What is login.gov and why do I have to create an account?
What is login.gov?
login.gov is a service that offers secure and private online access to government programs, such as federal benefits, services and applications. With a login.gov account, you can sign into multiple government websites with the same email address and password.
Why is Open Opportunities using login.gov?
login.gov uses two-factor authentication, and stronger passwords, that meet new National Institute of Standards of Technology requirements for secure validation and verification. By using login.gov, you’ll get an extra layer of security to help protect your USAJOBS and Open Opportunities profile against password compromises. You need a login.gov account to sign into Open Opportunities. Once you create a login.gov account, you can use the same email address and password for both Open Opportunities and USAJOBS.
What do I need to do?
We’ll walk you through each step of this new process, but you’ll need to:
1. Create a login.gov account
You only need to create a login.gov account once. You need a working phone number (mobile or landline) or an authentication application installed on a device so you can receive the one-time security code.
2. Create or link your USAJOBS profile
We’ll link your login.gov account to your existing USAJOBS profile. If you don’t have a USAJOBS profile, we’ll help you create one.
3. Complete or link your Open Opportunities profile.
We’ll then link your login.gov account and USAJOBS profile to your existing Open Opportunities profile. If you don’t have an Open Opportunities profile, we’ll help you create this too.
Why do I need a USAJOBS profile?
Open Opportunities is now part of USAJOBS, so you’ll have one profile to share across the two sites. You’ll use the same email address and password to sign into both USAJOBS and Open Opportunities.
What will happen to my Open Opportunities profile?
Nothing will happen to the information stored in your Open Opportunities profile. You will still be able to see all of the opportunities you created or participated in.
What do I do if I have issues finding or linking my profile?
If you can’t find your Open Opportunities profile, you need to create a new one.
How do I sign into Open Opportunities after I create my login.gov account?
Every time you click Sign In on Open Opportunities, you’ll go to the login.gov sign in page. Enter your login.gov email address, password and the one-time security code you receive on your mobile or landline phone, or created by your authentication application. You’ll then go back to the Open Opportunities site and will be signed in.
Can I use my existing Open Opportunities username and password to sign in?
No. You must create a new account with login.gov, if you don’t already have one. We’ll connect your new login.gov account with your existing Open Opportunities profile during the process.
What if I already have a login.gov account?
If you already have a login.gov account, you don’t need to create a second one. Use your existing login.gov email address and password, plus the one-time security code to sign into Open Opportunities.
What email address do I use to create a login.gov account?
I have a USAJOBS profile
If you have a USAJOBS profile, use the same email address you use for USAJOBS. We’ll automatically link your USAJOBS profile to your login.gov account and then we’ll link it to your Open Opportunities profile. If you use a different email address, we won’t be able to automatically link your profile.
I don’t have a USAJOBS profile
If you don’t have a USAJOBS profile, we recommend you use a personal email address that you control (such as a Gmail address). We recommend you don’t use a .gov, .mil, .edu or any other ‘work’ email address. Why? If you leave your government job, military position, private sector job or school, you’ll no longer have access to that email address. Without access to that email address, it will be much harder to verify who you are, if you ever need to reset your password. You also can’t use an email address you share with someone else.
What if I currently use a .gov, .mil, .edu or work-related email address for my USAJOBS profile?
If you currently use one of these email types for USAJOBS, continue to use it to set up your login.gov account. This is important so you can link your login.gov account to your profile. However, once you’ve successfully linked your profile with your login.gov account, you may want to change your email address.
Can I use a different email address from my USAJOBS email address, when setting up my login.gov account?
When you first create your login.gov account, you need to use the same email address you currently use for USAJOBS. This will let us link your USAJOBS profile information to your new login.gov account and to Open Opportunities. If you want to change your email address, we recommend you do it AFTER you’ve successfully linked your profile and login.gov account.
Can I share a login.gov account with another person?
No. Each person needs their own login.gov account. Each person must set up their own login.gov account, with their own personal email address (not an email that you share with someone else).