Administrative, Professional, and Technical Jobs at Federal Employers
Federal workers are involved in a wide range of tasks that aid in government operations. They are classified as professional, administrative or technical.
When preparing your federal resume, be sure to highlight your key work, volunteer, and academic experiences. Be sure to include start and end dates of each experience, as well as the hours worked.
Administrative
Federal administration jobs provide you with the chance to be a part of the executive branch. This section of government is diverse in its departments and their tasks, which range from treasury, agriculture, healthcare to education, and much more. The Department of Agriculture is responsible for everything from food security to rural development, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics handles statistics-related tasks. The Census Bureau falls under this department. The Library of Congress houses the Copyright Office. The General Services Administration, the Social Security Administration (which manages federal offices, supplies, and supervises military operations), and the Department of the Army (which supervises military training and operations) are also government agencies that hire administrative staff.
An employee in this role is expected to be responsible for the filing of documents, handling phone calls, examining status of requests and other related tasks. These positions can be found in a variety of government agencies, but are more prevalent in the larger and more prominent ones. These types of jobs are suitable for those who thrive in a high-speed environment, who enjoy working with a variety of different individuals and can think strategically and remain confidential in difficult situations.
Some of the most significant benefits of a job in the government administration include good salary, good benefits, and excellent career prospects. The government provides its employees with health insurance at reasonable prices, in addition to attractive salaries and pensions. It is not uncommon for someone employed by the government to change jobs within their company or to an agency of a different type. They are typically able to do this without having a interruption in their employment.
In addition federal employees are entitled to enjoy a large amount of sick leave and vacation time. In addition the government permits you to carry over an amount of annual leave from one year to the next. Sick leave accrues at a rate of 13 days or 104 hours per biweekly pay period. Annual leave is earned in accordance with the length of service of the employee and can be carried forward up to 240 minutes.
Professionals
Federal workers provide vital services to millions of people, whether it's providing healthcare or investigating criminal activity, or developing scientific research. Federal employees are a diverse set with more than 350 different jobs and duties. OPM data shows that administrative, professional, and technical jobs comprise more than half of all federal jobs. Administrative workers manage payroll, train new employees and create a the standard operating procedure. Professionals study policy and design budgets. Financial managers and lawyers are among the professionals who need a degree in order to get into their field. Others are trained through on-the-job or through specialized education, such as for occupational therapists, nurses and chemists listed in table 1.
Specialized skills are required for technical positions. Many of them jobs, like researchers in information and computer science require a master's degree in order to gain entry. Statistics professionals are predicted to grow the fastest of all professions. They use statistical methods to gather data and organize it. Scientists who work for the National Institutes of Health, and engineers who design consumer products may also need an undergraduate degree.
In addition to a competitive salary the government also provides a wide range of benefits for employees, including health insurance and retirement plans, as well as vacation plans. The government also gives employees the opportunity to travel and meet colleagues from other areas of the nation or across the globe.
Talking to federal employees is among the best ways to determine whether a career in the government is right for you. Talking with a Wellesley Advisor or attending a panel discussion on federal hiring can help you learn more about the process and get tailored guidance.
If you already work for the federal government, you could use Career Transition Service (CTS) to switch agencies and not compete with other employees. To do so, you must first complete a transition plan. In most cases, a transition plan will help you to comprehend the steps required to transfer into a competitive position in a different agency.
Technical
The federal government is a huge organization that requires employees with a variety of backgrounds and expertise to keep it running. They hire experts for all kinds of technical positions, including help desk expertise in computers to cybersecurity. A majority of these jobs require advanced degrees and a high level of education. Many tech professionals have decided to pursue careers with the federal government, as it provides a steady career with no financial bubbles that could explode. It also lets them apply their skills directly.
Certain positions have salary ranges that are lower when compared to private sector, but the pay is still competitive and there are plenty of additional benefits to consider. For example, most government jobs provide excellent dental and medical insurance in addition to life insurance and long-term health insurance. Federal employees can also pick from a wide range of vacation and sick days that are subsidized by their employers and carried over any time they do not use their leave.
Federal careers are ideal for people with family obligations or personal commitments because it typically allows flexible work schedules like remote and telework jobs to ensure a healthy balance between professional and home obligations. In addition, a number of federal agencies offer a variety of financial incentives for recruiting such as relocation, performance and award awards.
Some tech professionals choose to work in the federal government due to the unique opportunities it offers. These include fellowships that offer new technology professionals with the chance to be able to step into the public sector through the U.S. Digital Corps and Presidential Innovation Fellows programs, as well as the opportunity to tackle issues that directly affect their communities through the Federal Technology Careers Initiative and 18F.
In the federal government, a lot of the most fascinating and significant work is carried out in the areas of engineering, science medicine and national security. These positions can involve the development of vaccines to combat dangerous diseases, tackling discrimination based on race and sexuality and climate-related issues. These kinds of projects and the people who do them have a significant impact on the nation.
Blue Collar
Many blue-collar jobs require skilled or manual labor. These positions can be more physically demanding, but they also provide a greater sense of job satisfaction for those who prefer working with hands and learning the art of trade. Certain blue-collar jobs may require a higher level of education, depending on the specific industry. Some vocational schools offer less expensive, shorter education programs than a four year college. Others provide unpaid or paid apprentices.
The term "blue-collar" is used to describe workers who are paid per hour and do manual work in contrast to salaried office workers. The term is a reference to the 1920s when people wore darker-colored clothes, such as denim or boilersuits, to conceal dirt, grime, and other particles on their clothes. This could make them appear dirty after work. Blue-collar workers may be unionized, ensuring they are secure in their jobs and that their salaries are competitive. They may be employed in a variety of areas, such as mining, construction, logging manufacturing.
There is fela attorneys that blue-collar employees are lower in the social hierarchy than white-collar employees, but this isn't necessarily the case. Some blue-collar occupations -- like those of welders and electricians and subway operators require extensive training and expertise and pay an impressive salary. But, other jobs require less education and do not pay as well like some office jobs or retail work.
Most white-collar positions require at minimum a bachelor's level. Higher management roles often require specialized degrees or credentials, such as an MBA or CPA. Some professions, such as doctors and lawyers, may require certifications or licenses to practice.
While white-collar jobs with federal agencies aren't as lucrative as those found in the private sector, they have a lot of advantages such as low-cost insurance and generous vacation and sick leave. Some organizations offer flexible schedules for work as well as compressed work weeks and childcare facilities. There is also a strong possibility that a career in government involves travel, especially for field engineering crews and safety investigators. Many people love this aspect of their work because it allows them the opportunity to travel and make an impact on the lives of others.