This post was produced with the help of an article by Chris Enstrom, Federal Jobs: Working for Uncle Sam, which has been featured in the Marist College Center for Career Services Career Planning Guide. The guide is produced annually with the help of College Recruitment Media. The last 4th of July fireworks have been set off and maybe you have a long weekend ahead of you. While celebrations of the United States of America are likely to continue for the next few days, it’s a good time to consider searching for and applying to a job within the federal government.
The U.S. federal government is the largest employer in this country, offering career opportunities to create new technology and shape policy, programs, and services that have a worldwide impact on diverse group of people. With hundreds of agencies nested under branches of the government, there is usually a high demand for federal employees that hold degrees in various fields. Positions are often available in multiple locations. Federal jobs are divided into competitive service and excepted service positions. Competitive service positions are subject to civil service laws passed by Congress and applicants are awarded points based on education, experience, and other predetermined standards. Similar to the private sector, excepted service positions have their own qualification requirements set by the agency itself. Many positions in the Federal Reserve, Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency are excepted service positions for example. Regardless of the category, most types of federal jobs offer valuable benefits such as health insurance, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, social security, and more. Typically, the federal hiring process can stretch out for two to six months so we recommend that you apply for federal jobs at least two semesters before your graduation date. Here are some tips to guide you before and during the federal job application process. Know What You Want The federal government offers a wide variety of positions across multiple fields. What factors are most important to you in a job? What skills do you have to offer a federal employer? Does your personality and work style align well with the environment and workforce conditions associated with the position and agency? Exploring these questions will help you utilize the search filters on websites with federal job listings and find a position that truly excites you. Search a Variety of Websites The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has a lot of information for anyone interested in applying for federal jobs including employment trends, salary ranges and benefits. USA Jobs is a portal for federal employment and contains thousands of job listings. All competitive service positions must be posted on USA Jobs and many excepted service positions are featured on this website. Also consider visiting websites of other agencies that are not directly associated with your field of study. Check out a list of other resources for finding a federal job on our website. Follow Instructions Closely Make sure you meet the qualifications for both the agency and position. Federal job postings are often longer and more detailed than those in the corporate or non-profit sector, so make sure to read all of the sections carefully. Working within a system and following a defined chain of command is paramount in any federal job, so keep that in mind throughout your application. You may need additional documents, clearance, or evaluations from other groups in order to proceed, and your application may not be processed if you do not follow every requirement in the order in which it is presented. Make Sure You Have a Clean Record Additional security clearance is often needed for applicants to advance to the next round of interviews or other evaluations. Federal employers will not consider someone they deem even the slightest risk to their operation. And, as always, keep your social media accounts and online presence pristine. Your digital space will be thoroughly examined and form a first impression with federal officials. Be Patient There are additional hiring steps within the federal government to ensure an equal and fair assessment for all candidates. The sheer number of applicants may also cause delays in the initial hiring timeline, but hopefully it will be worth the wait.
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