Using USAJOBS
USAJOBS is the federal government’s official career website. It provides job applicants with centralized access to public job openings for all federal agencies – including GSA.
USAJOBS lets you browse or search job postings by agency, job type, location, and even salary. Creating an account is free. You will need to create one to apply for a job, so we encourage you to register and create your account the first time you visit the site.
The federal government has designed USAJOBS to make applying for a federal job easy. But the process does take some time. You will need to present a comprehensive and detailed work history, provide details of your education, and respond to a series of job-specific questions.
Before you begin the online application process at USAJOBS, it is helpful to have a resume or chronological job history in front of you. Don’t worry about fancy formatting; the Resume Builder makes sure that everyone’s resume appears in a consistent and uniform format.
Applications must be submitted online and any required supporting documentation must be uploaded or faxed.
USAJOBS.gov is where everyone begins the application process for a job at GSA.
To register, click on the "Create an Account" tab on the USAJOBS home page. The registration process involves providing basic information including your name, address, phone number, and email address.
You will also need to create a username (e.g., your email address or other unique identifier) and a password.
Once you have set up an account, you can:
- Create multiple resumes suitable for different positions. For instance, if you have worked in both building management and information technology, you could create one resume focusing on your real estate experience and another emphasizing your IT expertise. You can create up to five resumes, all within the same account; two of which can be uploaded from your computer.
- Set up as many as 10 Job Search Agents in order to receive email notifications of new job postings in your professional or geographic area.
- Upload and save up to five supporting documents (college transcripts, federal forms, etc.) that you may later attach to your job application.
Resume Options
You have the option to upload a resume file directly from your computer or you can use the USAJOBS Resume Builder. Resume Builder is an automated system that captures your resume information, including work history and educational background, in a standardized format that contains all the information necessary when applying for a federal job.
GSA uses the information from your resume to evaluate and rank your application against the qualification requirements of the specific job for which you are applying.
Special note for self-employed consultants or freelancers: You must identify each client and job function individually.
If you use the Resume Builder, you can save your information and exit at any time. To re-enter and continue working on your application, select "My USAJOBS" and use your email address or username and password to enter the system.
After you’ve completed registering, click the "Search Jobs" link.
From the Search Jobs screen, you can enter a keyword, announcement number, and/or location and search; or you can click the “Advanced Search” link to browse by:
- Agency
- Location
- Occupation
To find GSA job openings, use the ”Advance Search” link and find General Services Administration in the "Agency Search" menu. Select the appropriate sub-agency from the menu and click the “Add>>” button to select. Review the other search criteria to add any additional preferences and click the “Search Jobs” link.
NOTE: The Search feature on the USAJOBS home page automatically defaults to show only vacancies open to the public. If you are using that Search feature and want to see all vacancy announcements (including those open to GSA employees only, current/former government employees, or those with special appointment eligibility), once the initial search results are displayed, select the “Jobs for Federal Employees” option in the “refine Your Results” section. The new result will also include all job announcements open to all US Citizens.
Use the following handy links to find GSA job postings in the following categories:
- All United States Citizens Job Vacancies
- Current and Former Federal Government Employee
- Senior Executive Service Job Vacancies
TIP: After you find a posting you would like to apply for, print out the job announcement. This way you will have that information to reference while filling out the rest of the form and when checking on your application status after the closing date. (When the application deadline passes, job announcements are removed from USAJOBS.)
USAJOBS and other government job-related sites offer useful information for the following:
Once you’ve found a job opening you want to apply for, click the “Apply Online” button. Be sure you elect to receive email notifications in your profile preferences. (From the Account Menu, click "Application Status" then "Notification Settings"). This will ensure that you receive email notifications when GSA makes a change to your application status.
This online portion of the job application consists of three parts:
Clicking the “Apply Online” button will bring you to the USAJOBS "Sign in to my Account" page. Once you have signed into your account, you will be asked to select one of your stored resumes to send as part of your application.
NOTE: The selected resume will be submitted as it is saved in USAJOBS at the time of attachment. If you later wish to change or edit a resume submitted through USAJOBS, you must return to the announcement in USAJOBS prior to the closing date; select the “Update Application” link; attach the new/updated resume; and then submit the new resume by reviewing/proceeding through the application screens and clicking the “Finish” button on the last page of the application process.
You will also be given the option of attaching any saved documents in your USAJOBS account that are required by the announcement. Select the "Apply for this position Now!" button to proceed to the next step.
Applicants for most jobs will need to respond to a series of questions. To answer these questions, you will be transferred from USAJOBS to GSAjobs. On-screen messaging will let you know that this is happening. Once you have provided GSAjobs account information, or reviewed/updated previously submitted account information, you will receive the job vacancy assessment questionnaire. Think of these questions as written interview queries, giving you a chance to describe your education, experience, and training as they relate to the job.
Most people are required to provide documents as part of the application process. These documents can include: college transcripts, training documents, and federal standard forms. Applicants anticipating special consideration must also submit the following:
- Veterans: Submit documentation supporting your claim to veterans’ preference and eligibility.
Current or former federal employees: Submit the latest Standard Form 50 Notification of Personnel Action documenting career or career conditional status, and the latest performance appraisal. - Applicants eligible under Special Appointing Authority: Various documents may be required to verify applicant eligibility. Refer to the announcement for specific details.
During the online application process, you will be taken to a "Vacancy Documents" page, which lists the various types of documentation that may be submitted. Re-read the job announcement and determine which documents apply to you. On the "Vacancy Documents" page, locate the document(s) you must submit, you will be given three options for submitting the documentation.
Upload: Upload the document directly from your computer;
USAJOBS: Upload the document you submitted from your USAJOBS account (if you attached supporting documents in USAJOBS, they must be attached/uploaded here or they will not be transmitted with your application); or
Fax: Print the fax coversheet and fax your document into the GSAjobs system.
TIP: Read the detailed fax instructions to make sure that your documents are accepted correctly into the GSAjobs system. If you do not receive email confirmation of a faxed document within four hours, re-fax the cover sheet and documentation.
Your documents must be received by the deadline listed on the job announcement in order to be considered for the job. Whatever method you use to submit your documents, the majority will become part of your permanent electronic file. This means that once you submit your transcript, for example, you don't have to do it again unless you want to update or add pages to the original document. To determine if you have any previously submitted documents on file, check the description column on the vacancy document page.
Prior to submitting your application, an "Application Review" page will display your resume supporting documents,and responses. You will have the option to ‘Download and Save Your Application and Related Documents’; you should select this option to ensure that you will have a copy for your records. After reviewing this page, you must click the "Finish" button to submit your application. Once you click the "Finish" button, you will be returned to the USAJOBS site where you will see a screen indicating that your application has been sent to GSA. Be sure to print a copy of this screen for your records. If you do not see a screen indicating that your application was sent, please contact the human resources specialist listed in the job announcement for assistance.
Generally, you should hear from GSA in 15 to 30 days after the job announcement closes. If you have not, feel free to contact GSA to inquire about the status of your application. Each GSA job announcement contains a human resources contact. You can also go to "My Account" in USAJOBS and click on "Application Status" to view your application history.
