What is eligibility?
Eligibility, in the federal hiring process, refers to being part of a particular group of people that an agency wants to hire – whether it's a current federal employee, a veteran, or a recent graduate. There are different eligibilities in the federal government; and we use "hiring paths" to distinguish who can apply to which jobs.
For example, some federal jobs are only open to current or former federal employees—this means you must be a current or former federal employee to be eligible for the job. Other jobs may be open to a current student or recent graduate—you are eligible if you are a current student or recent graduate.
Your eligibility for a federal job does not depend on your work experience, education, skills, and other qualifications.
Why is eligibility important?
Understanding your eligibility will help you know which federal jobs you should apply for. You can apply to any job, but you may not be eligible for the job if you don't fall into one of the hiring paths listed on the job announcement. If you're not eligible, the hiring agency will not review your application.
What are qualifications?
Qualifications include your work experience (years, type of work), skills, education level and your overall knowledge of a specific field or topic.
The hiring agency will only review your qualifications after they determine your eligibility. The hiring agency will rank you based on how well you meet the qualifications of the job. Your resume is the primary way to communicate your qualifications, so it’s important to know what to include in your resume.
Regardless of your qualifications, the hiring agency will not review your application and will not hire you if you are not eligible.
How do I know if I'm eligible for a job?
You must read the This job is open to and Who may apply sections of the job announcement to see if you're eligible for the job. If you fall into one of the "hiring paths" listed, you're eligible for the job. If you don't fall into one of those groups, you should look at a different job.
How do I know if I'm qualified?
You must read the Requirements, Qualifications, Specialized experience (if listed) and Education sections of the job announcement. Your resume and application must show you have the specialized experience, education, and other qualifications listed in the job announcement.
What happens after I apply?
The agency will first review your application to see if you're eligible. If you're eligible, the agency will review your resume and your qualifications.
The agency will rank you based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in the job announcement. The agency may rank you as "minimally qualified", "highest qualified", or somewhere in between. Based on how well you meet the qualifications, your application may, or may not, continue through the application process.