Jobs

City Government Jobs and Employment

Beyond job security and stability, there are many benefits associated with city employment. While the benefits may vary from city to city, some of the advantages you receive with a government job may include:

• Competitive Salaries – While city government jobs are not famous for salaries that rival private firms, when you consider job security and the overall benefits package, the compensation is competitive.
• Deferred Compensation Plan – Also known as DWP, a Deferred Compensation Plan allows eligible employees to invest pre-tax dollars.
• Holiday Pay – A government job’s holiday pay is generous, especially compared to private firms. For example, if a holiday falls on a Saturday, the Friday before can be considered the holiday. Also if a holiday falls on a Sunday, your day off will be the following Monday.
• Vacation Time – After 12 consecutive months of employment, you may be entitled to eleven (11) days of vacation.
• Tuition Reimbursement – A minimum grade may be required to receive full reimbursement.
• Life Insurance – You can receive $10,000 of basic life insurance at no cost.
• Leave of Absence – You can be entitled to sick leave, bereavement time, jury duty, and military leave.
• Health and Dental Coverage – Check your city for an accurate description of health benefits. Generally, government jobs provide you with excellent health and dental insurance coverage.
• Basic and Supplemental Disability Insurance (BSDI) – For a maximum of 24 months, this coverage reimburses 50% of your pay up to $2,000 a month.
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance – An employee can select coverage from $50,000 to $500,000 for a loss of life, limb, hearing, or sight.
• Dependent Care Reimbursement Account Plan (DCRA) – With this plan, city employees can budget and cover expenses for child or elderly parent care.

Where do I find a government job?

Job listings and job postings are accessible through government offices, in newspapers, and on the Internet. An excellent resource for seeking government jobs in your city is USAJOBS, which is the official career site operated by the US government. Expanding your search to include city employment, state government, and federal government job openings maximizes your chances of finding an ideal position for you.

OPM Employment Service Centers and several Federal buildings are other places to find government employment opportunities. To find OPM Employment Service Centers and Federal buildings in your city, check the “blue pages” of the phone book.

Another way to locate government job openings is to call the automated Federal employment phone system at (703) 724-1850. Through the automated system, you can apply for some government jobs over the phone. You can also access fact sheets, forms and applications.

You can also call local government agencies directly to find out about employment and job postings in your city. Be sure to ask for the Personnel or Human Resources (HR) department. Describe your training and experience and don’t be afraid to ask for help in finding city employment. Whether you are looking for entry-level government jobs or government IT jobs, being proactive in your city increases opportunities.

For example, if you are seeking Baltimore, Maryland government jobs, visit the Department of Budget and Management, which lists all of the open government positions in the state. Or, if you hope to find an Atlanta city government position, then visit the City of Atlanta’s Employment Opportunities site, which allows you to easily search through all available job listings.

For Los Angeles government job openings, directly visit the City of Los Angeles’ website, where you can access all of the available job opportunities in the city. Similarly, for Chicago government jobs, visit the State of Illinois’ Employment Opportunities resource, which lists all of the current city government job openings.

Lastly, if you are an honorably discharged armed forces veteran, you may receive special consideration for employment. Disabled or active-duty veterans serving during specific time periods or in combat situations are entitled to preference over non-veterans for certain government jobs.

How can I prepare for a government job application?

Many government jobs don’t require a civil service or traditional paper and pencil test. The job postings on the USAJOBS website indicate if a written test is required. Refer to the vacancy notice to determine how qualifications for the respective job opportunity are evaluated.

Make sure your resume is appropriately honed to match the job requirements of city government employment. Visit the Federal Citizen Information Center for advice on how to prepare your resume for a city government job, as well as how to plan for interviews.

City government jobs present excellent opportunities for job stability, benefits, and bright future employment career. Consider inquiring with your local municipality to grow your career – and give back to your city!