Despite sequester, fiscal cliffs, debt ceilings and other unnatural federal government disasters, there will always be entry-level law related federal jobs. They just will be harder to find and get. These jobs are in federal agencies all over the U.S.
The Partnership for Public Service 2009 report, Where the Jobs Are: Mission Critical Opportunities for America, surveyed 34 agencies for hiring needs through 2012. According to this survey, top federal careers are in security and protection, enforcement and compliance, medical and public health, program management and administration, and law.
Yeah that was 2012, you say. 2013 will have those unnatural disasters. But 2013 and beyond has some other key factors to consider:
- These top careers are still the ones the government will need to fill despite an ever-tightening federal budget and threatened cuts.
- These jobs often offer very challenging experiences, opportunities for personal growth, and workplace flexibility, which enriches a resume immeasurably.
- Remember, just like the general population, a wave of federal employee baby boomers (people born 1946 to 1964) are retiring; 94,000 left in 2012 and another 78,000 will leave by July 2013. So like other employers, the Feds needs new workers. That’s where you come in.
Focus your efforts in a tough environment.
First: Use What You Got and You Got a Lot
- You Know Who? In Washington it is always about who you know. Who you know is your unique asset. You have a network: family, friends of family, Wellesley. And on top of that you don’t know who they know. Make a list and network your butt off.
- You Know What? Look. I have a friend who is a federal judge and she has hired loads of clerks and talked to many college grads; she likes to say that “graduates of places like Wellesley have already distinguished themselves into the top 5% of the general population.” You initially set yourself apart in high school by getting accepted to Wellesley. Your whole life will involve this distinguishing yourself process. Don’t get tired of it now or give up. You are smart. Be smart. Your heightened and positive energy about yourself gets the potential employer excited about having you as a worker. Research an agency before you apply or interview, and talk to a Wellesley alumna who works or has worked there.
- You Did What? You have to have the experience to get the job and you need the job to get the experience. Yeah it’s a “Catch 22” (another reference to something people born between 1946 and 1964 know) but you can beat it. The old first rungs of the employment ladder are nearly gone. It is the rare law firm that has extra paralegals waiting for work. Try to find a way to get experience; whether that is in an unpaid internship in a firm or law-related work in a nonprofit or government organization. Whatever you do, bring your enthusiasm and hard-working solid Wellesley personage to it. Lose the humility.
Second: Use What the Internet’s Got and It’s Got a Lot
- There are a million places to check out which agencies have legal jobs. The Partnership is a good neutral source. Also, Google “getting a federal job” and you’ll see an infinite number of resources.
- Visit www.usajobs.gov to find what government jobs are open. For recent graduates there are a number of options. Make yourself smart about the options. Undergrads, create a USAJOBS profile and check the site often. And most importantly, learn how to write an application that will make the grade. There are a number of publications that can help and the CWS is available to review your resume and cover letter. Make an appointment with them!
- Don’t forget your network. Talk to alums and others about a job you are interested in and try to find out how to get the backstory on a listed job. Is it wired for someone in particular?
- Alums, I have hired a number of Presidential Management Fellows (PMFs): PMFs are quality people and great new public service oriented employees who can move from their advanced degree programs into federal positions and into permanent slots after two years.
Third: You Got To Stick With It to Get It
- The job hunt has become harder and harder. Most Wellesley alums will help as much as they can. Just ask.
- Try not to get too discouraged. Sometimes you have to accept a job that is not directly related to where you think you are going. And many times these feints turn into a course that changes your life in ways you never expected.
Want to hear more? Come and talk to me at the Learning for Lawyers Conference on March 2. Students: Register for Learning from Lawyers on MyCWS.
— Charlotte Hayes ‘75, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, U.S. Department of Labor