For individuals serving in the National Guard and Reserves, there are plenty of options for federal jobs within the unit.
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USA JOBS includes a complete index of federal government jobs with specialized hiring paths.
There is one that supports those serving in the National Guard and Reserves.
USAJOBS.gov is a fantastic resource from the United States government that lists crucial job openings.
Members of the National Guard and Reserves should specifically apply to fill.
Anyone who is a member of the National Guard or their Reserves, or is willing and able to join the National Guard, can apply for federal jobs within a National Guard unit using this hiring path.
Any employment within a National Guard unit is part of the excepted service, so not everyone may be eligible.
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Some jobs require individuals to be a National Guard member in a certain state already.
Some require them to be a National Guard member willing to move to another state.
And some are open to anyone but require joining the National Guard first, and some require wearing the National Guard uniform.
There are a few different requirements the “Who May Apply” section may outline.
It could say the position is restricted to only currently serving members of the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, reserves, or active duty military.
It could say that United States citizens are eligible, but they must join the National Guard before accepting the job.
Furthermore, it could list Area 1 or Area 2 requirements.
Area 1 means the job is open to current, permanent technicians of the Michigan National Guard.
Area 2 means the position is open to current military members of the Michigan National Guard, who are already members.
For Area 2, preference is given to technicians because these positions need people with technical experience.
Another region-specific detail asks for a current warrant officer of position CW3 and below or enlisted of rank E6 or above, who is a member of the North Dakota Army or Air National Guard.
In this listing, the applicant must achieve a certain rank in the North Dakota National Guard to meet the eligibility.
Finally, an opening might ask for United States citizens and federal employees with status.
This description is asking for any citizen or federal employee with status who has joined or will join the National Guard before accepting the job.
The application process for this hiring path is relatively straightforward.
The first thing individuals should do is make an account with login.gov, and then make another account with USAJOBS.gov.
Within the USA JOBS portal, they can add the National Guard and Reserves hiring path to their profile.
The majority of job searching will take place within the USA JOBS portal, and then most of the application occurs on login.gov for extra security.
As of June 1st, 2023, there are numerous positions under the National Guard and Reserves hiring path.
Currently, USA JOBS has over 1,300 unique listings.
Positions will have a “This job is open to” section in the details with a red flag icon for the National Guard and Reserves hiring path.
It’s important to note that applicants can apply to any job that’s open to the public, even if they don’t have this specific hiring path.
However, the National Guard and Reserves hiring path will give special accommodations for their members.
These jobs have specific systems in place to make work smoother for these individuals.
One example of a current position under this hiring path is a Security Officer opening working with the Air National Guard Units for $79,363 per year.
To apply to positions like this, applicants can click on the position and then click on the “Apply” button to fill out all relevant information.
There are a few extra documents applicants may need for this hiring path.
Some forms will vary based on the applicant’s state, as the National Guard for each state will require different forms.
Individuals will have to fill out forms that prove their prior military or federal service if they have such a history.
There are two primary standard forms for this hiring path.
The first form is the DD-369 form, which is the police records check form.
The second form is the SF-144 form, which is a statement of prior federal service.
All documents can be uploaded and submitted through the USA JOBS portal.
There are many benefits to working for the United States government while serving in the National Guard, but there is one clear advantage.
Using the National Guard and Reserves member hiring path allows applicants to find a job that will accommodate and celebrate their service.
Many of these positions help people learn practical skills that will translate well to the civilian job market later in life.
Overall, National Guard and Reserves members should strongly consider applying for federal career opportunities.
There are over 1,300 different positions available right here.