Trying to get a Government Job

[saden1]

What do you enjoy doing? An ideal job?

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by saden1

What do you enjoy doing? An ideal job?

My friends keep telling me I should do some sort of work with information technology. I'm not exactly a computer science major nor have I ever built my own computer but at the same time I'd say I'm pretty good with computers. It's funny to because before you asked me that question I hadn't even considered the IT field. Though with me it would probably have to be geared towards the business side of things. At the same time I'd love to have some sort of position that would allow me to interact with a lot of people on a regular basis.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

My friends keep telling me I should do some sort of work with information technology. I'm not exactly a computer science major nor have I ever built my own computer but at the same time I'd say I'm pretty good with computers. It's funny to because before you asked me that question I hadn't even considered the IT field. Though with me it would probably have to be geared towards the business side of things. At the same time I'd love to have some sort of position that would allow me to interact with a lot of people on a regular basis.

I have zero experience with gov't jobs. I've been private sector my whole life, but I would suggest trying to get your foot in the door doing something with which you have experience, even if it's not ideal. Again, I know nothing of working for Uncle Sam, but I would think you could get a higher starting pay grade and level of respect if you enter into public sector work with something that's not totally ground level. That way doors can open up faster.

Whoever recommended surfing the gov't job listings, I would take that advice. Read as many job postings as you can. It may spark some interests. It sounds like you're not too sure of exactly what you want to do, but I wouldn't let your future employer know that.

Just my two cents.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I have zero experience with gov't jobs. I've been private sector my whole life, but I would suggest trying to get your foot in the door doing something with which you have experience, even if it's not ideal. Again, I know nothing of working for Uncle Sam, but I would think you could get a higher starting pay grade and level of respect if you enter into public sector work with something that's not totally ground level. That way doors can open up faster.

Whoever recommended surfing the gov't job listings, I would take that advice. Read as many job postings as you can. It may spark some interests. It sounds like you're not too sure of exactly what you want to do, but I wouldn't let your future employer know that.

Just my two cents.

This.. plus once you get a foot in it's A LOT easier to transfer even to another department.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

My friends keep telling me I should do some sort of work with information technology. I'm not exactly a computer science major nor have I ever built my own computer but at the same time I'd say I'm pretty good with computers. It's funny to because before you asked me that question I hadn't even considered the IT field. Though with me it would probably have to be geared towards the business side of things. At the same time I'd love to have some sort of position that would allow me to interact with a lot of people on a regular basis.

I'm not sure what being pretty good with computers means, can you clarify? What computer skills do you have?

It seems to me Business Analyst or Project Management jobs would be something that might appeal to you. You get to work with computers and there's quite a bit of demand for these types of people in both the government and the private sector in NOVA area. As a business analyst you'll get to use a suite of software to do some number crunching and you can always get a project management job where you get to interact with people with a software/hardware government contractor.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by saden1

I'm not sure what being pretty good with computers means, can you clarify? What computer skills do you have?

It seems to me Business Analyst or Project Management jobs would be something that might appeal to you. You get to work with computers and there's quite a bit of demand for these types of people in both the government and the private sector in NOVA area. As a business analyst you'll get to use a suite of software to do some number crunching and you can always get a project management job where you get to interact with people with a software/hardware government contractor.

Good with computers in that I'm very good with the basics in Microsoft Office (Access, Powerpoint, Word, Excel) especially when it comes to making queries, designing formulas, or dressing up powerpoint presentations. I also frequently get asked by my friends and family to set up programs and teach them how to use it. In the past month I've done task such as importing songs from an iPod onto a computer, increasing the sharpness on a scanned picture, converting files so we can play our avi home movies on my brothers 360, and importing files over a media server on a PS3. Basically a laundry list of odd jobs. Nothing along the lines of programming or physically installing RAM, though I do have a friend thats about to teach me how to install extra RAM.

Still if my job relied on learning navigating and learning a certain type of software theI'm fairly confident that I would be able to pick it up quickly. To put it in more relateable terms, if there was a such thing as a technology IQ mines would be around 130.

Still I like the idea of Business Analyst or Project Manager. Those actually sound a lot like the type of jobs I would be suited for. Thanks Saden. When I was training for accounting it was so much easier to know what types of jobs would be waiting after school since if worse comes to worse you go to Monster and simply type accounting. With a business administration degree it's a little bit wider in terms of scope but it's harder to search for jobs and right now the ones listed on our schools career net aren't exactly the type of jobs I'd consider.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

Good with computers in that I'm very good with the basics in Microsoft Office (Access, Powerpoint, Word, Excel) especially when it comes to making queries, designing formulas, or dressing up powerpoint presentations. I also frequently get asked by my friends and family to set up programs and teach them how to use it. In the past month I've done task such as importing songs from an iPod onto a computer, increasing the sharpness on a scanned picture, converting files so we can play our avi home movies on my brothers 360, and importing files over a media server on a PS3. Basically a laundry list of odd jobs. Nothing along the lines of programming or physically installing RAM, though I do have a friend thats about to teach me how to install extra RAM.

Still if my job relied on learning navigating and learning a certain type of software theI'm fairly confident that I would be able to pick it up quickly. To put it in more relateable terms, if there was a such thing as a technology IQ mines would be around 130.

Still I like the idea of Business Analyst or Project Manager. Those actually sound a lot like the type of jobs I would be suited for. Thanks Saden. When I was training for accounting it was so much easier to know what types of jobs would be waiting after school since if worse comes to worse you go to Monster and simply type accounting. With a business administration degree it's a little bit wider in terms of scope but it's harder to search for jobs and right now the ones listed on our schools career net aren't exactly the type of jobs I'd consider.

Good with computer won't get you any IT job.. if you want to do stuff like that you might get on with a non-profit if you have other things to offer as well, such as writing, fundraising, etc

Otherwise get your A+ and do desktop support (you'll probably start in helpdesk) or basic comp tech work. I do it on the side and if you get in with the right networks there is plenty of work. Be prepared to do everything from installs, data transfer, POS rollouts, etc.

Otherwise what you say that you're good at really only qualifies you to be a secretary.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by tryfuhl

Good with computer won't get you any IT job.. if you want to do stuff like that you might get on with a non-profit if you have other things to offer as well, such as writing, fundraising, etc

Otherwise get your A+ and do desktop support (you'll probably start in helpdesk) or basic comp tech work. I do it on the side and if you get in with the right networks there is plenty of work. Be prepared to do everything from installs, data transfer, POS rollouts, etc.

Otherwise what you say that you're good at really only qualifies you to be a secretary.

Yeah, I figured as much. Probably best to stick to something along the lines of Business Analyst.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

Yeah, I figured as much. Probably best to stick to something along the lines of Business Analyst.

That's a little more "fun" and guaranteed anyways.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by saden1

I'm not sure what being pretty good with computers means, can you clarify? What computer skills do you have?

It seems to me Business Analyst or Project Management jobs would be something that might appeal to you. You get to work with computers and there's quite a bit of demand for these types of people in both the government and the private sector in NOVA area. As a business analyst you'll get to use a suite of software to do some number crunching and you can always get a project management job where you get to interact with people with a software/hardware government contractor.

Helps to have a security clearance as well but he won't get that until he has his foot in the door. It took me two years at my current job before they gave me one plus it took another 6 months for it to go through but once you get one it may trump my education. I swear if you have a top secert with poly (I don't) you could have a high school education and be in demand for high paying jobs.

My wife has one friend that got out of the army with her secret clearence and just HS education went to work for a contractor, thus contractor paid for her education both BS and Masters and now she has a pretty high up job making bank, took 10 years but it paid off.

[BDBohnzie]

Originally Posted by saden1

It seems to me Business Analyst or Project Management jobs would be something that might appeal to you. You get to work with computers and there's quite a bit of demand for these types of people in both the government and the private sector in NOVA area. As a business analyst you'll get to use a suite of software to do some number crunching and you can always get a project management job where you get to interact with people with a software/hardware government contractor.

Bingo. Each agency has a budgets (sometimes multiple) department, so you could search budget analyst, marketing analyst, finance analyst along with business analyst and see what is out there. And be sure to search the contractor websites for these jobs as well, because the Fed outsources a lot of analyst positions.