The federal government, including the U.S. Postal Service, employs approximately 2.8 million civilian workers, or about 2 percent of the United States’ workforce. The federal government is this nation’s largest employer. The total employed is actually higher, employment data for certain agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and others aren’t released to the public for national security reasons.
Excellent federal job opportunities are available for those who know how to tap this lucrative job market. Where else can you find and apply for high-paying jobs that offer employment at thousands of locations stateside and overseas with excellent career advancement opportunities?
This month’s column features Information Technology occupations. We help those seeking federal employment understand the application process and link you to current job vacancies.
IT Specialist (GS-2210)
Currently there are over 650 job announcements from agencies actively recruiting Information Technology Specialists on USAJOBS. The GS-2210 Series includes the following occupations:
Information Technology Management
Computer Specialist
Telecommunications
Other Series (Work previously included in other series to the Information Technology Management Series, 2210, when knowledge of IT principles, concepts, and methods is paramount.)
Many of the 650 active job announcements list multiple vacancies at various locations. For example, one of the announcements on the current list is hiring 35 IT Specialists for the Internal Revenue Service, they list 4 cities where they are hiring. When you add up all of the multiple vacancies, you will discover thousands of opportunities in the IT field for you to explore and at locations across the country and overseas.
Currently, the IRS and the U.S. Army Cyber Command have many job announcements with multiple vacancies posted. You will also find current positions available with the CIA, Secrete Service, the Smithsonian Institute, Indian Health Services, U.S. Census Bureau, and many others.
If you are looking for a challenging position in the IT field explore these opportunities. The following link will take you to the GS 2210 Occupational Description that includes links to the current IT Specialist job announcements on USAJOBS.
Visit our jobs board to search for all other occupations by job title.
To find vacancies in your area, locate job announcements of interest and review the required qualifications. If you have the experience, education and/or work experience specified, apply online.
Each month we will feature a different occupation. Visit our website regularly to find information about federal jobs in your area.
The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
USAJOBS is an official Government site that provides a wealth of information about federal job opportunities. The myriad of resources available help links job seekers and agencies with the ‘right’ matches and opportunities for employment; as part of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), USAJOBS fosters recruitment and retention building of a world class government workforce for the people.
With hundreds of federal agencies and organizations taking advantage of all that USAJOBS has to offer, their hiring processes are better streamlined and efficient when it comes to finding the right applicant for the right job. USAJOBS fosters service and commitment, representing more than two million Americans and foreign nationals who are successfully working and fulfilling essential duties in Civil Service positions.
Since the website offers easy to follow steps, individuals can create a USAJOB profile through the portal, where favorite jobs and searches can be saved along with resumes and critical documentation for applications. Resumes would then be visible to potential employers searching the database, and finally, individuals can apply for any jobs posted by USAJOBS online. There is also an explanation of the federal application process and opportunities listed by industry to include: social sciences, engineering, math and more. Also offered are insights into unique hiring paths that represent diversity to include: veterans, native Americans, those with disabilities and more. Lastly, hiring events with specific dates/times are offered at the bottom of the site for planning purposes. There is even a help center and FAQ which serve as additional resources to include salary information, to help with your job search, among other critical tools, articles and links.
To date, many positions are in high demand, like cybersecurity professionals, nurses, human resource managers and more. There are over 750 jobs available and showcased as critical hiring opportunities right now in cybersecurity and more than 890 nursing positions alone! Go now, to www.USAJOBS.gov and see for yourself. Create a profile and explore opportunities that are available, or just upload your resume and let the site do the work for you. It’s quick, easy, secure, searchable and streamlined so that it is easy to use, organized and helpful; it’s a one stop shop for employment …and a must for federal job seekers.
The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
The Federal Government is seeking new and creative ways to recruit and retain technical employees, many resources are being used for this effort. Government faces stiff competition when recruiting for areas such as cyber security, information assurance, engineering, information technology, science and math.
With the variety of critical jobs needing to be filled,
highly qualified applicants must be properly assessed. The most important
selection factor is the ability to perform the duties of the position without
undue influence for favoritism or political beliefs and/or values. A process
that is fair, systematic and consistent must be used to perform data
collection; applicant qualifications can then be compared to job performance
ability. A fair and open process fosters the hiring of the most qualified
candidates that are capable of performing the task(s) at hand.
Recently, the Federal Government has bolstered its
hiring process, focusing on common sense and efficiency. Time to hire has been
reduced, resumes
and cover letters can now be forwarded in lieu of large application packets,
and information on websites is current and user friendly. Furthermore, they
improved candidate status and /or selection notifications.
Hiring goals are being achieved through the use of a
more favorable and simplified hiring process. Further, current employee retention
efforts are being targeted to ensure career opportunities,
growth, professional development, training and more are offered in the form of
programs, coursework, and mentoring.
Finally, feedback mechanisms and opportunities are being
provided on a continuous basis to ensure a vehicle for critical information and
communication is established between the agency and the applicant. To date,
data obtained from potential and/or new hires help shape and define future
hiring strategies, assessments, analysis, processes and procedures. With the
Federal Government taking both hiring and retention more seriously, much
improvement has been made; disconnects are being addressed, gaps are being
closed, and processes are being refined resulting in a more sound, holistic
approach to hiring and retention of the most highly skilled, desirable
applicants and employees.
The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique
or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are
subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time,
various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for
this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be
suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the
postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school
counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals
where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss
or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special,
incidental, consequential, or other damages.
The 2019 spending bill, H.J. RES.31, approved an increase in salaries for Federal workers. President Trump signed the package which includes funding for the government through September 30 and a 1.9% raise in pay for federal workers. In addition, the pay raise is retroactive to the first pay period of 2019.
In the past, these raises have been caught in a pay freeze and were considered uncertain until recently. Also considered long overdue, this raise brings hope to federal employees. Given their numerous contributions to safeguarding the nation, many feel the raise was justified. This good news is especially exciting for those in six new locality pay areas that President Trump approved in 2018. These include: Alabama, Vermont, Texas, Nebraska, San Antonio, and Virginia.
For a bit of history, after mid-term elections, a bill was passed by the House that included a 2.6% pay raise. This included civilian employees receiving the same compensation as military personnel; it was introduced to the Senate where it was doubtful to pass. Congress then went back to the 1.9% raise to increase the chances for approval.
This multi-billion dollar spending package was also the final step in the requirement to avoid a 2nd government shutdown. Securing this average 1.9% pay raise takes federal workers safely through the rest of the year; the entire spending package also ensures final funding for all of the government through the rest of fiscal year 2019 or September 30th.
According to the National Treasury Employees Union President, “this bipartisan compromise funding package is a refreshing turnabout that gives their agencies stable funding and their paycheck a modest bump.” Some also feel that federal salaries were falling short of those in the private sector; in order to ensure a more qualified, skilled, prepared, and high performing workforce, the raise was welcomed. Recruitment of federal workers is also expected to be improved over the next year and beyond, with this new, approved pay increase.
Lastly, the bill is a much needed, a positive move forward, as it also impacts GS-15 employees who serve on the Executive Schedule. Caps that were in place are no longer, and GS-15’s are also able to receive the 1.9% increase. Below are a few links to additional references providing additional details on the history, establishment, and implementation of this new increase.
The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages
With the Federal Government as the largest employer within the U.S., there are over 2 million full time employees across a myriad of agencies and offices, worldwide. Given this, the Human Resources departments have their hands full with negotiating and managing such a large and diverse workforce. Challenges are plentiful, and more importantly is the need for a successful performance management system.
Only the most effective performance plan process can streamline communication, shape management and leadership attributes, represent strategic goals and objectives, and address personnel, compensation, and human resource needs. Many of these challenges include retirements, administrative changes, hiring, policies, compliance and accountability factors, and more; The extra stress of aligning organizational goals and objectives with employee skill sets is another critical task that must be performed in order for the process to be holistic and successful.
Retirement opportunities for federal employees have exploded over recent years; currently, more than 31% of the workforce is eligible. Given this, succession planning across organizations is critical in order to meet future demands. Federal employees sometimes possess low or moderate morale and engagement based on their job satisfaction.
Changes are underway to optimize performance management within Agencies across the enterprise and most recently President Trump signed an Executive Order focusing on streamlining personnel actions. OMB-17-22 is guidance directing agencies to develop employee performance plans in accordance with any short or long term reviews of the workforce. This guidance is aimed to create opportunities for employees to better understand expectations, work on areas of weakness, and improve their overall job performance.
Many organizations are currently making adjustments to their performance management workflows that are part of OMB-17-22’s target initiatives. Implementation is steadfast yet flexibility is key; with a myriad of areas involved, communication is a critical component for success.
Leadership Development, for example, is one area where organizations can capitalize on by supporting personalized training, enhancing skill development (to include soft skills), and establishing a workforce succession planning foundation. Involvement, communication and notification to the workforce is critical so that expectations are set and interest is assured.
Goal alignment is another area that can be addressed where employees are motivated to engage with a thorough understanding of organizational goals and objectives and how they are contributing to the big picture. Finally, performance management software can capture metrics, archive data and create additional efficiency across organizations when analyzing, developing and managing criteria. By making improvements such as these, organizations can make better decisions, strategically align performance management, increase flexibility and posture themselves for meeting their needs, as well as those of their employees.
In closing, Human Resource departments across the federal government are working diligently to ensure the ‘right’ performance process is in place. With the need for a more modernized, diverse and technologically advanced workforce, so too is the need for sustainable and accountable performance measurement systems.
Strategic organizational goals and objectives serve as the foundation for this new initiative; employees will understand expectations better, and align themselves to the mission, easier. Flexibility, as well as compliance and accountability are critical for these processes to be implemented and managed successfully. Finally, open communication with leadership, human resource personnel and the employees will ensure a robust and holistic approach to managing performance successfully.
The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages
Certain government agencies are currently shut down because Congress hasn’t passed a budget to fund them. Instead of working together for the good of the country politicians are focusing on how best to support their party and keep their jobs! Just one more reason to support term limits for our Congressional representatives.
This may take some time to resolve, hopefully before more suffer. The national emergency at our borders has caused a rift between the parties and in the interim others suffer on both sides of the border, certain federal services are unavailable, and many federal workers are doing without until back pay arrives.
Those seeking federal employment may have to wait for some vacancies to be filled. It all depends on the agency and whether or not their human resource staff is impacted. Many jobs may be placed on a temporary hold until Congress acts. If a position is delayed, now is the time to work on your federal style resume. Don’t get disillusioned, keep searching for vacancies and be ready to apply when you locate them.
Job Hunting is a Process
The news media blows the Shutdown out of proportion. They sidestep the border crisis and the petty maneuvers of politicians and parties. First, only non-essential services are unavailable and the majority of federal workers will get paid and on time. Social Security and Federal annuity checks are being sent out and Medicare isn’t impacted. All critical services are available as this drags on.
I recently heard a report on one of the major news services saying that federal workers would soon abandon their jobs for private sector ones. I don’t believe federal employees would give their generous benefits up of 13 paid sick days each year, up to a 5-week vacation, affordable healthcare options, and generous annuity including a 401k retirement plan with a 5 percent match.
About 800,000 federal employees are furloughed until Congress
acts, which could be awhile. Furloughed employees have always received retroactive
pay in the past and consequently receive extended vacation time for the
duration of the shutdown. With this furlough, many received an extended
Christmas and New Year holiday break.
Non-essential new hires and those early on in their federal careers
are most impacted. They may not have sufficient funds to carry them over until backpay
arrives. Even though federal employment is a safe haven for most, employees
need to be aware of the fact that they too must be prepared for when political
conflicts result in Congressional inaction. Furloughed workers may have to work
somewhere on the side or apply for unemployment during the shutdown. Workers that
are furloughed can apply for unemployment however they will have to pay it back
after receiving backpay.
I was furloughed several times for short periods during my 35-year government career and actually enjoyed the additional paid time off. I believe many federal employees feel the same. Anytime you get more free time to spend with family and friends is a bonus. Those deemed critical often look with envy at the federal employees that were sent home, I know this from first hand experience. When I was walking out the door, during my first government shutdown, I was on staff and considered non-essential. The essential workers called me a lucky SOB.
The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages
Cyber security employment is expected to increase dramatically for the foreseeable future due to concerns about cyber security crimes and the war against terror. These concerns have spurred the demand for cyber security professionals across the board and the need to fast track the recruiting process.
Agencies are now able to more easily identify, recruit and retain cyber security professionals that are highly qualified. With guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), roles and responsibilities have been clearly identified and explained in accordance with an HR/OPM memo dated October 15, 2018. In addition, many positions will fall within the administrative work ‘standard’ of information technology group 2200. A title of “IT cyber security specialist” for example, within the 2210 series of management position listings, will include cyber work.
Organizations are now able to include ‘cyber security’ as a designated title for other occupations that perform this type of work so it helps them to recruit and meet mission goals and objectives more easily. With a myriad of laws, orders, strategies and frameworks, OPM has been able to work with other agencies, Chief Information Officers, and other stakeholders to understand the need for a comprehensive and robust cyber workforce and streamline the guidance.
Definitions of cyber security positions have been challenging and organizations like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have struggled to place identifiers, markers and codes for required positions; OPM has made a lot of this guesswork easy with new clarification and identifications. Given that cyber security is multi-faceted, and on the cutting edge of technology, the guidance had to be steadfast and sustainable; in addition, it had to co-exist with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) positions.
Qualifications include following traditional procedures for ranking, and individual organizations who can determine whether or not additional knowledge, skills and abilities are required and/or competencies should be added as part of their cyber security standard position.
Specific certifications as well must be agency-implemented, as required and become part of the organization’s selection criteria. Finally, organizations must continue to define their factors for ranking and quality of applicant selection for their developing cyber workforce. Subject matter experts in these organizations can use the guidance, to include general and technical competencies set forth by OPM to make this happen by reviewing specific duties, tasks, and competencies required for cyber positions.
These criteria will then serve as the foundation for job analysis and the cyber security workforce build out. Applicants will also be expected to portray creative and strategic thinking, problem solving, negotiations and customer service skills as key soft skill competencies for cyber security professionals. Technical skills, for example, may include computer forensics, surveillance or counter-intelligence for certain agencies.
If you are interested in cyber security / intelligence positions now is a good time to start your job search. Seek out relevant job announcements and apply for all positions that you qualify for to improve your changes of employment.
The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
STEM, or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics is an applied approach to a curriculum focusing on these four discipline areas. The importance of these areas in our future, and specifically as part of our government, are considered strategic. Understanding how the world works requires new knowledge, which in turn fosters curiosity; STEM satisfies this quest for knowledge and prepares us for the future. STEM Skills that are acquired include numbers, analysis, empirical data and more. Integrated into every part of our lives, STEM is the foundation for which we learn about ourselves, our environment, and our future.
With the changing world of technology and the explosion of Information Technology, every industry is impacted, and therefore, the need for qualified mathematicians, scientists, engineers and those in the technical areas are expected to fulfill these critical work roles of our future. Since STEM focuses on the critical ways in which we can understand, explore, and engage our world. Now and in the future, it is imperative that our state, local, and federal government, for example, hire these skilled workers in order to plan, implement and manage change that is necessary to meet the demands of security, technology, communication, and more, for protection, privacy and growth across the globe.
The need for STEM skills are diverse and vast. Given that these specific subjects are the very root of most of our corporation, industry, and government business across the globe, they are in high demand from employers. Consistent discovery, solution development, vulnerability discovery, mitigation, and innovation are just a few focus areas that are pertinent under the stem umbrella. Problem solving and technology, for example, will continue to challenge us as a nation; the more prepared we are with STEM knowledge, skills and abilities, the better.
In May of 2018, the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued direct hire authority (DHA) for several STEM and cyber-security occupations. Given that the knowledge, skills, and ability to work in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and cyber-security career fields and occupations are in heavy demand by a variety of organizations and businesses due to mission critical functions and objectives. OPM recognized this immediate need and made it easier for organizations to streamline efficiencies for recruitment initiatives.
Additionally, recently the Trump Administration offered a new pay system for STEM employees, which will also boost recruitment and retention efforts in these areas. The changes are the first in a focus on STEM along with new public and private sector partnerships in development. Given the prior year’s layers of red tape and regulations, the cumbersome STEM hiring process is now updated and more current with a focus on improving processes, hiring procedures, and job retention.
As part of the hiring process for managers, STEM criteria and a set of requirements are offered by OPM who are continually capturing additional survey information to further define position justifications; qualitative and quantitative data offer specific details that contribute to the hiring process, and challenges have been streamlined to foster recruitment along with incentives for both hiring and retention. See this link that offers additional contact information and activities surrounding the specifics of DHA:
With so many STEM career opportunities, occupations, there are ample references and links to support your search that include:
In conclusion, STEM is critical to our future; knowledge, curiosity, and preparation are key elements of STEM occupations and careers across the globe. Qualified employees with the knowledge, skills, and abilities in these critical areas will serve as the foundation for innovation, security, technology, and protection across the globe. Organizations, and specifically our state, local, and federal government are developing and strengthening critical partnerships to work with private industry, academia, and military to ensure STEM training is robust and widely available. In order to meet the demands of our changing nation, STEM skills, along with innovation and technology are critical to our success; investment in the STEM area is a worthy return on investment for any and all organizations.
The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
Under the United States Constitution, every ten years, the federal government is obligated to count its population. The United States Census Bureau counts every single resident of the country, as mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution.
This process is very important from a social, administrative, and political perspective. The data collected during the census is used to determine how many seats each state has in the United State House of Representatives. Furthermore, the same data is used for calculating the amount of federal funds sent to local communities for various reasons – federal aid programs, schools, social programs, and so on. The next census, which will take place in 2020, is especially important because the population is growing in both numbers and diversity. For this process to happen, the government has opened millions of temporary job positions. Here is what you need to know about federal careers in the 2020 census recruiting.
2020 Census
How Does the United States Census Work?
Before delving into the main subject of the article, it is important to understand the process behind the United States Census and how it works. In a country as large as the United States, counting each single resident can be a daunting task from a logistical standpoint.
Adding to the difficulty of the process is the fact that the constitutional article mandating the census was introduced over 200 years ago, in 1790, back when the United States had a population of barely 4 million people. Doing the math reveals that in 2010, when the census recorded 308.7 million people, the country had 79 times as many residents as it did in 1790.
But the role of the census extends beyond counting how many seats each state gets allotted in the House of Representatives. It is a valuable tool that can be used to track the shifting demographics of America – like how many people live in urban vs. rural areas, how many people have moved to and away from the cities, how many children live on average in each household, and so on and so forth.
These statistics can be used by the government to introduce reforms that aid certain struggling communities, social welfare programs, and to design public transportation systems. Furthermore, private organizations (real estate companies, hospitals) use the census data to plan housing developments and hospital expansions.
As you can see, the census is a very important process, a reason for which the government hires millions of temporary employees to aid this process. However, not all jobs are temporary, as they are hiring permanent employees as well. Here is what you should know about this.
Why They Need So Many Employees
The shifting demographics as well as the changes in the economic sector have affected the Census Bureau’s recruitment pool in significant ways. Because fewer people are looking for work now than they were in 2010, the Census Bureau has upped the pay rates and simplified the online application process. However, before hiring, the Bureau needs to create a recruitment pool. To apply online, simply access their official website; the application takes about 30 minutes to complete.
How the Census Bureau Hires Employees
The changing demographics and social norms meant that the Bureau had to adapt to the times. Consequently, the Census Bureau has revamped its recruiting strategies to reach as many interested people as possible. These strategies include:
Encouraging the media to cover census-related news stories;
Using social much to a larger degree than 2010, when the last census took place;
Collaborating and partnering with influential local organizations to spread the word about census jobs;
Setting up booths in panels at public events such as local markets, job fairs, conventions, fairs in order to reach as many people as possible;
Census Careers
Generally speaking, there are two types of census jobs: regional and bureau. Regional offices conduct surveys continuously, instead of just every 10 years, in order to supply the government with important statistics related to the economy, shifting demographics, and the people. Regional Offices hire field workers that have a keen knowledge of their respective community and how it has evolved over time.
Field workers are the backbone of the whole censusing process as they are the ones interviewing people and asking relevant questions about the community. They go from door to door to verify residential addresses in their respective communities before the 2020 census is mailed, and then return to the streets to interview any individuals who have not had the chance to respond to the census mailing for various reasons.
Census takers have to ask difficult questions that some people might deem invasive, which is why the Bureau makes sure that the interviewers have a keen knowledge of the communities they will be conducting the interviews in. The questions range around the individual’s ethnic background, income, place of birth, and marital status. The data obtained from these questions help the federal government make policy and distribute budgets.
To be eligible for the job of census taker, you must meet the following criteria:
Be at least 18 years old;
The ability to speak, read, and write in English;
Pass a background check;
Complete four days of training;
Have a valid social security card;
Pass a test (more on that below);
Have a valid driver’s license;
Be a U.S citizen, a legal permanent resident, or a noncitizen that has a work visa and is bilingual.
The test itself contains 28 multiple-choice questions relevant to the position of census taker and lasts about 30 minutes. The test’s purpose is to asses a candidate’s ability to follow a map, record information, do simple arithmetic and perform clerical tasks such as alphabetizing.
The test is not very difficult, but it might be challenging to some because it assesses skills that many people do not use on a day-to-day basis. Furthermore, some states might have a different testing procedure, so make sure to consult your local census office for more information.
As for the pay and working hours, field employees work between 20 and 40 hours per week, for a duration between 5 and 10 weeks. Field workers are paid on a weekly basis. While the federal government covers the costs associated with training and travel, census takers must be open to a flexible schedule – meaning working weekends, evenings, and in drastic weather conditions. The pay is above the minimum wage, and it varies from location to location.
Permanent Jobs
But regional offices are also searching for full-time corporate employees in offices throughout the country. The positions include, but are not limited to:
IT staff. IT responsibilities vary from maintaining the database, maintaining the digital infrastructure, aiding employees by offering onsite technical support. It requires experience in the field of tech support. Some IT staff members are focusing on automating certain census processes to reduce the workload of field workers and other employees. (Sample IT Federal Resume)
Administrative This department handles all everything logistics-related from handing out tasks and organizing people in teams to coordinating field workers. Some prior administrative and managerial experience is required.
Clerical staff. Everything related to permits and documents is handled by this department.
Survey statisticians. This department focuses on entering the surveys in the database, creating charts, calculating parameters and everything related to statistics. The job requires experience in statistics and related software. (Typically in the GS-1530 Statistician Series)
Conclusion
The census is an important tool of the federal government which can be used to set the budget, create policy, and distribute welfare and social programs in the areas that need it the most. Due to the sheer scale of the process and the country’s big population, the federal government needs to mobilize millions of citizens for it. If you are interested in either a part-time or a permanent position in the Census Bureau, read through our article and you will get all the information that you need.
Scott Lawson is an HR manager devoted to his career. During his 5-year work span Scott developed a taste for writing and helping others. This materialized into a website called JobApplicationWorld, that aims to help people tackle the hiring process.
The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages
With the increasing cost of education and the challenges for recent graduates and parents, opportunities to reduce or eliminate college debt can be life changing. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average student may borrow up to $22,000 before graduation; approximately 280,000 of these individual borrowers default on their payments between years 3 and 5.
The newly established Loan Forgiveness Program set forth by the Department of Education enables public service employees, federal government, and military employees to reduce their federal student loans and/or apply for debt forgiveness after making only 120 payments. Called the PSLF, employees that owe more than then their annual salary can have thousands of dollars forgiven, and/or payments lowered. Being free of student debt loan is a life changing opportunity for many; the program is pretty simple to understand.
First, to qualify for loan forgiveness, you must owe more on your federal loans that you make in one year (income vs. debt requirement). Next, the loans must be ‘qualifying’, meaning that they must be federal to include: Stafford, FFEL, Perkins, etc. 120 payments through an income-based repayment plan must be made on time. Employers must be a qualified government organization to include military, state, local, tribal; some non-profits are also accepted. Employees must be full time workers (at least 30 hours per week) with said qualified employers. Finally, annual certification of personal information must be completed as part of the program requirements. The following link: Forgiveness Cancellation provides details on qualified employment, payment criteria, forms, application, and more to include answers to many common questions surrounding this program.
Congress members, however, are not eligible for this student loan repayment program as they are ineligible for public service loan forgiveness. However, Congressional staff are eligible with a $60,000 cap on loan forgiveness in the U.S. House of Representatives ($10,000 per year), as well as a $40,000 cap in the U.S. Senate at $6,000 per year.
There is also another student loan repayment program that federal employees can apply for today; $10,000 per year for up to six years can be obtained. For more details about this opportunity, please see the following link: Student Loan Payoff
The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
