Dear Bureaupat:
I was terminated from the
federal government during my probationary period several years ago. What are my chances ever to work for the
federal government again? Should I not even bother applying because
it's hopeless?
Dear Hopeful,
As long as criminal offenses are not the reason for your termination, the official answer is that
you always have opportunities to work for the government regardless of your
past. You just have to compete for positions along with others who have never worked for the federal government, and deal with the blemish on your resume just like you would with any other prospective employer.
Your particular situation
actually provides you an opportunity to not overtly disclose your past, since you were
never a career federal employee. Since you never attained career status, you are only eligible for federal jobs
where agencies are seeking candidates from outside the civil service versus
from candidates with civil service status.
These positions do not
require proof of prior federal service; that is, you don't need to supply a copy of your SF-50, Notification
of Personnel Action, which documented your termination.
So as long as the application
and/or interview process does not query your distant past, there is no need to
disclose the past.
The key is to get on the
certification list and get an interview. If your federal job was over 10 years, then you
may choose to list only job experience from the past 10 years on your resume.
Most interviews these days
are behavior-based and focus on job-related experiences, behaviors,
knowledge, skills and abilities. However,
if you are asked why you left the past federal position, it serves you well to
be honest: period.
The caveat is that if a
hiring official is choosing between a candidate with a stellar record and one
that is questionable, well, you know the answer. They are going to choose the
untarnished candidate.
While I don't know all the facts
of your situation, I hope these hints and words of wisdom serve you well.
Yours in Gov,
Bureaupat
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