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Designing the International Space Station, uncovering security threats, conserving the Florida Everglades, creating an ad campaign to combat disease these are examples of just a few of the tasks done by workers in the Federal Government.

With more than 1.7 million jobs and over 400 occupational specialties, the Federal Government offers more choices than any other single employer in the United States. Whatever your interest and background, you can probably find a Government career to match.

People get jobs in the Federal Government in the same way that they get most jobs in the private sector: by finding openings and submitting a resume or application. But searching for a Federal job can be more complicated than other job searches. That's because of regulations designed to keep the hiring process fair. Job titles are standardized. Resumes are more detailed. And job qualifications are more specific.

Tailoring your search to the Federal Government's rules will increase your chances of getting a job. Read on to discover the types of jobs available in the Federal civil service and the qualifications required. Then, learn how to find and apply for jobs. Information geared toward students and recent graduates is on page 16. Tips for career changers are on page 19. And page 25 summarizes the Federal job search as a 5-step process.

Exploring the options and preparing for the hunt

When hunting for a Federal career, you have a myriad of choices. Federal jobs are spread across more than 100 agencies and bureaus, each with its own mission and each overseeing its own hiring and recruitment. The largest agencies are shown in chart 1.

Jobs are found throughout the Nation and across the world. As the map on page 5 shows, about 87 percent of Government jobs are outside of the Washington, DC, area. About 3 percent are in foreign nations.

What's more, the Federal Government hires people for hundreds of occupational specialties, the largest of which are shown in chart 2 on page 8. For some occupations, including forest conservation technician and geographer, the Federal Government is the primary employer. (See the OOChart in this issue of the OOQ.)

With so many choices, you may need to sort through scores of openings to find a job that fits. Your search will be more fruitful if you understand Federal job titles, identify jobs for which you are qualified, and start with the right resources.

The trouble with titles

The Federal Government uses a set of standard occupational titles, also called occupational series, to describe its jobs. Some titles--such as carpenter and chemist--are easy to understand. Others require interpretation. A person interested in marketing might look for positions with the title market analyst, for example, but he or she also might want positions with the more unusual title of trade analyst. Both involve marketing products.

So, how can you find all the titles that fit your skills? If you are a college graduate, start by scanning the list on pages 11-13. It shows how different occupational titles relate to various college majors. If you have a degree in history, for example, titles such as archivist or historian could be a perfect match. But so might other titles, such as writer-editor or foreign affairs specialist, that are mentioned under different liberal arts majors.

Some of the job titles you'll find are unique to the Federal Government. Program analyst is the most common example. Workers with this title evaluate Government programs, make recommendations for change, and tell decisionmakers what resources programs need. If research, policy analysis, or business is your interest, try this title.

Jobseekers need to be flexible in their search because titles used by the Federal Government are often broader than private sector ones. One title that people often

overlook is technical writer. In the private sector, that title usually refers to jobs writing about science or computers. But in the U.S. Government, technical writing is any writing that requires specialized knowledge. The position could relate to law, education, or any other subject.

Jobseekers also need flexibility because titles in the Federal Government are often not as current as those in the private sector. Consider Web designer. The Government does not use that name, but it does hire people to do that type of work. Web designing jobs might be listed under visual arts specialist; public relations specialist; or, if the job requires technical computer skills, information technology manager. A good strategy for finding positions is to search for many different titles or by broad occupational group.

Recognizing the confusion that job titles can cause, the Federal Government provides some help. The Government's employment website, www.usajobs.opm.gov, provides definitions for many job titles. The site also offers quizzes that relate career interests to job titles. And for more detailed information about titles, check the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's Occupational Classification Manual, available online at www.opm.gov/fedlass/text/hdbktoc.htm

Qualifications required

In nearly all cases, Federal employees must be U.S. citizens. Beyond that, qualifications vary.

Qualifications. The Government hires people with nearly every level of education and experience--from high school students with no experience to Ph.D.'s with established careers. Jobs in some occupations, such as engineer, ecologist, and lawyer, require that workers have a bachelor's or graduate degree and credit for specific college classes. Other occupations require experience, education, or a combination of both. A few, such as office clerk, require no education or experience to start.

The qualifications needed for each job are described in detail in the vacancy announcements that advertise job openings. Each job also has a code that corresponds to its minimum requirements. Understanding these codes will speed your search.

Shortcut to matching your qualifications: Cracking the GS code. The coding systems used to classify jobs vary by agency, but the most common system is the General Schedule (GS). The GS assigns every job a grade level from 1 to 15, according to the minimum level of education and experience its workers need. Jobs that require no experience or education are graded a GS-1, for example. Jobs that require a bachelor's degree and no experience are graded a GS-5 or GS-7, depending on an applicant's academic credentials and an agency's policies.

The table below shows the GS levels for entry-level workers with different amounts of education and little or no work experience.

College degrees only qualify you for a particular grade level if they are related to the job. For occupations requiring general college-level skills, a bachelor's degree in any subject can qualify you. But other occupations require a specific major.

After gaining work experience, people often qualify for higher GS levels. In general, 1 year of experience related to the job could raise your grade by one GS level in most clerical and technician positions. In administrative, professional, and scientific positions, GS level increases in increments of two until you reach a GS-12. After that, GS level increases one level at a time.

With each additional year of experience at a higher level of responsibility, your GS level could continue to increase until it reaches the maximum for your occupation.

Resources online and off

Applying for a Federal job is often simpler if you have access to the Internet. Although every part of the application process can also be completed offline, the Internet allows for both faster searching and faster completion and submission of applications.

Jobseekers can visit a Federal Employment Center for free access to the Federal employment websites. Many of the U.S. Department of Labor's One-Stop Career Centers also provide Internet access for jobseekers. Contact information for Federal Employment Centers and One-Stop Career Centers is available in the blue pages of the telephone book or by calling the U.S. Department of Labor's toll-free career information line: 1 (877) US2-JOBS (872-5627).

Without the Internet, you can conduct a search by telephone, fax machine, or mail.

Finding openings

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management maintains a central database, called USAJOBS, that lists nearly every Federal job opening available to the public. Searching this database online or by telephone is the first step to finding a job. Jobseekers can also contact agencies directly for assistance and for information about special hiring programs. Finally, jobseekers shouldn't abandon traditional methods, such as reading classified ads and attending job fairs. Many agencies use ads and fairs to supplement their recruiting efforts.

USA JOBS: The official source