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For great benefits and a solid career path, a position working with the US government in finance can be a rewarding choice. The application and hiring process within the US government is unique, and there are ways to get your resume in front of the right people and be able to land your dream job.
Types of Finance Jobs
Some of the positions that the US government employs finance professionals in are financial and credit analyst positions, tax examiners, accountants, auditors, economists, and clerks. Requirements range from positions that are entry-level to those that require a security clearance and previous government employment. An important step to take is to do your research and find out what you are qualified to do and think about what you want to do.
Qualifications and Education
Most government job listings give the minimum requirements for attaining the position at hand. While the description may list CPA certification as a desired certification, and not required, the truth is that there are hundreds of people applying for that position and the desired qualifications are going to be met by many of the candidates. Applicants that only have the required skills will be pushed to the bottom of the stack of resumes.
US Government Job Tips
Most job-seekers were taught how to write a resume, but when applying for a US government job in finance, you have toss that knowledge out the window. The government wants your resume to match their job description. This means that you take what they have listed as qualifications and you list them in your resume, assuming that you have all the skills needed for the position. You should not use a generic resume; each position should have its own set of keywords and qualifications.
It is important to become acquainted with the USAjobs.gov website. Register and search around the site to see what all is there and how it can be filtered by location and by job type. You can set up an email alert that will send you an email when position is posted with the parameters that you have set up in your search.
According to Forbes, it is important to use your network. The US government takes recommendations seriously, and friends or contacts that work for the government make great references. US government finance employees may know of job postings before they are made public and can tip you off so that you can prepare. The career service office in the college that you graduated from is another great resource as many colleges have relationships with the US government.
Related Resource: Careers in Health Administration
Persistence
It may take hundreds of applications to government jobs before you are ever called for an interview. The important factor is to be persistent. There are new finance jobs listed every day, and you need to stay on top of those postings and apply to all of jobs that you are qualified to attain. Don’t give up. It may seem redundant and that your search is not going anywhere, but persistence pays off.