for which the applicant has receive an exception.
For assistance in applying for GSA vacancies using the GSAjobs system, please contact the HR Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement. The HR Specialist will help you submit your application on-line. However, you MUST contact the HR Specialist for assistance before the closing date of the announcement.
If your resume is not submitted in the GSAjobs system at midnight Eastern Time when the vacancy announcement closes, your application will be incomplete, and you will not be considered for that position. Ensure that you review the instructions on the Vacancy Announcement, these documents are normally required to be received in the appropriate Human Resources Office within 48 hours of the closing date of the announcement (not including holidays or weekends). Submit them either by mail, fax, or hand-deliver, but ensure that whatever method you use will meet the deadline listed in the announcement.
We recommend you print the vacancy-specific questions before actually applying for the vacancy. If you are unsure of which answer to select, ensure that you select the one that best describes your experience and/or education. However, do not select an answer unless you fully meet all the criteria described for that response. If your experience only partially applies to your experience and/or education, do not select it. If a vacancy question requires an essay response, we recommend you create it in a word processing document and then copy and paste it into the space provided for the response. Creating it in a word processing document before you start the application process will save you time and expedite the application process. Once you have answered all questions, select the "Finish" button at the bottom of the last screen to submit your application.
When you have finished answering all of the vacancy-specific questions and have selected the "Finish" button at the bottom of the last screen, a screen will appear that says, "Your application has been successfully transmitted!" If you have completed the registration process, including a resume, then you have completed the on-line application process for this vacancy. Yes. After you have finished answering the vacancy-specific questions, a screen will appear that states your application has been successfully transmitted. On that page, there is an option for you to select to have the questions and your answers sent to your email address.
As with any application for federal employment, providing false information, creating fake ID's, or failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely may be grounds for not hiring, for disbarment from federal employment, or for dismissal after a person begins work. Falsifying a federal job application, attempting to violate the privacy of others, or attempting to compromise the operation of this system may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (see US Code, Title 18, section 1001.).
Nothing will prevent you from doing this. However, falsifying or answering questions to mislead the system's automated process is no different than providing false or misleading information on your application under the old process. Such action may be grounds for not hiring you, for disbarment from federal service, or for dismissal after being hired. Falsifying a federal job application, attempting to violate the privacy of others, or attempting to compromise this system is punishable by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001). If a determination is made that in responding to the vacancy questions you have rated yourself higher than is apparent in your resume, experience, and/or education, a Human Resources Specialist may manually adjust your score. You will be notified of any adjustment in score and the basis for the change.
Even with an on-line application process, the HR Specialist's role is to verify qualifications of individuals. A review of the resume will be conducted for all candidates who are referred to the Selecting Manager for consideration. The interview process can also be used to address questionable situations or issues.
Your application will be rated instantly by the system one minute after midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. However, the HR Office will conduct a quality review before the rating is finalized. Before the closing date of the vacancy announcement, you can go back into the system and change your responses or update your resume, as necessary.
Go to the GSAjobs website, select the "New Users" button, and click on the "Next" button at the bottom of the screen. You will be asked to provide personal and work history information, including a resume. It is recommended that you have this information available before you log into the system to begin registration.
In the "User Information Section" of the registration process, you will be asked to submit a resume. If you have a resume previously prepared in a word processing system, you may copy and paste it into the resume section. You may experience formatting problems if you chose to copy and paste your resume. Formats such as bold type, indentations, or background shadows may not copy properly into the system. If you are dissatisfied with the appearance of your resume, we suggest that you provide a hard copy to the Selecting Manager if called for an interview
During the registration process, you can elect to sign up for email notification of new job openings or existing jobs that are updated. You can select specific job series/positions, and/or grade levels, and/or geographic criteria for the email notification feature. The vacancy notification will be sent to the email address you used in the registration process.
To discontinue receiving e-mail notification of GSA vacancies, log into GSAjobs and select "Edit Personal Information", click the "Next" button. Go to the email notification section and select the choice that says you would NOT like email notification. Ensure that you go to the bottom of the screen and select the "Next" button. You should continue through the screen for Personal Information until the end so that the change will be updated.
Applicants have the option to voluntarily and confidentially enter demographic information when initially registering in GSAjobs. To ensure the candidate's anonymity, the data is immediately encrypted and cannot be tied to a specific candidate. Once the vacancy closes, a statistical report can be generated, but no information can be tied to a specific candidate. The HR Specialist or the Selecting Manager is not able to associate the demographic data to an individual.
Go to GSAjobs, select the "Forgot your Password?" option, and press "Enter." You will be asked to provide the email address, Zip Code, your date of birth, and the secret question and answer you selected when you registered. If you did not select a secret question and answer (this is a new feature), select "I do not have a secret question and answer" at the Secret Question drop-down menu. Your password will be immediately changed to your Secret Answer. You can now log into the system using your Secret Answer as your password. If you still experience problems, you can email gsajobs@gsa.gov for assistance.
Try using the GSAjobs ID Number that you received from the system when you first registered in the system. If you have changed email providers or your email address has changed since you registered, try using your old email address to log into the system. After you have successfully logged into the system, be sure to update your email address. If you cannot access the system, email GSAjobs@gsa.gov for assistance.
No. Your SSN is one of the few reliable means that government agencies have of distinguishing one applicant from another. Many applicants have the same name, or may have the same birth date. The SSN is the identifier suggested for use by the Office of Personnel Management for federal job applications. The SSN is not provided as part of the application process to the Selecting Manager.
Yes, all General Schedule jobs will be filled using GSAjobs. Senior Executive Service (SES) and Wage Grade Vacancy Announcements are viewed in GSAjobs, but those positions are recruited for under the traditional method. It is important to read the entire GSA Vacancy Announcement to see which method is used.
We use the GSAjobs system to publicize all of GSA's vacancies, regardless of the application process. This allows all of our vacancy announcements to be viewed at one location.
Whether you can use your office computer to apply for jobs depends on your employer's policy. If you work for a federal agency or you work for a company in private industry, contact your employer's personnel office for information on whether you can use office equipment for this purpose.
Most college placement offices, job search agencies, unemployment offices, public libraries, and some civic centers have computers and Internet access for their patrons' use free of charge.
GSA employees are authorized the use of office equipment on an occasional basis provided that the use involves minimal additional expense to the government and does not interfere with official business. Occasional personal use of agency office equipment shall normally take place on the employee's personal time, not during official duty time.
You must contact the HR representative listed on the vacancy announcement and request assistance PRIOR to the announcement closing. If the HR Office determines that it is not possible for you to submit an on-line application, you will be given instructions on how to proceed at that time. Paper applications submitted without prior HR approval will be considered as incomplete applications and will not be considered. No exceptions!
Candidates eligible under Merit Promotion regulations are required to meet basic eligibility requirements, job related criteria, and are given a numerical rating. No additional points are added for Veterans Preference. The Best Qualified applicants are referred in alphabetical order to the Selecting Manager for consideration. Candidates who are eligible for a special noncompetitive appointing authority or who hold or previously held a permanent position, which is at the same or higher grade level of the vacancy, must meet basic eligibility requirements to be referred to the Selecting Manager for consideration. The Selecting Manager can make a selection from any of the referred applicants.
These Announcements are generally referred to as DEU announcements, because the Office of Personnel Management has delegated authority to GSA to issue this type of announcement for their vacancies. A Public Announcement is open to all United States citizens, both outside the federal workforce and inside the federal workforce. After all qualified applicants are assigned a numerical rating, based on job-related criteria, veterans preference points are applied, as applicable, and candidates are placed on a certificate of eligibles in a specific order prescribed by Title 5 of the United States Code. The Selecting Manager can only select from the three highest available ranking applicants on the list. Additionally, a preference eligible may not be passed over to select a lower ranking non-preference eligible.
