Working for the Federal Govt. - pros and cons (employment, school)

[Tusken]

I may be moving near DC sometime this year, and was wondering about fed govt. jobs.

What kind of opportunities are there for someone who has college degree in a non-business field(such as liberal arts or psychology) and no work experience?

I graduated from college awhile ago with a degree in psych and am currently working in a lame office assistant position making $12/hr(hey I need to pay my rent) while still searching for my first "real" job. Until a year ago I had been planning on a career in research and/or teaching or possibly clinical psych.

But now that my plans have changed, I'm having a very hard time getting my foot in the door to anything business related.

[J-Man]

Originally Posted by Tusken

I may be moving near DC sometime this year, and was wondering about fed govt. jobs.

What kind of opportunities are there for someone who has college degree in a non-business field(such as liberal arts or psychology) and no work experience?

I graduated from college awhile ago with a degree in psych and am currently working in a lame office assistant position making $12/hr(hey I need to pay my rent) while still searching for my first "real" job. Until a year ago I had been planning on a career in research and/or teaching or possibly clinical psych.

But now that my plans have changed, I'm having a very hard time getting my foot in the door to anything business related.

Why do you want to move to DC?

[Tusken]

Originally Posted by J-Man

Why do you want to move to DC?

Long story.

[saganista]

The main portal for federal positions is at USAJOBS - The Federal Government's Official Jobs Site There are lots of positions out there at all levels and in all kinds of fields. With a college degree and not much experience (people will look at your summer work, though), you'd likely be starting as a GS-7, which would be $37,640 per year. If you had a 3.50 GPA or some honoraries at school, things would be easier getting in, but that sort of thing isn't necessary. The benefits are okay and the security is pretty good, but you certainly won't be on easy street to start out. The DC area is pretty expensive, and it will make $37K seem smaller than it sounds. One plus is that the government in general has a large corps of baby-boomers, tons of whom will be bailing out over the next decade or so. That will open up a lot of headroom for promotion for those who can put up a solid track record over the early going.

[Zippy7fo]

Pro's---security, benefits, retirement plan, days off, liberal leave, once your in its easier to move around.....

Cons---Change is slow, pay can be low dependent on your level and experience and Agency.....

[saganista]

Well, liberal leave isn't all that exciting. All that means is that if there's a natural disaster of some sort, you can be late for work without your supervisor having approved it in advance. You still have to charge the leave that you use. And there are just the ten holidays, though you get a day whenever a former President dies, and in DC proper you get Inauguration Day off every four years if it's on a normal work day. The retirement plan is basically to max your 401k and hope for the best. You won't be able to live on what SS and your FERS pension will provide. Security, the ability to move around, and resume-building would all be plusses, though...

[Zippy7fo]

Originally Posted by saganista

Well, liberal leave isn't all that exciting. All that means is that if there's a natural disaster of some sort, you can be late for work without your supervisor having approved it in advance. You still have to charge the leave that you use. And there are just the ten holidays, though you get a day whenever a former President dies, and in DC proper you get Inauguration Day off every four years if it's on a normal work day. The retirement plan is basically to max your 401k and hope for the best. You won't be able to live on what SS and your FERS pension will provide. Security, the ability to move around, and resume-building would all be plusses, though...

Lmao.....My company could be encircled in a hurricane/blizzard/and earthquake and expect you to show up on time. Thats a big deal to me......Lol!!!!!!!!!!

[saganista]

Originally Posted by Zippy7fo

Lmao.....My company could be encircled in a hurricane/blizzard/and earthquake and expect you to show up on time. Thats a big deal to me......Lol!!!!!!!!!!

Hmmm. Must be a non-union shop. :-)

[1973 Forced Busing]

That's how it starts off telling me my dues paying ass is deemed "essential" and I gotta be there come hell or high water. So it goes, if you wanna dance you gotta pay the band.

[movingon100]

Surely the pluses to federal employment greatly out way the negatives.