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Federal Job Application Lessons

Learn how federal hiring works and follow eight short lessons — from creating your accounts to preparing for interviews.
Start Lesson 1
Illustration of two people at a kitchen table looking at a laptop with a checklist notebook.

Not sure federal jobs are the right fit?

Compare federal, military, state, city, school, and contractor jobs in Government Careers & Training, including what OPM does and doesn't do.

Who does what?

Four names you'll see often, and what each one does.

Eligible to apply vs. qualified for the job

Eligibility is about who may apply. Each announcement says who it is "open to" — for example, U.S. citizens, current federal employees, or veterans.

Qualification is about whether your experience and education meet the requirements for that specific job.

Being a U.S. citizen makes many announcements open to you, but it does not guarantee eligibility for every position, a security clearance, an interview, or a job offer.

The eight lessons

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  1. Lesson 1: Understand hiring eligibilityLearn who each job is open to, and why eligible and qualified are different.Not completed
  2. Lesson 2: Create Login.gov and USAJOBS accountsSet up secure accounts on the official websites — never through a third party.Not completed
  3. Lesson 3: Choose career interests and search termsTurn your skills into keywords that federal announcements use.Not completed
  4. Lesson 4: Search for jobs and save searchesUse filters and saved searches so new jobs come to you.Not completed
  5. Lesson 5: Read and understand a job announcementLearn each section of an announcement with an interactive sample.Not completed
  6. Lesson 6: Prepare a tailored resume and required documentsShow clearly how your real experience matches the announcement.Not completed
  7. Lesson 7: Apply and complete agency-specific stepsStart on USAJOBS and finish on the agency's system.Not completed
  8. Lesson 8: Track your application and prepare for interviewsUnderstand status updates and get ready to talk about your experience.Not completed

Practice tools