An Interview with Dr. Mike Edwards, Trainer for Homeland Security (Podcast)

By Brandon Swenson December 5, 2019

At Grantham University, we believe in going the extra mile to help you prepare for a successful job search. Recently, Jeremy Bell, Grantham University’s Associate Director of Talent Development and Career Services, was joined by Dr. Mike Edwards from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, in a discussion of the Pathways program, USA Jobs and the various opportunities available to everyone interested in pursuing a federal position.

Dr. Mike Edwards, trainer for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, spent the first 23 years of his career in the U.S. Army.

“I started the first half of my Army career in tanks,” says Edwards. “Abrams, Bradley, Striker, name it, I’ve ridden in one.”

He’d spend the second half of his Army service working as a sub-Sahara, Africa foreign area specialist before retiring to be an instructor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Kansas. From there, he’d go on to more government work as a trainer in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services department.

It’s a journey that has given him unique insight into how to apply for and win jobs in government.

Opportunities Abound

“There are many different opportunities to find employment in the federal government,” says Edwards. “But there are two things I want to make clear,” he continues in regard to the Pathways program and other routes to federal work. “First, for veterans, this is not a job guarantee, this is just getting your name closer to the hiring authority.”

And second, these programs offer civilians many of the same opportunities—even in the face of their disbelief.

“I get a lot of pushback from civilians,” says Edwards. “They say ‘Oh, I’m not going to apply for those jobs. It’s all veterans getting the jobs anyway.’ That’s not true.”

As Grantham’s own Associate Director of Talent Development and Career Services, Jeremy Bell preaches, “Skills still count.”

“As long as you have the skills on your resume that match up with the job description,” says Edwards, “you have a chance.”

These programs are designed to get qualified applicants in front of hiring professionals. But as with veterans, just getting your resume in front of a reviewer doesn’t mean you’re going to get the job. Or even an interview. What it does is put you in contention.

That said, if you are a veteran and have access to hiring authorities like the Veteran’s Recruitment Appointment (VRA) or programs that recognize Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), then you should use them.

Resources for Veterans

“Veteran’s Recruitment Appointment, VEOA, 30% or More Disabled Veteran Appointment,” says Edwards, “those are all things that if you are eligible for them, you should try for them.”

Edwards describes one recent success story that happened using VRA. In his district, more than 200 federal employees are spread throughout the Midwest - the largest office he serves has about 50 people. Smaller, one-person offices are spread out in different cities. He is constantly looking to find qualified candidates in hard-to-fill locations. A couple of candidates used VRA to get in front of the hiring manager.

“Our hiring manager looked at these resumes,” says Edwards, “the skills matched. They’re VRA. They’re veterans. They are eligible. Let’s see if we can get these guys.”

That wouldn’t have happened if the candidates hadn’t applied under the VRA, getting their resumes in front of the hiring manager. His point: If you’re eligible for it, try it. Just remember it’s not a job guarantee.

Resources for Non-veterans

Likewise, for non-veterans, there are opportunities to make their case for a job, including Schedule A and Pathways Internships.

Edwards knows of one person who used Schedule A to participate in the competitive appointment process: “He came in, non-veteran, went through school with a documented learning disability. That got him into the agency. Then he was able to compete for a competitive appointment once he was inside the agency.”

The Pathways Program offers another path for non-veterans to compete for government job postings. In Edwards’ agency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, he mostly sees Pathways applicants in four areas: internships, recent grads, Boren Scholarship and the Summer Enrichment Program. Internships give him the ability to get qualified candidates into hard-to-fill offices, giving them real work experience and real opportunities. The track for recent graduates provides similar opportunities.

“Every year,” says Edwards, “we have about 200 part-time jobs. And most of those are internships. It’s a way to get people in the door.”

Boren Scholarships are designed as temporary positions and are not intended for full-time, long-term work. He admits that a number of them do convert to other long-term positions with the agency.

As for the Summer Enrichment Program? “It’s big in the D.C. area. A lot of them, again, have the opportunity to convert those temporary jobs into a full-time government position.”

“What is the average length of these programs?” asks Bell.

“Each one is different,” says Edwards. “Summer are only there for the summer. But most of them are traditionally a year.

How to Know if You’re Right for the Job

“Look on USA Jobs,” says Edwards. “That really gives you a lot of what you need to know about that particular job. Pay attention to what’s listed under USA Jobs. If it’s eligible for internships or a Pathway’s program, it will be listed under there.”

As a bonus, for those areas featuring high-turnover, such as Baltimore, New York or L.A., many times a full-time job will be listed also as an internship, giving those candidates coming through Pathways or a veteran authority access to an opportunity to turn short-term work into a long-term career.

“It’s a way to get someone in the door and start getting someone trained to get the position,” says Edwards.

“USA Jobs is a great resource,” says Bell, “but you need to read the job description carefully. They look for very specific information. You need to make sure your resume matches up to get any interest.”

Edwards agrees: “Within my agency, I get a stack of resumes to grade. I go from 1-to-10, and grade how closely it relates to the job.” Too often, what he sees is a generic resume that has nothing to do with the position listed on USA Jobs. And the shame of it, USA Jobs tells you exactly what they want.

“That’s what I love about federal opportunities,” says Bell, “especially USA Jobs. Unlike most civilian positions, they do a good job of listing what the requirements are, the education you need, the experience and the skills required.”

Never Turn in a Generic—or Indecipherable—Resume

“You never want to send a generic resume to anyone,” continues Bell. “Whether it’s government or corporate, you always want to tailor that resume to the job opportunity. If you don’t speak specifically to those opportunities, Dr. Edwards may never see it.”

“I review a lot of resumes from employees who want my opinion,” says Edwards, “and the thing that bothers me, especially from my military brethren, is how opaque a resume can be.”

For example, he’s seen instances where the candidate wrote out, “I was the ‘observer-controller for the MCTP for two years.’ It’s very specific and sounds great, but unless you’ve been in the military, you may have no clue what that means or even if it applies.

“I have to tell them,” says Edwards, “that they have to break it down to the closest civilian equivalent so they can identify the skills you actually used as an observer-controller to help you get that job.”

His best advice is to find a civilian friend—someone without military experience, someone who doesn’t know an MOS from a FOB—and explain to that person what it is you do. If they don’t understand your explanation, you need to clarify.

“If they don’t understand it,” says Edwards, “the HR rep probably won’t either.”

Last Thoughts

If you’re considering pursuing a federal job, Edward has one last piece of advice:

“Try it,” he says. “The worst they can do is say no. USA Jobs listings tell you everything. Call them if you have question. Get on there. Look through it. Veteran hiring authority. Student process. Internships. Put in your name. Who knows? You may be eligible. You may get a call.”

Download Our Podcast

Now that you’ve gained some insight into what it takes to pursue and win a federal job—from internships to full-time positions, whether it’s via veteran or non-veteran resources—take some time out of your day to listen to the full podcast discussion between Bell and Edwards.