How to Apply: What to Expect After You Submit Your Application

What to Expect After You Submit Your Application

Before you submit your application, be sure to read the “Next Steps” section of the job announcement. If you’ve recently submitted an application but haven’t heard back, here’s what’s happening behind the scenes!

• You might have submitted your application at the beginning of the period during which the announcement is listed on USAJobs (the "Open Period"). Open periods typically last from 1-2 weeks. Your application will not start being reviewed before the end of the open period.

• Once the Open Period is over, a Human Resources Specialist will begin reviewing your application to determine if you meet the eligibility, qualifications, and educational requirements of the position.

• Assuming your application shows that you meet the minimum qualifications, that specialist will then review your application to determine if you are among the “qualified” or “best qualified” candidates. Sometimes this can take a few days, or a few weeks, depending on the number of applications received.

• Once the “best qualified” candidates are identified, the Human Resources Officer prepares a list of eligible candidates called a "Certificate of Eligibility" and sends it to the manager who is looking to hire. This is often referred to as "creating a cert." Note that in some cases, qualified veterans who meet certain criteria will receive preference over other candidates to be listed on the Certificate of Eligibility.

• The manager will then review the applications on the certificate and determine who among the “best qualified” will be interviewed.

• The manager then schedules and conducts interviews, completes reference checks, and makes a final selection.

• Steps 1-6 take time -- it may be weeks or months from the time a position is advertised to when a selection is made. Don’t be deterred by this. Ask questions via the human resources contact listed on the job announcement.