Federal Government - Texas A&M Career Center

Considering Working for the Federal Government? Here's What You Need to Know

If you’re looking for a career that offers great benefits, opportunities for advancement, job security, and the chance to make a real difference in society, then a job in the federal government might be just what you’re looking for. With over 2 million federal government positions available across more than 120 departments and agencies, the federal government offers a wealth of employment opportunities for people with all kinds of backgrounds and majors.

Why Work in Government?

Federal employees work on a broad range of issues that have a real impact on people's lives. They also enjoy competitive pay, outstanding benefits, and frequent opportunities for advancement. In addition, student loan repayment programs and flexible work arrangements are just some of the many benefits that come with a job in the federal government. Even if you don’t want to work in Washington D.C., there are still plenty of opportunities available at state and local levels.

Assess Your Skills

If you are highly motivated and accomplished, with strong skills in problem solving, communication, leadership, respect, flexibility, reliability, and teamwork, then you may be a great fit for a career in government. Students who excel in these areas are highly encouraged to consider governmental employment. It’s also important to research and develop the technical skills needed for the specific roles you want to pursue. Texas A&M’s self-assessment guides Sigi3 and FOCUS2 can help you assess your skills and determine what jobs might be best for you.

Becoming the Ideal Candidate

Government Resumes

To make the most of your application, you should target your resume around the position you are applying for and use each job posting as a guide. Your federal resume should be longer than a typical resume, somewhere between 2-5 pages, while state and local resumes should be 1-3 pages. It should highlight your skills in leadership, organization, communication, and teamwork and go more in-depth than a typical resume on your past accomplishments. Each bullet point should contain a key accomplishment or elaborate upon a time you went above and beyond. Federal employers like to see data and numbers in your bullet points.

RESUME RESOURCES

Government Cover Letters

A government cover letter should address any special clearances and related work experience that you may have in great detail. For assistance in creating a standout cover letter, attend our drop-in advising.

WRITE A WINNING COVER LETTER

Dress for Success

When you’re dressing for your interview, remember to dress as if you were meeting in person. Make sure to do your research on organizational culture to determine your professional attire. It is standard in government to wear business professional attire, and it's always better to overdress than underdress for an interview.

WHAT TO WEAR

Interview Preparation

Once you’ve been selected for an interview, you should document the recruiter's name, title, time and date of the interview, and any other information shared over the phone. Agencies use a variety of interview formats, including traditional one-on-one interviews, panel interviews, phone interviews, and virtual video interviews.

GET INTERVIEW READY

COVID-19 Response

The federal government is currently hiring across a wide range of career fields to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. These positions are mission-critical and part of the government's response to COVID-19. Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/coronavirus website to view and apply for these positions.

Get the Help You Need

If you need help with your government job search, the Texas A&M Career Center can help. We offer resume reviews, self-assessment guides, and virtual appointments with a government career advisor to help you perfect your application and land your dream job in the federal government.

Understanding the General Schedule

The General Schedule (GS) is a classification system used by the federal government to determine the pay rate and eligibility requirements for different job positions. Agencies determine the grade of their positions based on factors such as responsibility, level of difficulty, and required knowledge, skills, and abilities. The GS has 15 grades, with GS-1 being the lowest and GS-15 being the highest.

Here's a breakdown of the different GS levels:

GS-1 to GS-2: No experience required, just a high school diploma or GED.

GS-3 to GS-4: Internships or student jobs (for students pursuing their Bachelor's degree).

GS-5 to GS-7: Entry-level positions (for recent graduates with a Bachelor's degree). GS-5 is the typical entry-level position, but candidates with exceptional qualifications could be eligible for GS-6 to GS-7 positions.

GS-8 to GS-9: Mid-level positions (for Master's level students).

GS-10 to GS-11: Mid-level positions (for Doctoral level students).

GS-12: Mid-level positions.

GS-13 to GS-15: Top-level supervisory positions.

Positions beyond GS-15 are part of the Senior Executive Service.

To learn more about the General Schedule, visit the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and GoGovernment.

Job Search Resources

Here are some resources to help you explore opportunities available with the federal government:

USA.gov: The government's official web portal with an A-Z agency index.
USAjobs.gov: The United States Government's website for listing civil service job opportunities with federal agencies.
House.gov: A great resource for obtaining an internship working with a committee member in the House of Representatives.
Careers.state.gov: You can find internship resources and full-time employment opportunities with the U.S. Department of State.
Workforce Recruitment Program: This program helps connect federal and private sector jobs to college students and recent graduates with disabilities.
Intelligencecareers.gov: Full-time and internship opportunities for careers in intelligence.
Ballotpedia.org: Information about elections at every level of government, including contact information, candidate background, and issues on upcoming ballots.
Onetonline.org: A great source of information on all types of occupations, providing information on necessary skills, work activities, average education levels, certifications, wage and employment trends, and more.
BLS.gov: The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a resource for job, employment, wage, and economic trends.
Aggienetwork.com: Connect with Aggies working in Federal Employment by utilizing the Find An Aggie tool.