A new government job could give you the change that you need and deserve. A government career can give you safety and security, and if you are passionate and drive enough too, you could well find that it is sustainable as well. Getting the job that you want in government requires time, planning, and effort. You cannot simply walk into a role – planning and preparation are required – so where should you begin the process.

Starting the Process

To kick start the job search the right way, you have to be committed to your search. Starting the process the right way is important. If you do not invest your time and energy, you will end up with inferior results. To start the process correctly, you must dedicate your time. You will need to dedicate and allow time to ensure that you land the right job for you and for your career.

You will, of course, have experience and knowledge that you can utilize – but knowing how to utilize it and knowing what you can do to grow and improve is essential. If you can establish this at the start of the process, then you will get off to a better start. When you are starting the process of going for a new job, you must ensure that your approach and mindset are aligned. You have to be fully focused on the task at hand to get the results that you want.

Why Work in Local Government?

You may be questioning whereabouts to work in the government, and you may have been looking at out-of-state roles to get what you want, but have you considered working in a local government role? When you work within your local government, you see first-hand what an impact you have. If you have a passion for change and improvement, then why wouldn’t you share this with other local people in your community? Local government influences and impacts everything around you.

When you work for a local government department or area, you get to directly (or indirectly) make changes and improvements, and this is something that you may not be able to achieve if you were working out of state. In local government, you get to learn more about the area that you live and work in, and you get to appreciate what happens behind the scenes. In local government, there are always opportunities for you to go further and get you focused on career progression.

Undergoing Self-Evaluation

Before applying for a myriad of jobs and roles, you need to undergo a process of self-evaluation because this will help you see where you are at and what you have to offer to a new role. In this process of self-evaluation, you must look at all areas of your attitude and approach to work. In the process, you may find that your team working and teambuilding skills are not as good as you thought they were. Or, you may find that your listening and communication skills are not clear enough to get the job done.

Establishing what your strengths and weaknesses are and seeing how they can be improved is all part of the self-evaluation process. If you are not taking time out to undergo this process, then you risk overlooking key elements that could prevent you from getting the job that you want. When you have completed the process of self-evaluation, you will then know what interests, passions, and strengths you have to talk about and cover, and also what weaknesses you have to start working on.

Building Your Skillset

Within your process of self-evaluation, you will have seen both soft skills (and hard skills) that you can work on and improve. When you focus your attention and efforts on building your skill set, you become more employable, and you become more of a valuable asset. When it comes to building and enhancing your skill set, you need to establish where change and growth need to happen.

For example, are your listening skills less than desirable? Or, are your leadership and delegation skills in need of an overhaul? To successfully build your skillset, you have to harness and improve what you have to offer. If you are not invested in self-development and self-growth, then how can you expect to get the job that you want? If you are struggling to ascertain the areas you have to work on, then ask a colleague or friend to assess what your strengths and weaknesses are. Sometimes, you can find that they can see things that you cannot.

Harnessing Your Experience

You have a great deal of experience to offer. This may be the experience that you have gained through previous roles, or it may be the experience that you have gained in social situations and surroundings. The experience that you have will be relevant and useful to any role that you go for. When you are dissecting the experience that you have, you need to try and utilize the experience that counts and that is valuable.

Getting the most out of your experience and utilizing what is relevant is crucial. This experience will be useful when you are applying for jobs and when you get to the interview stage. Taking time to sift through your experience and make it relatable will help you get the government job that you deserve.

Carving Out a Career Path

Once you have assessed your experience, you then have to start carving out a career path. If you do not focus on creating a career path, then you will not know which roles to go for, and you will not get the most out of your career. To get a role that is enjoyable, you need to follow a career path that is interesting and enjoyable. So, for example, would you like a local government role that focuses on community development? Or would you prefer to work with local children or perhaps even with seniors?

Would you prefer more of an office-based role that focuses on the creation and implementation of new policies? What interests you, and what motivates you and drives you to succeed? The department you work in may affect the role that you undertake, so be clear about what area you want to work in and what role you see yourself in. This way, you target your job search and find opportunities that are suitable and relevant for you and your career.

Developing Your Understanding of a Role and Department

After you have decided what career path you want to follow, you then have to start furthering your understanding of roles and departments. Getting to know what roles are performed and in what government departments is important, and it will give you an overview of what you can expect. You can then align this overview with your expectations. Taking time out to establish the fundamentals for each role and department is crucial.

You cannot start a new job without understanding what roles and responsibilities a post has, and you cannot join a department if you are not fully aware of what functions a department performs. When you establish what departments have to offer, you can then establish which role is right for you. Narrowing down your choices and selections will make getting a new government job that little bit easier.

Investing In Your Education

Your knowledge and your education are important, and they will continue to be important throughout your job or career. Investing in your education is crucial, and when you get a new job, there is no better time to invest. For example, if you wish to make local or state policies as part of a new role, then you could look at studying for an Online Master of Public Policy and Leadership because this will give you the insight and knowledge you need to perform your duties. Similarly, if you were looking at engaging and involving local communities within a new government job, then you could turn your attention to advancing your education in these areas.

Embracing Learning and Development

Professional development and continuous development will be important in your new job. Changes will happen within your role and within your department. When you embrace learning and development, you signal your readiness to change, adapt and grow. If you are not prepared to embrace learning and development, then you may stunt your chances of career progression.

To successfully embrace learning and development, you have to look forwards to the future and adopt a growth mindset. The mindset and approach that you have will set your new role off to the best start. If your mindset is not focused on improvement and learning, then start making changes as soon as you can, as you do not want to let this hinder you.

Focus on Your Resume

When you are going for new roles, you have to be sure that your resume is looking its best. If a resume is patchy or it is poorly written, it will more than likely get rejected very quickly. A resume is important in highlighting your skills, education, and experience. To ensure that this does not happen, you need to focus on rewriting and creating a resume that is informative and eye-catching.

Resumes need to be one or two sides long, and they have to be laid out in an easy-to-read manner. If a resume is too long, or if it is too full of fluff and jargon, then it is likely to be overlooked. Finding the right balance and conveying your experience can take time and countless rewrites- but it is worth it, and it will be worth it. If you feel that you are getting deflated with your resume, and you feel that you are going around in circles, then why not reach out to a professional recruiter or resume writer.

Networking

When you expand your network, you meet other professionals. These professionals may help you find a new job, or they may help you connect with others. To successfully network (either online or offline), you have to think about what you want to achieve out of each networking session. When you know what you want to achieve, you can then make sure that each session is focused and targeted.

When you network, you may find a new opportunity, or you may gain invaluable information and insight into what it is like to work within the role you are after. When you are networking, you have to be consistent. If you are sporadic or ad-hoc with your networking, then your results will mirror this. So, dedicate your time and efforts to networking to ensure that you get the most that you can.

Signing up to Agencies

You do not have to be alone when you are job hunting, and sometimes you may find it beneficial to sign up with an agency, especially when you are finding local jobs. An agency will have experience, and they will have knowledge that will be invaluable to you and your search. If you can try to find a specialist agency that handles government jobs and contracts, this way you can be sure that you are focusing both your time and your efforts. When you are choosing an agency, don’t forget to check out their credentials. Take time to find out who you are applying for and with.

Retain Your Motivation and Drive

You are all set, prepared, and ready to get your new government job. Sometimes you will find that landing a role is quick and easy. However, sometimes, things may take a little longer than you first anticipate. The process of finding and getting a government job can be draining. It is therefore important to retain your motivation and drive. When you are driven and motivated, you can then be sure that you will retain your focus. If you lose motivation, you may end up taking any job and settling for a role that does not suit you or benefit your career. Be patient and prepare yourself for your job search, and you will succeed.