How to Use Veterans Preference on USAJOBS: 5-Point, 10-Point, CPS

Veterans preference is the single biggest leverage you have in federal hiring. It adds 5 or 10 points to your USAJOBS final rating score and — if you're 10-point compensable — puts you on top of the certificate list and protects you from RIF for a year. Most veterans don't claim it correctly. Here's how.

What "preference" actually does

USAJOBS scores you on each competitive announcement out of 100 based on how well your resume matches the announcement's specialized experience and KSAs. Hiring managers see the highest-scoring applicants on the "certificate" (the cert) — usually the top 5-10. If you don't make the cert, the hiring manager never sees your application.

Preference adds points to your score (5 or 10) AND, in the strongest tier (CPS), places you at the top of the cert in your rating category. That second part is more valuable than the points themselves.

Preference does NOT apply to:

• Excepted-service positions (most intel agencies, OIG positions, some specialty hires)
• Senior Executive Service (SES)
• Internal-only Merit Promotion announcements (unless they're also "open to public" tracks)

It DOES apply to:

• Most General Schedule (GS) positions
• Wage Grade (WG) positions
• Federal Wage System (trades) positions
• Direct-hire announcements (limited)

The 4 preference categories

TP — Tentative Preference (5 points)

You qualify if you served on active duty during a wartime period and were discharged honorably or under honorable conditions.

"Wartime period" includes:

• World War II (Dec 7, 1941 – April 28, 1952)
• Korean Conflict (June 27, 1950 – Jan 31, 1955)
• Vietnam Era (Feb 28, 1961 – May 7, 1975, or Aug 5, 1964 – May 7, 1975 depending on country)
• Gulf War / Post-9/11 / Global War on Terror (Aug 2, 1990 – present)

In practice: most post-2001 veterans qualify for at least 5-point TP.

Documentation: DD-214 (Member Copy 4) attached to your USAJOBS profile.

CP — Compensable Preference (10 points, <10% disability)

For veterans with a service-connected disability rated less than 10% (yes, this category includes 0%-rated SC vets — having ANY rating triggers it). 10 points added to final score.

Documentation: DD-214 + VA rating letter + SF-15.

CPS — Compensable Preference, Special (10 points + RIF protection, 10%+ disability)

The strongest tier. Service-connected disability rated 10% or higher. You get:

• 10 points on USAJOBS scoring
• Placed at the top of the Best Qualified list in your rating category
• 1-year RIF protection after federal hire

Documentation: DD-214 + VA rating letter (showing 10%+) + SF-15.

This is where most separating service members should land if they have any SC rating. Filing your VA disability claim before separation is partly about getting the rating in time to claim CPS preference on USAJOBS applications.

XP — Other 10-point preference

For:

• Purple Heart recipients
• Mothers of deceased veterans (under specific eligibility)
• Spouses or surviving spouses of deceased / disabled veterans (specific cases)

Documentation varies — typically DD-214 of the veteran + relationship documentation + SF-15.

The SF-15 — the form most veterans skip

SF-15: Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference

If you're claiming any 10-point preference (CP, CPS, or XP), you MUST attach the SF-15. Without it, USAJOBS defaults you to 5-point preference at best — and sometimes to NO preference, depending on what evidence you uploaded.

The SF-15 is one page. It asks:

• Your name + social
• Which 10-point category you're claiming
• The supporting documentation you're submitting (DD-214, VA rating, etc.)
• Your signature + date

Fill it out once, save the PDF, attach to your USAJOBS profile. Apply it to every application you submit. Set a calendar reminder to refresh when your VA rating changes.

What to attach to your USAJOBS profile

To claim the strongest preference tier you qualify for, your USAJOBS profile should have:

1. DD-214 Member Copy 4 (the version that shows character of service in block 24)
2. VA disability rating letter — most recent. The "decision letter" from the VA, not the just the dollar amount.
3. SF-15 — completed and signed. Required for 10-point claims.
4. Optional: SF-50 if you have prior federal employment — proves you're already in the system.

Upload all four under "Documents" in your USAJOBS profile. They'll be available to attach to any application you submit.

How to claim preference on a specific application

When you apply to an announcement on USAJOBS:

1. In the questionnaire, you'll be asked "Are you a veteran?" Answer YES.
2. Select the highest preference category you qualify for. TP, CP, CPS, or XP.
3. Attach the supporting documents at the upload stage:
   • DD-214 always
   • VA rating + SF-15 if claiming 10-point
4. Submit and verify — you should see your preference category reflected in your application status within 24-48 hours.

If the system shows "Veterans Preference: None" on your application after submission and you believe you qualify, contact the agency's Servicing Personnel Office immediately. Sometimes documentation needs manual review. Don't wait — preference status affects your cert standing.

Common mistakes that cost preference

1. Uploading DD-214 Member Copy 1 instead of Member Copy 4. Copy 1 doesn't show character of service. Use Copy 4.
2. Filing without the SF-15. Defaults you to 5-point at best.
3. Using an outdated VA rating letter. If your rating increased recently, upload the current letter — higher % keeps you in CPS even if your old letter said 0%.
4. Skipping the questionnaire preference question or marking "I prefer not to answer." That's a no-claim. Mark the highest tier you qualify for.
5. Missing the announcement deadline. Preference doesn't extend deadlines.

What CPS RIF protection means

If you're hired into a federal position with CPS preference, you have 1-year RIF (Reduction in Force) protection. Translation: if the agency has to lay off employees, CPS-preference vets are protected first, and laid off last. After 1 year of service in the position, the protection lapses (you're protected by other RIF rules, just not the CPS-specific one).

This is rarely a make-or-break factor in normal years. In cycles where federal funding gets cut (continuing resolutions, hiring freezes), it's the difference between staying employed and not.

Post-application: track your "cert" status

After applying, USAJOBS will show one of:

• "Application Received" — initial submission
• "Application Reviewed" — HR is screening
• "Eligible / Referred" — you made the cert (the hiring manager will see your application)
• "Eligible / Not Referred" — you qualify but didn't make the cert
• "Not Eligible" — you didn't meet the announcement requirements (qualifications, citizenship, etc.)
• "Selected" — they're moving forward with you

The status updates can be slow. "Application Reviewed" can sit for 4-12 weeks before changing.

If you make the cert but don't get selected — that's normal. Federal cert lists usually have 3-10 candidates; one gets the job. Apply to multiple announcements simultaneously.

Don't forget: VR&E (Chapter 31) for SC-rated vets

If you're SC-rated and pursuing federal employment, you may also qualify for VR&E (Chapter 31) — Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment. VR&E pays for retraining, certification courses, and direct job placement assistance. Counselors can connect you with hiring managers at federal agencies.

VR&E + Schedule A + CPS preference is the trifecta — together they make federal hiring dramatically more accessible for SC-rated vets than for anyone else competing.

Related

• Federal Jobs Hub — full pathway overview
• How to List Your Security Clearance on Your Resume — for cleared-vet applicants
• Best Defense Contractors Hiring Cleared Veterans — private-sector alternative
• USAJOBS step-by-step — broader application playbook