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HomeFamily Member Employment within a U.S. Embassy or Consulate...Checklist: Preparing for USAJOBS EPAP Vacancy Announcement

# 									Checklist: Preparing for USAJOBS EPAP Vacancy Announcement							

Global Community Liaison Office

		EPAP Questions		

## 								IMPORTANT							

        -  **The Spring EPAP USAJOBS vacancy announcement is now closed.  Please log onto your USAJOBS account to check the status of your application.** 
        -  Uploading documents to your USAJOBS.gov account does not automatically upload them to the State Application Site where your EPAP application will be recorded. Applicants are responsible for confirming necessary documents are uploaded to the State Application Site. 
        -  **No submissions or documents will be accepted after the vacancy announcement deadline.** 
        -  **Applications received without documents will be deemed ineligible.** 

## Checklist

This checklist is intended to help applicants prepare for the 2024 centralized EPAP vacancy announcement on USAJOBS that will include hundreds of positions advertised for the spring and fall cycles. Please note this checklist also applies for applications submitted to post vacancy announcements when individual EPAP positions are directly advertised at post.

Step 1: Review Positions Step 2: Become Familiar with EPAP Qualification Standards Step 3: Access USAJOBS Step 4: Stay InformedStep 5: Create a Resume for EPAPStep 6: Prepare Attachment(s) to Document Post of AssignmentStep 7: Prepare Attachment(s) to Document EducationStep 8: Prepare Other Documentation, as AppropriateStep 9: Upload DocumentsStep 10: Answer Eligibility QuestionsStep 11: Answer Vacancy QuestionsStep 12: Attach Documents to ApplicationStep 13: Review, Submit, and Check Application StatusStep 14: Check Dashboard

##### **Step 1: Review Positions**

        - Review the  EPAP Position list  to determine if there are EPAP positions opening at your post of assignment for which you intend to apply.

##### **Step 2: Become Familiar with EPAP Qualification Standards**

        - Carefully review the revised  Qualification Standards  (revised February 10, 2020).

##### **Step 3: Access USAJOBS**

        -  Create an account on USAJOBS.gov.           - Applicants may only access USAJOBS.gov account by registering at  www.login.gov . This required step enables users to access  USAJOBS .
          - Learn how to create an account with login.gov by reading the FAQs found at  USAJOBS Help Center FAQs . 

##### **Step 4: Stay Informed**

        - Sign up to receive an email notification when the vacancy announcement opens on  USAJOBS .
        - Use the keyword “EPAP” and save your search. Please see “ How do I set up notifications for future job announcements? ” and “ How to save a search .”

##### **Step 5: Create a Resume for EPAP**

        - Build One Complete USAJOBS Resume            - Under the section “Documents,” start building your EPAP resume using the resume builder option. This is the only accepted resume format for EPAP applications.
          - When your application is transferred from the USAJOBS website to the “Gateway to State” site (State Application Site), you will be requested to choose one USAJOBS resume. Although USAJOBS allows you to create and save up to five resumes, only one USAJOBS resume built by the resume builder is allowed in the State Application Site for your EPAP application.
          - Therefore, make sure you list all your education and specialized experience in your document and address the minimum requirements for each position that you are applying to. 
        - Work Experience            - Make sure you address each section. Save and repeat the “Work Experience” section as often as needed. You may also copy and paste your resume from Word, as long as it contains all of the required information of a USAJOBS resume.
          - Applicants must demonstrate they meet or exceed the  Qualification Standards  minimum requirements for the position/grade to which they apply. Pay close attention to these standards to ensure prior work experience demonstrates qualification for positions.
          - To be credited as specialized experience, 60 percent or more of the duties describing each job/position must be in the same functional or closely related field for those application(s). 
        - Education Experience            - NOTE:  Under “Add Education,” indicate in the “Relevant Coursework” section how the degree you earned has given you the specialized experience and knowledge as stated in the  Qualification Standards  for the position(s) to which you are applying.
          - Remember that your degree transcript will be carefully reviewed to determine if it relates or not to the EPAP area you will be applying for. At least 60 percent of the course work should be related to the EPAP area.
          - Foreign education transcripts will not be accepted without an accompanying credential evaluation.  In order to be credited, foreign education (i.e., education acquired outside of the U.S.) must be evaluated by a credential evaluation service recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and the name, logo or seal of the credential evaluation service must be listed on the evaluation report. Applicants may request a credential evaluation report from one of the following credential evaluation services: (a)  National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)  or (b)  Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE)
          - Credential evaluation reports are not free, and applicants are responsible for paying for the report.  Applicants should submit copies of their foreign credential evaluation reports with their application documents, as well as copies of their foreign degrees and the related transcripts. 

##### **Step 6: Prepare Attachment(s) to Document Post of Assignment**

        - Upload and attach to your application package:           - Your sponsoring employee’s assignment notification (TM-ONE), or
          - Travel Orders (TM-FOUR), or
          - Approved Form OF-0126 Foreign Service Residence Dependency Report  (an approved form is one that is signed by an authorizing official from the agency’s headquarters)
          - Each document needs to list you by name as a dependent, your sponsor’s name and agency, and the post of assignment.  This post must be listed on the document, and it should be the same location to which you are applying for a position(s).
          - Applicant’s sponsoring employee must fall under Chief of Mission Authority and be assigned to the diplomatic post where the position is located.
          - In the event that one document does not provide all the requested information, a combination of the listed documents is acceptable.
          - Be sure to review  “Important Guidance” box  below. 
        - If your sponsoring employee is assigned to a Priority Staffing Post (PSP), you must include the assignment cable/notification. Since you cannot be included in this document, unless/until you are hired by post, the regional bureau understands that you may not be listed on the assignment cable/notification.
        - Obtaining necessary documentation may take time, so start early since documents cannot be accepted after the vacancy announcement closes.
        - If your sponsoring employee’s agency does not provide all of the required assignment and dependent information in a single document as indicated above, or you if have any questions about this requirement, email  GCLOAskEPAP@state.gov .

##### **Step 7: Prepare Attachment(s) to Document Education**

        - If you wish to qualify for a position and grade that requires a high school diploma or a General Education Diploma, please provide a copy of the certificate/diploma or transcript or a final report card.           - Note: You must provide, at minimum, a HS Diploma or a GED Certificate if you do not have an undergraduate degree (at minimum an associate or bachelor’s degree per the Qualification Standards).  
        - If you wish to qualify for a position and the grade requires a college/university degree, please provide the college/university degree transcript and degree awarded. Transcripts must include education you believe is relevant to your application and/or demonstrates that you meet or exceed the EPAP qualification standards.           - Note: If you have two or more degrees, you must include the transcript for each degree, keeping in mind that each degree may have a different field of study and may qualify you at a different grade (combined with the years of experience).  
        - For related vs. non-related degree:  If you have earned a degree that is not listed in the qualification standards under Education, and you believe that the degree should be considered under the umbrella of “related field,” proceed as follows: under the USAJOBS resume builder window “Add Education,” in the section “Relevant Coursework, Licensures and Certifications,” explain the nature of your degree and list the courses you consider to be related to the position you are applying for. To be recognized as a related degree, at least 60 percent of the courses listed in the transcript/resume must be closely related to the EPAP position. Repeat as needed if you apply for different EPAP positions.
        - A – For education acquired  **inside**  the U.S., Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Trust Territory of Pacific Islands, or any territory or possession of the U.S.:           - Transcripts must:             - Be legible, in English, include your name, the name of the institution, and indicate the degree(s) (if any) awarded and course work completed.
            - Note: unofficial copies of school records are acceptable, as long as they meet the above requirements.
            - If your transcripts do not include the degree(s) awarded, include a copy of your diploma with your transcripts.               - Note: the regional bureau or post reserve the right to ask for an original copy of the diploma/degree/certification for further verification. 
            - If your transcripts are from a U.S. institution, but they are not in English, you must submit the original transcript and a certified English translation.
            - Be sure to review  “Important Guidance” box  below. 
        - B – For education acquired  **outside**  the U.S., Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Trust Territory of Pacific Islands, or any territory or possession of the U.S.:           - Foreign transcripts or diplomas must be accompanied by an  evaluation from a foreign education credentialing service.
          - Foreign transcripts or diplomas submitted without a credentialing service evaluation will not be considered.             - Note: English transcript/translations are not sufficient by themselves to establish the foreign degree equivalency to a U.S. degree  
          - Applicants should select a member organization of one of the following two national associations of credential evaluation services.             - National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) ,
            - Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) , 
          - When submitting your foreign transcripts or degrees for credential evaluation, request a detailed report that includes your course work (a course-by-course evaluation) and an evaluation of how your foreign degree compares or equates to a U.S. degree. If you have more than one degree in different fields of study and/or from different institutions, include each degree’s transcript, unless combined on one institution’s transcript.             - Note: Credential evaluations are not free, and applicants are responsible for paying the cost of the selected service, which will vary from case to case. 
          - Prior to submitting any documents to a credential evaluation service, you may also need to obtain English translations of any non-English documents.
          - Inquire with your selected member organization which may offer translation services or may provide guidance on how to proceed.             - Note: Foreign transcripts or degrees that are not accompanied by a credential evaluation will not be considered. 
          - Be sure to review  “Important Guidance” box  below. 
        - C – Education acquired both  inside and outside  the U.S., Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Trust Territory of Pacific Islands, or any territory or possession of the U.S.:           - If undergraduate and graduate degrees/fields of study are the same and the course work you completed outside the U.S. was accepted by a U.S institution and counted toward your U.S. degree, submit only the highest U.S. degree achieved (undergraduate or graduate) and transcripts.
          - If undergraduate and graduate degrees/fields of study are different, or if the course work you completed outside the U.S. was not accepted by a U.S. institution or did not count toward your U.S. degree, the foreign course work must be evaluated by a credential evaluation service, as described above, and a credential evaluation report must be submitted with the application package.             - Be sure to review  “Important Guidance” box  below. 
          - If you are applying for a medical position, include the requested certification as listed in the EPAP Qualification Standards for each position (i.e., U.S. National MLS and MT certification; national certification and licensure in a U.S state; U.S. RN license or equivalent; residency and board certification and valid U.S. medical license or equivalent; current board certification by ABPN and current valid and unrestricted license to practice medicine). 

*Note: the regional bureau or post reserve the right to ask an applicant for an original copy of the diploma/degree/certification for further verification.*

##### **Step 8: Prepare Other Documentation, as Appropriate**

        - If you are a former or current EPAP employee seeking qualification based on your EPAP experience in a particular career field, you must submit your initial and final SF-50s to show that you have served in that type of EPAP position for 12 or more months. You must also attach your employee performance report (EPR(s) or JF-57(s)) documenting fully satisfactory or above performance for 12 or more months.
        - If you are a former U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Technology Specialist applying for an Diplomatic Technology EPAP position, you must include the appropriate SF-50(s) verifying prior employment.
        - U.S. Veteran’s preference will be applied in the selection process, consistent with the application of U.S. Veteran’s preference in all overseas employment. If you claim status as a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran, you must submit the most recent Member Copy Four (4) of the DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and, if applicable, a letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or other supporting documentation. If claiming conditional eligibility for U.S. Veterans’ preference, you must submit proof of conditional eligibility. If written documentation confirming eligibility is not received by the closing date of the vacancy announcement, the preference will not be considered in the application process. Claiming U.S. veteran’s preference does not automatically convey eligibility and qualification. See other listed documents.