Why Work in Government?
One of the many benefits of federal service is the ability to make an impact through mission-driven work. Many students believe they need a political science or policy background to work in government, but that is far from the truth. With work available across all fields, students from any academic or professional background can find meaningful work in government.
Federal employees change lives, here and around the world, working to end homelessness, find cures for disease, keep our food supply safe and more.
Average salaries are competitive with the private and nonprofit sectors, and benefits—including health insurance, retirement and vacation—can be better. And federal salaries can increase quickly.
The federal government is the largest employer in the nation with 2.1 million federal civilian employees. Nearly 85 percent of government jobs are outside the Washington, D.C., area, and more than 50,000 federal employees work abroad. The federal government is the largest employer in the nation with 2.1 million federal civilian employees.
Whether you want to work in technology, medicine, engineering, or national security, or have an interest in art history, zoology or architecture, you can find federal opportunities to meet your needs.
You can find interesting, challenging and groundbreaking work in the federal government, much of it is similar to work in the private sector, only on a grander scale and with greater impact. Federal employees develop vaccines for deadly diseases, fight sexual and racial discrimination, and work on climate change issues.
Federal jobs can offer flexible work schedules, including telework and remote work. In addition to generous vacation and sick leave, employees get eleven federal holidays off, including Veterans Day and Juneteenth.
You can find excellent training and development opportunities in government. Many federal agencies work with employees to create individual development plans to help plan short- and long-term career goals. Once you have such a plan, you can find opportunities that align with your goals and help you advance in your career. The Partnership’s Best Places to Work in the Federal Government not only ranks agencies according to how their employees rate their overall experience, it includes ratings on professional development. Check it out to see how your prospective agency stacks up against others.
Explore Federal Careers and Resources
GoGovernment is designed to be your guide as you consider, apply, and secure federal employment. We’ll help you research federal agencies and government careers as well as provide practical tips for completing your application.
Why work in government? What do we mean by federal jobs? Learn more about career opportunities in all fields.
This tool compiles publicly accessible information about professional and academic opportunities in government for students and recent graduates into one centralized place. Find over 900 opportunities!
Our government offers jobs in all disciplines. Use each guide to learn about top hiring agencies, example job descriptions, job series codes to help you in your search, and more.
Learn more about this essential piece of the federal hiring process.
Federal resumes are very different from a standard one-pager! Gain tips and tricks to build your federal resume.
Videos, podcasts, blogs and more! Hear directly from government employees about their own career stories.
Every day, public servants working across the federal government improve our lives for the better. These stories highlight hundreds of career civil servants who have made significant contributions to our country.
Learn more about federal agencies from the most comprehensive and authoritative rating of employee engagement and satisfaction in the federal government.
Ready to apply to an internship with a federal agency? Apply to a paid opportunity run by the Partnership for Public Service.