Federal Government Resources
The U.S. Federal Government is the largest employer in the country with approximately 2.7 million civilian employees who work both domestically and abroad. The Federal government hires under several authorities with the most common being the Competetive/Civil Service and the Excepted Service.
- Competitive Service jobs and ALL Pathways internships are posted to USAJobs, which is managed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). OPM serves as a human resources and regulatory resource that connects federal agencies. OPM is a great resource for understanding the characteristics of federal employment, processes, and tips for improved candidacy.
- Excepted Service jobs and internships are often posted only to the agency's own website or hired through a special hiring authority. This includes agencies as different as the Postal Service and the CIA. Though sometimes posted to, they are seldom hired through USAJobs.
Top Federal Job Boards
- Clearance Jobs (Already have a Secret or Top Secret Clearance? Go here to find federal contractors and others looking to hire you)
- Federal Job Search in Wisconsin (AmericaJobs employment listings specific to Wisconsin)
- GovernmentJobs.com (This site is mostly a portal for city government agencies, but also lists Federal and State government employment listings organized by category and location)
- IntelligenceCareers.gov (The homepage of the US Intelligence Community (IC) and the only place where several IC agencies post their opportunities (the rest post to their own agency pages). IC.gov also hosts a 2x/yearly virtual career fair)
- USAJobs (Hiring portal for all competitive/civil service jobs and internships)
- USAJobs Pathways Internships and Recent Grads Job Postings (Direct link to opportunities for students)
Specialized Resource Sites
- Candidates with Disabilities
- Candidates Who Are Veterans
- Feds Hire Vets (Super useful information, esp if you have a service connected disability)
- Mil to Fed (For Vets, this site helps translate your MOS to a federal career)
- USAJobs Veterans Portal (Helpful information for Vets looking to continue to serve as civilians)
- VA for Vets (Helps Vets find jobs within the VA system)
- How Are Competitive Service Jobs Classified & Paid?
- KSAs (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)
- Special Sites
Federal Resume and Cover Letter Writing
General Federal Jobs Resources
- Housing in DC
- Learn About Federal Agencies and Offices
- Other
State & Local Government Resources and Job Boards
Many La Follette graduates find employment opportunities within the State of Wisconsin, or other state and local government systems. Each state and locality has unique agencies, hiring processes, and benefits. State and local government employment offers LFS graduates the chance to utilize their chosen policy expertise in a wide variety of policy areas with great local influence.
State & Local Employment Resources (all states)
Professional Associations
- APPAM (Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management)
- ASPA (American Society for Public Administration student page)
- ICMA (International City/County Management Association)
- NAPA (National Academy of Public Administration)
- NASPAA (Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration)
Resume and Cover Letter Writing
State of Wisconsin Employment Resources
