Of-612

General Information

Optional Application for Federal Employment – OF 612
You may apply for most Federal jobs with a résumé, an Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF 612), or other written format. If your résumé or
application does not provide all the information requested on this form and in the job vacancy announcement, you may lose consideration for a job. Type or
print clearly in black ink. Help speed the selection process by keeping your application brief and sending only the requested information. If essential to attach
additional pages, include your name and job announcement number on each page.
•

Information on Federal employment and the latest information about educational and training provisions are available at www.usajobs.gov or via interactive
voice response system: (703) 724-1850 or TDD (978) 461-8404.

•

Upon request from the employing Federal agency, you must provide documentation or proof that your degree(s) is from a school accredited by an
accrediting body recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, or that your education meets the other provisions outlined in the OPM
Operating Manual. It will be your responsibility to secure the documentation that verifies that you attended and earned your degree(s) from this accredited
institution(s) (e.g., official transcript). Federal agencies will verify your documentation.
For a list of postsecondary educational institutions and programs accredited by accrediting agencies and state approval agencies recognized by the U.S.
Secretary of Education, refer to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education website at http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
For information on Educational and Training Provisions or Requirements, refer to the OPM Operating Manual available at http://www.opm.gov/
qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e4.asp.

•

If you served on active duty in the United States Military and were discharged or released from active duty in the armed forces under honorable conditions,
you may be eligible for veterans' preference. To receive preference, if your service began after October 15, 1976, you must have a Campaign Badge,
Expeditionary Medal, or a service-connected disability. Veterans' preference is not a factor for Senior Executive Service jobs or when competition is
limited to status candidates (current or former career or career-conditional Federal employees).

•

Most Federal jobs require United States citizenship and also that males over age 18 born after December 31, 1959, have registered with the Selective
Service System or have an exemption.

•

The law generally prohibits public officials from appointing, promoting, or recommending their relatives.

•

Federal annuitants (military and civilian) may have their salaries or annuities reduced. Every employee must pay any valid delinquent debt or the agency
may garnish their salary.

•

Send your application to the office announcing the vacancy. If you have questions, contact the office identified in the announcement.

How to Apply
1.
2.
3.

Review the listing of current vacancies.
Decide which jobs, pay range, and locations interest you.
Follow instructions provided in the vacancy announcement including any additional forms that are required.
• You may apply for most jobs with a resume, this form, or any other written format; all applications must include the information requested in the
vacancy announcement as well as information required for all applications for Federal employment (see below):
• The USAJOBS website features an online résumé builder. This is a free service that allows you to create a résumé, submit it electronically (for some
vacancy announcements), and save it online for use in the future.

Certain information is required to evaluate your qualifications and determine if you meet legal requirements for Federal employment. If your resume or
application does not include all the required information as specified below, the agency may not consider you for the vacancy. Help speed the selection
process - submit a concise resume' or application and send only the required material.
Information required for all applications for Federal employment:
Job Vacancy Specifics
• Announcement number, title and grade(s) of the job you are applying for
Personal Information
• Full name, mailing address (with zip code) and day and evening phone numbers (with area code) and email address, if applicable
• Social Security Number
• Country of citizenship (most Federal jobs require U.S. citizenship)
• Veterans' preference
• Reinstatement eligibility (for former Federal employees)
• Highest Federal civilian grade held (including job series and dates held)
• Selective Service (if applicable)
Work Experience
• Provide the following information for your paid and volunteer work experience related to the job you are applying for:
 job title (include job series and grade if Federal)
 duties and accomplishments
 employer's name and address
 supervisor's name and telephone number - indicate if supervisor may be contacted
 starting and ending dates (month and year)
 hours per week
 salary
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Previous edition usable

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OF 612
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How to Apply (continued)
Education
• High School
 Name, city, and State (Zip code if known)
 Date of diploma or GED


Colleges or universities
 Name, city, and State (Zip code if known)
 Majors
 Type and year of degrees received. (If no degree, show total credits earned and indicate whether semester or quarter hours.)



Do not attach a copy of your transcript unless requested



Do not list degrees received based solely on life experience or obtained from schools with little or no academic standards

Upon request from the employing Federal agency, you must provide documentation or proof that your degree(s) is from a school accredited by an accrediting
body recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, or that your education meets the other provisions outlined in the OPM Operating Manual. It
will be your responsibility to secure the documentation that verifies that you attended and earned your degree(s) from this accredited institution(s) (e.g., official
transcript). Federal agencies will verify your documentation.
For a list of postsecondary educational institutions and programs accredited by accrediting agencies and state approval agencies recognized by the U.S.
Secretary of Education, refer to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education website at http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
For information on Educational and Training Provisions or Requirements, refer to the OPM Operating Manual available at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/
SEC-II/s2-e4.asp.
Other Education Completed
 School name, city, and State (Zip code if known)
 Credits earned and Majors
 Type and year of degrees received. (If no degree, show total credits earned and indicate whether semester or quarter hours.)
 Do not list degrees received based solely on life experience or obtained from schools with little or no academic standards
Other Qualifications


Job-related:
 Training (title of course and year)
 Skills (e.g., other languages, computer software/hardware, tools, machinery, typing speed, etc.)
 Certificates or licenses (current only). Include type of license or certificate, date of latest license, and State or other licensing agency
 Honors, awards, and special accomplishments, (e.g., publications, memberships in professional honor societies, leadership activities, public
speaking and performance awards) (Give dates but do not send documents unless requested)

Any Other information Specified in the Vacancy Announcement

Privacy Act Statement
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management and other Federal agencies rate applicants for Federal jobs under the authority of sections 1104, 1302, 3301,
3304, 3320, 3361, 3393, and 3394 of title 5 of the United States Code. We need the information requested in this form and in the associated vacancy
announcements to evaluate your qualifications. Other laws require us to ask about citizenship, military service, etc. In order to keep your records in order,
we request your Social Security Number (SSN) under the authority of Executive Order 9397 which requires the SSN for the purpose of uniform, orderly
administration of personnel records. Failure to furnish the requested information may delay or prevent action on your application. We use your SSN to seek
information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who know you. We may use your SSN in studies and computer matching with other
Government files. If you do not give us your SSN or any other information requested, we cannot process your application. Also, incomplete addresses and
ZIP Codes will slow processing. We may confirm information from your records with prospective nonfederal employers concerning tenure of employment,
civil service status, length of service, and date and nature of action for separation as shown on personnel action forms of specifically identified individuals.

Public Burden Statement
We estimate the public reporting burden for this collection will vary from 20 to 240 minutes with an average of 90 minutes per response, including time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering data, and completing and reviewing the information. Send comments regarding the
burden statement or any other aspect of the collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the U.S. Office of Personnel
Management (OPM), OPM Forms Officer, Washington, DC 20415-7900. The OMB number, 3206-0219, is currently valid. OPM may not collect this
information and you are not required to respond, unless this number is displayed. Do not send completed application forms to this address; follow
directions provided in the vacancy announcement(s).

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

U.S. Office of Personnel Management
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OF 612
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Form Approved
OMB No. 3206-0219

OPTIONAL APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT - OF 612
Section A - Applicant Information

Use Standard State Postal Codes (abbreviations). If outside the United States of America, and you do not have a military address,
type or print "OV" in the State field (Block 6c) and fill in the Country field (Block 6e) below, leaving the Zip Code field (Block 6d) blank.

1. Job title in announcement

2. Grade(s) applying for

4a. Last name

3. Announcement number

4b. First and middle names

5. Social Security Number
7. Phone numbers (include area code
if within the United States of America)

6a. Mailing address

7a. Daytime
6b. City

6c. State

6d. Zip Code

7b. Evening

6e. Country (if not within the United States of America)
8. Email address (if available)

Section B - Work Experience

Describe your paid and non-paid work experience related to the job for which you are applying. Do not attach job description.

1. Job title (if Federal, include series and grade)
2. From (mm/yyyy)

3. To (mm/yyyy)

4. Salary

per

5. Hours per week

$
6. Employer's name and address

7. Supervisor's name and phone number
7a. Name
7b. Phone

8. May we contact your current supervisor?
No
Yes
If we need to contact your current supervisor before making an offer, we will contact you first.
9. Describe your duties, accomplishments and related skills (if you need to attach additional pages, include your name, address, and job
announcement number)

Section C - Additional Work Experience
1. Job title (if Federal, include series and grade)

2. From (mm/yyyy)

3. To (mm/yyyy)

4. Salary

per

5. Hours per week

$
6. Employer's name and address

7. Supervisor's name and phone number
7a. Name
7b. Phone

8. May we contact your current supervisor?
Yes
No
If we need to contact your current supervisor before making an offer, we will contact you first.
9. Describe your duties, accomplishments and related skills (if you need to attach additional pages, include your name, address, and job
announcement number)

U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Previous edition usable

NSN 7540-01-351-9178
50612-10
Page 3 of 4

OF 612
Revised June 2006

Section D - Education

Upon request from the employing Federal agency, you must provide documentation or proof that your degree(s) is from a school accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary, U.
S. Department of Education, or that your education meets the other provisions outlined in the OPM Operating Manual. It will be your responsibility to secure the documentation that verifies that
you attended and earned your degree(s) from this accredited institution(s) (e.g., official transcript). Federal agencies will verify your documentation.
For a list of postsecondary educational institutions and programs accredited by accrediting agencies and state approval agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, refer to the U.S.
Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education website at http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
For information on Educational and Training Provisions or Requirements, refer to the OPM Operating Manual available at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e4.asp.
Do not list degrees received based solely on life experience or obtained from schools with little or no academic standards.

1. Last High School (HS)/GED school. Give the school's name, city, state, ZIP Code (if known), and year diploma or GED received:
Some HS
HS/GED
Associate
2. Mark highest level completed:
3. Colleges and universities attended.
Total Credits Earned
Do not attach a copy of your transcript unless requested.
Semester
Quarter
3a. Name
City

State

Zip Code

State

Zip Code

State

Zip Code

Bachelor

Master
Major(s)

Doctoral
Degree (if any),
Year Received

3b. Name
City
3c. Name
City

Section E - Other Education Completed

Do not list degrees received based solely on life experience or obtained from schools with little or no academic standards.

Section F - Other Qualifications
License or Certificate

Date of Latest License or Certificate

State or Other Licensing Agency

1f.
2f.

Section G - Other Qualifications

Job-related training courses (give title and year). Job-related skills (other languages, computer software/hardware, tools, machinery, typing speed, etc.).
Job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments (publications, memberships in professional/honor societies, leadership activities,
public speaking, and performance awards). Give dates, but do not send documents unless requested.

Section H - General
1a. Are you a U.S. citizen?

Yes

No



1b. If no, give the Country of your citizenship

Yes
No
 If yes, mark your claim of 5 or 10 points below.
 Attach your Report of Separation from Active Duty (DD 214) or other proof.
2c. 10 points
 Attach an Application for 10-Point Veterans’ Preference (SF 15) and proof required.
3. Check this box if you are an adult male born on or after January 1st 1960, and you registered for Selective Service between the ages
of 18 through 25 
4. Were you ever a Federal civilian employee? Yes
No
 If yes, list highest civilian grade for the following:
2a. Do you claim veterans' preference?
2b. 5 points

4a. Series

4b. Grade

4c. From (mm/yyyy)

4d. To (mm/yyyy)

5a. Are you eligible for reinstatement based on career or career-conditional Federal status? Yes
No
If requested in the vacancy announcement, attach Notification of Personnel Action (SF 50), as proof.
5b. Are you eligible under the ICTAP*?
Yes
No

*ICTAP (Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan): A participant in this plan is a current or former federal employee displaced from a Federal agency. To be eligible, you
must have received a formal notice of separation such as a RIF separation notice. If you are an ICTAP eligible, normally you will be provided priority consideration for vacancies
within your commuting area for which you apply and are well qualified.

Section I - Applicant Certification
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information on and attached to this application is true, correct, complete, and made in good
faith. I understand that false or fraudulent information on or attached to this application may be grounds for not hiring me or for firing me after I begin work,
and may be punishable by fine or imprisonment. I understand that any information I give may be investigated.

1a. Signature

1b. Date (mm/dd/yyyy)

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OF 612
Revised June 2006