The Write Stuff

Include information on how to access related information, such as a list of your publications, the addresses of relevant Web sites you created, relevant volunteer work you have done, and other credentials related to your target job.

Short-answer questions: If you're asked to rate your level of experience via multiple choice or true-false questions, remember that only applicants who receive the highest ratings in almost all short-answer questions qualify for most jobs. As a result, give yourself the highest rating you can without lying.

To do so, carefully consider your experience and interpret it liberally. For example, suppose you¿re asked whether you have supervisory experience. If you're a team leader who assigns work, you can legitimately claim to possess supervisory experience even if you never served as a first-line supervisor.

Essay questions: Known as KSAs (short for Knowledge, Skills and Abilities), these questions are part of the application for most white-collar federal jobs and address communication, management and technical skills.

Answer each KSA with a bulleted, annotated inventory of relevant successes or with fewer, more comprehensive, success stories. Carlos Rodriguez, a federal international affairs specialist and forestry policy professional whose KSAs have recently helped him land several interviews for executive jobs, recommends "structuring each success story to identify the problem you addressed, your actions, results and any positive feedback you earned."

Limit each KSA answer to one written page. Don't feel obligated to fill the space provided; if you can make a case for yourself clearly and quickly, do so.

Other documents: Hiring managers recommend attaching additional documents, such as professional or student publications or a strong reference, to your hard-copy applications when possible (and even if not solicited). Some online systems allow you to reference publications or provide Web links to support your application.

Don't Give Up

If you're rejected from one or more of your target jobs, remember that persistence is just as important to federal job searches as private sector hunts. Why? Because each federal job is filled by different hiring managers using different criteria, the person who passes on one of your applications may not see your next one.

What's more, every job search is, to some degree, a numbers game: The more suitable openings you find and target, the better your chances will be of success. Your next application could hit the bull's eye.