Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is NEOGOV?
A: NEOGOV is a web/cloud based applicant tracking system used by more than one thousand U.S. government agencies. The link to search or apply for a job at METRO.
Q: What is an online Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
A: An online applicant tracking system (ATS) is designed to help companies recruit employees. It is an efficient way to assist in the job application process.
- Job openings are posted online.
- Applicants can apply online to posted positions.
- The applicant’s resume and other documentation can be stored online.
- After applying, applicants receive status updates about their application(s).
Q: Advantages for the Applicant:
A: When you create a master account, your information is securely stored for future use. Should you apply for more than one job at METRO, most of your online application will populate from your stored information; you need only complete the questions specific to the job.
NOTE: For best experience in browsing through the system, METRO recommends using Microsoft Internet Explorer 11.
Q: I'm already a METRO employee so do I need to use NEOGOV?
A: Yes. Your online application should be submitted online to be processed. All qualified applications are then routed to the hiring manager for review.
Q: How do I apply for job openings at METRO?
A: After you create your "master profile", you have the flexibility to edit and/or add information for each online application that you submit. The master profile, which you only need to create once, makes it easy to apply for multiple jobs without having to re-enter your information.
Q: Why do I need to set up a master profile account to apply for a job?
A: A master profile account allows you to submit an online application using your profile information. Family members and/or friends should not use your account. Each account must have a unique email address. If you do not have an email account, you can create a free email account through email providers such as Yahoo, Gmail, or Outlook.
Please Note: It is the applicant's responsibility to submit a complete application packet including the electronic application, supplemental questions and required documents which will be assessed against the requirements of the posted job. Attaching a resume is not a substitute for filling out the full application. All attachments (cover letters, resumes, licenses, certifications) must be uploaded to your online application before the posting closes. We do not accept hand delivered, mailed, emailed, or faxed documents.
If you have technical questions, please contact NEOGOV at 1-877-204-4442.
Logging In
You should confirm your username, or reset your password, by using Forgot Username or Reset Password.
Below the Sign In button, click on Forgot Username. On the next page, enter your email address, answer the security question, and click Send Username. An email is sent with your username. If you do not see the email in your inbox, check your spam/junk email folder.
The email address that you enter must exactly match what appears on your profile. If it does not match, you may receive an error that
User with that email was not found.
Below the Sign In button, click on Reset Password. On the next page, enter your email address, answer the security question, and click on Reset Password. An email is sent with a link to reset your password. Once you click on the link, you are directed to a page where you can create a new password. Enter a new password, confirm the new password, and then log into your account.
The link embedded in the password reset email expires after 72 hours. If the link has expired, resubmit your password reset request by clicking on Reset Password again.
Passwords must be at least 8 characters in length and contain upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. To reset your password, click Reset Password. Once you’ve entered a new password twice, you receive the message
Your password has been updated.
If you don’t have access to the email address listed on your account, there is no way for you to create a new password. For security reasons, the reset password email is sent only to the email address associated with your account. Our applicant support team is unable to edit or update the email address listed on your profile, and cannot send this email to any other account. In the event that you cannot receive the reset password email, you should create a new account at www.GovernmentJobs.com with a valid email address.
Password reset emails are sent immediately, but delivery can depend on your email provider. Check your spam/junk email settings/folder if you do not receive the email. Sometimes adding the
noreply@governmentjobs.com address to your contacts resolves this issue. If the email is still is not received, contact technical support at your email service provider to determine if the reset password email is being filtered out or blocked.
Job Interest Card requests are independent of www.GovernmentJobs.com applicant accounts. To create an applicant account, go to www.GovernmentJobs.com and click on Sign In. Under the Sign In button, click Don’t have an account? Create one. Complete the required new job seeker account information, enter a new password, and click Save.
Creating an Account
An email address is an electronic address where you can receive messages. An email address takes the form of
name@provider, such as
jsmith@example.com, which is read as
jsmith at example dot com. There are many free and accessible email providers that you can use for this purpose. The email address is completely independent of www.GovernmentJobs.com. You should send any email related questions to your email provider’s technical support group.
To create an applicant account, go to www.GovernmentJobs.com and click on the Sign In tab, and then Don’t have an account? Create one.
Complete the required fields and click Create.
For help with setting a password, see
password requirements.
If you receive this message, it means that there is an account associated with your email address. You may have previously applied with an organization that is a NEOGOV customer. You can retrieve your credentials by following the
username and
password steps.
There is no way to merge accounts. You should choose the account with the most up-to-date information, and only use that account.
Once the account is created, it remains in the system and cannot be deleted.
No, you do not need more than one account to apply for jobs with different agencies. If the organization is a NEOGOV customer, you can apply with your existing www.GovernmentJobs.com account.
Every www.GovernmentJobs.com account must contain a unique email address. If you share an email address with another person, and it is already in use on another account, you cannot use that email address on your account. You can request a new email address from a service provider (for example, Hotmail, Yahoo, Google), or use a work email address on your www.GovernmentJobs.com account.
You may not share an account with another user. To apply for positions, you must create your own account with your own specific contact information, applications, and application history.
To make sure you have the best experience possible, we recommend using the most up-to-date version of one of the following browsers:
- Internet Explorer
- Firefox
- Chrome
Application Process - Starting Out
To apply for a job, go to www.GovernmentJobs.com or the organization’s website. An organization is the city, county, state, or educational institution where you submit applications.
- If you are on www.GovernmentJobs.com, enter search criteria in the boxes for Job Title, Keyword, and/or City or State. You can also search by clicking a Category or Location.
- If you are on an organization’s website, locate where open positions are posted.
- Perform a job search to find jobs that match your interests. Then click on the job title to view the job posting.
- To initiate the application process click the Apply tab. The Apply tab is located toward the top of the posting next to Job Details.
- Once you click on the link and log in, you can work on the application process steps.
The time it takes to complete an application depends on how much information you provide on your basic application. It can take as little as 10-15 minutes. When applying for a job, you may be required to answer some additional questions (organization-wide questions and supplemental questions), which will also vary in length, depending on the number and type of questions asked.
If you do not see an Apply tab on the job posting, this job posting is not accepting online applications. If the opening date suggests that the position should be open, contact the organization for further information. Our applicant/technical support team cannot add an Apply tab if it does not already exist.
You can sign up for Job Interest Cards through the organization’s web site so that you are notified when jobs become available. By selecting the job categories that you’re interested in, filling out your contact information, and clicking Submit Request, you will receive email notifications when jobs open in your noted categories. After one year, your job interest card subscription expires, and notifications are no longer sent. Signing up for job interest cards is not the same as creating a user account. To apply for positions you need to create a www.GovernmentJobs.com applicant account.
A closing date is when a job posting no longer accepts applications.
For detailed information on how to apply online for a job, refer to the
Online Employment Guide.
Once established, a username cannot be changed.
Once established, an application template name cannot be changed. Application template names are for your reference only, and are not visible to the organization with which you are applying.
The ability to create multiple application templates has been removed in the new application process. If you previously created multiple applications, you can continue to use them.
Application Process - Completing and Submitting an Application
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I have completed all my Work, Education, References, and Additional Information sections, but do not see a place to submit the application. What should I do?
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How do I proceed to the next step?
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What if I’m not ready to submit my application at this time?
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How do I save my information?
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I was unable to submit an application before the closing date. Can I still apply for the position?
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I made an error on my submitted application. Can I make changes?
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I am unable to add an attachment to my application template.
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I forgot to add an attachment (for example, my resume or cover letter) to my job application. How do I add an attachment to an application I’ve already submitted?
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I am trying to submit/confirm my application, but I am unable to proceed. The system keeps taking me back to the application steps.
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Is it possible to withdraw my application from an organization?
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How do I print my application?
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Can I view positions I have applied for?
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How do I find the status of my application?
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How can I be sure my application was received?
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Can I delete applications I previously submitted?
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How do I notify an organization of changes to my home address, email address, or other information?
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How can I get in touch with the organization with which I’ve applied?
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How do I know if I am qualified for a particular job?
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Can I submit a paper application?
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I have a question pertaining to a particular job posting, for example, a specific requirement or organization-wide/supplemental question.
The basic information that you have entered serves as an application template. This template allows you to apply for multiple positions without having to create new applications. To submit the application template for a specific position, perform a job search to find a job you are interested in and click on the job title to view the job posting. Click Apply, which is located toward the upper left-hand side next to Job Details. For example:
Your application template fills in the basic information for step one, and you are able to proceed with the application process steps.
The application process sections appear vertically on the left-hand side of the screen. For example:
Once you’ve completed a section, you can continue by clicking on the next section in the sequence, or click Next at the bottom of the page. If you would like to revert to previous section, click on that section name on the left-hand side.
You can return to your application to submit at a later time. Though the system does auto-save while completing the application, make sure you save the field you are working on before signing out. Be sure to log back into your account and submit your application prior to the posting close date.
If you need to exit the application, click Save at the bottom of the page you are working on. All of the information that you have entered up to that point is stored. As long as the job you are applying for is still open, you may return to submit your application.
You cannot apply through www.GovernmentJobs.com for positions that are closed. If you started an application prior to the closing date, and did not submit it, you will not be able to submit that application. Our applicant support team is not able to change the closing date. For further information, you may wish to contact the organization with which you are applying.
You cannot make changes once you certify and submit the application to the organization. If you want to update the application you can either re-apply for the position, or contact the organization to see if it is possible make changes. If you receive an error message when resubmitting your application that does not allow you to apply again, or if the position has closed, you may want to contact the organization directly. Our applicant support team cannot make changes to an already submitted application.
To attach a document successfully, first close the file that you are trying to attach, and then check the following:
- Attachment Type - Some agencies require specific attachment types to be included in the application. Check that your document is listed as the attachment type that the organization is requiring. For example, if the error message reads
The following attachment types are missing: Resume, check that your corresponding document’s attachment type is listed as Resume and not Other, Cover Letter, or any other attachment type.
- File type - Some agencies only accept certain file types. If you receive an error regarding the file type, check that you are attaching a file with a valid (acceptable) file extension.
- File size - Attachments that are larger than ten megabytes are not accepted. If your file is larger than five megabytes, you should reduce the file size. If you are still unable to attach the file after following these steps, try deleting the cookies from your web browser or attempt to attach the file from a different web browser.
Once an application is submitted, you cannot make any changes to that application. Any attachments added to your application template are not automatically sent to the organization. In order to ensure the organization receives any newly attached documents, you must submit a new application. If you receive an error message when resubmitting your application that does not allow you to apply again, or if the position has closed, you may want to contact the organization directly.
In order to submit the application successfully, all required fields, questions, and attachments must be supplied. If you see a red exclamation mark next to a section, please click on the section to complete missing information. For example:
Also, check for red text within the section indicating which information is missing. Ensure that all questions marked as required (designated by an asterisk *) have been answered, for example:
If you did not answer some of the questions because they did not apply to you, but the question is required, you must type N/A into the text box. For example, if the question is:
If you answered yes to the question above, please explain and you answered
No to the previous question, type N/A.
Once everything has been answered and all documents have been successfully attached, you are able to submit your application.
It is not possible to withdraw an application online. Once officially submitted, the application becomes property of the organization. You must call the organization directly for further action.
You can print a submitted application by clicking on Applications > Job Title > Print on the top right-hand corner.
Yes, you can access all of your submitted applications by clicking on Applications & Status:
Once you are logged into your account, click on Applications & Status.
You can see all of the applications you have submitted, and the status for those applications. If you still have questions regarding your status after viewing this page, you should contact the organization with which you applied.
Once you’ve submitted your application, you see a confirmation message that you’ve successfully applied with the organization. You are also sent a confirmation email. To verify the status online, log into your account, and click on the Application tab.
No. Once the application is submitted to the organization, a record remains in the Application Status area of your account.
You can update the contact information on your profile at any time. Log into your account and click on Account Settings > Edit. Any changes that you make are updated with the organization automatically.
There are several places where you may find an organization’s contact information:
- On the organization’s website.
- On the job posting (typically at the bottom of the page).
- On your submitted application. Select
click here for a printable version of your application and the organization contact information appears at the very top of the page.
The required skills and qualifications are typically displayed within the job posting online. Our applicant support team cannot advise on qualifications for any jobs. For more specific details or information related to the job, please contact the organization directly.
Many agencies no longer accept paper applications. You can contact the organization or visit their website to check if they will accept a paper application.
For specific details or information related to the job, please contact the organization directly. Our applicant support team cannot answer specific questions or requirements related to a job.