College Grad, Department of the Interior, First-time Home Buyer (Santa Fe: health insurance, buying a house)
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A lot of information in the title, I know, but bear with me please.
I love been lurking (and occasionally posting) on this forum for awhile now, but am now going to be serious about why I joined and ask for the help I definitely need.
I am this close (so close I can taste it, kinda thing) to graduating from college. Finally. I am a wildlife management major and am hoping/wishing/dreaming of getting a job for the Department of the Interior. That includes the BLM, any state park, or national park. How is it getting a job through these federal/state departments? What should I do ahead of time and when? I really am a newbie at this thing. I have only had minimum wage or barely over minimum wage jobs. So all the help I can get I will gladly sponge off you. Thanks ahead of time.
I would love to relocate to New Mexico, but have options in all western states (west and north of Texas) if I go federal government, but can stay in Texas if I choose a state park or EPA job. I need the what, where, when, why, and how's of relocating from a small town in Texas to New Mexico. It's just my husband and I. We're in our mid and early 20s, have never owned a home, but would love too. We love the outdoors. He's good at anything he puts his hands on. We would prefer to stay in the northern regions of New Mexico. He doesn't ski, I do, but we both love the mountains. (I know you've heard this a thousand times). We don't want to be the touristy type.
Anything you have to say I will listen too. Thanks.
Finally. I am a wildlife management major and am hoping/wishing/dreaming of getting a job for the Department of the Interior. That includes the BLM, any state park, or national park. How is it getting a job through these federal/state departments?
You can start by going to USAJOBS - The Federal Government's Official Jobs Site USAJOBS is the official job site of the US Federal Government. It's your one-stop source for Federal jobs and employment information.
As Rich said, USAJOBS is a start. Until people bid on these jobs, they frequently don't realize just how many other people are bidding on the same jobs. My son (age 25) finally landed a federal position, but it was a difficult thing to do. Besides his degree, he had other work experience including his own business. Some of the USAJOBS he bid on had over 100 applicants, and one of them in Denver had over 700 applicants. So...my advice is to be willing to go where ever there is a job available if you are really driven to work for the DOI. Or...at least, make a list of as many locations as possible that you are willing to move to.
With regard to state park jobs...those are very difficult to come by as well. Many state jobs (in most states) are remaining vacant with no funding for them.
You said that you have the option of staying in Texas if you "choose a state park or EPA job." Does that mean you've actually been offered a job? If so, you might want to consider that very seriously, because most people in your situation are having a difficult time getting any offers for a job in their chosen field.
1. I'll give you a piece of advice, but maybe it is out of date and others can tell us that.
Still, if you really want a job in Northern New Mexiconthen I'd try to get a job just about anywhere I could with an appropriate federal agency. Then you can get job experience and civil service status and be in a stronger position to apply when a job comes up in Northern New Mexico.
If this is out of date advice, someone please tell us.
Job first, housing second. Buy housing maybe third, if at all.
Most national park service job vacancies are to be found in urban areas. I realize that a wildlife management education does not match well with that, but to get your foot in the door, you may have to start out in a big city, in order to land your dream job in the trees. If there's one preference government hiring has, it's for existing government employees.
Our plan is to not buy or even think about buying a house until we are settled somewhere, and we both realize that could take awhile. I am a persistent kind of person, it takes a lot to get me down, so I know it won't be that bad on myself if I don't get a job right away, but I know I need to be persistent.
Thanks for the USAJobs lead. I'll definitely look into that. I don't expect to get a job in Colorado since their universities are pumping out wildlife students by the truckload. I would love to make my home in New Mexico, but totally realize that may not happen right away, if at all.
I think the advice you are getting is sound, including Santa Fe's suggestion that you look at other agencies with related jobs so that you can get your foot in the door. That's actually what my son did. He didn't land his dream job, but he does have a job in a related field...and he knows it's up to him to find joy in what he's doing. At any point, he can look for another job...while working the one that's feeding him now.
There are other options I could go, but because of a preexisting condition, the only way I can get health insurance (without it being sky high prices) is through what job I have and well, government jobs have great benefits.
I am going to try and get a job close to home right after I graduate so that we can finish saving up some money and put the final touches on all the details before we relocate. Who knows what will happen between now and then.
I received a general environmental degree from Univ. of Connecticut about 40 years ago. I have worked any number of jobs ever since. Do whatever you have to get an entry level job in the Federal Government including working in city parks. I would also apply to the National Lab system. I almost had a job at Los Alamos Lab 30 years ago doing environmental assessments on an alternate energy development but Raygun got in and the project was canceled.
The private sector resource companies like mining and forestry may offer positions because they have to produce Impact assessments. Also try the engineering consultants that work in this field as a way to getting the experience you need.
If I were doing my education over again I would get a Civil Engineering degree and an environmental masters and then get a job with the Federal Government. I figure the private sector has been gutted by the Republican policies and will never again offer decent jobs with good benefits. Professionals employed in the private will be relegated to as needed one job at a time without any bennies what so ever.
Another aspect of the federal government (well, a few aspects), is that, if you can talk them into it, they will pay for further education...which means, a raise and a master's degree. Who wouldn't like that?
Also, for some jobs they will pay for relocation. They have their limits, but who couldn't use the help while relocating from another state?
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