Committee updates
Navigating Federal Hiring as an Early Career Scientist
USAJobs Webinar Recap
Written by Laney White and Emily Runnells
In early January, the PSG HELPS Committee hosted a webinar on applying to wildlife biology positions through USAJobs, the federal hiring website that can be notoriously difficult to navigate. Submitting a successful application often requires “insider knowledge,” so the PSG HELPS team felt this panel discussion was a concrete way to make federal positions in the biological sciences more accessible. Over 400 early career scientists and students registered- clearly, many people find federal hiring confusing!
Our panel of experts included Roberta Swift (Seabird Coordinator, USFWS Office Migratory Birds, Pacific Region), Heather Renner (USFWS, Supervisory Wildlife Biologist, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife), Sarah Schoen (USGS Biologist, Alaska Science Center), and Chelsea McKinney (USFWS, Regional Intern and Fellow Coordinator, Pacific Islands). Thank you to these scientists for generously sharing their time and expertise!
What were some of their main takeaways and top tips?
- Be honest, but don’t be modest in your application!
- Because the first person who reviews your application doesn’t work in your field, clearly describe your qualifications in your CV using the verbiage from the job posting and questionnaire.
- Use the Resume Builder on the USAJobs site to ensure your CV has all the components necessary. Optionally, to make it look nicer, download it, clean it up, and reupload it to your profile.
- Cast a wide net. It can be hard to break into the federal system, so go after any job you’re qualified for and can see yourself doing, even if it’s not your ultimate career goal.
- Write a strong cover letter. Some hiring managers won’t look at it, but for those who do, it can make all the difference.
- If you can track down the hiring supervisor, reach out to them directly to express your interest.
- To determine what gaps need to be filled in your resume and what skills you need to build to be competitive, look at jobs you’re interested in but aren’t qualified for yet.
- If you make it to the interview stage, don’t be modest! Move towards talking about yourself as “I” instead of “we.”
If you weren’t able to attend the webinar, but are interested in watching the recording or accessing other resources, visit the PSG Students & Early Career page. The webinar materials are available under “Jobs and Internships” on the Students page. Or, click here to go direct to our USAJobs resources! You’ll also find many other resources to help you fledge to the next stage of your career, from a list of seabird research labs to advice from stars in our field.
Thank you again to everyone who attended the webinar, to Amelia DuVall for co-hosting, and to the panelists for making this event a success!
PSG Helping Elevate Long-term Participation in Science (PSG HELPS) supports early career scientists and students through sponsored membership and aims to foster a more inclusive and collaborative community. The program has been made possible by your generous donations. Thank you to the PSG community for your support!
