The Book of
U.S. Government Jobs
Where They Are, What's Available, and How to Get One

Publication Date − February 2008

Recommended by Library Journal
and a LJ "Best Seller"

(Reviews)

ALL NEW Tenth Edition
by Dennis V. Damp

ORDER NOW  (1-800-782-7424)
or order on-line (Secure On-line Ordering)

Special Sale Price $19.95
Featured on the CNN "Your Money" show
 

Libraries & Bookstores − Order through Midpoint Trade Books, 

LIBRARY JOURNAL "2009 Best Seller"
One of the most checked out books at libraries.

BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH-CLUB
Alternate Selection
Benjamin Franklin Awards
"Best Career Title"

CONTENTS

• Introduction

• Author Bio

• Reviews

• Book Specifications  (ISBN, CIP, etc.)

• Table of Contents  *

• Chapter One  *

• Press Release  *

• Cover TIF file  (For catalogs and online promotions)

• Radio Talk Show Package * (Questions, Bio, Reviews)

* (PDF File, requires Adobe Reader)
 

NEW REVIEWS June 6, 2009 FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT EXPERT: Dennis Damp has written 26 books on federal employment and he understands federal employment from his own career of moving up over 35 years with Department of Defense agencies and the Federal Aviation Administration. NEED EXTRA INSPIRATION? If you are trying to be inspired to cope with the federal hiring process, refer to the introduction of the book - I am SOLD that government jobs are the best. His Intro to Government Employment is understandable and could be called "Uncle Sam 101". EMPLOYMENT SECRETS FROM A FORMER FED MANAGER? I especially like Chapter 12, Employment Secrets, including his Keys to Success. For instance, “Don’t give up when you receive your first rejection”. This sounds simple, but rejection is really hard.  I agree that determination is critical for landing a federal job.  MANY APPLICATIONS ARE AN "ABSOLUTE DISGRACE". Dennis talks about his own experience being on a hiring panel in government, his first impressions by a rating official (page 51). "I can't tell you how many thousands of applications that I reviewed during my career that were an absolute disgrace. Then he refers you to Chapter 6, where I contributed a couple of great federal resume samples from The Federal Resume Guidebook. (sorry, shameless reference to my book). And his "One Size Doesn't Fit All"  paragraph on page 51 - PLEASE read this one! SPECIAL HIRING PROGRAMS: Dennis offers easy to understand interpretations of special hiring programs for people with Disabilities (and lists of contacts), Veterans (explanation of preference points) and Military Dependents. IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES: And if you want to know Where the Jobs Are Available, Chapter 3 is insightful, including numerous resources and techniques to “improve your chances”. MUST READ: So, in summary, if you are determined to land a federal job, this book is a MUST READ to get the Basics of Federal Employment. This detailed, federal employment resource can help your campaign to land one of the best jobs available in America today! Kathryn Troutman, Author, Federal Resume Guidebook and Ten Steps to a Federal Job. Library Journal's Bestsellers List The books most borrowed by in U.S. Libraries - 4/1/2009 http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6645867.html?industryid=47123 The Book of U.S. Government Jobs is on Library Journal's Bestsellers top 20 list, the books most borrowed in U.S. Libraries. This title is mentioned with "What Color is Your Parachute" and we are honored to be on this prestigious list. CNN Links: http://federaljobs.net/employme.htm CNN Career Summaries: http://federaljobs.net/govjobs1.htm (new page) Damp, Dennis V. The Book of U.S. Government Jobs. 10th ed. Bookhaven. 2008. 338p. ISBN 978-0-943641-26-3. $22.95. REF "An invaluable how-to guide for landing a federal position, this book is updated every two years in order to incorporate the newest procedural details. Former federal-employee hiring specialist Damp (Post Office Jobs) breaks the recruitment process into 12 essential chapters, offering an elemental introduction, application and interview advice, civil service exam samples, and, finally, “Employment Secrets.” To speed comprehension, information is often bulleted, and Damp frequently reproduces and explains entire sample resumes and job postings. With its logical arrangement and thorough explanations, this book will prove a vital resource for any federal job seeker."                                                                     LIBRARY JOURNAL 11/15/2008

INTRODUCTION

The federal government’s total civilian workforce as of September 2006 was 2,700,392 and approximately 50 percent of the federal workforce is currently eligible for either early or regular retirement. This is creating significant employment opportunities for anyone interested in working for Uncle Sam. Over 1.3 million jobs will need to be filled as the baby boomers opt to leave government service. The average annual salary for all full-time employees now exceeds $67,186, and you can work at thousands of stateside and overseas locations. Use this book’s resources, including the Job Hunter’s Checklist in Appendix A, to begin your personal job search.

This completely updated and expanded edition features the latest information available for finding and applying for federal government jobs. The author and editors have over 110 years of combined federal government service. Considering that federal employees earn an average annual compensation of $106,871, including pay and benefits, compared to $53,288 in the private sector — according to the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis — the federal sector is an attractive option for job seekers.

The federal government’s new recruiting, outreach, and retention programs are attracting new applicants with lucrative incentives. Today federal agencies can pay off new hires’ student loans, negotiate starting salaries, and offer relocation allowances for critical vacancies.

Readers will find an expanded application and résumé chapter that takes readers step-by-step through a typical job announcement and instructs readers on how to write effective federal style résumés and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) statements. Résumé samples, compiled by the author and Kathryn Kraemer Troutman, the author of Federal Résumé Guidebook, are included to guide job seekers through the sometimes confusing application process.

Considerable improvements were implemented over the past few years to the archaic Civil Service examination process. Uncle Sam has finally dropped most general and administrative written entrance examinations and substituted an "Occupational Questionnaire" and/or "Self Certification" in most cases. New applicants for certain occupations may still be required to take written tests, but most agencies, other than the U.S. Postal Service, forgo testing and opt to use Occupational Questionnaires.

Agencies are still evolving since the September 11 attacks and the massive reorganization that established the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS was established to consolidate law enforcement and security functions, and 22 agencies transferred significant operational functions and personnel to Homeland Security since its inception.

The impact of this reorganization and the increased security requirements in all agencies have changed government demographics. An entire chapter is devoted to law enforcement and DHS careers and the many job opportunities that are now available in the government’s third largest agency. DHS employs more than 154,000 workers in hundreds of occupations.

Many changes were initiated since the previous edition was published. Agencies — across the board — have implemented "pay for performance" programs and placed workers in core compensation pay bands. Their pay is tied to performance rather than automatic General Schedule step increases. Lucrative recruitment incentives were authorized by Congress, programs such as the Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) were revised, and the student hiring program was reorganized under the eScholar program. This edition also includes information on the Senior Executive Service (SES), and all these changes expanded the new 10th edition to 352 pages.

Decentralization continues to evolve in the federal sector. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) was originally the central human resource department for most agencies. Today, most agencies recruit and advertise vacancies in-house. Decentralization has created new challenges for those seeking federal employment. Job seekers may have to visit specific agency Web sites to locate all current job vacancies. This book’s companion Web site offers hot links to 143 federal recruitment sites at http://federaljobs.net.

This Tenth Edition of The Book of U.S. Government Jobs will help job seekers land high-paying, benefit-loaded, and secure government jobs. If you’re looking for a position with good pay with excellent benefits, explore the high-paying and secure federal job market.

Use this one-stop resource to determine what jobs are available, where they are, and how to get one. Abundant resources and tools, that don’t require the use of a computer to find a job, are also included. The completely revised 10th edition explores:

Author Bio

DENNIS DAMP is the author of 21 books and a recognized government employment expert. He retired in 2004 at age 55 with 35 years of federal government service. He can attest to how rewarding civil service employment can be – and was in his case. Dennis has been a guest on hundreds of radio talk shows, lectured at universities and colleges, and has written hundreds of articles for national magazines and newspapers. He is a contributing writer for Google.com and other Web portals and his books have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, and U.S. News & World Report.

His government career began when he was drafted in 1968. Dennis joined the Air Force prior to call-up and spent over three years on active duty and an additional seven years with the Air National Guard. He was hired by the Department of Defense (DOD) to maintain aircraft avionics systems after leaving the service and eventually landed an electronics technician position with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 1975. He spent the remainder of his career in various positions with the FAA.

During his time with the FAA, Dennis worked on staff in various positions including training instructor, project engineer, computer based instruction (CBI) administrator, training program manager and program support manager. The last 20 years included numerous supervisory and management positions where he was responsible for recruiting, rating and interviewing applicants, outreach, and hiring for his organization. His last position was technical operations manager at the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport’s air traffic control tower.

Dennis based this book on his 35 years of personal government experience. This all-new 10th edition presents an insider’s first-hand view of what it takes to go from job hunter to hired employee, and everything in between, to improve your chances of landing a high-paying government job.

What Others Are Saying About
The Book of U.S. Government Jobs

Reviews

June 1, 2009

• FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT EXPERT: Dennis Damp has written 26 books on federal employment and he understands federal employment from his own career of moving up over 35 years with Department of Defense agencies and the Federal Aviation Administration.
  
  NEED EXTRA INSPIRATION? If you are trying to be inspired to cope with the federal hiring process, refer to the introduction of the book - I am SOLD that government jobs are the best. His Intro to Government Employment is understandable and could be called "Uncle Sam 101".
  
  EMPLOYMENT SECRETS FROM A FORMER FED MANAGER? I especially like Chapter 12, Employment Secrets, including his Keys to Success. For instance, “Don’t give up when you receive your first rejection”. This sounds simple, but rejection is really hard.  I agree that determination is critical for landing a federal job.
   
  MANY APPLICATIONS ARE AN "ABSOLUTE DISGRACE". Dennis talks about his own experience being on a hiring panel in government, his first impressions by a rating official (page 51). "I can't tell you how many thousands of applications that I reviewed during my career that were an absolute disgrace. Then he refers you to Chapter 6, where I contributed a couple of great federal resume samples from The Federal Resume Guidebook. (sorry, shameless reference to my book). And his "One Size Doesn't Fit All"  paragraph on page 51 - PLEASE read this one!
  
  SPECIAL HIRING PROGRAMS: Dennis offers easy to understand interpretations of special hiring programs for people with Disabilities (and lists of contacts), Veterans (explanation of preference points) and Military Dependents.
   
  IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES: And if you want to know Where the Jobs Are Available, Chapter 3 is insightful, including numerous resources and techniques to “improve your chances”.
  MUST READ: So, in summary, if you are determined to land a federal job, this book is a MUST READ to get the Basics of Federal Employment. This detailed, federal employment resource can help your campaign to land one of the best jobs available in America today!
  
                          Kathryn Troutman, Author, Federal Resume Guidebook and Ten Steps to a Federal Job.

• Library Journal's Bestsellers List
  
  The books most borrowed by in U.S. Libraries - 4/1/2009
  http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6645867.html?industryid=47123
  
  The Book of U.S. Government Jobs is on Library Journal's Bestsellers top 20 list, the books most borrowed in U.S. Libraries. This title is mentioned with "What Color is Your Parachute" and we are honored to be on this prestigious list.
  
  
• CNN Links: http://federaljobs.net/employme.htm CNN Career Summaries: http://federaljobs.net/govjobs1.htm (new page)
  
  
• Damp, Dennis V. The Book of U.S. Government Jobs. 10th ed. Bookhaven. 2008. 338p. ISBN 978-0-943641-26-3. $22.95. REF
  
  "An invaluable how-to guide for landing a federal position, this book is updated every two years in order to incorporate the newest procedural details. Former federal-employee hiring specialist Damp (Post Office Jobs) breaks the recruitment process into 12 essential chapters, offering an elemental introduction, application and interview advice, civil service exam samples, and, finally, “Employment Secrets.” To speed comprehension, information is often bulleted, and Damp frequently reproduces and explains entire sample resumes and job postings. With its logical arrangement and thorough explanations, this book will prove a vital resource for any federal job seeker."
                                                                                               —   LIBRARY JOURNAL 11/15/2008

• 60 Days to a Recession Proof Federal Job; IT WORKS, January 2, 2009
  
  "An INDISPENSIBLE guide to finding and getting a federal job. I used the information in the NEW 10th edition and was granted 5 interviews, 3 job offers and accepted a GS-12 position; then negotiated a significant PAY increase; just 2 month into my search. After arriving at my new position, I used the Federal Job career information section to obtain additional vacation time for my prior military service and to make the right decisions on my benefits. Dennis Damp hit a GRAND SLAM with this book; it is simply the BEST Federal Jobs Guide on the market today. If you are looking for a comprehensive federal jobs guide that really puts you ahead of the competition, this is the book to buy. Thank you, Mr. Damp."
                                                                                           —  M. Shiraitori (10th edition)
• 
  "Dennis Damp’s book is simply the best. He covers all aspects of applying, interviewing and then getting a job with the federal government and provides many useful tips and references... Damp’s book is by far the top of the class. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in getting a job with the federal government and jobs counselors as a useful resource in your reference library. This book is the A to Z on the federal job search process and a must read for federal job seekers."
                                                                                     — Mark S., OH, Ebook Reviews
• 
  "The eighth edition of Dennis V. Damp’s "The Book of U.S. Government Jobs" is a well-researched book to add to your prep material for government jobs... The eighth edition features a new chapter on law enforcement careers. Damp, who was a federal employee in a previous life, posts updates on his Web site, Federaljobs.net... This book is the latest and greatest, and makes a powerful reference tool if you want a workplace wrapped in the American flag."   
                                                            — JOYCE LAIN KENNEDY, Columnist -Tribune Media Services
  

• "If ever a book's title described its content, this one does. Now in its eighth edition, this valuable reference tool continues to provide essential information and advice for those seeking to obtain secure, high-paying federal government jobs. Over 50 percent of material from the 2000 edition had been updated, and approximately 30 pages of new material have been added to reflect recent developments in the competitive job market precipitated by the September 11 attacks. While this edition repeats the same 12 chapter topics of its predecessor, it features a new chapter on the growing area of law enforcement jobs, as well as expanded and substantially revised versions of the chapters on employment secrets, opportunities for the disabled, and applications, which instructs users how to write Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) statements. Other revisions consist of updates of contact information (e.g., web sites and telephone numbers or agencies) as well as employment statistics. In his informative preface, Damp (Post Office Jobs; Health Care Job Explosion; Take Charge of Your Federal Career) notes the introduction of a simplified application form, the increased use of telephone and online applications, and the trend toward decentralizing the application process. The five appendixes provide a job hunter's checklist and contact and occupation listings. A useful and popular source on the process of finding government employment, this is recommended for career collections in both public and academic libraries. {Succinct updates of the information found in this book are available on the publisher's web site, www.federaljobs.net . - Ed.}"
                                                                                           — LIBRARY JOURNAL  (9th edition)

• "A year ago you gave me pointers on finding a federal job. Well it all worked out and I’m a paralegal specialist in Oklahoma. I just wanted to say thanks."                                  — JG, Tulsa, OK
  
• "I just wanted to let you know that the information in your book helped me land a Congressional Summer Internship..."    
                                                                                             — Gus
  
• "... In 'The Book of U.S. Government Jobs,' Damp, the author of numerous books on government careers, walks job seekers through the federal hiring process. This seventh revision follows the same arrangement as its predecessor but includes updated statistics, added electronic tools, a discussion of new application forms, a revised picture of the federal job outlook, and some expanded sections. Chapters provide a good overview of qualifications, pay, and benefits; requirements for civil service exams; veteran preference considerations; opportunities for the disabled; and interviewing tips. The text is visually enhanced with a good use of bold topic headings, boxes, margin comments, and tables. Bookhaven Press extends and updates information for this title and other career books by hot-linking to federal agency employment web sites form its own site (http://federaljobs.net). Recommended for academic and public library career collections. [BOMC alternate.]       
                                                                                       — LIBRARY JOURNAL (6th edition)
  
•  "Few people find jobs in U.S. Government without some help. For over fourteen years, a primary source of 'help' has been widely recognized as Dennis V. Damp's classic, 'The Book of U.S. Government Jobs.' In the 7th and latest edition, Mr. Damp pulls together all of the old and new -- offline and online -- sources, tips, and techniques needed to become one of the 2,800,000 federal workers earning an average of $46,000 a year.
  
  Using a clear and concise style peppered with real-life examples and
  explanatory graphics, Mr. Damp explains what kinds of jobs are available, what the work involves, minimum requirements, how much they pay, and most important, how to get them. You'll learn the federal application process, how to best present your qualifications and experience to meet job requirements, and how to prepare for any required tests. Civil Service Exams? You'll find an entire section devoted to them.
  
  "Why should we hire you?" "What is your weakest point?" Don't you just hate those? Job interviewers call them "stress" questions. They are well named and federal interviewers will ask them. In the chapter "The Interview Process", Dennis Damp tells you the right answers.
  
  The federal job application form Of-612 must be completed correctly and in much greater detail than applications used by private industry. The Book of U.S. Government Jobs includes an example of a fully and correctly completed OF-612 including the 'Continuation' pages used for listing your complete work experience.
  
  Whether you're a first time job searcher or a long-time government employee trying to advance, The Book of U.S. Government Jobs demands a slot in your career library."   

 — Robert Longley U.S. Government Info/Resources

• "I just wanted to drop you a line to show my appreciation for the information you have provided. Before I ran across your publications I almost threw away $400 to a so called agency that "promised me a government job." So once again, thank you for your "civil service" from all of us hopeful civil service employees."  
                                                                                        — Tom G
  
• "Damp's book on federal employment is recognized as one of the more practical guides for finding work with the government."                                                                                           — Booklist
  
• "Presents realistic job search strategies and viable options to landing a job with the U.S. Government and guides job seekers through the maze of the federal hiring process. Revised and updated to reflect the most current requirements and procedures and summarizes the Clinton/Gore proposals for 'reinventing government' and their hiring impact..."    
                                                                                         —  Journal of Economic Literature

The Book Of U.S. Government Jobs
10th Edition

WHAT JOBS ARE AVAILABLE
WHERE THEY ARE, AND
HOW TO GET ONE

Recommended by Library Journal, Career Opportunity News
Mainstream Magazine, Bookwatch, &
Joyce Lain Kennedy, Columnist -Tribune Media Service 

Paperback || 352 pages || ISBN: 978-0-943641-26-3 || $22.95
CIP: 2007016802 || JK716D36 2007 || 331.12'4135173--dc22

Order with all major credit cards on-line or
toll free at (1-800-782-7424) Orders Only

Press Release

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