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A 1% Pay Raise Approved for 2021 – GS Pay Charts Now Available

Posted on by Dennis Damp

Federal civilian employees will receive a pay increase starting January 1, 2021; a 1% increase in basic pay, with no increase in locality pay.

 

The President signed an Executive Order in December.  The 1% pay raise 2021 charts are now available along with all special rates and wage grade salaries.

The pay raise will take effect with the first full pay period of 2021. We published the new pay table on January 1, including the locality pay area definitions outlining the pay rates for all regions nationwide.

The rates of basic pay or salaries of the statutory pay systems are included. The general categories are listed below:

  • The General Schedule
  • The Foreign Service Schedule
  • schedules for the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Senior Executive Service
  • Certain Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Salaries
  • The Executive Schedule

OPM was fast to react to the Presidential Order and released the new tables in late December.

Following are links to the new 2021 locality pay tables:

Click here for: Special Rates Tables

Helpul Job Hunting Information:

Disclaimer: The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Job-Hunting Help NOW!

Posted on by Dennis Damp

There are many options for job seekers to explore in both the government and private sectors. Sound job seeking principles and guidance are universal and not confined to any one sector. This book will help anyone explore their options and find viable employment.

 

 

Editors of the American Library Association, Brenda Bernstein, and John Henry Weiss recently published The BIG BOOK of JOB-HUNTING HACKS. This exceptional guide covers how to build a resume, conquer the interview, and land your dream job. This 388-page reference should be on every library shelf and those seeking employment in these difficult times will find this an invaluable tool to help them get back on their feet or find a more rewarding job — even in this environment.

The book is rationally divided into three parts: how to get a great job, how to write a stellar executive resume, and moving forward in mid-career. All tied together, you have everything you need at your fingertips for your personal job search. John Weiss is the president of Weiss and Associates recruiting and author of many books including Operation Jobs Search: A Guide for Military Veterans Transitioning to Civilian Careers, and Welcome to the Real World: A complete Guide to Job Hunting for the Recent College Grad.

According to the authors, “the purpose of this book is twofold —to help laid-off workers deal with the trauma of having their paychecks and benefits suddenly disappear, and to guide them through the job-hunting process. The tips in this book provide job seekers with practical advice for finding a new job no matter the state of the economy.”

I found the book right on target providing the foundation job seekers need in these difficult times. Readers will not be disappointed and job seekers can use it as a workbook, adding notes to the margins, highlighting key points and actions needed to land their desired position.

All-in-all a great book for a very reasonable price and a valuable addition to your job seeking efforts.

Helpul Job Hunting Information:

Disclaimer: The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

3.1% GS 2020 Pay Raise – Pay Charts Now Available

Posted on by Dennis Damp

Federal civilian employees will see an average 3.1% pay increase starting January 1, 2020; a 2.6% increase in basic pay, with an average 0.5% increase in locality pay.  The pay increases for GS employees ranges from 2.85% to 3.52%.

The President signed an Executive Order on December 20th officially averting a second government shutdown in 2019.  The 3.1% pay raise 2020 charts are now available along with new paid parental leave benefits providing all federal employees with up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave per year.

The pay raise will take effect with the first full pay period of 2020, which begins Jan. 5. We published the new pay table on December 26th including the locality pay area definitions outlining the pay rates for all regions nationwide.

The rates of basic pay or salaries are included for the following list of statutory pay systems:

  • The General Schedule
  • The Foreign Service Schedule
  • schedules for the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Senior Executive Service
  • Certain Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Salaries
  • The Executive Schedule

This was the largest annual increase since 2009 when federal employees received a base rate increase of 2.9%. OPM was fast to react to the Presidential Order and released the new tables the day after Christmas.

Following are links to the new 2020 locality pay tables:

Click here for: Special Rates Tables

Helpul Job Hunting Information:

Disclaimer: The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Occupational Series Proposed Cancelations

Posted on by Dennis Damp

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing to cancel 47 occupational series. Each of the selected series recommended for cancellation have approximately 25 or fewer incumbents Governmentwide. The work can be covered in other existing occupational series. OPM is not proposing to cancel occupational series whose work is so specialized that it is not classifiable to any other series or which have individual occupational qualification requirements. Any series approved for cancellation will be absorbed in the job families ‘01’ or ‘03’ series, e.g., the Correspondence Clerk Series, 309, will be absorbed into the Miscellaneous Clerk and Assistance Series, 303 series.
The 28 white collar and 19 trade series are listed below:

White Collar Occupations

  • 0309 – Correspondence Clerk Series
  • 0313 – Work Unit Supervising Series
  • 0319 – Closed Microphone Reporting Series
  • 0322 – Clerk-Typist Series
  • 0392 – General Telecommunications Series
  • 0394 – Communications Clerical Series
  • 0642 – Nuclear Medicine Technician Series
  • 0698 – Environmental Health Technician Series
  • 0804 – Fire Protection Engineering
  • 0880 – Mining Engineering
  • 0958 – Employee Benefits Law Specialist
  • 1051 – Music Specialist
  • 1054 – Theater Specialist
  • 1056 – Art Specialist
  • 1087 – Editorial Assistance
  • 1107 – Property Disposal Clerical and Technician
  • 1147 – Agricultural Market Reporting
  • 1163 – Insurance Examining
  • 1321 – Metallurgy
  • 1658 – Laundry Operations Services
  • 1725 – Public Health Educator
  • 1730 – Education Research
  • 1815 – Air Safety Investigating
  • 1850 – Agricultural Warehouse Inspection
  • 2110 – Transportation Industry Analysis
  • 2135 – Transportation Loss and Damage Claims Examining
  • 2144 – Cargo Scheduling
  • 2161 – Marine Cargo

Trades, Craft, and Labor Occupations

  • 3106 – Upholsteringg
  • 3511 – Laboratory Working
  • 3602 – Cement Finishing
  • 3605 – Plastering
  • 3606 – Roofing
  •  3802 – Metal Forging
  • 3808 – Boilermaking
  • 3809 – Mobile Equipment Metal Mechanic
  • 4104 – Sign Painting
  • 4416 – Offset Platemaking
  • 4417 – Offset Press Operating
  • 4616 – Patternmaking
  • 4805 – Medical Equipment Repairing
  • 4850 – Bearing Reconditioning
  • 5313 – Elevator Mechanic
  • 5736 – Braking-Switching and Conducting
  • 5737 – Locomotive Engineering
  • 5738 – Railroad Maintenance Vehicle Operating
  • 7402 – Baking

OPM is seeking comments or questions from agencies on this proposal and suggestions for additional series cancellations. They will review agency comments and supporting evidence to finalize the list of occupational series for cancellation. OPM will notify agencies of the final occupational series for cancellation and provide guidance on the appropriate classification of canceled occupations.

This is an ongoing effort and OPM is statutorily responsible for preparing position classification and job grading standards for agencies to use in placing positions in their proper classes and grades. Review the original proposal online.

Helpul Job Hunting Information:

Disclaimer: The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

IT Specialist (GS-2210) – Featured Occupation 

Posted on by Donna Day

The federal government, including the U.S. Postal Service, employs approximately 2.8 million civilian workers, or about 2 percent of the United States’ workforce. The federal government is this nation’s largest employer. The total employed is actually higher, employment data for certain agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and others aren’t released to the public for national security reasons.

Excellent federal job opportunities are available for those who know how to tap this lucrative job market. Where else can you find and apply for high-paying jobs that offer employment at thousands of locations stateside and overseas with excellent career advancement opportunities?

This month’s column features Information Technology occupations. We help those seeking federal employment understand the application process and link you to current job vacancies.

IT Specialist (GS-2210)

Currently there are over 650 job announcements from agencies actively recruiting Information Technology Specialists on USAJOBS. The GS-2210 Series includes the following occupations:

  • Information Technology Management
  • Computer Specialist
  • Telecommunications
  • Other Series (Work previously included in other series to the Information Technology Management Series, 2210, when knowledge of IT principles, concepts, and methods is paramount.)

Many of the 650 active job announcements list multiple vacancies at various locations. For example, one of the announcements on the current list is hiring 35 IT Specialists for the Internal Revenue Service, they list 4 cities where they are hiring. When you add up all of the multiple vacancies, you will discover thousands of opportunities in the IT field for you to explore and at locations across the country and overseas.

Currently, the IRS and the U.S. Army Cyber Command have many job announcements with multiple vacancies posted. You will also find current positions available with the CIA, Secrete Service, the Smithsonian Institute, Indian Health Services, U.S. Census Bureau, and many others.

If you are looking for a challenging position in the IT field explore these opportunities. The following link will take you to the GS 2210 Occupational Description that includes links to the current IT Specialist job announcements on USAJOBS.

Visit our jobs board to search for all other occupations by job title.

To find vacancies in your area, locate job announcements of interest and review the required qualifications. If you have the experience, education and/or work experience specified, apply online.

Each month we will feature a different occupation. Visit our website regularly to find information about federal jobs in your area.

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

USAJOBS Website – Opportunities and More

Posted on by Donna Day

USAJOBS is an official Government site that provides a wealth of information about federal job opportunities. The myriad of resources available help links job seekers and agencies with the ‘right’ matches and opportunities for employment; as part of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), USAJOBS fosters recruitment and retention building of a world class government workforce for the people.

With hundreds of federal agencies and organizations taking advantage of all that USAJOBS has to offer, their hiring processes are better streamlined and efficient when it comes to finding the right applicant for the right job. USAJOBS fosters service and commitment, representing more than two million Americans and foreign nationals who are successfully working and fulfilling essential duties in Civil Service positions.

Since the website offers easy to follow steps, individuals can create a USAJOB profile through the portal, where favorite jobs and searches can be saved along with resumes and critical documentation for applications. Resumes would then be visible to potential employers searching the database, and finally, individuals can apply for any jobs posted by USAJOBS online. There is also an explanation of the federal application process and opportunities listed by industry to include: social sciences, engineering, math and more. Also offered are insights into unique hiring paths that represent diversity to include: veterans, native Americans, those with disabilities and more. Lastly, hiring events with specific dates/times are offered at the bottom of the site for planning purposes. There is even a help center and FAQ which serve as additional resources to include salary information, to help with your job search, among other critical tools, articles and links.

To date, many positions are in high demand, like cybersecurity professionals, nurses, human resource managers and more. There are over 750 jobs available and showcased as critical hiring opportunities right now in cybersecurity and more than 890 nursing positions alone! Go now, to www.USAJOBS.gov and see for yourself. Create a profile and explore opportunities that are available, or just upload your resume and let the site do the work for you. It’s quick, easy, secure, searchable and streamlined so that it is easy to use, organized and helpful; it’s a one stop shop for employment …and a must for federal job seekers.

Reference:

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Federal Recruitment Initiatives

Posted on by Donna Day

The Federal Government is seeking new and creative ways to recruit and retain technical employees, many resources are being used for this effort. Government faces stiff competition when recruiting for areas such as cyber security, information assurance, engineering, information technology, science and math.

With the variety of critical jobs needing to be filled, highly qualified applicants must be properly assessed. The most important selection factor is the ability to perform the duties of the position without undue influence for favoritism or political beliefs and/or values. A process that is fair, systematic and consistent must be used to perform data collection; applicant qualifications can then be compared to job performance ability. A fair and open process fosters the hiring of the most qualified candidates that are capable of performing the task(s) at hand.

Recently, the Federal Government has bolstered its hiring process, focusing on common sense and efficiency. Time to hire has been reduced, resumes and cover letters can now be forwarded in lieu of large application packets, and information on websites is current and user friendly. Furthermore, they improved candidate status and /or selection notifications.

Hiring goals are being achieved through the use of a more favorable and simplified hiring process. Further, current employee retention efforts are being targeted to ensure career opportunities, growth, professional development, training and more are offered in the form of programs, coursework, and mentoring.

Finally, feedback mechanisms and opportunities are being provided on a continuous basis to ensure a vehicle for critical information and communication is established between the agency and the applicant. To date, data obtained from potential and/or new hires help shape and define future hiring strategies, assessments, analysis, processes and procedures. With the Federal Government taking both hiring and retention more seriously, much improvement has been made; disconnects are being addressed, gaps are being closed, and processes are being refined resulting in a more sound, holistic approach to hiring and retention of the most highly skilled, desirable applicants and employees.

Reference:

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Performance Management in Federal Agencies

Posted on by Donna Day

With the Federal Government as the largest employer within the U.S., there are over 2 million full time employees across a myriad of agencies and offices, worldwide. Given this, the Human Resources departments have their hands full with negotiating and managing such a large and diverse workforce. Challenges are plentiful, and more importantly is the need for a successful performance management system.

Only the most effective performance plan process can streamline communication, shape management and leadership attributes, represent strategic goals and objectives, and address personnel, compensation, and human resource needs. Many of these challenges include retirements, administrative changes, hiring, policies, compliance and accountability factors, and more; The extra stress of aligning organizational goals and objectives with employee skill sets is another critical task that must be performed in order for the process to be holistic and successful.

Retirement opportunities for federal employees have exploded over recent years; currently, more than 31% of the workforce is eligible. Given this, succession planning across organizations is critical in order to meet future demands. Federal employees sometimes possess low or moderate morale and engagement based on their job satisfaction.

Changes are underway to optimize performance management within Agencies across the enterprise and most recently President Trump signed an Executive Order focusing on streamlining personnel actions. OMB-17-22 is guidance directing agencies to develop employee performance plans in accordance with any short or long term reviews of the workforce. This guidance is aimed to create opportunities for employees to better understand expectations, work on areas of weakness, and improve their overall job performance.

Many organizations are currently making adjustments to their performance management workflows that are part of OMB-17-22’s target initiatives. Implementation is steadfast yet flexibility is key; with a myriad of areas involved, communication is a critical component for success.

Leadership Development, for example, is one area where organizations can capitalize on by supporting personalized training, enhancing skill development (to include soft skills), and establishing a workforce succession planning foundation. Involvement, communication and notification to the workforce is critical so that expectations are set and interest is assured.

Goal alignment is another area that can be addressed where employees are motivated to engage with a thorough understanding of organizational goals and objectives and how they are contributing to the big picture. Finally, performance management software can capture metrics, archive data and create additional efficiency across organizations when analyzing, developing and managing criteria. By making improvements such as these, organizations can make better decisions, strategically align performance management, increase flexibility and posture themselves for meeting their needs, as well as those of their employees.

In closing, Human Resource departments across the federal government are working diligently to ensure the ‘right’ performance process is in place. With the need for a more modernized, diverse and technologically advanced workforce, so too is the need for sustainable and accountable performance measurement systems.

Strategic organizational goals and objectives serve as the foundation for this new initiative; employees will understand expectations better, and align themselves to the mission, easier. Flexibility, as well as compliance and accountability are critical for these processes to be implemented and managed successfully. Finally, open communication with leadership, human resource personnel and the employees will ensure a robust and holistic approach to managing performance successfully.

Reference: Agency Challenges Through Performance Management

Career Planning Tools

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages

The Government Shutdown – What to Expect

Posted on by Dennis Damp

Certain government agencies are currently shut down because Congress hasn’t passed a budget to fund them.  Instead of working together for the good of the country politicians are focusing on how best to support their party and keep their jobs!  Just one more reason to support term limits for our Congressional representatives.

This may take some time to resolve, hopefully before more suffer. The national emergency at our borders has caused a rift between the parties and in the interim others suffer on both sides of the border, certain federal services are unavailable, and many federal workers are doing without until back pay arrives.

Those seeking federal employment may have to wait for some vacancies to be filled. It all depends on the agency and whether or not their human resource staff is impacted. Many jobs may be placed on a temporary hold until Congress acts.  If a position is delayed, now is the time to work on your federal style resume. Don’t get disillusioned, keep searching for vacancies and be ready to apply when you locate them.

Job Hunting is a Process

The news media blows the Shutdown out of proportion. They sidestep the border crisis and the petty maneuvers of politicians and parties. First, only non-essential services are unavailable and the majority of federal workers will get paid and on time. Social Security and Federal annuity checks are being sent out and Medicare isn’t impacted. All critical services are available as this drags on.  

I recently heard a report on one of the major news services saying that federal workers would soon abandon their jobs for private sector ones. I don’t believe federal employees would give their generous benefits up of 13 paid sick days each year, up to a 5-week vacation, affordable healthcare options, and generous annuity including a 401k retirement plan with a 5 percent match.

About 800,000 federal employees are furloughed until Congress acts, which could be awhile. Furloughed employees have always received retroactive pay in the past and consequently receive extended vacation time for the duration of the shutdown. With this furlough, many received an extended Christmas and New Year holiday break.

Non-essential new hires and those early on in their federal careers are most impacted. They may not have sufficient funds to carry them over until backpay arrives. Even though federal employment is a safe haven for most, employees need to be aware of the fact that they too must be prepared for when political conflicts result in Congressional inaction. Furloughed workers may have to work somewhere on the side or apply for unemployment during the shutdown. Workers that are furloughed can apply for unemployment however they will have to pay it back after receiving backpay.

I was furloughed several times for short periods during my 35-year government career and actually enjoyed the additional paid time off. I believe many federal employees feel the same. Anytime you get more free time to spend with family and friends is a bonus.  Those deemed critical often look with envy at the federal employees that were sent home, I know this from first hand experience. When I was walking out the door, during my first government shutdown, I was on staff and considered non-essential. The essential workers called me a lucky SOB.

Career Planning Tools

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages

Understanding Cyber Security Positions – New Guidance from the OPM

Posted on by Donna Day

Cyber security employment is expected to increase dramatically for the foreseeable future due to concerns about cyber security crimes and the war against terror. These concerns have spurred the demand for cyber security professionals across the board and the need to fast track the recruiting process.

Agencies are now able to more easily identify, recruit and retain cyber security professionals that are highly qualified. With guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), roles and responsibilities have been clearly identified and explained in accordance with an HR/OPM memo dated October 15, 2018. In addition, many positions will fall within the administrative work ‘standard’ of information technology group 2200. A title of “IT cyber security specialist” for example, within the 2210 series of management position listings, will include cyber work.

Organizations are now able to include ‘cyber security’ as a designated title for other occupations that perform this type of work so it helps them to recruit and meet mission goals and objectives more easily. With a myriad of laws, orders, strategies and frameworks, OPM has been able to work with other agencies, Chief Information Officers, and other stakeholders to understand the need for a comprehensive and robust cyber workforce and streamline the guidance.

Definitions of cyber security positions have been challenging and organizations like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have struggled to place identifiers, markers and codes for required positions; OPM has made a lot of this guesswork easy with new clarification and identifications. Given that cyber security is multi-faceted, and on the cutting edge of technology, the guidance had to be steadfast and sustainable; in addition, it had to co-exist with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) positions.

Qualifications include following traditional procedures for ranking, and individual organizations who can determine whether or not additional knowledge, skills and abilities are required and/or competencies should be added as part of their cyber security standard position.

Specific certifications as well must be agency-implemented, as required and become part of the organization’s selection criteria. Finally, organizations must continue to define their factors for ranking and quality of applicant selection for their developing cyber workforce. Subject matter experts in these organizations can use the guidance, to include general and technical competencies set forth by OPM to make this happen by reviewing specific duties, tasks, and competencies required for cyber positions.

These criteria will then serve as the foundation for job analysis and the cyber security workforce build out. Applicants will also be expected to portray creative and strategic thinking, problem solving, negotiations and customer service skills as key soft skill competencies for cyber security professionals. Technical skills, for example, may include computer forensics, surveillance or counter-intelligence for certain agencies.

If you are interested in cyber security / intelligence positions now is a good time to start your job search. Seek out relevant job announcements and apply for all positions that you qualify for to improve your changes of employment.

Reference:

Career Planning Tools

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.