Federal Application Career Coaching

The federal government workforce experienced an unprecedented shake-up in 2025, with mass layoffs under the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA), Deferred Resignation Offer, and other options. Moreover, the application process was transformed from a long, résumé-and-questions application to a short, industry-style two-page résumé and skills-based hiring process. 

USA Today reported in December 2025 that more than 317,000 federal employees left the government in 2025 (from a workforce of about 2.4 million). Most employees took voluntary buyouts and early retirements. 

Now that the dust is settling and agencies are finalizing budgets and workforce needs, some are hiring again for specific positions.

The Application Process

Historically, the federal government used lengthy résumés, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) essays, or narrative statements. Résumés in the past 10 years were an average of five pages. The résumés were detailed and included full addresses for employers, full dates of employment, supervisor’s names and contact information, long lists of training, awards, and education, as well as duties and accomplishments. 

Applicants also completed self-assessment questionnaires ranging from 5 to 10 questions to 175. 

The new application process includes a maximum two-page résumé, four optional mini-narrative responses (up to 200 words), and, in some cases, a several-hour skills-based assessment. Some agencies have their own application processes. 

The new mini essays must be written personally, without the use of AI. If the applicant is found to have used AI, they may be disqualified from the application process. The questions include:

1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience. 
2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes. 
3. How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired. 
4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic, or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position. 

Who’s Hiring?

As of April 2026, a keyword search for various job titles, agencies, and hiring authorities revealed the following: 

Manager: 5400 open positions

Nurse: 1180 

Director: 1418 

Information Technology: 4935

Doctor: 1221 

Engineer: 700

Electrician: 78

Accountant: 84

Direct Hire: 1852 (A direct hire authority means an agency has an immediate need to fill a specific position. It allows agencies to hire candidates without the usual competitive process, and it is often used to fill critical positions quickly, especially in high-demand fields.)

GS-15: 866 (Highest GS level – one level below SES (see below))

Veterinarian: 49

IRS: 78 positions

NASA: 45 

ICE: 201 positions

Homeland Security: 581

Overseas jobs: 467 

Jobs in Alaska: 170

Agencies hiring include the FAA, TSA, DHS, Navy Sea Command, Department of Justice, Social Security Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Veterans Health Administration, Smithsonian, Architect of the Capitol, and many more. 

This is good news for career coaches interested in coaching federal applicants through the federal application process. 

Each applicant will require a two-page, well-focused résumé targeted to the duties, KSAs, qualifications, and competencies for a specific position; development of the four mini essays; navigation through qualification questionnaires or skills-based assessments; and potential structured interviews. 

Train Yourself

• • To train yourself to navigate the federal application process, start by analyzing several federal job vacancy announcements from USAJOBS.GOV. It is just like reviewing a job announcement for the industry. Be thorough and read the entire announcement. 
  • Open a USAJobs account and test-drive it. 
  • Draft the two-page résumé focused on the requirements of the announcement. 
  • Walk a couple of clients through the application process to see the entire process. 

• Complete some skills and leadership assessments via https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us 

• Prepare clients for structured, behavior-based interviews. 

Senior Executive Service Changes

The Senior Executive Service (SES) is a federal leadership system in the U.S. government consisting of a cadre of about 7,000 high-level officials who manage the day-to-day operations of federal agencies. They are appointed based on their qualifications, experience, and their meeting of leadership executive core qualification competencies, not through the competitive civil service process.

SES members are certified through the Office of Personnel Management to receive their appointment. 

For many years, SES applicants were required to submit a five-page résumé, 10 pages of leadership essays (10 essays at 1 page each), and, in many applications, additional essays to demonstrate Technical Qualifications. Some applications were 21+ pages. The application portfolio with résumé and essays was then reviewed and certified by OPM after the candidate was offered the SES position. 

In 2025, the application process was changed to a maximum of two pages for the résumé and completion of an Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) interview with the hiring agency and the OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB). 

Train Yourself

These Senior Executive Service applicants now require career coaching to develop very specific, tight, executive-level two-page résumés focused on the Executive Core Qualifications and the Technical Qualifications specified in the target job announcement, and to prepare for structured interviews focused on the Executive Core Qualifications.

The new Executive Core Qualifications and sub-competencies include:

1. Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: Knowledge of the American System of Government, Commitment to the Rule of Law, Civic-Mindedness
2. Driving Efficiency: Fiscal Responsibility, Managing Resources, Leveraging Technology
3. Merit and Competence: Problem Solving, Agility and Resilience, Technical Skill
4. Leading People: Developing Others, Executive Judgment, Accountability
5. Achieving Results: Operational Mindset, Innovation, Strategic Thinking 

If you coach executives, you might appreciate coaching SES applicants through this executive-level application process. 

Career Coaching Opportunities

If you write résumés and provide interview coaching, working with federal applicants is like coaching industry applicants.  

An application process that was once daunting, lengthy, and seemingly challenging for many career coaches is now within reach, as it is similar to the industry application process.

As the federal government ramps up hiring in the coming months and years, we can certainly deliver superior career coaching services to our federal clients.