Search for Federal Government Jobs & Internships

• Watch How To Apply To Federal Jobs video & our entire Your Guide To Federal Career video series!
• Review this helpful Application Process list.
• First, you must create an account with login.gov.
  • login.gov is a service that offers secure and private online access to government programs, such as federal benefits, services and applications. With a login.gov account, you can sign into multiple government websites with the same email address and password.
• Next, create your USAJobs profile.
  • Once your account is created and your USAJobs profile is complete, you can search & apply for jobs!

• Watch our video series, Your Guide To Federal Careers!
• Read the entire job announcement. Focus on the following sections to understand whether or not you qualify for the position:
  • Hiring Path (Open to the public)
  • Duties and Qualifications
  • How to Apply (including a preview of the assessment questionnaire, if applicable)
  • How You Will be Evaluated
• Make sure you have the required experience and/or education before you apply. Hiring agencies use the job announcement to describe the job and the required:
  • Level and amount of experience
  • Education
  • Training

• The federal government does not have a standard job application. Your resume is your application.
• Hiring agencies use the job announcement to describe the job and list the required qualifications and responsibilities.
• After applying, the hiring agency uses the information in your resume to verify if you have the required qualifications stated in the job announcement.
• The federal hiring process can take on average 3-4 months from application to job offer, or longer if a applicant must go through the security clearance process.
  • Some jobs or internships may require specific security clearance. The security clearance process can take several months, which doesn’t begin until you are offered the position. Learn more here!
• USAJOBS Help Center: Learn more here!

• View the available opportunities for Students & Graduates
• Watch our video series, Your Guide To Federal Careers!
• The federal government offers unique hiring paths to help hire individuals that represent our diverse society.
• Learn more about each hiring path and your eligibility!

• Students can browse career events nationwide and virtually hosted by various federal agencies through the USAJOBS Events calendar!

Use the resources below to explore internship opportunities within government agencies through USAJobs, Go Government Federal Internship Finder, and The Pathways Program. The Pathways Program offers federal internship opportunities for current students & recent graduates:

• USAJobs
• Go Government Federal Internship Finder
• Pathways Program FAQ
• Federal Occupations By College Major
• Watch this video to learn more about the Pathways Program!

• Check the websites of state and local government agencies for internship & job listings.
• View these job and internship sites & resources
• Search for the specific city, county, or township where you’d like to intern and look for their career or internship pages.

• Use job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn to search for “local government internship” or similar keywords.
• View these job and internship sites & resources
• Filter your search by location and type of internship to narrow down your options.
• Reach out to local government managers via LinkedIn to make vital connections, and share your interest in exploring careers in local government!

• The websites of state local government management associations often list internship opportunities. 
• The Network of Schools of Public Affairs and Administrations (NASPAA) also offers information on internships on its Public Service Careers site.