The Everything Guide to Government Jobs : A complete handbook to hundreds of lucrative opportunities across the Nation Book

Top Ten Reasons to Consider a Government Job     x
Introduction     xi
So You Want to Work for the Government     1
Why Choose a Government Job?     1
A Short History of the United States     2
How the President Is Elected     3
State and Local Governments     7
Some Issues to Consider     8
Government Bureaucracy Versus the Private Sector     9
A Wealth of Opportunities     11
An Overview of Federal Jobs     15
Where the Jobs Are     15
Who Works for the Government?     19
Job Requirements     22
The Federal System     22
Incentives and Benefits     24
National Security     27
U.S. Department of Homeland Security     27
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)     29
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)     31
U.S. Department of Justice     33
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)     34
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF)     37
Airport Security     39
The Military     43
Selective Service     43
Qualifying for Service     43
U.S. Army andU.S. Navy     46
U.S. Air Force     50
Air Force Academy, Naval Academy, West Point     52
U.S. Marine Corps     53
U.S. Coast Guard     56
Does Uncle Sam Want You?     59
The Finest and the Bravest     61
Police     61
Fire Department     66
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)     70
911 Operations     72
Animal Control     73
Other Enforcers     78
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS)     81
A Little History     81
Today's Postal Service     85
In the Office     85
In the Field     86
Requirements     87
Postal Police Force     89
Infrastructure     93
Engineering     93
Requirements and Opportunities     97
Mass-Transit Operations     99
Public Works     100
Walk on the Wild Side     103
National Park Service     103
State Jobs     105
Zoo Workers     106
Fish and Wildlife     107
Life Guarding     108
Landscaping     109
The Nature Conservancy     111
Government Jobs in Communications     113
Nonfiction and Copy Writing     113
Technical Writing     114
Editing     114
Freelancing     116
Writing and Editing Job Requirements and Opportunities     116
Advertising and Public Relations     117
Social Services     123
Social Workers     123
Psychologists     128
Child Care     134
Juvenile Services     136
Social and Human Services     138
Social Security Administration (SSA)     141
Department of Veterans Affairs     144
Office Support Staff     153
Administrative     153
Secretarial     155
Customer Service     158
Labor Relations     161
Personnel Assistants     168
The Judicial System     171
Court Officer     171
Court Clerk     172
Court Reporter     173
Corrections Officer     178
Technological Wizards     183
Information Technology (IT) Specialists     183
Computer Scientists and Database Administrators      185
Computer Programmers     187
Data Entry     189
Hands-On Jobs     193
Carpenter     193
Electrician     195
Mechanic     198
Painter     199
Printer/Reproduction     200
Other Jobs in the Construction Trade     202
Science and Medicine     205
U.S. Food and Drug Administration     205
Biologists     208
Chemists     209
Pharmacologists     210
Microbiologists     211
Medical Officers     212
The Money Managers     213
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)     213
Treasury Department     219
Government Accountability Office (GAO)     221
Other Agencies     223
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development     223
U.S. Department of the Interior     224
U.S. Department of Education     228
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency     230
Department of Motor Vehicles     231
Applying for a Government Job     233
USAJOBS     233
The Application     235
Background Checks      236
Drug Tests     237
Security Clearances     239
Credit Checks     240
Your Resume and Cover Letter     243
Preparing Your Resume     243
Cover Your Resume     248
Other Types of Correspondence     250
Communication, Not Simply Application     257
E-Mail Versus Snail Mail     257
Phone and Fax     258
Preparing for the Interview     259
The Resume and the Interview     259
Stress-Free Interviews     260
Your Resume As a Guide for the Interview     263
Pre-Interview Resume Review     264
Two Key Phrases     266
Common Questions     267
Conversations, Not Cross-Examinations     272
What to Wear to the Interview     274
Testing One, Two, Three     277
Civil Service Tests     277
Study Techniques     280
Before the Test     282
Strategies for Success     283
Web Sites and Contact Information     287
Federal Salary Ranges and Pay Grades     295
Index     300