The
U.S. government is one of the largest employers
in the world employing close to 3 million people
and hiring thousands each year. You can work
for the government in almost every occupation
imaginable from accountant to astronaut, clerical
worker to criminal investigator, management
analyst to medical doctor. These are just a
few of the jobs available with the federal government
that can be both challenging and rewarding as
you serve both the public and your country.
The government job search is similar to a private
or non-profit sector job search when it comes
to looking for positions. The difference appears
when it comes to applying for positions in the
government. Federal Resumes, KSAs, ECQs and
other materials are used to apply for government
jobs.
READY
TO FIND THE GOVERNMENT JOB YOU LOVE
Government work is critical
to the operation of our society and the protection
of our freedoms. Being a civil servant and serving
our citizens is a very honorable and important
profession and should not be taken lightly.
This being the case just as with any career
path or job search it is important to have a
job in government you love. Working in a government
job that you hate or are unsatisfied with will
be stressful and draining and can hurt your
chances to advance and succeed. It can also
affect the work you do in providing services
to and for the citizens of this country. In
fact research has often times shown that having
a job you hate causes high levels of stress,
is emotionally draining and can ultimately cause
health problems.
Now
take a moment to imagine how it would be if
you could wake up each morning energized and
excited about going to work. From being a working
professional you probably now realize that you
will spend more time of your life working than
doing anything else. Since you have been working
several years you understand that being in the
right career has a major impact upon your success
in your career, work and life. You may now realize
that it is time for a change in job, employer
or career in order to find the job/career you
love. The first step to finding the career/job
you love is to assess yourself. Self-assessment
is the process of evaluating yourself and determining
your interests, skills, values, strengths, weaknesses
and personality style and how they relate to
your career choice, development and success.
There
are a number of self assessments including the
Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Strong Interest
Inventory (SII), Campbell Interest Inventory
(CII), Self Directed Search (SDS), FIRO-B, and
numerous other career/self assessments. Taking
these assessments or doing your own personal
search and assessment of your interests, skills,
values, strengths, weaknesses and personality
style will help you in choosing the right career/job
for you. Start learning more about the self
assessment and career choice process by reading
the following sections below:
THE
GOVERNMENT JOB SEARCH
The
government job search is similar to a private
or non-profit sector job search when it comes
to looking for positions. Learn about how to
conduct the government job search by reading
the section below.
SELLING
YOURSELF TO GOVERNMENT EMPLOYERS
A quality, powerful, targeted
federal resume, KSAs, ECQs and other materials
will open doors and help you win interviews.
The
real difference between applying to private
or non-profit/NGO sector employers appears when
it comes to applying for a government job. Although
the government has taken strides to improve
and simplify the application process there are
still procedures done much differently than
the private sector. These procedures must be
followed correctly to make sure your application
is accepted and remains competitive.
Once
you have secured the interview you will need
to be ready to sell yourself to win the job.
From developing targeted self-marketing materials
to preparing for the
interview to helping you manage your career
we can help you succeed.
