FAFLRT President

“Do You Want a Future with the Feds?”

Article by Joyce Lee

January 5, 2009

[Information for this article was gathered from Roberta Shaffer’s November 14, 2008 presentation, "Do You Want a Future with the Feds?" at San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science.]

The economy, technology, and a new administration are just a few of the changes affecting federal libraries and employment opportunities.  These changes mean that students interested in federal employment may need to reconsider their approach to finding jobs, in addition to learning about the federal sector in general.

Employment in the federal government differs from other sectors in a number of ways.

Federal employment offers many advantages that do not exist in other sectors.  For example, employees have incredible range of options with respect to disciplines, agencies, and locations.  Many agencies have offices all over the country and the world, in both urban and rural settings, so students should not dismiss federal employment if they do not want to relocate to Washington, D.C.  Employees can also participate in special assignments where they are “loaned” to another agency for a finite period of time, whether to learn new skills from or to share their skills with the other agency.  Working in the federal government also gives employees opportunities to help shape standards and guidelines, create best practices, and influence domestic and international policy.

Salaries and benefits are oftentimes not as competitive for entry-level federal positions but tend to surpass the other sectors for mid- to high-level jobs.  The hiring process can take a very long time, and applicants may have difficulty finding openings they are interested in due to limited turnover.  The government also experiences fluctuations in budgets, which means more competition for libraries to obtain federal funding.  Whether and how these budget fluctuations will impact libraries is not yet known, but students should be aware of the potential impact that limited funding can have on the projects they work on. 

So how can students build a future with the feds?

Consider non-traditional library positions

Due to the current economy and state of libraries, traditional jobs are not as common as they used to be.  Many of those jobs are being outsourced, consolidated, or provided by private entities.  In addition, the massive retirements that many predicted may not happen.  When employees in the baby boomer generation do retire, the government may not fill those positions.  Changes in technology are affecting the federal sector, making the information aspect of the field more important.  As a result, students may want to consider future opportunities in fields such as website design and administration, research and analysis, enterprise information management, or data set management, rather than seeking traditional library positions.

Think broadly, rather than more refined

The federal government is moving toward a new employment system emphasizing a wider breadth of knowledge rather than deeper or more specialized knowledge in a particular area.  In order to remain competitive, students should consider taking classes covering a broad range of topics.  This does not mean that they should avoid pursuing their passions, though.  Students who want to develop subject matter expertise may want to consider statistics and data management, policy, law, or biological sciences, and learning a second language.

Look into internships, fellowships, contractors, and consultants

Internships are an excellent way for students to build their resumes and impress potential employers.  Not only would students earn credit for school, but the fact that many internships are unpaid gives the students the flexibility to define the scope of their projects.  Many federal agencies offer internships in their libraries.

Students should go directly to the specific offices within an agency that appeals to their interests. Government-wide or even large agency-wide programs often have a very long acceptance timeframe and are highly competitive.  Check individual agency websites for micro-level knowledge of the agency and its specific units; keeping in mind that the need for a student’s specific skills may not only be in the library but could be in the office of the Chief Information Officer [CIO], public affairs, training and development, general counsel’s office, etc.  Keep in mind that internships do not necessarily require onsite work and many can be accomplished remotely.

Fellowships are another great federal opportunity.  Two notable fellowship programs students may want to look into are the Presidential Management Fellows Program and the National Library of Medicine Associate Fellowship Program.  Project-specific jobs with contractors and consultants are also good ways to gain exposure to federal libraries and often can result in a long-term or full-time position.

Propose projects that tie in with coursework

Structured programs are not the only way students can gain federal experience.  For example, students may work on a project for a federal agency in conjunction with a class they are taking or as a capstone project.  Early in the semester, students should think of a topic that a federal librarian might be interested in and make a proposal.  A successful project of this type benefits all parties involved – the student earns credit for class and builds his resume, and it helps the federal agency.

Be thorough when finding and applying for jobs

Finding and filling out job applications can be a time-consuming process.  Job seekers can take advantage of USAJOBS by setting up searches, saving those searches, and having listings delivered automatically by email.  While finding new openings can be a relatively hands-off process, applying for those openings is not.

To get an interview, the applicant must be willing to devote the time and energy necessary to create a compelling resume and application tailored to each specific job posting.  A successful federal job application requires a significant amount of time and is not something that can be assembled within a few hours.

Do not turn down an offer just because it is not the specific job desired

Since many jobs are restricted to current federal employees, an applicant will have more opportunities available to him if he is already working for the federal government.  Skills are transferable from one environment to another, and by taking advantage of opportunities in other disciplines, employees will be able to approach situations from a variety of perspectives, a skill that is highly valued in the workplace.

Students interested in working for the federal government should begin actively lay the groundwork for future employment.  Select courses covering a wide range of topics.  Develop and hone skills, such as technical skills, budgeting, project management, and research methodology.  And do not pass up opportunities that do not fit the “ideal” job description.  Every opportunity, whether paid or unpaid, builds the applicant’s resume and opens doors to more opportunities in the future.