Did you know that there are urgent hiring needs within the government? Many of them are within business and students as young as sophomores are eligible to apply! You can learn more about these opportunities here: https://www.usajobs.gov/?c=opportunities. The best resource to help you secure a position in the government is USAJOBS.gov. Here are some quick hitting tips to help you be successful in the government job search process:
- Create a profile on USAJOBS.gov. This will allow you to seek for positions that meet your needs (internship, recent grad full-time, positions for those with disabilities), save favorite searches and jobs, upload your resume and other documents, make your resume searchable, and actually apply to positions. Tailor your search to Grade 5 and 7 positions since those are currently the ones you will be eligible for as an undergrad.
- Review positions by college major to get an accurate understanding of what positions you may be eligible for: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/students/federal-occupations-by-college-major/
- Be sure to use the federal resume builder since writing resumes for government is entirely different than the resume writing you’ve been used you! If you are eligible for a Grade 7 position, be sure to use the EXACT same language in your resume that appears in the job posting.
- Get your documentation and application ready as soon as possible. It can take up to 24 hours for some documents to be cleared, so if you wait to apply until a few hours before the decision deadline, you could unknowingly miss something!
- Keep copies of all of your submitted documents in case information needs to be referenced during a clearance call.
- Remember to make your resume searchable! Agencies do reach out to qualified candidates even if you haven’t applied.
Did you know that there are many other resources that you can use to find a full-time job or internship other than SmealConnect or Nittany Lion Career Network? You can see other job search platforms at http://careerconnections.smeal.psu.edu/internships-co-ops/other-internship-co-op-opportunities/.
