Understanding EIA's Job Announcements

Federal job announcements, including EIA's, can be a little confusing to applicants who aren't used to reading them, but it's worth the effort! These announcements provide important information about qualifications, duties, salary, duty location, and benefits. Each job vacancy consists of a job title, the career path, the series number and the pay band number. For example, in the "Economist, GS-0110-04" citation:

• "Economist" is the position title
• "GS" is the pay plan
• "0110" is the occupational series
• "04" is the grade level (the traditional Federal GS system can be 1 through 15)

Sometimes you will see two types of job announcements:

• Public notice. These jobs are open to all U.S. citizens; current or prior federal work experience is not required.
• Merit promotion. These jobs are restricted to current or former EIA and/or federal employees.

All job announcements also have: 1) an opening date, which is the date when the vacancy is open for the submission of applications, and 2) a closing date, which is the final date that applications may be submitted for consideration.

Finally, when you review the announcement, you will be able to determine if your interests, education, and professional experience make you a good candidate for the job.

Submitting Applications Online

EIA requires applicants to register and create an account with USAJOBS, the Federal jobs portal, which is available 24/7 at www.usajobs.gov. USAJOBS' online resume builder (My USAJOBS) allows applicants to create an electronic resume that contains all of the information necessary for Federal employment.

We encourage you to create an account with USAJOBS and start building your resume today so when you find the EIA job that interests you, your electronic resume will be ready to go. Applicants who believe that applying online will present them a hardship must contact the personnel official identified on the announcement about alternatives to the electronic submission process. And remember, when you find the job and are viewing the announcement, make sure to check out the section "How to Apply," for more tips.

To ensure your application is processed correctly, please be sure to include the following on any supplemental materials you submit:

• Your name
• Vacancy announcement number listed on the front of the announcement
• Title and general schedule (GS) pay grade level of the position you are applying for
• Your Social Security number
• Your contact information

If your online application is incomplete, or does not support the responses in your online questionnaire you may be rated ineligible or not qualified.

What is Veterans Preference?

Veterans preference gives special consideration to eligible veterans looking for federal employment. Veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces during specified time periods or in military campaigns are entitled to preference in the Federal employment process. To find out whether you qualify for veterans preference, visit Feds Hire Vets.

How Are Applicants Evaluated?

Government officials will rate you based on your experience and education. Your evaluation will be based on information you provide in your resume and application, so be sure your resume accurately reflects your experience with regards to the position you are seeking to qualify for. The names of the best-qualified applicants will be forwarded to the hiring official who will contact you to schedule an interview. Veterans' preference eligibles will be listed at the top of selection certificates.

You may check your application status any time after an announcement closes. USAJOBS has added an alert setting to the system to drive status updates notification for applicants. We recommend that you update your USAJOBS profile to receive these status updates via email after the announcement closes. We will continue to update your USAjobs status on-line as changes are made.

Contact Information

For more information on job applications, or to learn about career growth opportunities with EIA in general, please email careers@eia.gov. Persons with disabilities requiring assistance with the application process should visit OPM's Federal Employment of People With Disabilities.