What are hiring paths and how can they help you

Hiring paths can help you find jobs you are eligible to apply to. You can:

• Add hiring paths to your USAJOBS profile.
• Filter your job search by hiring paths to narrow down your results.

How do I add a hiring path to my profile?

When you fill out your USAJOBS profile information, we will add some hiring paths based on what you tell us. In your USAJOBS profile, you can select Edit or Add hiring paths to update or choose more hiring paths.

You can select more than one hiring path in your profile.

Here are the hiring paths you can choose from:

• I am a U.S. citizen or national—We'll add the Open to the public hiring path if you tell us you're a U.S. citizen or national. To change this, you must edit your Contact information in your profile.
• I am a federal employee—We'll select the federal employees hiring path if you tell us that you were or are one. To change this hiring path, you must update the Federal service section of your profile.
• I am a current or former employee of a base facilities or land management agency—Choose this if you are a current or former employee of a base facilities or land management agency.
• I am a veteran—We'll select this if you tell us you're a veteran. You can update this under Military service in your profile.
• I am a military spouse—Choose this if you are a military spouse and looking for jobs in the federal government.
• I am in the National Guard or reserves or plan to join—Choose this if you are looking for jobs open to National Guard or reserve members only.
• I am a student—Choose this if you're a current student looking for internships or jobs for students.
• I am a recent graduate—Choose this if you graduated or completed a technical or career program in the last two years. Veterans may get more time to qualify.
• I am a senior executive—Choose this if you're a senior executive or looking for senior executive-level jobs.
• I am an individual with a disability—Choose this if you're eligible for Schedule A hiring.
• I am the family member of an overseas employee—Choose this if you are a family member of an overseas employee.
• I am a Native American or Alaskan Native—Choose this if you qualify for Indian preference.
• I served in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA—Choose this if you've served and meet certain requirements.

How can I use hiring paths to narrow down my job search results?

You can see if you're eligible to apply to a job under the Who may apply section in the job announcement. Read the Clarification from the agency if the job announcement also has one.

If you don't fall within one of the hiring paths in Who may apply, agencies will reject your application. Agencies will only review your qualifications for the job if you are eligible to apply.

What's the difference between eligibility and qualifications?

How to filter your job search by hiring path:

1. Enter a keyword, job title or location to start searching on USAJOBS.
2. On your search results page, select the Who may apply filter above your results.
3. Choose one or more hiring paths to narrow down your search results.
   1. Open to the public—any U.S. citizen or national can apply.
   2. Competitive service—federal employees in the competitive service can apply.
   3. Excepted service—federal employees in the excepted service can apply.
   4. Internal to an agency—You must already be employed by the agency to apply.
   5. Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)—displaced or surplus federal employees in some programs can apply.
   6. Land & base management—current or former employees from a land or base management facility who meet certain requirements can apply.
   7. Veterans—Veterans under veterans' preference or other hiring options can apply.
   8. Military spouses—spouses of active duty service members, 100% disabled veterans or service members who died while on active duty can apply.
   9. National Guard & reserves—You must be in the National Guard or reserves, or willing to join, to apply.
   10. Students—You must be a current student to apply.
   11. Recent grads—You must be a recent graduate to apply.
   12. Senior executives—You must be a senior executive to apply.
   13. Individuals with disabilities—You must qualify for schedule A hiring to apply.
   14. Family of overseas employees—You must be a family member of an overseas federal employee to apply.
   15. Native Americans—Those who meet certain requirements can apply.
   16. Peace Corps & AmeriCorps VISTA—If you worked for these organizations and meet certain requirements, you can apply.
   17. Special authorities—If you fall under certain hiring authorities, you can apply.

Learn how to search more efficiently and find jobs you're interested in.

Additional resources

• Learn more about hiring paths.
• Learn more about hiring authorities.
• Veterans and transitioning service member information.