Looking For Work? Think About Uncle Sam

Are you looking for a new job? Any job you could possibly want is available in the government.

By Robert Elsenpeter, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

Last update: October 1, 2007 - 12:16 PM

On the table you have job offers from Schmenkman Brothers, CompuGlobalMegaWare and The Feeney Group. But while you're considering those offers, there's another potential employer you should check out - the government. The pay is comparable, benefits are excellent and you have an opportunity to serve your community. Whether it is city, county, state or federal, chances are whatever job you're looking for is also being sought by the government.

"We have occupations that span every possible field," observes Linda Springer, director of the Office of Personnel Management in Washington D.C. "We have more than 36,000 jobs from office clerks to IT specialists to intelligence researchers - you name it. There isn't a field that's not present in the federal government."What most people don't realize is the variety of jobs exceed the private sector," says Jean Gramling, manager of Ramsey County's human resources department.

Ramsey County, for instance, has workers in over 25 different fields from corrections to public health to the library.

Working For The Red White And Blue

One of the advantages to government employment can be job security.

"The federal government isn't going to be acquired or merged with another company," says Springer.

Government jobs also offer great benefits.

"The benefits offered with government jobs include health, life insurance and most likely retirement benefits as well," writes James Mannion in "The Everything Guide to Government Jobs."This is one of the areas in which government jobs excel. Retirement benefits are more common for civil servants than for employees in the private sector."

Also, if you work for the federal government you can work just about anywhere.

"Just 15 percent of our positions are in Washington D.C." notes Springer.

While pay can be comparable to work in the private sector, it shouldn't be your only motivating factor.

"Money can't always be a factor," says Gramling. "We are limited by statute or budget. But what keeps people at the county is that they want to serve. People who stay see some community service benefit."

Advancement, change

Working for the government also affords you the opportunity to change careers with no hit to your benefits or seniority.

"You're still in the same system when it comes to benefits and seniority," observes Springer.

"You can come here with a high school diploma at an entry level and, given the experience, you can advance to higher levels," says Gramling.

Ramsey County even has an internal program to help career changers make a smooth career transition.

Finding a job

Finding openings is easy - just visit the governmental entity's website. For instance, the federal government lists its job openings at www.usajobs.gov. Ramsey County's positions can be found at the human resources portion of the county's website at www.co.ramsey.mn.us.

Government jobs are notorious for taking a long time to land. Gramling is sensitive to job seekers' frustrations.

"We continually evaluate our process to try and increase our efficiency," says Gramling. "We're even looking at people who don't have computers at home and ensuring they have access to the jobs."

Robert Elsenpeter is a freelance writer from Blaine.

Recent Jobs : Career management stories

As Economy Shrinks, Fast Food Grows - October 1, 2007

As Economy Shrinks, Fast Food Grows - As the economy continues to shrivel, fast food restaurants are still booming. But the careers aren’t just behind the counter or on the line. There are management jobs and careers at corporate offices. The fast food industry might be something appealing to you. More