Jun 11
29
Interviewing for a job with TSA
Dear GovTraining.org,
I’m going to be interviewing for a job with TSA next week and was hoping to get some cats on how to land a specific TSA job. I currently live in Oklahoma and am considering a career with the Transportation Security Administration or TSA. My good friend works for TSA and has told me that the work is hard but the pay is pretty good and there are excellent long-term benefits working for TSA. My same friend told me that probably the best job to have with TSA is called an expert transportation security officer or a security training instructor. Does gov training have any information on how to become an expert transportation security officer or security training instructor with TSA.
Stephen Cobb – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Dear Mr. Cobb,
Thanks for your request from GovTraining.org about the expert transportation security officer and security training instructor positions within TSA.
As far as government jobs go this is a pretty good position with adequate pay the actual government position ID is SV-1802 and the payday and for this position is level G.
TSA refers to the expert transportation security officer as an ETSON a separate position of security training instructor is referred to as an STI. These positions perform extremely specialized functions in TSA security training instructor program areas. If you are looking to become an STI, TSA will require you to perform pre-board security screening of persons, cargo, carry-on luggage and checked baggage according to TSA and the federal security director at least 20% of the time during your work hours you also must still continued to maintain all screening certification requirements and is here to all TSA regulations regarding certification requirements.
There is currently no outside or vendor-based training to become an expert transportation security officer or ETSO you will need to receive your government training on the job with TSA. In this position you will support and ensuring class materials are coordinated and in place you will help the training officer or training specialist confirmed the roster and ensures evaluations of TSA agents are submitted properly, you will help conduct testing and reporting of results and you will help ensure the course completion information is recorded in TSA’s OLA.
Some of the things that they are going to look for when interviewing you for an ETSO position you can start training for on your own right now. When you go to interview with TSA you want to make sure that you show them the following attributes:
Attention to detail: you want to make sure that is a job candidate with TSA, the interviewer seeds and documents the fact that you are thorough when performing work and you need to communicate to them that you double check the accuracy of information and ensure high quality and precise work delivered.
Customer service; I know it sounds crazy when it comes to TSA, but when interviewing for a job with the transportation security administration you want to show them that you are also customer service minded and can balance the interests of a variety of clients and have the ability to readily readjust your priorities to respond to ever-changing and pressing client demands. You want to show the interviewer that you have the ability to achieve quality and products and that you are committed to continuous improvement of services.
Flexibility: it goes without saying, if you’re going to work at TSA you need to make sure that you’re flexible and open to change and can accept new information, changing conditions and unexpected obstacles. You should verbally explain to the interviewer that you have the ability to adjust rapidly to new situations warranting your attention and you strive to become an expert in problem resolution.
Integrity and honesty. Make sure the person you’re interviewing with understands that you have honesty and integrity and that you realize that TSA as a culture that fosters high standards of ethics and that you will behave in a fair and ethical manner toward others and that you will demonstrate a sense of corporate responsibility and commitment to public service when it comes to working for TSA.
Interpersonal skills. You have to have amazing interpersonal skills when it comes to landing a senior position with TSA you want to show the interviewer that you are considerate and respond appropriately to the needs and feelings of different people in different situations. When it comes to interpersonal skills with TSA the key word is tactful. You have a very serious job to do that you have to be tactful with the way that you do it in order to make everyone around you as comfortable as possible without causing any detriment to their safety.
Problem solving skills. Explain to the interviewer that you have the ability to identify and analyze problems and that you can quickly and easily distinguish between relevant information and make logical decisions based on the data placed in front of you. When it comes to TSA people’s lives are on the line and you have a very short window of time to make very important decisions you need to show the interviewer that you have the ability to solve problems quickly.
We hope this helps you get the job with TSA and good luck at your interview. Go get them Mr. Cobb!
-GovTraining