Fema Employment
Federal Government Attorney Jobs?
I was interested in obtaining a federal gov. attorney position. I am just six months out of law school and have been working at a state gov. job since i got out. i have decent law school credentials from a lower tier school. (law review, good gpa etc.) Does anybody know how competitive these positions are at the entry level? How long does it generally take for the hiring process? Any info/personal experiences you could provide would be appreciated. In the interest of clarification. I am talking about a GS position in a fed. gov. agency such as Dept. of So and Such.
Public Comments
- My sister and best friend both work for the government. It took my sister close to 5 years before she finally was given the opportunity for a GS position. My best friend made GS in less time, but that was due to the fact she was friends with some big shots and they were able to assist her in getting the GS position. Insofar, as the competitiveness for attorney's. It is competitive every where. Whether in the private or public sector since the field is so saturated. Your best bet is to have the recommendation(s) from someone who is very well respected and known from your department. Or any other department for that matter that will play a role in you securing the position you desire.
- Fed Gov jobs are very competitive because once a Fed Gov employee goes past their probationary period (usually 2 years) the employee has double the legal protections from termination that an employee in private industry does. The good news is that you have a better chance of landing a Fed Gov job while in law school than if you go to work for a private firm and then apply. Many agencies want the law school graduate who has not gotten into the private world. The primary agency that comes to mind is the DOJ. If you have not already done so contact you school's placement office and tell them that you want a Fed Gov job. Pester them, as often as you can. Most placement offices have a very large book that lists all the Fed Gov agencies and what type of jobs they have in which office. Borrow that book or spend hours looking. Fed Gov entry positions are competitive, but it is not the ridiculous competition that you get when trying to get into the #1 firm in the country. It would be nice if you could get a referral letter by a politician ( think local congress person), but do not panic if you can't. Fed Gov entry jobs are LOW pay and you may be required to train in another location or even be stationed in another location before you get the area you want. The hiring process can take months, so start now. The longest time is spent on getting a gov background check. You cannot speed it up. Each agency requires different things in background checks, so the length of time varies by agency and type of job. You should look at www.usa.gov just to see the number of agencies available. AND you will want to post your resume on www.usajobs.opm.gov Once you narrow your search down to a specific agency, go to that agency's website. Sometimes jobs are posted there first. Good luck.
