Overview
When referring to the Government, this includes all federal, state, and local agencies. The Government is a sector not just a career field and there are numerous employment opportunities that are as varied as they are in the private or nonprofit sectors. Almost any job that exists in the private sector also exists in the Government sector, such as economist or human resource specialist. This field is known for its benefits. Especially the ability to take your benefits from job to job, something that you cannot do in the private or nonprofit sectors.
Jobs in Government are organized by grade, which is a pay classification. When looking for a job in Government you want to look for those jobs labeled GS5 or GS7, these are jobs that usually require a bachelor's degree with less than 3 years of work experience.
Requirements of jobs vary, because each job is so different. Some jobs may require a certain major or course work, though the majority do not. Skills that are highly valued in the government include: analytical skills, research background, creative thinking and problem solving abilities and writing and communications experience. Being able to prove you have these skills through internship or other work experience is crucial.
Getting Started
When applying to federal departments, agencies or bureaus, it is important to remember that each department makes completely independent hiring decisions. An application with the Department of Housing and Urban Development won't get you considered for jobs at the Environmental Protection Agency. If you know which agency you are interested in, information about positions and internship programs are posted on their websites. If you don't know which part of the government to look at, but have an idea of the position you want, all jobs are centralized into two databases: one for internships and one for permanent positions. Also, many agencies will attend Federal Career Day this fall. This is an excellent place to start building your contacts as early as your freshman year for future opportunities.
View a list of centralized websites to help you identify organizations that match with your interests.
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