Federal Government Jobs Website: Finding and Applying for Federal Jobs
About 2 million people are employed by the government, making the federal government America’s largest employer. Job seekers prefer to pursue federal employment for a lot of reasons, including benefits and compensation, job security, and flexible work schedules.
With about fifty percent of federal employees eligible for either early or regular retirement, there’s an abundance of federal job opportunities. In fact, thousands of federal jobs are advertised on any given day.
If you’re interested in starting your career in the federal government, the best place to start looking for a government job is on the USAJobs website. USAJobs.gov is the official source for Federal government job listings throughout the United States as well as abroad.
All candidates will be required to take appropriate exams and abide by all of the Office of Personnel Management procedures for hiring.
Most federal jobs are listed on USAJOBS, but sometimes agencies prefer to post job openings on their own websites. If there’s a particular agency that you are interested in working with, you may find its website through the A-Z Index of Government Agencies. Agencies set up the screening procedures for these positions and the hiring process may be different from the established OPM protocols.
Other helpful websites are The Best Places to Work in the Federal Government, which provides information about employee job satisfaction and engagement at more than 300 agencies, and Makingthedifference.org, which describes public service jobs, including compensation and duties, and tips on how you can apply for a job.
Searching For Positions
USAJOBS.gov provides job seekers with the ability to search for positions based on specific keywords. You may also refine your search results in a variety of ways, including:
- Agency. If you already have a few agencies in mind, you may refine your search by selecting one or more agencies.
- Job Categories. The job categories are organized according to series number. To refine your search results, click a specific occupation series or choose a specific occupation.
- Grade. To make your job search easier, focus on positions that match your experience level.
- Salary. You may narrow your search by looking for positions within a specific salary range.
- Work schedule/Work type. Select the work schedule and work type that best aligns with your preferences.
- Location. To narrow your search, you may look for jobs according to your geographical region by typing in your zip code. You may also choose a specific city, state or country in the advanced search.
Below are a few other websites that you may find particularly useful.
Former Federal Employees
If you previously worked for the federal government, you may have reinstatement eligibility. This allows you to apply for federal jobs without competing with the general public.
Veterans
The federal government has an outstanding record of employing veterans. If you’ve served in the military and you’re looking for a federal government job, FedsHireVets.gov provides information on veterans’ preference, special hiring authorities, and other tips for vets and transitioning service members.
Students and Recent Graduates
There are many job opportunities offered to current students, recent graduates, and those with an advanced degree.
Senior Executives
Senior Executive Service members are selected for their leadership qualifications. You may be eligible for a position if you meet the executive core qualifications.
Disability employment
Persons with disabilities can be appointed to Federal jobs non-competitively through a process called Schedule A.
