Get Hired as a State Employee – Find Local Government Agency Work

By Rhonda Campbell

Healthcare and retirement benefits associated with local, state and federal jobs are generally excellent. For example, if you get hired as a teacher, depending on policies in the school district where you work you may be able to collect a pension after you reach 60 years of age or teach for 30 or more years. Getting a job with a government organization or agency can also offer increased job security, especially if you are hired through a union. In addition, if you work for government agencies early in your career you can develop valuable contacts that you can access years later to secure funding for self-employment projects should you decide to go into business for yourself.

Finding Government Jobs

Government jobs are advertised in local newspapers, magazines and at government recruiting sites.  For example, United States Office of Personnel Management websites list government job openings.  They also list the education, job training and work experience required to successfully apply for each job opening.  Job applicants must be a United States citizen, naturalized resident or legal alien.  Students, military veterans, corporate executives and other experienced workers are eligible to apply for the jobs.

City and state colleges and universities are good organizations to enter government work through.  These job openings are typically posted in the college’s or university’s human resources or personnel office.  Displaced workers are encouraged to check their state’s unemployment office website under sections like “Find a Job” or “Employment” to locate state or city government job openings.  Furthermore, many state unemployment offices allow displaced workers to upload their personal resume to their website so that potential employers can find them with the click of a button.

Additionally, displaced workers and other job seekers can find city and state college and university job openings advertised in the employment ads listed at the back of their local newspaper.  Administrative assistant, finance, accounting, project management, grant proposal writing, admissions counselor and secretarial jobs are types of government positions available at city and state colleges and universities.

Working at Government City or State Jobs

Depending on where one searches, hourly and annual wages at government jobs might not be as competitive as those found at privately owned organizations and agencies, however time off, healthcare and pension benefits offered to government employees are not often surpassed by privately owned companies, especially at lower levels.

Search for federal jobs by occupation, agency name, location or announcement number.  People looking for a new or better job can also search for government jobs by salary or job level.  Review the listed qualifications and requirements.  The United States Office of Personnel Management’s Student Jobs database list available jobs that people can intern at.  Internships can be an effective way to try a job out to see if it’s a good fit.  Internships are also a good way to develop connections with hiring managers and land full-time assignments.

Unions and Government Jobs

Industry specific unions like American Federation of Teachers, American Postal Workers Union, International Association of Fire Fighters, United Food and Commercial Workers and the United Transportation Union post government job openings in their fields.  The American Federal of Government Employees, National Union of Public and General Employees and Public Employees Federation are other major unions that members can access to find out about government job openings in their area.  Dependants of union members can easily ask their parents or grandparent to let them know about job openings that they, the dependant, might enjoy working at.

Akin to jobs at privately owned companies, people who apply for government jobs are encouraged to polish their resume so their resume grabs a hiring manager’s attention.  Applicants can sharpen their interview skills by conducting practice interviews with a friend or relative.  After all, some government jobs require applicants to interview with three to four senior managers before a hiring decision is made.

By searching local newspapers, magazines and job boards, job seekers can find work with government agencies and organizations.  Military veterans are given priority at some government agencies, so retired service men and women who are seeking employment should check with these agencies.  Applicants at all levels, including students, interns and part-time and full-time job seekers, are encouraged to polish their resume and practice interviewing skills so that they give themselves the best opportunity to land a rewarding government job.

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Sources:

http://www.usajobs.gov (USA Jobs)

http://www.usajobs.gov/studentjobs (Student Jobs)