GovCentral

Career Guides >> Browse Articles >> Advice and Options

How to Boost Your Government Career

Moving up in the General Scale is not automatic and instead is based in large part on performance. Those who work hard will be rewarded. When wondering what to do to boost your government career, you should be thinking of doing the following:

• Showing initiative: Once you begin your work, waste no time in finding out what you need to accomplish for advancement. As with any entry-level position, there is almost always room for advancement and that advancement is going to go to the individuals that take the initiative to meet certain criteria. In other words, don’t just meet the expectations of your government job exceed them. If you stand out from the crowd as a model employee, then you are sure to be advanced within the GS and your salary will go up as a result.

• Learning: This begins with asking questions. Ask your supervisor and co-workers anything and everything about your current position and what it takes to move up. But don’t stop there. Many times in a government job there are courses you can take to help you to get to the next level in your career. These courses can range from special training classes to college classes. The great thing about a government job is that many times the government will pay for these courses. All you have to do is ask what assistance is available and take full advantage of any extra schooling offered. All it will cost you is time and the rewards can be a quick trip up the GS latter.

If you are getting ready for a government job then chances are you have beat out possibly hundreds of candidates to get where you are, so why stop there? After you begin your new government job work hard, be diligent, and learn all that you can and don’t waste any time doing so. The government loves efficiency and will reward those who show they have what it takes to boost themselves to great heights. With hard work and dedication, you can move faster through the GS scale and enjoy a long and fruitful career with the government.

---