As you probably already know, the federal government is one of the largest employers in our nation. Here are some essential facts you should know about federal hiring.
As you probably already know, the federal government is one of the largest employers in our nation. Here are some essential facts you should know about federal hiring.
Job opportunities are abundant, particularly within certain agencies and organizations. While just about all have some openings, the ones with the most hiring activity include the Air Force, the Army, the Navy, VA, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the the Department of Defense.
Opportunities are quite strong in certain professions, many of which mirror what’s happening in the business world at large. You’ll find the most jobs – at all levels – in information technology, telecommunications, health care, security and energy.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest demographic data, the average age of a full-time federal civilian employee is 47.4 years. Fifty-six percent are men, 43 percent are women and 51 percent have bachelor’s degrees. The average salary is $81,000 a year. Ninety percent are in white-collar jobs and 10 percent blue-collar.
Federal résumé writing is different than corporate résumé writing. It is critical that you research the rules and requirements for federal résumés and respond to each job posting’s specific instructions. If you already have a corporate/company résumé, you can use it as the foundation for your federal résumé as long as you make the appropriate additions and other edits.
Security clearances are valuable in the hiring process. If you have a current clearance, that’s a huge advantage over other candidates. If you previously had a clearance but it’s no longer active, that’s still a plus, because it should help expedite your new clearance and attests to your integrity and patriotism.
There are many online resources to help you seek and prepare for federal employment. Three of the largest are usajobs.gov, usa.gov and federalgovernmentjobs.us. However, there are others too, so search multiple online resources to find the opportunities that best suit your targeted career goals.
Wendy Enelow is co-author of “Modernize Your Résumé: Get Noticed ... Get Hired” and “Expert Résumés for Military-to-Civilian Transitions.”
- Job Front