From the Blog:
Federal Job Search Tips: Veteran's Preference
by Jessie Richardson, Contributing Writer
Article Sponsored by: Colorado Springs Utilities
The nation's largest employer, the federal government, is expected to hire approximately 273,000 new workers over the course of the next three years to satisfy the new Administration's initiatives and replace its rapidly retiring baby-boomer workforce. With this in mind, and given the current state of the economy, it's no wonder that many job seekers with military experience look to MilitaryResumes.com for professional military federal resume writing services.
One of Military Resumes' most frequently asked questions is, "how do I determine my veteran's preference points?" This article aims to answer that question in summary.
By law, veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military campaigns are entitled to preference over non-veterans in appointments to federal jobs.
Each federal application package is rated and receives a numerical score based on qualification factors. A minimum score is required for consideration and referral. Let's say that the minimum passing examination score or rating for a certain job is set at 60. A veteran with a score of 60 based on her examination or rating alone may not be as competitive as a civilian with a score of 65. However, because this veteran has 10 veteran's preference points, she actually has a score of 70 and thus is more competitive than her civilian counterpart.
Here is how to determine your veteran's preference points:
5-POINT PREFERENCE (TP)
5 points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a veteran who served:
- During a war.
- For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955 and before October 15, 1976.
- During the Gulf War from August 2, 1990 through January 2, 1992.
- For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning September 11, 2001 and ending on the date prescribed as the last day of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
- In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized. Any Armed Forces Expeditionary medal or campaign badge, including El Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Somalia, and Haiti, qualifies for preference.
10-POINT COMPENSABLE DISABILITY PREFERENCE (CP)
10 points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a veteran who served at anytime and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of at least 10 percent but less than 30 percent.
10-POINT 30 PERCENT COMPENSABLE DISABILITY PREFERENCE (CPS)
10 points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a veteran who served at anytime and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
10-POINT DISABILITY PREFERENCE (XP)
10 points are added to the passing examination score or rating ofa veteran who served at anytime and has a present service-connected disability or is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs but does not qualify as a CP or CPS; or a veteran who received a Purple Heart.
Jessie Richardson, CPRW, is director of resume services at MilitaryResumes.com, the military-to-civilian transition experts. She is a Naval Academy graduate and a regular commentator on job search best practices for military-experienced job seekers. Read more transition advice online at the MilitarytoCivilian.com blog.
