Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Government Cloud • Project Management • PIV Card

COOP

Term from Government Services industry explained for recruiters

COOP (Continuity of Operations Plan) is a strategy that government agencies and organizations use to make sure they can keep working during emergencies or disruptions. Think of it as a detailed backup plan that explains how an organization will continue its most important functions when faced with challenges like natural disasters, pandemics, or other crisis situations. Similar concepts include Business Continuity Planning (BCP) or Emergency Operations Planning (EOP). This planning is especially important in government roles where public services need to keep running no matter what happens.

Examples in Resumes

Developed and maintained COOP plans for a federal agency with 500+ employees

Led quarterly COOP drills and updated Continuity of Operations documentation

Served as COOP coordinator for regional office, managing emergency response procedures

Typical job title: "COOP Planners"

Also try searching for:

Continuity Planner Emergency Management Specialist Business Continuity Planner Emergency Operations Coordinator Disaster Recovery Specialist COOP Program Manager

Where to Find COOP Planners

Professional Organizations

Job Resources

Professional Networks

• LinkedIn COOP Groups
• LinkedIn COOP Professionals

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you develop and implement a COOP program for a large government agency?

Expected Answer: Should discuss comprehensive planning approach including risk assessment, essential functions identification, succession planning, alternate facility selection, and training program development. Should emphasize stakeholder engagement and budget management.

Q: How do you measure the effectiveness of a COOP program?

Expected Answer: Should mention conducting regular exercises, tracking participation rates, measuring recovery time objectives, gathering feedback from participants, and implementing improvements based on exercise results.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What elements should be included in a basic COOP plan?

Expected Answer: Should list essential functions, order of succession, delegations of authority, alternate facilities, vital records, and communication procedures.

Q: How do you conduct a COOP exercise?

Expected Answer: Should explain the process of planning tabletop exercises, full-scale drills, creating realistic scenarios, and conducting after-action reviews.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is the purpose of a COOP plan?

Expected Answer: Should explain that COOP ensures critical government functions continue during emergencies and describe basic components of emergency planning.

Q: What's the difference between COOP and disaster recovery?

Expected Answer: Should explain that COOP focuses on maintaining essential functions during emergencies, while disaster recovery deals with returning to normal operations after an incident.