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Government Job Search

About Government Employment

Federal, state, county and city governments offer a wide range of job and internship opportunities. The Federal Government is the largest employer in the country and expects that in the next 5 years, one third of its full-time workforce will retire or otherwise leave the government. That’s a lot of openings!

Benefits of government employment include the opportunity to serve your community and often a greater degree of job security than other settings. Government organizations are also known to have excellent benefits!

Top Ten Reasons to Work for the Federal Government
The Best Places to Work in the Federal Government

Applying to Government Jobs

Governments typically have very specific personnel recruitment policies and job application procedures.  As a result, be sure to:

1. Read instructions carefully with attention to details and deadlines.
2. Start early! The application process can be slow.
3. Many governments require more detail on resumes - be sure to include ALL relevant experience.

Applying to Federal Jobs, online workshop
Guide to Writing Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Statements for Federal Applications (pdf)
Understanding the Federal Application Process (pdf)
Understanding the Federal Hiring Process (pdf)

Building Relationships with Professionals in Government

Despite the strict application procedures, connecting with professionals in government agencies is still extremely important. Conduct informational interviews (pdf) to gain job search tips and to learn about job titles and departments. To find professionals to chat with, ask faculty and Career Center staff to refer you to new contacts in your field of interest. For more tips on developing relationships with people in your industry, check out our networking online workshop.

Federal Government Job Related Sites

USAJOBS.org
Primary job listing web site for the federal government. (Note, not all federal positions are listed here. Be sure to check Government Agency web sites too.)

Federal Government Agency Listings
Use this directory of federal agencies to look for additional job postings by department of interest.

Making the Difference
A web site for students on federal internships and employment.

Where to Find Your Job in the Federal Government

Advice, information and links to help you navigate the process of finding and applying to opportunities with the federal government.

Minnesota State, City and County Job Related Sites

State of Minnesota
Primary job listing web site for The State of Minnesota.

Association of Minnesota Counties
Check out the employment menu for job openings or use the directory to link out to county web sites for additional job listings.

League of Minnesota Cities
Click on the "City Job Opportunities" link or use the city directory to link out to web sites for additional job listings.

Metropolitan Council
For information on current jobs click "Careers at the Council" in the right menu.

Finding National City, State and Local Jobs Beyond Minnesota

City Government Jobs
State and Local Government Sites