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Gear Up for Government Jobs

by DAVID MATHIS
Director, Oneida County Workforce Development

Do you want to be an accountant? A key cog in the wheel of human services delivery? Or  have a career in Information Technology?

All these kinds of careers – and more – can be found in the many parts of state, federal or local government.

Government jobs are different from private sector ones. Job openings don't occur as often because in the Civil Service system, people who are hired for careers often find that they stay and are promoted step by step throughout their careers.

Civil Service tests are a pre-requisite for most government jobs. They ensure that people who fill these jobs have certain basic skills that are required. Usually, jobs have an educational requirement and, for senior level positions, an experience requirement as well.  What often happens in government is that a person with IT skills will be hired at a certain level and then, when the next vacancy occurs at a higher level, have the opportunity to take an exam to move up.

The first step to getting a Civil Service job is to check out the lists of examinations. Oneida County updates its list, which can be found at www.co.oneida.ny.us . The state's Civil Service exams are found at the state Civil Service homepage, cs.state.ny.us , which also has a wealth of information about Civil Service careers. Government careers are not often found at the village or town level, but in larger municipalities they do exist. Cities such as Utica and Rome maintain their own Civil Service departments. The federal government is the largest source for Government jobs. Federal Civil Service information is available at www.usajobs.opm.gov . One caution: Federal Civil Service positions are concentrated in Washington, followed by major metro areas. Openings can be very hard to predict, so don't make plans on getting the first job for which you take a test.

The procedure for Civil Service positions if pretty standard. Once you see a position you want, you take the test. After the test, a list is created that ranks the test-takers from top to bottom. Generally, the people at the very top of the list are the ones who are hired. A list can last for several years, which means that is the position becomes vacant again, even if you were not selected the first time, you could in a couple of years.

Public safety careers are almost exclusively through governments, and the requirements for those positions vary depending on which police agency or correctional facility you are seeking to work for. Law enforcement careers require more than just a pencil-and-paper test. There are usually physical tests required because of the demanding nature of these careers.  Applicants also need to pass background checks. Convictions in youth have often come back to impact applicants who want a law enforcement career, but have a record of offenses.

There are non-Civil Service positions available, but these are often for people with very specified talents, managers who report directly to the top officials such as a governor, county executive or mayor, or individuals who are hired to work for a specified period of time through a contract.

Pay scales in government vary widely. Because salaries are set through collective bargaining between officials of the state, county, or community and the union representing the employees, salaries for the same type of job vary from county to county, state to state, and city to city. However, because vacancies are not always easy to come by, it is hard to comparison shop the way college graduates do when considering private sector offers.

In general, government pay scales are not as high as those in the private sector.  Few people come into government jobs to get rich. Some do want security of Civil Service, but many turn to government jobs because it is a way that helps people.

I began my career working to try to help disadvantaged people find work. I never thought it would become my profession, but as opportunities emerged over time, I was able to take advantage of these to become Director of Workforce Development for Oneida County.  I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction when our office is able to help people – especially young people – get their lives back on track and find jobs that will help them and their families. To me, government is about helping people. And if you like to do that, then careers in government will offer you a rewarding life.