5 Tips For Getting A Government Job

This article by Nancy Collamer appeared in the Nov. 14, 2012 online edition of Forbes Magazine. It talks about how to successfully hunt and land a government job. 

With the election behind us, I think this is a good time to shift our attention away from elective jobs to the thousands of federal job openings out there. Employment opportunities exist in all 50 states and overseas. You may be surprised to learn — as I was when I started researching this blog post — that 84% of federal jobs are located outside Washington, D.C. This could be the ideal moment to look for one.  

Why Federal Jobs May Open Up
 According to the Office of Personnel Management, there are 2.3 million federal civilian employees — and about a quarter of them are eligible for retirement. As agencies begin to lose these older workers, they’ll look for experienced replacements. Many federal departments lack the bench strength to fill these slots internally, so you just may be the ideal candidate. Admittedly, the enormous federal deficit could lead Congress and the president to cut the U.S. government’s workforce as part of a plan to deal with the budget crisis. It’s impossible at this moment to predict how many positions might be trimmed or which agencies would be most affected.  

Federal Pay and Benefits
 Nonetheless, I believe you might want to explore this path now, especially for a second-act career. Salaries for federal jobs are often surprisingly competitive with those in the private sector, especially for middle-management jobs, which can sometimes pay more than $100,000. Federal health insurance and retirement benefits are also increasingly more attractive than those offered by businesses.

 To help you find and apply for federal jobs, I turned to Tim McManus, vice president for education and outreach at the Partnership for Public Service. His non-profit, non-partisan group aims to inspire people to consider public service. Here are his five recommendations:

 1. Acquaint yourself with the landscape. Although we tend to think of the federal government as one gigantic entity, it actually comprises hundreds of agencies and departments, each with its own mission and culture. Take the time to identify ones that are a good match for your interests, experience and expertise.

For example, if you’re a financial professional intrigued with the environment, you might investigate finance jobs with the National Parks Service. The government Web portal USAjobs.gov is an excellent starting point to learn about federal agencies and the positions they need to fill. You can search the site by your location, the type of job you want, the department you’d like to work for or your skills.

Two other helpful sites — both sponsored by the Partnership for Public Service — are The Best Places to Work in the Federal Government, which provides information about employee job satisfaction and engagement at more than 300 agencies, and Makingthedifference.org, which describes public service jobs, including pay and duties, and advises you how to apply. Incidentally, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has the top score in the Best Places to Work rankings of large federal agencies. (The National Archives and Records Administration has the worst.)  

2. Look for openings on the right sites. As you’ll quickly learn, there are opportunities for people with all types of backgrounds and experience, from lawyers to supply management professionals to health care providers to museum personnel. All federal agencies are required to list their openings publicly and most do so on USAjobs.gov. But some agencies prefer to post on their own sites, so be sure to check those, too.

 3. Engage your network. Use your circle of friends, colleagues and former workmates to gain a competitive advantage in your search for a federal job. Tools, like LinkedIn, can help you network with people and groups who work in or with the federal government. Talk to friends who are government employees to learn about openings and to gain insights into the job application and interview process. Also check in with your college’s career services department to see if it has established relationships with any government agencies and recruiters. Many of them have.

 4. Reformat your resumé. The terminology used by the federal government in job descriptions can differ from what you’ll find in the nonprofit and private sectors. Agencies often talk in government-speak, a language all its own. So be sure to analyze the keywords and phrases in federal job postings, then incorporate them into your resumé. Makingthedifference.org nicely explains how to write a resumé for a federal job listed on USAjobs.gov.  

5. Be patient. It can take four months or longer to get a job offer. (Remember: This is the government; it’s known for its bureaucracy.) While federal agencies aim to fill most openings within 80 days, McManus says the actual time from application to hire is running closer to 105 days. So be prepared to wait it out. Your patience could be well rewarded.

 ###

Bringing new products in the market: Robert J. Gerberg Jr. and the stages in new product development

Robert J. Gerberg Jr. has developed expertise in a wide spectrum of business areas, including new product development or NPD. This strategy involves a system of practices that aims to bring a new product, which can either be tangible (physical products) or intangible (like a service, skill, or experience), to the mainstream market.

The NPD process encompasses the following basic stages:

Robert J. Gerberg Jr. image credit: yourdesigndept.com

1. Idea generation An idea for a new product can be obtained from basic research using a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. Other factors that may also be considered for this stage include market and consumer trends, products of competitors, and trade shows.

2. Idea screening When brainstorming for a new product, some ideas have to be eliminated. Information and concept discrimination is the main purpose of this stage.

Robert J. Gerberg Jr. gained extensive experience in a number of publishing- and career-related businesses. He began his career in sales with the Personal Products Division of Bausch & Lomb.

3. Concept development and testing This stage develops the marketing and engineering details for the product and takes into account certain patent and property issues.

Robert J. Gerberg Jr. image credit: cbc.ca

4. Business analysis This stage involves an analysis of the new product’s selling price based on competition and customer feedback.

5. Beta testing and market testing Before a product becomes available in the mainstream market, it needs to pass an initial run in a test market.

Robert J. Gerberg Jr. image credit: intuitwebsites.com

6. Technical Implementation This involves a logistics plan, resource publications, and finalization of quality management system.

Robert J. Gerberg Jr. served as vice president for new products and advertising in a licensing-based career management service firm.

7. Commercialization (or post-NPD) After a series of quality and feasibility analyses, the product is now ready for public presentation through advertisements and other promotions.

Robert J. Gerberg Jr. image credit feriadelaciencia2012.org

8. New product pricing The final stage in NPD analyzes the possible impact of the new product on the entire portfolio of its manufacturer. It involves value analysis and the forecast of unit volumes, revenue, and profits.

More updates on new product development and other areas of business can be read on Robert J. Gerberg Jr.’s official website.