Informational Tips for Job Hunters

0 Views
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.
In this article you will be given a wealth of information on careers in the public and private sectors. For most jobs discussed in this article, there are career opportunities in all levels of government-federal, state and local-as well as in the private sector. While job functions, pay, benefits, and other characteristics of the jobs themselves may be similar in the public and private sectors, the methods of securing employment differ greatly. In the next few pages we will give you a thumbnail sketch of how to approach employment opportunities in government and the private sector. Several federal departments, agencies, and commissions employ a sizable environmental science work force, and these are discussed in detail. In the private sector, perhaps the most important aspect of the job hunt is knowing how to leave a good impression of yourself with potential employers. Some strategies will be discussed for resumes, application forms, cover letters, and interviews. In addition, many other resources and articles have been written specifically on job leads and search strategies. Some of the most popular and best works are included in the "Sources of Further Information" section of this chapter. The use of this article and the numerous additional sources listed will provide you with powerful tools to use in your job search.

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The federal, state, and local governments are major employers of environmental scientists and technicians. The process of landing a job in government is very different from that in the private sector. In the public sector scores of standardized forms must be completed and volumes of hiring guidelines must be followed before just one person can be hired. In the private sector the process is much less bureaucratic and hiring decisions are often made on an individual basis, like a well-placed recommendation, a successful interview, or an immediate job need. Below, the process of securing a federal job will be outlined. While the individual state and local government agencies may have slightly different hiring practices, the federal model is most often followed.



Applying for a Government Job

By federal law anyone applying for a nonpolitical civil servant position in the federal government must submit a standard form (SF) 171 for employment. This is a long application form, spanning five pages and requiring you to submit your employment history for the past ten years. Because each agency receive thousands of these forms annually, it would be beneficial for you to somehow make your application stand out from the others. Along with each job description or announcement number, in the government's terms, is a quality ranking factor (QRF). This is a short list of qualifications or areas of specific substantive knowledge that the agency is seeking in an applicant. Mary Louise Uhlig, assistant administrator for Pesticides and Toxic Substances in the Environmental Protection Agency, suggests that applicants write a short paragraph for each QRF point in which they describe their knowledge and/or experience. This should then be used as a cover letter to the SF 171. This method will not only make your application physically stand out from the rest, but it provides a more specific profile of your qualifications and, more importantly, an edge over other equally qualified applicants.

Each state and local government agency has its own standard application form. These forms are no doubt easier to complete than the SF 171. The same cover letter strategy as above is suggested for other levels of government because they too receive a large number of applications per year.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The EPA was created in 1970 as an independent body to consolidate the environmental activities of five executive departments and various other agencies. Its basic purpose is to carry out federal laws to protect the environment, especially in the areas of clean air and water. The EPA is responsible for the enforcement of most federal environmental laws, which gives it a full agenda. The regional offices are responsible for carrying out and enforcing all federal environmental law and regulations. The regional personnel work directly with state and local agencies, industry, environmental organizations, and private citizens.

The EPA is organized into nine divisions; each deals with specific environmental areas. These programs are: administration and resource management, enforcement and compliance, policy planning and evaluation, air and radiation, water, pesticides and toxic substances, solid waste and emergency response, international activities, and research and development. Global concerns like ozone depletion, global warming, and sustainable development are becoming a top priority of the EPA. In addition, there are 25 EPA scientific research facilities located throughout the nation.

The EPA hires about 1,000 new employees annually. Most of these openings are at entry-level positions (GS 5, 7, and 9). A little more than half of all new employees have training in the environmental sciences. The most frequently advertised job opening is for environmental engineers. The majority of the remaining job openings are for environmental protection specialists, who often have backgrounds in the conservation sciences.

Other Federal Agencies with Environmental Regulatory Responsibilities

The following agencies and commissions share environmental regulatory responsibility in areas of transportation, health, and commerce. In the Department of Transportation - the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Materials Transportation Bureau, and the National Transportation Safety Board. At the independent commissions there are environmental jobs at the Consumer Product Safety Board, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Federal Maritime Commission, the National Bureau of Standards, and the Federal Trade Commission.

SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION

Careers for Environmentalists and Others Who Respect the Earth (1993). By Michael Fasulo and Jane Kinney and published by VGM Career Horizons, the NTC Publishing Group. Included is an excellent strategy for landing a government job called "Navigating the Federal Job Maze," and a description and diagram of all federal environmental activities.

Conservation Directory (annual). By the National Wildlife Federation. Included is a listing of all federal agencies, committees, and departments that have an environmental focus.

Almanac of Government Jobs and Careers (1991). By Ronald and Caryle Krannich and published by Impact Publications.

Career Profiles in Forestry, Conservation, Ecology, and Environmental Management. Published and distributed free by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 2417, Washington, DC 20013.
If this article has helped you in some way, will you say thanks by sharing it through a share, like, a link, or an email to someone you think would appreciate the reference.



What I liked about the service is that it had such a comprehensive collection of jobs! I was using a number of sites previously and this took up so much time, but in joining EmploymentCrossing, I was able to stop going from site to site and was able to find everything I needed on EmploymentCrossing.
John Elstner - Baltimore, MD
  • All we do is research jobs.
  • Our team of researchers, programmers, and analysts find you jobs from over 1,000 career pages and other sources
  • Our members get more interviews and jobs than people who use "public job boards"
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it, you will land among the stars.
EnvironmentalCrossing - #1 Job Aggregation and Private Job-Opening Research Service — The Most Quality Jobs Anywhere
EnvironmentalCrossing is the first job consolidation service in the employment industry to seek to include every job that exists in the world.
Copyright © 2024 EnvironmentalCrossing - All rights reserved. 21