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Careers @ HHS Online - FAQs:
The responses you provide to the questions are scored by HHS Careers. A Human Resource Specialist will conduct a review of all applications and, if necessary, may adjust your score based on information in your resume or may request additional information from you to verify status.
Your job application will be rated automatically by the system one minute after midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. Additionally, a quality review is conducted by the HR Office before the rating is finalized.
Your resume and any supporting documentation will be compared with your question responses to verify your education and/or experience.
If you're having a hard time deciding between two different answers to a question, make sure you select the one that best describes your education and/or experience. Do not select an answer unless you fully meet all the criteria described for that response. (Do not select an answer that only partially applies to you.)
The HHS Careers page at http://www.hhs.gov/careers/index.html provides information about employment opportunities, including federal jobs, student internships, fellowships, etc. There is also information about:
Yes. Information in HHS Careers is governed by the following laws and internal policies:
- Privacy Act of 1974 (DOJ);
- OMB Circular A-130: Management of Federal Information Resources (OMB);
- OMB M-99-18, Memorandum: Privacy Policies on Federal Web Sites (OMB); and, the
- HHS Computer Security Handbook.
There are three steps in the process managed by the HHS Careers system:
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When you click APPLY ONLINE at the bottom of a vacancy on USAJOBS, you are taken to HHS Careers, where you will answer vacancy-specific questions necessary to evaluate your qualifications for the specific job to which you are applying.
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When completed, the resume you created on USAJOBS, the answers to the HHS Careers questions, and any supporting documentation required will become your application.
- After the vacancy closes, the HR Specialist uses HHS Careers to identify those candidates who are determined to be best qualified and refer their applications to the hiring manager.
All SES vacancy announcements are posted on USAJOBS. The application process is similar as for non-SES positions. You are provided SES-specific search capability at USAJOBS. Specific application requirements and required documentation will be identified in the vacancy announcement.
Don't worry. Chances are no one else is using your Social Security Number (SSN). Sometime in the distant past, you may have registered for HHS Careers, or logged out of HHS Careers Online before you finished registering.
If you have issues accessing HHS Careers from USAJOBS, please contact USAJOBS Support.
Most career resource centers, unemployment offices, public libraries, college placement centers, and job search agencies have computers and Internet access for public or patron use. If applying online is significantly difficult, please follow the instructions in the vacancy announcement under the heading Reasonable Accommodation.
No. HHS Careers is linked directly with USAJOBS so your USAJOBS logon gives you access to apply to vacancies only in the HHS Careers system. It is true that some agencies use USAJOBS as a vehicle to post vacancies, but they link to separate application systems once you click to apply online. You must create separate logons and passwords for those agencies' vacancies.
Yes! You can apply from any location with Internet access.
Yes. Applicants should retain copies of all parts of the application process for their records including the vacancy announcement, resume, and application confirmation page. Applicants may choose to have a full copy of their application e-mailed to them upon finishing the vacancy specific questions in HHS Careers.
Yes. Once you have registered with USAJOBS, you should complete a Federal resume using their resume builder. In fact, you have the capability of creating and storing up to five resumes. Once created, you can update or change your resume(s). When you apply for a particular vacancy, the system allows you to select a resume to attach to your application. If you apply for another vacancy, you may wish to select another resume, or update your resume, to correspond more closely with the new vacancy announcement.
Required supporting documentation must be submitted to the hiring agency outside of USAJOBS and HHS Careers. Follow the directions listed under the "Supporting Documentation" section of the vacancy announcement. Read the whole vacancy announcement carefully, as instructions may vary from vacancy to vacancy.
HHS participates in federal career opportunity programs. For more information, see: http://www.usajobs.gov/StudentJobs
You can print the application confirmation screen from USAJOBS when you complete the application process. In addition, at the prompt, you can request to receive a copy of your responses to the vacancy questions and a copy of your resume when you finish applying for jobs in HHS Careers.
Learn More: USAJOBS FAQs
Your responses will be saved, provided you select the "Save" icon at the bottom of each page, prior to leaving the system. Clicking on other USAJOBS tabs during the application process will not save your information.
To complete the application from where you last saved, you must search for the vacancy announcement, click "Apply Online," login to USAJOBS to retrieve and select your desired resume, and continue with the application process. NOTE: Any alterations to your application will be overwritten once you click Save.
Learn More: USAJOBs Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
USAJOBS is administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and it is the official job site of the Federal government. USAJOBS is the one resource where you can search for jobs, create multiple resumes, receive e-mail notifications, access information regarding your application status, and find general information about Federal employment.
You may obtain more specific information from the USAJOBS Web site.
HHS Careers jobs close at midnight Eastern time (ET) on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. Please allow yourself sufficient time to prepare your resume, answer all job specific questions thoroughly, and gather your supporting documentation.
The USAJOBS system provides a salary range and pay grade (GS) level search options on the Basic Search, Agency Search, Series Search, and Advanced Search pages. To review current Federal pay, please see OPM Information on Federal Pay and Leave.
There are several internet sites that offer free, secure e-mail accounts. You can choose from many free Internet service providers to obtain a free e-mail account.
The HHS Web-based recruiting system, HHS Careers, automates the Federal hiring process and integrates with the Federal government's USAJOBS Recruitment One-Stop (ROS) Web site. HHS Careers is used by HHS to build and post job vacancies directly to USAJOBS and to receive online applications from all job applicants.
After a vacancy closes, the Human Resources (HR) Center/Office staff use the HHS Careers system to rate, rank, and certify candidates for referral to the manager for selection consideration. Top talent is quickly identified,speeding up the Federal hiring process.
After you have submitted your USAJOBS resume and completed the online questionnaire on HHS Careers, by clicking on the submit button, you will be presented with a page that informs you of the successful transmission of your application. If there were any issues, e.g., if you did not answer all the mandatory questions, you will be informed that you need to update your application.
Your job application is not complete until you have submitted your resume, your question responses, and any required supporting documentation. You are able to review/update your application, check on its status, as well as email yourself a copy of the application by logging into USAJOBS, clicking on the My USAJOBS tab and logging in.
Yes, you may use your HHS office computer to apply for positions within HHS. Employees should refer to the HHS Policy for Personal Use of Information Technology Resources. See Policy #2006-0001.
No. To apply for positions advertised using HHS Careers, you must apply online starting at USAJOBS.
There is no time out feature for applicants using the HHS Careers Online system.
Falsifying, or answering questions to mislead the Human Resource Specialist, is no different than providing false or misleading information on your application under a manual process.
Please note that providing false information, creating fake IDs, using a Social Security Number not assigned to you, or failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely is grounds for not considering your application, not hiring you, barring you from Federal Service, or dismissing after hiring. Falsifying a Federal job application, attempting to violate the privacy of others, or attempting to compromise this system is punishable by fine or imprisonment (USC, Title 18, Section 1001).
To apply for positions at HHS, visit USAJOBS website to locate and apply for Federal jobs. We recommend that you use the Advanced Search form to locate an open position within HHS. The USAJOBS site has tutorials and job searching information in their Resource Center.
You can also search their interactive voice response telephone system at 1/703-724-1850 to access the same information that is on the USAJOBS website. The TDD line 1/978-461-8404 is available for our customers that are hearing impaired. Local telephone companies may charge for long distance service.
If you would like to inquire about the status of your application to a vacancy posted on USAJOBS, you should go to the agency contact provided in the vacancy announcement for assistance.
No, all applications and required information must be received by midnight Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If a situation occurs for which you believe an extension is warranted, please contact the servicing Human Resource Specialist who may, on a case-by-case basis, grant an exception.
