Economics students may want to focus on the federal agency you’d like to work for or the types of jobs that may be found at any agency. Below are a list of the agencies that tend to hire ECON students:

• Commodity Futures Trading Commission
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 
• Department of Agriculture: Research, Education, and Economics
• Department of Commerce
• Department of Labor
• Department of the Treasury
• Export-Import Bank of the United States
• Farm Credit Administration
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Federal Housing Finance Agency
• Federal Trade Commission
• General Services Administration
• Intelligence Agencies. Most intelligence agencies don’t advertise their jobs on USAJobs.gov, so you’ll need to go to their careers websites or to the Intelligence.gov website:
  • Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
  • Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
  • Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
  • National Security Agency
• National Credit Union Administration
• Office of Management and Budget
• Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
• Railroad Retirement Board
• Securities and Exchange Commission
• U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
• U.S. International Trade Commission

The federal government has a multitude of job classifications. The following links are for the most relevant jobs at all agencies in the DC area found in the USAJobs.gov job board:

• Administration and Program Management
• Mathematics and Data Science
• Finance (minus accounting and tax)
• Business, Industry and Programs
• Social Sciences (including economics and foreign affairs)

There are multiple resources to help you explore your options in the federal government:

• Find your perfect internships
• ECON-related internships in the DC area
• Explore Careers in the Intelligence Sector
• Learn more about Internships and the Application Process in the Intelligence Sector
• Discover Data Science Careers in the Intelligence Sector
• Learn about Jobs Concerning Auditing, Inspection, and Quality Control

USAJobs.gov is the central hub for most federal jobs (the main exception being intelligence agencies). It is comprehensive and a bit confusing, but don't let that stop you! Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to easily apply multiple jobs and track the application process.

How Long Will It Take?

Most federal jobs take 100+ days to move from the application process to the job offer (and even longer if you need a security clearance. However, USAJobs.gov tracks the application process for you so you can check to see where things stand. For applicants being considered for the job, the agency will notify the jobseeker at the following four points:

• When the application is received.
• If the jobseeker meets the minimum qualifications.
• When the application is referred to agency officials who will select candidates to interview.
• When a job candidate is offered the position. 

How Do I Find Jobs/Internships?

• Use the Search Bar and Filters: Efficiently find job listings by using our search bar and filters. Tailor your search based on job title, location, and other criteria to quickly locate opportunities that match your skills and interests.
• Create a Profile: Set up a profile to streamline your job application process. A complete profile allows you to save your searches, track your applications, and receive personalized job recommendations.
• Save Searches and Job Announcements: Keep track of your job applications by saving searches and job announcements. This is especially useful if you’re waiting for an interview, as it allows you to revisit and review the positions you’ve applied for.
• Utilize the Help Section: The help section provides valuable resources on how to write a resume, prepare for interviews, and more. Take advantage of these tools to enhance your application materials and improve your chances of success.
• Pay Attention to Applicant Cut-Off Numbers and Closing Dates: If a job listing includes an applicant cut-off number and a closing date, prioritize the cut-off number. Apply as soon as possible to ensure your application is considered before the limit is reached.
• Prepare a Strong Resume: Having a well-prepared resume ready to customize and send is crucial. Prep work is incredibly important when applying for federal government positions. Make sure your resume highlights your qualifications and is tailored to each job you apply for.

Understand the Job Description

• Review the announcement carefully! This may sound obvious, but there are a lot of crucial details contained in a job announcement on USAJOBS. Jobseekers should review the summary and overview first. In the open and closing dates under overview, they need to carefully review if there is an application limit (remember- some jobs have limits, meaning the jobseeker will need to apply quickly!) 
• Is this job open to you? If the job is not a “Student Hiring Path” then at least one year of job experience is required and you may not qualify.
• Review the duties section carefully. Note key words and phrases to use on your resume. Think about your transferrable experiences. Not all of your experience needs to be paid or academic.
• Don’t be nervous! If you make a mistake in your application, you can correct it and resubmit it.
• Know what they are looking for. The “Evaluation” section provides an idea of how candidates will be evaluated for the job based on how well they meet the qualifications. 
• Follow all directions. The How to Apply instructions must be followed to ensure that your application gets reviewed.

What is the Questionnaire?

Many jobs will require applicants to complete eligibility questions and vacancy questions. Jobseekers should take good care in completing these and being sure to demonstrate in their responses they are eligible and meet the requirements.

What Happens After I Submit My Application?

Candidates can track their application status through their USAJOBS account. They might also email the contact (remember the announcement number!) for an update. Finally, if they have a contact person in the office to which they applied, they can stay in touch. In the federal government, personal networks can’t control the hiring process, as applications must go through the USAJOBS process, but they may be able to provide other insight, like timelines. 

Expect to wait 1 month or more to hear if you’ve been referred to the hiring manager. After that, it may be another month before you are invited for an interview.

A federal resume should provide an in-depth overview of all your experiences, ensuring no relevant detail is left out. Key sections to include:

• Candidate Information: Basic details such as name, contact information, citizenship status, veteran’s preference, and federal employee information.
• Work Experience: Include all previous work experiences, whether part-time, full-time, or internships. This section can also cover volunteer engagements, community involvement, and leadership positions. Required details: employer, location, position title, start and end dates, hours worked per week, responsibilities, and accomplishments (specific, detailed, and measurable). Optional: supervisor’s contact information and salary.
• Education: List all schools attended and degrees obtained. Only include degrees from accredited institutions. Required details: schools attended and degrees obtained. Optional: GPA, relevant coursework, academic papers or projects, key presentations, honors received, and other significant academic achievements.
• Optional Information: Utilize extra space to include additional relevant information such as job-related training (certifications), language skills, affiliations (professional organizations or national societies), professional publications, and additional references.

Customize your federal resume to match the job announcement. Highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position you are applying for.

Impress hiring managers by quantifying your past experiences and accomplishments. Use performance metrics like percentages, numbers, and data to showcase your impact in previous roles.

Showcase your knowledge, skills, and accomplishments to give agency representatives a compelling reason to hire you. Include relevant experiences and activities beyond work and education, such as volunteer engagements, community involvement, and leadership positions.

Ensure your resume is free from spelling and grammar errors. Many applicants are overlooked due to lack of editing, so strong attention to detail before submission is crucial.

Avoid overly wordy resumes with irrelevant information. Use common language and avoid acronyms to ensure your resume is readable to someone unfamiliar with your background.

The Resume is Your Application! Remember, your federal resume is your job application. Be as detailed and comprehensive as possible while maintaining clarity and conciseness. This balance is key to presenting a strong application.

Use the Federal Government Resume Template for ECON Students to help you format a resume that covers all these points.

Positions in the federal government are classified in three ways:

• Non-sensitive positions.
• Public trust positions.
• National security positions.

Each of these positions requires some form of background investigation. Lower levels of security clearances, such as non-sensitive and public trust, typically rely on automated checks of an applicant’s history. Non-sensitive and public trust clearances are most similar to background checks you might have experienced while applying for jobs in other industries, applying to live in an apartment, or before volunteering in your community. For a secret clearance in a national security position, the investigation requires agents to interview people who have lived or worked with the applicant at some point in the past seven years, or sometimes farther back.

To accelerate the security clearance process, jobseekers can start early to gather relevant information needed to submit the forms and information, so they’re ready once a position is offered. The forms for background checks and security clearances are on the Office of Personnel Management’s Standard Forms website specifically, SF-85, “Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions” for Low Risk positions or SF-85P, “Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions” for Moderate Risk positions.

The Interim Security Clearance

If a hiring office requests it, an applicant may be granted an interim security clearance within a few weeks after submitting a complete security package. Final clearances usually are processed and adjudicated in less than 90 days. With an interim clearance, classified work can be performed but in a temporary capacity until a background investigation has been completed.

A note on drug use

While the use of marijuana has been legalized in a number of states, the possession and distribution of cannabis remains illegal under federal law. This means that the use of marijuana can cause one not to pass a background check, thus not get hired. Take that into consideration while deciding if the federal government is the right place for you.

Interviewing for a federal government position is similar to any other job interview. Prepare by reviewing the job announcement and having specific examples related to the requirements and qualifications.

Our Interviewing Strategies page has all the resources you need to prepare!

First of all, congratulations! This stage is a bit different from other jobs, so read on.

Negotiating the job offer

A lot of people believe that you can’t negotiate government salaries after getting an offer. But you can! It can be tough to negotiate a higher GS grade than what’s listed, but there’s more flexibility within the grade’s 10-step system, which offers higher pay and career growth. Highlight your unique qualifications, like education or work experience. Plus, you have nothing to lose. If you ask for a higher starting step but the agency sticks to their original offer, you can still accept the original offer without any issues. Moving up a step often requires “superior qualifications,” so emphasize the extra value you bring.

Acceptance

Once you accept, the federal bureaucracy continues. Stay on top of your emails and respond to all their requests to complete the hire swiftly.

Did you know that USAJOBS also has an events page? Agencies often host informational and recruitment events, and they can be found right on USAJOBS.

On the homepage for USAJOBS, you can find the "events" tab in the upper right-hand corner next to the "help center". Or just click this link and search for events that will support  your federal job search.

Non-partisan legislative agencies provide unbiased research, analysis, and administrative support to Congress, helping lawmakers make informed decisions. These agencies operate independently of political influence, offering objective information on policy, legislation, and government operations. Their role is to support the legislative process by ensuring that decisions are based on facts rather than party agendas.

• The Government Accountability Office (GAO) does oversight, evaluations, investigations and audits of federal programs to help improve government services and save taxpayer dollars. Learn more about GAO careers here. 
• The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, and Congress’s main research arm. It’s home to the Congressional Research Service, whose task is to provide authoritative, objective and nonpartisan analysis to lawmakers and their staff. Learn more about CRS careers here.
• The Congressional Budget Office does independent budget and economic analyses of federal programs and proposed legislation. Learn more about CBO careers here.

Congressional committees generally focus on policy areas and prepare committee members for hearings, meetings and votes. If you are interested in interning for a committee, you’ll need to be strategic and proactive. You might want to focus on a committee chaired by someone from your home state and where you have a policy interest. Internships are rarely posted and are instead obtained by networking. Learn what the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth advises about committee internships.

Congressional offices set their hiring procedures and qualifications independently from one another, although they do share resume banks. You’ll have the best chance of finding an internship by focusing on your home state representative’s office (or Maryland’s). Find information on vacancies and resume banks here for the House of Representatives and here for the Senate.

Students interested in Hill internships are strongly encouraged to reach out to the offices of interest directly. The entry-level position in most congressional offices is staff assistant, and an internship is an excellent way to land this job, or another full-time position. Most Congressional offices hire 1-3 months before the start of the internship; visit their website or build a relationship to learn more about each individual office. 

Third party programs provide another avenue for breaking into the legislative branch. Look for internships and jobs at the following organizations:

• Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
• Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
• Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute
• LGBTQ+ Victory Institute