University of Wisconsin–Madison
SuccessWorks
at the College of Letters & Science

Government, Politics, Policy, & Law

If you are seeking an internship or career where you can make a positive difference in the lives of your fellow citizens, protect our air, water, land, health, and food supply, improve the United States’ image abroad, identify terrorist threats before they come to fruition, protect our most vulnerable citizens, and much more, then there is place for you working in a local, state, or federal government agency!

Perhaps you are more about crafting policy that shapes the laws a state or federal legislative body enacts, or you are skilled in the power of persuasion and would love to lobby for an issue close to your heart. Maybe you think it would be great to run for office one day…or just work for someone who does. There is a place for you in politics or policy!

Considering the legal field? Make an appointment with the Center for Pre-Law Advising

 

Explore and Connect

John Stanoch ’80 highlights how his accomplished legal career is rooted in experiences at UW-Madison and the College of Letters and Science. Mr. Stanoch served as Minnesota’s Chief Deputy…

Search on BuckyNet for jobs and internships posted daily

Find UW-Madison alumni by location, organization, job and skills

Think you might be interested in a career in Government, Politics, or Policy?

Schedule an appointment with me to talk about job and internship opportunities, get networking tips, prepare for conversations with employers, review your application materials, negotiate a job offer, and more.

My facebook group is a great place to learn more and connect with others with similar interests.  For students who do not use Facebook, or would like to receive data both ways, you may also join my GPP listserv by sending a blank email from your wisc.edu address to:  join-governmentcareers@lists.wisc.edu

Considering the legal field? Make an appointment with the Center for Pre-Law Advising

Events

Featured Employer

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is proud of our long-standing and significant role in promoting Peace Corps on our campus. Since 1961, more than 3,200 University of Wisconsin-Madison graduates have put their education and experience to work around the world in the areas of education, health, environment, community and economic development, agriculture, and youth in development.

49% of federal jobs are in the civil service. The other 51% are made up of excepted positions and the US Postal Service.

Featured L&S Courses

This 3 credit course will pay special attention to the development of conspiracy theories related to the livability of our environment, including theories about climate change, geo-engineering, the United Nations, fracking, FEMA, and the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Who promotes these theories? Why? And how? You will learn how to find and analyze evidence in order to evaluate claims about possible conspiracies for yourself. Go to MyUW to review the course.

Major issues of public policy in such fields as economic management, welfare, education, health, energy and the environment. How public problems develop, approaches to policy-making, why programs succeed and fail. Go to MyUW to review the course.

Making Connections

Student/Professional Organizations

UW-Madison has a variety of government and policy related student organizations to consider joining. They range from criminal justice, political party, legal, and veteran issues. Check out a few on our list

Badger Mentors

Badger career coaches are here to help you.

Graduate School Resources

You might be thinking about graduate work beyond your bachelors degree. Take a look at the application process and things to consider before you apply

Resume Sample 1

Resume Sample 2

Resume Sample 3

Dig Deeper: Think Tanks, Policy, Elected Officials, and Local Governement

Dig Even Deeper: Federal Government

  • Why Become a Fed?

    The federal government is our country’s largest employer with about 1.9 million people – including 15 cabinet-level agencies and over 200 independent agencies. As Baby Boomers retire, federal agencies will need to hire new workers for “mission-critical” positions in almost every occupational field in locations throughout the country and the world.

    Eligibility

    With very limited exceptions, Federal jobs and internships are only available to U.S. citizens. If you have dual citizenship between the US and another country, some agencies won’t mind while others might require you to give it up prior to being hired.

    If you do not have U.S. citizenship or have a green card, opportunities will range from nonexistent to extremely limited.

    When Should You Apply?

    The Federal Government does not have “hiring seasons” for the vast majority of its positions.  There are however several rules of thumb you can follow for when you should begin looking and applying for an internship or job:

    • If the position will require a Top Secret or Secret security clearance (virtually any opportunity in the Intelligence Community), typically you will need to apply anywhere from 7 months to 1 year before you expect to start work:
        1. For Internships: IC opportunities are typically open Sept/Oct for the following Summer, Jan/Feb for the following Fall, and June/July for the following Spring (there are always exceptions such as the CIA internship only open to freshman that accepts applications from January-April each year for internships to start the following summer, but this is an exception to the rule
        2. For full time jobs: Try to apply about a year before you graduate or would hope to start the job
    • If the internship or job does not require a high level clearance (most of the positions listed on USAJobs fall into this category)
        1. Begin looking at potential positions that might interest you 6-8 months before you plan to apply
        2. Begin applying approximately 90 days before you’d like to start the job
    • If a full time job is a Pathways Recent Graduates Position:
        1. The official rule states that you must have already graduated before you can even apply for the job
        2. Some Recent Grads positions will allow you to apply several months before you graduate (read the announcement carefully before applying)
    • Pathways Internships require that you continue being a student after completion of the internship, so you may not intern with a federal agency after you graduate unless you are already registered to attend graduate school the following fall
    WHY consider the Federal Government?

    If you are seeking a career where you can make a positive difference in the lives of your fellow citizens, protect our air, water, land, and food supply, improve the United States’ image abroad, or identify terrorist threats before they come to fruition, the Federal Government has a job or internship for you!

    • Excellent Salaries – Most salaries are comparable to those in the private sector. Pay is based on grade levels GS-1 to GS-15. Each grade contains 10 steps. Starting salaries are based on your geographic location, grade point average, and experience in the field.
      • With a Bachelor’s degree, expect to begin Federal service between GS-5 and GS-7 (roughly around $ 40,000 to start)
      • With a Master’s degree, the starting range is GS-9 to GS-11
      • PhDs typically start at GS-11 and go up from there.
    • Great Benefits – Have the opportunity to choose from some of the best health, dental, life, and long term care insurance
    • Student Loan Repayment – Overwhelmed with student loan debt? Certain agencies can assist you with your student loans! Some pay up to $60,000 for loan repayment as long as you work for them for three years or more. (See the section on Public Service Loan Forgiveness below)
    • They Work for Us –  This site put together by a federal employee union is chock full of good guidance and advise on how and why to look at federal employment
    • Quick Advancement – Regularly scheduled and merit-based promotions are the rewards for good job performance.
    • Pensions – Coverage by secure pensions, difficult to find in the private sector.
    • Generous Vacations – Ten paid holidays and up to 26 days of vacation.
    • Flexible Schedules – Don’t want to work 9-to-5? Some agencies have flexible schedules, part time work, and telecommuting options. This is a great contributor to balancing your work and personal lives.
    • Looking for a purpose? A meaningful job? – You can impact the lives of people every day. Working for the government provides the opportunity to make our country better through interesting and challenging job opportunities.
    • They are hiring – As the approximately 250,000 Baby-Boomers currently in government service retire, some positions will be discontinued, others consolidated, but many entry level jobs will need to be filled as current employees move up the promotion ladder.

    Read Up on the Basics

    If you can’t get to the government workshop series, or you missed it, this two-part series written by the Bureau of Labor Statistics will at least get you started: Part One and Part Two

    Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

    The PSLF Program is intended to encourage individuals to enter and continue to work full-time in public service jobs. Under this program, you may qualify for forgiveness of the remaining balance due on your William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loan Program) loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments on those loans while employed full-time by certain public service employers. Since you must make 120 qualifying payments on your eligible federal student loans after October 1, 2007 before you qualify for the loan forgiveness, the first forgiveness of loan balances will not be granted until October 2017.  Any non-defaulted loan made under the Direct Loan Program is eligible for loan forgiveness. (See below for information on how non-Direct Loans may become eligible.) The Direct Loan Program includes the following loans:

    • Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans (Direct Subsidized Loans)
    • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford Loans (Direct Unsubsidized Loans)
    • Federal Direct PLUS Loans (Direct PLUS Loans)—for parents and graduate or professional students
    • Federal Direct Consolidation Loans (Direct Consolidation Loans)
  • Explore Your Options

    As the title of this tab indicates, this is the place to find nearly every helpful link related to your Federal job or internship search.  If you find a broken link, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

    If you still have questions after reviewing the sites below (and you will!) please schedule an appointment with Marie Koko – our Career and Internship Communities Specialist who will be happy help you make sense of it all!

    Learn to speak “Governmentese” 

    Anyone who has tried to read a vacancy notice on USAJobs knows that the government almost seems to speak a foreign language. These three links list some of the most common terminology you will encounter when reading vacancy announcements so you can begin to grasp what they are talking about.

    Figure Out Which Job is Right For You

    Almost every position in the Competitive Service has a 4 digit classification code and generalized PDF job description on OPM’s website

    The Partnership for Public Service has a great website called GoGovernment covering a lot of details pertaining to Federal job searches.

    Competitive VS Excepted Service – what’s the difference and why it matters
    • Competitive/Civil Service: These jobs are under OPM’s jurisdiction and subject to the civil service laws passed by Congress to ensure that applicants and employees receive fair and equal treatment in the hiring process. These laws give selecting officials broad authority to review more than one applicant source before determining the best-qualified candidate based on job-related criteria. A basic principle of Federal employment is that all candidates must meet the qualification requirements for the position for which they receive an appointment.
    • Excepted Service:  Approximately 51% of Federal positions are “excepted” from the hiring criteria defined above.  They are generally not hired through USAJobs but directly through individual agency website postings. Both agencies and positions within an agency can be considered “Excepted” for hiring purposes.
      • This PDF lists all the agencies that typically hire Excepted positions along with links (some may have changed so you may have to Google) to their hiring websites so that you will know whether you should concentrate your search on USAJobs or on one or more agency websites.
    • NOTE: You should always visit agency websites to learn more about them and their mission whether you apply to them directly or through USAJobs.
    Understand Pathways

    Pathways, which began in 2010, is special way for students and recent graduates to get hired into Federal agencies. It is made up of three components: Pathways Internships, Pathways Recent Graduates Positions, and the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program. Note that Recent Grads applies to ANY degree level from Associates to PhD who has graduated within the past two years, and the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) is only available to graduate students. This link above segregates Pathways positions from all other positions on USAJobs and also provides more information about Pathways in general.

    Find an Agency You’d Like to Work For

    You’ve heard of the FBI and the EPA but how about OPIC or NIMH?  Don’t limit yourself to the agencies everyone else is targeting too.  Check out this comprehensive list of the over 200 Federal agencies and government corporations with descriptions of what they do can be found on USA.gov

    This link lists the internship pages for every major agency as well as the White House and Congress

    Learn About Pay Grades and Salary Levels

    The General Schedule (GS) is the predominant pay schedule for federal employees. A good rule of thumb is that entry level with a BA/BS is typically GS 5-7, with an MA/MS between GS 7-11 and with a PhD GS 9 and above. NOTE: This is not a hard and fast rule – especially if you majored in a STEM field or have 1 year or more of relevant experience.

    Calculate your potential salary by grade, step and locality.

    Be the Employee Government Needs

    Being Marketable for Federal Positions (pdf) will tell you what agencies want and need from new hires.

    Try Entering Through a “Side Door”

    Special Government Hiring Programs give those who complete them a shorter path into government agency work. The link includes Federal, state, and local program opportunities.

    There also special hiring initiatives for candidates with disabilities, veterans, and people who have successfully completed Americorps Vista or Peace Corps service (see those tabs for more information about these programs).

    Follow Federal Agencies on OFFICIAL Social Media Platforms

    The U.S. Digital Registry serves as the authoritative resource for agencies, citizens and developers to confirm the official status of social media and public-facing collaboration accounts, mobile apps and mobile websites, and help prevent exploitation from unofficial sources, phishing scams or malicious entities.

    USAJobs Resources

    About 49% of all Federal jobs are posted on USAJobs.gov.  Some things to note:

    1. It is not the sole source of Federal work opportunities (see Learn About the Excepted Service above)
    2. It is where you will find all Civil/Competitive Service jobs (except Postal) and the vast majority of Federal  internships (both paid and unpaid).
    3. Most positions are listed by GS pay grades (see above link) – but you will also see other grades when you view jobs.

    The USAJobs YouTube channel is full of helpful videos about Federal hiring.

    Federal Occupations by College Major

    Need an SF 86 or an SF 15?  Standard Forms and Optional Forms often requested as part of a complete application can be found at this link.

    Intelligence & National Security Resources
    Careers in Intelligence and National Security

    If you are considering a career in the intelligence field, your first stop should be IntelligenceCareers.gov — which is like a USAJobs for the IC (Intelligence Community).  Four of the 17 agencies in the IC post their jobs directly to this site. The IC also hosts a yearly virtual career fair (typically in February) where you can “talk to” recruiters from the 17 IC agencies. Also at this site you can learn more about:

        • The 17 agencies that make up the IC
        • What kinds of IC careers are available
        • What majors they typically seek
        • And even take a profile quiz to find your best fit

    Read more about the Intelligence Profession

    Learn how the CIA recruits

    Booklet: Intelligence as a Career.  Is it right for you?  Are you right for it?

    How to Get a Job in Intelligence

    Even though it’s from 2009, this blog has a wealth of good information on it and is well worth your time to read. The gentleman who wrote it has also written a brand new e-book on the topic available for Kindle download from Amazon.com. Also read this blog about how to draft a compelling resume for an analyst job:  How to Write an Intelligence Analysis Resume.  You can also utilize the publicly available resources of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers

    Federal Security Clearances
    Special Agency Career Websites 
    The Federal Reserve

    The Federal Reserve is an Excepted agency which hires a wide range of majors and backgrounds. Its internships and careers are only posted to one of two agency-managed websites:

    • The Federal Reserve Board in DC where you can search by job function or career level (e.g. internship, entry…) for opportunities at the main Fed in Washington DC
    • If you are interested in a position at one of the Federal Reserve Banks, you should apply through the respective Bank’s web site
    The Department of Defense
    • The DoD is enormous so if you are interested in a civilian career with any of its agencies the GoDefense website will help you learn more and find job openings – especially Excepted positions not listed on USAJobs.  This site also does a good job of explaining how the DoD is organized and making positions easier to locate.
    The State Department
    • The State Department’s special careers website is a goldmine of information. Sign up for email notices, view chat boards and learn about the myriad of opportunities available with the agency
    • This interactive organizational chart of State Dept bureaus can be a bit difficult to read, but it can also help you better understand the Civil Service and where you might like to intern if you want to gain experience in DC
    • Careers in Diplomacy is a highly recommended State Department group on LinkedIn. State has virtually every kind of social media presence you can think of, so look for them on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook etc.
    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

    Recently, the FBI totally revamped the career section of its website and consolidated the way in which it hires.  You can learn about their career paths and find open vacancy announcements.

    Language Skills – a Critical Need in Government

    The Federal government has a great need for people who speak certain “critically needed” languages such as Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Russian, Hindi, Korean, Turkish, Urdu and many others.

    UW’s own  Language Institute hosted this panel of Federal employers talking about Professional Opportunities in National Security and Intelligence for those with language skills.

    Languages targeted for Foreign Language Proficiency Pay (FLPP)

    Boren Scholarships/Fellowships – If you are studying one of the many critical needs languages as defined by NSEP, you may be eligible to apply for up to $20,000 in funding to study your language abroad. (Scholarships are for undergrads, Fellowships are for grad students).

    Critical Language Scholarship Program –  The CLS is a fully-funded overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. CLS provides study opportunities to a diverse range of students from across the United States at every level of language learning.

    How They Figure Out Your Language Capabilities

    The most common scale used to rate and rank language applicants is the ILR Scale.  The website will tell you all that you need to know about the ILR including how to prepare for testing and what proficiencies are expected at each level.

    DoD agencies and the US Military typically use a different language scale called the DLPT.

    Agency Hiring Demographics (who’s hiring, how many, and where?)

    FedScope is the only comprehensive place to find hard data on numbers of those employed at Federal agencies. This can help answer your questions about how many Feds work in your state, or how long people have worked at an agency or the most common GS levels in an agency. Select a topic, select a “cube” and navigate as you would any Excel spreadsheet.

    The annual Best Places to Work survey (updated every November) provides just what the name implies: data which displays the results of current and former Federal employee satisfaction surveys on a variety of metrics.

    A Selected List of Helpful Guidebooks (PDF)

    Getting Into Government
    How to Find, Land, Keep and Leap in Your Government Career
    A Guide to Structured Federal Interviews
    Making a Difference with your Liberal Arts Degree
    Comprehensive Guidebook: Interns Washington DC and the Federal Government
    Making Global Impact: The Guide to International Jobs in Government
    BLOG POST: To the graduate who wants to work in international affairs
    Govloop’s Unofficial Guide to Getting a Federal Job
    How to Become a PMF (Presidential Management Fellow)
    DHS Academic Resource Guide

    You can also find archived videos/webinars on Federal career topics on Buckynet – To access them, log into your BUCKYNET account, click on RESOURCES, then click on DOCUMENT LIBRARY and type in keyword “Federal.”

    Federal Career Guides by Interest Area (PDF)
    Administration and Program Management
    Art and Design
    Biological and Environmental Sciences
    Business and Finance (great for math and stats majors)
    Education
    Engineering
    Foreign Service
    Information Technology
    Legal
    Mathematics
    Medical and Public Health
    Physical Sciences
    Security and Protection
    Social Sciences
    Transportation
    Other Guides (somewhat old)

    Public Health Careers in Government
    Business Jobs in Government
    Homeland Security Jobs in Government
    Engineering Jobs in Government

  • Federal Resumes

    If you have clicked on this tab, you are already a major step ahead of 75% of the other applicants for any federal government job or internship.

    What Is/Isn’t a Federal Resume?
    1. A true Federal Resume is not the same as the 1 page resume that most career advisors and well-meaning parents will teach you to write.
        • It is much longer; averaging between 2-5 pages
        • The content is deeper and broader than a single sentence bullet point can ever cover
        • Bullet points on federal resumes are basically mini behavioral interview questions on paper; often headed by a keyword describing your skill in that area (see KSAs below)
        • Each entry should ideally contain at least one Key Accomplishment (overarching success you had in that position) if you had one
    2. Federal Resumes are not used for every kind of government job
        • You would not need a “federal resume” to apply to a position with Congress, a think tank, or a federal contractor
        • You might not need a “federal resume” to apply to a government agency internship
    Learn All About KSAs and Make Them Work For You

    KSAs (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities) are how government decides which candidates are the Best Qualified to be referred to a hiring manager.

    1. The Importance of KSAs on this website provides a detailed explanation of what KSAs are and gives examples of good ones and bad ones.
    2. Your resume should be tailored using the KSAs mentioned:
      • In the duties section of the vacancy announcement
      • On the application questionnaire (a preview of which can normally be found in the “How To Apply” section of the vacancy announcement)
      • And potentially in the PDF describing the Job Series the position is a part of
    3. Visit ONET to read all about the Knowledge, Skills or Abilities you may have to draw from
    Competitive Service Jobs Applied for on USAJobs

    If you are applying for a job through USAJobs, you should use the resume builder. USAJobs does give you the option to upload a resume instead of using the builder, but if you are applying for a career position, the resume builder is preferred for a variety of reasons.

    The finished resume will typically be 3-5 pages long. As a recent college graduate, try not to go longer than 5 pages unless you really do have a significant amount of truly relevant experience.

    It is also possible to create a Job Series keyworded resume for a particular type of job (E.g.: Read the PDF for a 1530 position and create a generic 1530 resume using the keywords you find there. When a specific 1530 series job opens up, tweak that generic 1530 resume to make sure the generic KSAs of the position align with the agency’s specific needs).

    Once completed, your resume will look something like this Fiona Federal Sample Federal Resume for Competitive Service Jobs

    Excepted Service Jobs
    1. You will most likely not be applying on USAJobs (occasionally excepted positions are posted there, but their application and hiring process remains a bit different)
    2. You will probably not need to use the Resume Builder (unless the agency asks you to do so)
    3. You are unlikely to have either a job series description or an application questionnaire to pull keywords from, so you will have to pull the KSAs from:
        • The job posting on the agency’s website (which often doesn’t say very much)
        • Skills and abilities you possess that you infer the employer will want (Oral Communication, Written Communication, Leadership and Supervision, Research, etc…) given the nature of the job duties
        • The agency’s mission & vision statements and social media presence which can tell you a lot about who is a good fit

    You will notice that Frank Federal’s Sample Federal Resume for Excepted Services Positions is a bit more like a private sector resume than Fiona Federal’s, but it contains a comparable level of descriptive detail and tends to be 2-3 pages long rather than 3-5 pages long

        • Start with a Qualifications Profile or Professional Summary. Think of it as your elevator pitch on paper (this is not the same thing as an objective statement)
        • Employ some of the components that the Resume Builder would automatically have prompted you to enter: Hours worked per week, supervisor’s name and contact information, etc…
    Internships

    When applying for a Federal Internship – most of which are at least advertised on USAJobs – you usually have several options:

    1. Upload a federal style resume you create yourself not using the Resume Builder (see Frank Federal example for one type you could emulate):
      • Start with a Qualifications Profile or Professional Summary. Think of it as your elevator pitch on paper (this is not the same thing as an objective statement)
      • Employ some of the components that the Resume Builder would automatically have prompted you to enter: Hours worked per week, supervisor’s name and contact information, etc…
      • Internship postings often give very little in the way of KSAs (see above) to build keyworded paragraphs around
        • Either don’t worry about selecting the “right” keywords and just give as much detail on your accomplishments and achievements as you can in a readable format OR
        • Select keywords that you feel will be important to the employer/position based on whatever the job description provides as well as your own sense of your strongest relevant skills
    2. Use the USAJobs resume builder as described above.  Some positions require interns to use the Resume Builder, so always read the application instructions in the vacancy announcement carefully to ensure that you have done as the agency has requested
    3. Upload and use a standard 1-2 page resume that does not make any special allowances or additions just because it’s a government agency.  While it won’t present you in as much detail as option #1 or #2, often this can work out just fine
    Recommended Resources

    If you are interested in Intelligence Analysis positions: Guide to Writing an IA Resume

    US Customs and Border Patrol recently added some very clear and concise guidance for writing federal resumes to its careers page. Note the similarities and differences between the content desired for the two positions; one agency, but two slightly different skills required:

    The Federal Resume Guidebook by Kathryn Troutman

    Student’s Federal Career Guide by Kathryn Troutman and Paul Binkley

    Student’s Federal Resume Writing Blog

    The Federal Resume Guide by The National Archives and Records Administration

  • Housing in DC

    This is in no way meant to be a definitive list, but should give you someplace to start.  If you need housing while in DC the following options have been successfully utilized by UW Madison students in the past.

    Being listed here does not in any way construe an endorsement of these housing options by L&S Career Services or the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

    George Washington University Summer Housing

    George Mason University Summer Housing

    American University Summer Housing

    Georgetown Law Summer Housing – You don’t have to be a law student

    Washington Intern Student Housing – WISH

    Craigslist D.C. – Sublets and Temp Housing

    The Washington Intern Housing Network

    Cheap D.C. Intern Housing

    Hillzoo’s Housing Listings Page

  • Federal Internships

    QUESTION: “What is the best way to obtain a Federal job after I graduate?”
    ANSWER: “Get a Federal internship while you are still a student and make a positive impact on your supervisor!”

    Useful PDF Document on Internships, Fellowships and Other Work Experience Opportunities in Government

    For more help finding and applying for these positions, please schedule an appointment with Marie Koko, our Government Careers Specialist who will be happy to help you navigate through the process

    You will find a lot of great internship-related links below
    Visit the Resourcepalooza tab for other helpful links and information

    PAID INTERNSHIPS

    PATHWAYS INTERNSHIPS:  Internships which are part of the Pathways program are always paid and always listed on USAJobs. Click the box marked INTERNSHIPS to see what is currently available. Keep in mind that internships may be meant for undergrads, current grad students, or current medical or law students. Also, be aware that internships are offered throughout the year, not just during the summer, so if you can take a semester off to intern (similar to studying abroad) this is a great chance to really understand what it is like to work in a Federal agency – and you will have much less competition for prized positions.

    EXCEPTED SERVICE INTERNSHIPS: In addition to Pathways internships there are internships and intern programs offered in agencies which typically do all or most of their hiring through the Excepted Service. These must be found and applied for on individual agency websites (see link below).

    THE PMF: The prestigious Presidential Management Fellows program (known as the PMF) is a part of Pathways but is exclusively for graduate students. It is extremely competitive and takes on a new cohort of interns each May following an application process which begins the previous November. Many students have felt that the Path to PMF Website and Guidebook can be more helpful than the official PMF site.

    UNPAID INTERNSHIPS AND VOLUNTEERING

    Unpaid Federal internships are considered volunteer positions and can be found either on USAJobs or on agency websites. If you don’t see a volunteer opportunity listed on an agency’s website but would like to volunteer with that agency (particularly at a branch within your city/state) you are encouraged to contact the agency directly to let them know of your interest.

    Knowing that there are paid internships may make volunteering sound less appealing at first, but remember Federal volunteering can give you experiences and networking possibilities comparable with most paid internship experiences. Examples of popular Federal volunteer opportunities include many with the State Department both in the US and abroad and the White House internship program.

    Federal Volunteering Guidelines & Information

    INTERNSHIP LINKS (may be paid or unpaid)

    Executive Branch Internships:

    Cabinet Level Agency Internships:

    • AGENCY INTERNSHIP PAGES  – Nearly every Cabinet Level Agency’s dedicated internship page, plus the White House and Congress, are linked from here.  NOTE:  This link sometimes opens a “SPAM” page along with the internships page.  If so, close the extra page – do not open any links, just close it – and proceed to the agency listings
    Wisconsin In Washington (formal internship program – not required to intern in DC, but an option that allows you to remain enrolled during your internship semester):

    Wisconsin in Washington – an opportunity for UW-Madison juniors or seniors who are pursuing a wide variety of academic majors and certificates to spend a semester or summer interning and studying in our nation’s capital in areas including government, politics, media, law, international affairs, business, nonprofits, marketing, public relation, environmental policy, public health and much more! Offered Fall, Spring and Summer.  Deadlines are VERY early (eg: November for summer and following fall internships) so check the website and watch for updates.

    Additional Internship Resources (not necessarily agency/DC based)

    Organizations That Facilitate Federal Internship Opportunities

    The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities National Internship Program (HNIP)

    Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN) (programming is specifically for women)

    Washington Internships for Native American Students (WINS)

    The Washington Center for Internships

    The Washington Internship Institute

    FINAL NOTES:  Like most employers, Federal agencies prefer to hire “known quantities” when a job becomes available. By interning in a Federal agency, you not only gain great experience, you also get to prove your value to supervisors and colleagues who then often work very hard to see that there is a place for you to join them after you graduate.

  • Entry-Level Federal Careers

    Obtaining a Federal job may be more difficult than it was 20 years ago, but there are still plenty of opportunities to be had as agencies face both restructuring and Baby Boomer retirements. Remember, getting in is the hardest part, so if your first assignment isn’t your dream job, don’t worry! Once you are a Federal employee, you can begin to build up your skills, and increase your access to other opportunities – either within your agency, or at another one.

    For more information or to review your own career goals, please schedule an appointment with Marie Koko, our Government Careers Specialist.

    Also visit the “Resource-Palooza” tab for other links and information about Federal employment.

    Competitive Civil Service Positions

    Competitive Service positions are listed on USAJobs.  There are many ways to search for positions: by Grade, by Classification Number or by Agency are some common approaches::

    Search by Grade Level:  This is how most American citizens enter the Federal service.  When you search USAJobs, keep the following in mind:

    • Entry level with a Bachelor’s degree is typically GS 5-7 (7 can be iffy sometimes)
    • Entry level with a Master’s is between GS 7-11 (11 can be a stretch sometimes)
    • Entry level with a PhD ranges from GS 9-13 (13 can be a stretch sometimes)
    • If you have experience plus a degree, you can search one grade up from the lowest level listed here and may get lucky
    • If you majored in or have significant expertise in a STEM field (esp cyber) you may well be able to find an entry level job with just a Bachelor’s degree at GS9 or above
    • Some agencies/positions do not use the GS pay grade system but USAJobs will attempt to normalize those pay grades with your GS search

    Pathways Recent Grads positions:  These positions (always listed on USAJobs) are a great way to get a start in government. To be eligible, you must have graduated from a qualifying institution (UW qualifies!) no more than 2 years prior to the closing date of the announcement.

    If you are about to graduate, you don’t technically qualify to apply for these positions, however:

    • If you will have your entire degree completed and awarded within no more than two months following the closing date of the announcement, it may be worth it to go ahead and apply. Just don’t lie when they ask if you have already earned your degree! Say no, but show your anticipated graduation date on your resume.
    • Some agencies (like the CFPB) state in their announcements that you can apply several months prior to graduation, so read announcements carefully – you might be totally fine to apply before you graduate!

    Search by Job Series Code:  Every Federal position in the Competitive Service has a classification number assigned to it.  These numbers describe the common duties of and expectations for that position at each relevant grade level. Doing a series job search can save you a lot of time as many keywords (like policy) are too common to provide you with helpful results on USAJobs.

    Search on Agency Homepages: Visit the agency’s website and/or use the filter on USAJobs to narrow down your search to an agency and its subcomponents.  The link above will take you to a site that compiles links to all the agencies’ personnel sites on one page.

    Guidance for Creating your Federal Resume:  Please visit the Federal Resumes tab and read the guidance found there thoroughly.

    Legislative Branch Jobs: Most Federal agencies are under the Executive Branch, these are not and openings may or may not be listed on USAJobs:

    Excepted Agencies/Positions

    In order to find and apply for Excepted Service positions, you will need to go directly to the agency’s webpage.   Excepted Service positions (such as those with the CIA) are seldom (if ever) advertised on USAJobs.  Excepted Service positions also have a hiring structure which may make them more attainable by recent graduates.

    This is a full list of all Federal agencies both Competitive and Excepted

    Other Useful Resources for Entering Government Careers

    Public Service Careers – Website mixes government, policy and nonprofit opportunities from a wide range of sources

    Negotiating Your First Government Salary – article on how/when to negotiate and what to negotiate for

    Best Places to Work – Just like the name implies. All the agencies rated and ranked by their employees

    FedScope – For those who aren’t scared of way too much data.  This will tell you how many people agencies hired in a quarter or year, the ages of its employess, salaries, and much, much more all in a super fun and hard to navigate Excel document

    Federal Employment Training Module – from the VA but helpful to anyone

    Federal Recruitment Studio – Want to know what OPM tells agencies when it comes to hiring rules and practices?

    Final Thoughts:  Consider the following as you start your job search:  A less desirable (to you) location, an agency other than at your “dream agency,” a Part-Time, Term, or Temporary assignment rather than looking only at traditional Full-Time jobs, entering government service at a slightly lower pay grade/level than you might have hoped for, or even military service to gain relevant experience for a variety of desirable careers (see the Military Officer Careers tab for more info).

  • Military Officer Careers

    The US military has a wide variety of career options whether you choose to enter as an officer (must have a Bachelor’s degree or higher) or enlisted.

    Serving in the armed forces can be a gateway to:

    • Another government career (e.g. FBI, Secret Service, or Clandestine Service Agent, or a position tied more closely to your service connected skills such as communications specialist, IT, or scientist)
    • A career in the private sector (consulting for government contractors, working KNR, or just about anything you can think of – see the Info for Vets tab for more resources)
    • Returning to college to earn an advanced degree on the GI Bill
    • Or…you may decide to stay a full 20 or more and make the service your career

    To learn all about what it’s like to join the military including career paths, pay, and day-to-day life – either as an officer or enlisted – you can visit Today’s Military.

    For those of you heading toward pre-med, pre-dental or related disciplines, the Department of Defense created this handy website specifically to focus on Medicine and the Military. It covers all service branches with their own medical corps and discusses the training programs and career paths.

    This handy guide shows all the insignia designating different ranks in all five military branches.

    U.S. Navy and Navy Health Care

    Local Recruiters:

    LT Keven Haggerty
    All Non-Medical
    Cell: 847-656-6285
    Office: 847-688-7100 x270
    Keven.Haggerty@navy.mil    		 Alvin Miles
    Health Professions
    Cell: 847-513-2687
    Office: 608-255-0426
    Alvin.l.miles@navy.mil

    They have a special website for Navy STEM careers.The US Navy offers a Career Comparison Tool that attempts to match your interests, background, and skills with the Navy’s needs.

    Opportunities to serve as an officer in the Navy include:
    Arts, Music, & Media (writers, photographers, public affairs, musicians)
    Aviation (Fun Fact: the Navy has both more aircraft and more pilots than the Air Force!)
    Business and Legal (yes, there really is a JAG corps)
    Information & Technology (this is where you will find Navy Intelligence opportunities)
    Special Opps (Navy SEALS, divers, etc…)
    and Others

    There is also a special website explaining the many opportunities available in a Navy Medical career (the Marine Corps is served by Navy medical personnel and does not have its own medical corps).

    Our medical recruiter (see above, right) can give you more information, but the Navy also offers opportunities for qualifying individuals to get their Medical, Dental, P.A. Nursing, Clinical Psychology, or Social Work degree 100% paid for, while earning a salary through the HPSP and HSCP Scholarship Programs.

    U.S. Marine Corps
    Local Recruiter:

    Capt. David Abma
    Officer Selection Officer
    414-297-1933/1934/1935
    david.abma@marines.usmc.mil

    The US Marine Corps also has a Career Selection Tool that can help your find your potential fit as one of “The few. The proud.”

    You can learn more about being a Marine here Fun Fact: The Marine Corps is 175,000 strong (the smallest branch of the armed services), but only 18,000 men and women are selected to become officers.  A Marine Corps officer is the best of the best.

    This page features videos showcasing the various career opportunities ranging from Aviation, to Intelligence, to JAG, to Public Affairs.

    As mentioned above, there is no Marine Corps Medical per se since all health care is provided by Naval personnel.

    If you are interested in enlisting, there is also a Career Tool for enlisted opportunities.

    Air Force and USAF Health Care

    Local Recruiters:

    Solomon Griffin
    Non-Medical Positions
    Office: 414-761-1657
    Solomon.griffin@us.af.mil    		 SSgt Daniel Griffin

    Air Force Health Professions

    Office: 312-922-2923

    Cell: 773-842-4901

    daniel.griffin.4@us.af.mil

    You can find opportunities to become an Air Force officer on their Careers page.  Their career opportunities are similar to the Navy’s (Arts & Education, Intelligence, Aviation – naturally, Special Ops, Natural Science, and much more.

    Wonder what life in the Air Force is like?

    Watch a video to learn about different MOSs (that’s military occupational specialties)

    Learn about career paths and opportunities for Air Force Healthcare including Educational Opportunities to help pay for school

    U.S. Army & U.S. Army Health Care

    Local Recruiters:

    Sgt. Carmen Casebonne
    All Non-Medical
    Cell: 877-394-2936
    Office 608-203-2280
    carmen.s.casebonne.mil@mail.mil    		 Major Erik R. Thomasgard
    Health Care Positions
    Cell: 270-304-9491
    Office: 608-251-4584
    erik.r.thomasgard.mil@mail.mil

    The U.S. Army has an Interactive Career Tool to help you find your path

    They also have a tool called the Army Career Explorer

    This page covers Specialized Army Careers including Linguists, JAG, Special Forces, and Music

    Careers in Army Medicine has its own dedicated site including Educational Opportunities to help pay for school

     

    U.S. Coast Guard
    Local Recruiter:

    Cumberland Metro Office
    5523 N. Cumberland Ave. Suite 1201
    Chicago, Illinois 60656
    (773) 775-2451
    ARL-DG-CGRC-ROChicago@uscg.mil

    The Coast Guard is a military, multi-mission, maritime force offering a unique blend of military, law enforcement, humanitarian, regulatory, and diplomatic capabilities. Their three broad roles are: maritime safety, maritime security, and maritime stewardship.

    Become an officer in the Coast Guard

    Specific Officer Programs and Health Professions Programs

    Coast Guard Missions

    College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (Scholarship Program) – CSPI provides college sophomores and juniors with valuable leadership, management, law enforcement, navigation and marine science skills and training, while fully funding up to two years of college. Following college graduation, CSPI students receive a guaranteed position at officer candidate school training

  • Career Info for Veterans

    The Federal Government has a long and outstanding record of employing veterans. Veterans have technical skills in areas of critical importance, and many also already have security clearances required for some Federal positions. Federal service provides a means for veterans to continue their noble service to this country.

    Federal employment can sometimes seem complicated and overwhelming, particularly when you factor in things such as veterans’ preference and special hiring authorities for veterans. Honorably discharged vets (upon presentation of their DD214 and any other requested documentation) receive an automatic 5 or 10 point preference in Federal hiring for life. There are also special hiring incentives given to those with 30% or more service connected disabilities.

    The resources below will be helpful to both the veteran interested in working for the Federal government, and the veteran interested in resources to help them apply for private sector jobs.

    If you have questions about the Federal application process, how Veteran’s Preference is applied, or need assistance in translating your military skills to civilian jobs, please schedule an appointment with Marie Koko, our Government Careers Specialist.

    Resources to help vets navigate the Federal hiring process

    Federal Employment Training Course for veterans and their family members

    USAJobs has a special veterans portal that can start you on your journey

    This page will help you understand the special Federal hiring authorities that apply to vets.

    The Office of Personnel Management in support of the President’s Veterans Employment Initiative, created a one-stop web site resource for Federal veteran employment information. The information on this site is designed to ensure veterans, transitioning service members, and their families receive accurate and consistent information regarding veteran’s employment in the Federal Government.

    The Department of Labor’s Mil to Fed website can show you how your military experience translates into Federal jobs.  Just enter your service branch, rank, and grade and get some idea of which Federal jobs are a perfect fit.

    Legal information on disability preference eligibility for Federal jobs

    VA for Vets highlights careers for veterans with the Veteran’s Administration

    Resources to help vets translate military skills to the civilian world

    If you are looking to see what general skills your rank and grade equipped you with, this military skills translator will provide not only a list of skills, but some examples of jobs requiring those skills.

    Another resource to translate your Military Occupational Code to a civilian job

    If your particular MOC does not directly translate, use this skills profiler to help determine your strongest skills as they can apply to civilian jobs.

    Resume Engine offers a resume builder that helps translate your skills and put them onto a resume broken down by service branch.

    General Resources

    Rally Point is a vet to vet peer connection website that seeks to connect veterans with each other to help with just about any question you can think of (including employment and transition)

    My Next Move on O*net features special resources devoted to veterans and their careers

    Career One Stop has a veterans employment info page with a variety of useful information including links to job centers nationwide

    LinkedIn offers free Premium Job Seeker accounts for veterans

    The UW Veteran’s Services and Military Assistance Center page has some helpful links for student vets on it. The Veteran’s Center is located at 333 E. Campus Mall, Suite 10301.

    Civilian employers looking to hire vets

    100,000 Jobs Mission bills itself as having over 190 companies with a common goal of hiring veterans

    GI Jobs offers all sorts of useful resources including transition profiles, salary calculators and a list of military friendly employers

    TAOnline.com bills itself as the “Largest Source” of military transition assistance information and job listings on the web

  • Special Opportunities for Candidates with Disabilities

    The Federal Government is actively recruiting and hiring persons with disabilities.  People with disabilities can be appointed to Federal jobs non-competitively through a process called Schedule A. People with disabilities may also apply for jobs through the traditional or competitive process.

    General information about the hiring process for candidates with disabilities

    Further general information about the hiring process for candidates with disabilities

    Learn how to be considered for Federal jobs under the Schedule A noncompetitive process.

    Find a Selective Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC) in an agency that appeals to you

    SPPCs and SEMs – a disability candidate’s partner in hiring

    One of your best friends in the hiring process may be your SPPC or SEM.  Most Federal agencies have someone called a Selective Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC), Special Emphasis Manager for employment of adults with disabilities (SEM), or their equivalent. Their job is to assist agency management with recruiting, hiring and accommodating individuals with disabilities at that agency.

    The WRP

    The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a federal program that connects public and private sector employers across the United States with college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to demonstrate their abilities through paid internships.  Since1995, over 6,000 students and recent graduates have received temporary and permanent employment opportunities through the WRP.

    At UW-Madison, WRP is managed through the McBurney Disability Resource Center.  WRP normally recruits in the fall semester each year.

    Additional Helpful Links for the Job Search Process:
  • Americorps/Peace Corps Alumni Benefits

    Both AmeriCorps Vista and The Peace Corps not only offer you an opportunity to “ask what you can do for your country,” but successful completion of either of these two programs also comes with some Federal job seeking benefits attached.

    AMERICORPS VISTA

    You may already be familiar with AmeriCorps, but did you also know that AmeriCorps Vista alums who complete the full year of service receive Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE) for Federal jobs for one year following completion of their program? Click here to see how this works.

    This effectively means that when you search for a job on USAJobs, you may select the radio button that says “Federal Employees” rather than the default “U.S. Citizens.”  You will still be unable to apply to jobs that are available only to current employees of an agency, but this benefit of service will still increase your options.

    You can view the Vista Job Board to get an idea of the kinds of positions available to Vista Eligible candidates.

    Note: This benefit only applies to Vista placements.  NCCC, NLDR, and S/N programs do not confer the eligibility benefit.

    PEACE CORPS

    Like AmeriCorps Vista alums, Peace Corps alums who complete the full 2 years of service receive Non-Competitive Eligibility for Federal jobs for one year following completion of their program. Click here to learn more.

    This effectively means that when you search for a job on USAJobs, you may select the radio button that says “Federal Employees” rather than the default “U.S. Citizens.”  You will still be unable to apply to jobs that are available only to current employees of an agency, but this benefit of service will still increase your options.

    You can view opportunities (Federal and NGO) for returned Peace Corps Volunteers on their Career Link.

    IN BOTH CASES
    • The one year of non-Competitive hiring eligibility begins the first day after you successfully complete your full year (or two years) of service in the program.
    • When searching for positions on USAJobs during that year, you may select the radio button that says “Federal Employees” rather than the default “U.S. Citizens.”
    • Non-Competitive hiring eligibility does not guarantee a Federal civil service job. All it does is allow you to view more openings during that year since you are considered a non-Competitive candidate.
    • It remains the Corps alum’s job to locate an agency with a vacancy and interest that agency in hiring you.
  • Federal Scholarships & Fellowships

    Boren Awards (Scholarships for undergrads, Fellowships for grad students)

    Charles B Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program (for undergrads)

    Charles B Rangel International Affairs Fellowship Program (for undergrads headed to grad school)

    Donald M Payne International Development Fellowship Program (for undergrads headed to grad school)

    Thomas R Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship (for undergrads headed to grad school)

    The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation (for outstanding Juniors who plan to attend grad school)

    The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation (a variety of options in several areas)

    Special Government Hiring Programs – This list includes both internship/fellowships and options that lead to full time jobs at the Federal, state, and local levels