CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT/FEDERAL INTERNSHIPS Description of the Field The US Federal Government is the largest employer in the United States, with presently 1.8 million civilian employees. It is responsible for: protecting the environment regulating worker health and safety ensuring the safety of the nation’s food supply overseeing air traffic control operations forging international partnerships in an era of globalization fighting ongoing battles against poverty, disease, homelessness, and illegal drug use conducting a global war against terrorism. International affairs positions in government do not just exist in agencies such as the Department of State and the Agency for International Development as almost every federal department and agency maintains an international affairs division. Federal job hunters are encouraged to explore a wide variety of agencies that may be involved with international policymaking. Hiring within the federal government is decentralized. Each agency manages its own hiring and is best viewed as a separate employer. the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which functions as the federal government’s human resource division, regulates hiring practices and provides vacancy information for the entire federal government, it is necessary to contact the human resource office for each agency to obtain detailed information about its particular career opportunities. Career Paths and Entry Salaries There are two main public sector tracks to consider: foreign service and civil service. Foreign Service Officers spend the majority of their time outside the U.S., with occasional stateside rotations. The only means of entry into the Foreign Service is via the examination process and placements can take up to two years, so if this is a career path students are considering seriously, they should aim to take the written examination during the spring before or during their first year of a 2-year Master’s program. The oral examination is offered at different times throughout the ensuing fall and winter. It can take up to a year to be placed following successful completion of the oral examination phase, as more candidates pass than there are positions to fill. Civil Service positions can be gained through the competitive hiring process (i.e. government positions posted to usajobs.com and other sites) or through application to the Presidential Management Fellowship program, which is a 2-year, fast-track program for graduate students. There are also specific fellowship programs that allow entrée into entry-level positions. Hiring for full-time civil service positions happens throughout the year as positions become open. The application process for the
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT/FEDERAL INTERNSHIPS Description of the Field The US Federal Government is the largest employer in the United States, with presently 1.8 million civilian employees. It is responsible for: protecting the environment regulating worker health and safety ensuring the safety of the nation’s food supply overseeing air traffic control operations forging international partnerships in an era of globalization fighting ongoing battles against poverty, disease, homelessness, and illegal drug use conducting a global war against terrorism. International affairs positions in government do not just exist in agencies such as the Department of State and the Agency for International Development as almost every federal department and agency maintains an international affairs division. Federal job hunters are encouraged to explore a wide variety of agencies that may be involved with international policymaking. Hiring within the federal government is decentralized. Each agency manages its own hiring and is best viewed as a separate employer. the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which functions as the federal government’s human resource division, regulates hiring practices and provides vacancy information for the entire federal government, it is necessary to contact the human resource office for each agency to obtain detailed information about its particular career opportunities. Career Paths and Entry Salaries There are two main public sector tracks to consider: foreign service and civil service. Foreign Service Officers spend the majority of their time outside the U.S., with occasional stateside rotations. The only means of entry into the Foreign Service is via the examination process and placements can take up to two years, so if this is a career path students are considering seriously, they should aim to take the written examination during the spring before or during their first year of a 2-year Master’s program. The oral examination is offered at different times throughout the ensuing fall and winter. It can take up to a year to be placed following successful completion of the oral examination phase, as more candidates pass than there are positions to fill. Civil Service positions can be gained through the competitive hiring process (i.e. government positions posted to usajobs.com and other sites) or through application to the Presidential Management Fellowship program, which is a 2-year, fast-track program for graduate students. There are also fellowship programs that allow entrée into entry-level positions. Hiring for full-time civil service positions happens throughout the year as positions become open. The application process for the specific
CAREER-OPPORTUNITIES-IN-THE-US-FEDERAL-GOVERNMENT.docx