About 2 million people are employed in a government job, making the federal government America's largest employer. Only 10% of these workers are located in Washington, D.C., the rest work in federal government jobs throughout the United States and overseas. Government employees are hired in just about every career field and in a wide variety of occupations.
Government Salary and Benefits:
The salaries for most government jobs are based on a "General Schedule" (GS) pay scale. This civil service system has starting salaries ranging below $20,000 to much higher. The average salary for all occupations being about $54,000. Federal jobs that are hard to fill may offer special pay rates that are higher than average and there are salary differentials based on location. In addition, there are generous benefits including health insurance, sick and vacation leave, child care and a pension.
Government Job Search:
The best place to start looking for a government job is on the USA Jobs web site. The First-Timers Start Here section explains how the system works. Users can search for jobs; build a resume online and sign-up to receive job postings via e-mail.
Agency and Department Job Sites:
If you're interested in working at a specific government agency or department, you'll find career information available on the careers section of the agency web site:
- Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- FBI Jobs
- Foreign Service Careers
- Internal Revenue Service Jobs
- Post Office Jobs
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Jobs
- US Government Departments and Agencies
- Government Jobs for Students and College Graduates
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