Q&A About Government Employment

Federal careers expert Derrick Dortch hosted a Q&A on Wednesday at washingtonpost.com. If you missed it, you can read the full summary online here. Some of my favorite pieces of Dortch’s advice include:

Define what kind of position you want and develop a target package around it. If you are trying to stay within a support role on the administrative side, then you want to focus on the work you do but provide details about what programs and experts you support.

Put your success stories in your federal résumé and any materials you submit. It cannot just be job-descriptive language. There are many people out there looking for the same jobs, and you have to make sure you stand out. Success stories make you do that.

Think about the experts at your [current place of employment], and think about whom you can trust to talk to about wanting to work in government. It may be your boss or another expert, but after you have identified who the right people are to talk to, let them know that your passion is working for the federal government and ask them for advice and assistance. Many people understand someone trying to move up and will be more than happy to help you.

Job Networking, resume tweaking, and self-promotion… All great ideas, which it’s no coincidence that we cover extensively at the Job Monkey blog, as well!

Are you considering a move to a federal government career? There are a host of good reasons to work for Uncle Sam, including:

• Job security
• Stable paycheck
• Diversity of career options
• Great benefits — including health care and retirement packages
• Opportunities for advancement
• And more!