Almost half of the 900,000 federal employees are ready to retire. This means that your chances of finding a job with the Federal Government are extremely good. What's our advice? Do an internship.

Every major federal US agency and department has developed a Human Capital Plan to help them recruit new employees. About 76 million baby boomers, or those born between 1946 and 1964, are set to retire in large numbers by the end of the decade. Boomers make up about one-third of the U.S. workforce, and there aren't enough younger workers like you to replace them. The same is true for the Federal government where more than half of the 900,000 workforce is ready or qualified for retirement.

The Myth: A government job is not cool
The differences between federal government work and the private sector are narrowing. Many government agencies are very fast paced and mimic the private sector. Aside from that, the work is interesting, helps people and the benefits are excellent. Remember, a job with the Federal government can just be a stepping stone to a private sector job.

What are agencies specifically doing to attract new workers?
Almost all federal agencies are holding career fairs at major universities. If you are a junior or senior in college, you should attend these career fairs and get to know the recruiters.

Federal agencies are also using USAJobs, the federal government’s consolidated website to post job vacancies. At USA Jobs, you’ll be able to post a resume, search for jobs in your geographic location and even set up Job Alerts and receive emails when jobs matching your criteria become available.

Almost every agency or department has also established internship programs during the summer and work study program.

What should you really be doing to get hired?
The best way to get your foot in the door and show your stuff is to try to get an internship at a federal agency in the summer of your Junior and/or Senior year. Internships are also open to those earning a Master’s degree. The two major programs are Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) and Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP). The SCEP program is better and can lead to a an offer of employment. Learn more about both of these programs.

Career fairs and sending your resume to agencies get you in front of the human resources staff. Odds are you will never hear from them or if you do it will be months later. Being an intern gives you a lot of face time with an prospective employer.

Keep in mind that the internship is a two way street. While an intern, you’ll be able to see whether you feel comfortable with the agency’s culture. Every agency is different. You’ll also get an idea of the work ethic of the agency and specific department.

In some agencies you may be simply bored out of your mind and in others you will more work than you know what to do with. It is very dependent on the supervisor and whether he or she wants to use you. Don’t despair over this. An internship is a learning experience and if federal work or that agency is not for you, better to know that now before accepting a job offer.

How do I get an Internship?
The best way to proceed is to first align your degree and what you want to do with a specific department or agency. The names of the major departments, speak for themselves. You may also want to consider regulatory agencies and independent commissions. The Security and Exchange Commission, Federal Communications Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission as well as the Federal Aviation Administration come to mind.

There are dozens of others. Just google what you want to do and see what federal agencies come up. You can also go to the list of Federal Agencies and Commissions here and do some home work on them.

Once you have found several agencies, visit their websites. Often an agency's website will tell you what positions they really are after. You’ll want to look at the Press Releases of an agency’s website too. This is the easiest way for you to get educated about what issues the agency is facing. You’ll then be able to use that in your resume, application or interview on the phone or in person for that internship.

What is the Government Agency really doing during the Internship?
The agency or department is really trying to determine whether they want to offer you a job. They will never admit that though. Look at it from their perspective. They receive thousands of inflated resumes a year and only get to meet a few of the applicants for a short interview. If they hire them, it is generally based on a 30 minute interview in person or by telephone. Now ask yourself, how much can you learn about someone in 30 minutes or by looking at their “inflated” resume?

If you are an intern, the government agency gets to see you in action. In other words, it’s like having a three month interview. They’ll be able to compare the words in your resume with the real you. For example, an agency will see:

1. How you present yourself in terms of dress and grooming,
2. Observe your work ethic in terms of punctuality and attendance,
3. How you work with and communicate with others,
4. How you write under given situations, and
5. How you perform your technical or job skills in the work place under pressure.

An Intern's Goal: Distinguish yourself from the Crowd
Assuming you would consider working for the agency, your goal should be to work on a a special project that helps your supervisor and displays your job skills. The project will also be used in your resume even if you don't want to work for the agency you are interning at.

Supervisors in government agencies are generally overworked. In fact, many of them will look at the interns as a necessary evil that upper management throws at them every year. Don't wait for them to assign you work, instead volunteer and be helpful. You want that supervisor to be thinking the following by the middle or near the end of your internship:

“Gee, Cynthia really did a nice job on that spreadsheet and really helped our Branch out this summer. She's very sharp and a good writer. I wonder if she would consider coming to work here after she graduates. Better call Human Resources to let them know I am interested. Better yet, I will ask Cynthia if she is interested in a position.”

At the end of your internship, the agency will do one of three things:

• Shake your hand and wish you well,
• Ask you if you would like to come back in your senior year for an internship or make you a job offer. They may also ask you back next year for their internship program.

Even if the agency does not offer you a job, you’ll be able to put that experience on your resume. Good luck. You may also want to read about why you might want to work for the government.