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5 Steps to Getting a Government Internship
Image Courtesy of Flickr. Creative Commons
Kyle Stone | GovCentral Editor
Nail Your Application
You’ve already been given links to different internship websites. You can also search USAJOBS’s listings.
Here’s a few more insider tips to follow as you begin to apply for internships.
Follow Every Instruction Carefully: If you ignore any instructions on an internship application page, you’re application will quickly be disregarded. Follow all directions carefully!
Consider an Advisor: If you are a student, ask a counselor at your career center if they have relationships with any federal agencies.
The Presidential Management Fellows Program: This is an option when you are in your last year of your graduate program. You should talk to your graduate career center about this program now — so you will know how to apply for it. You must apply through your university career center.
Your Federal Resume</span
Remember, federal resumes are longer than business resumes. In fact, your federal resume can be two to three pages. Be sure to use the space to add details. The graduate student federal resume should include a list of your relevant courses, a few sentences describing your significant papers or projects and a list of your activities. Federal HR specialists want to read as much as possible about your experiences and skills. Your federal resume should also:
Be in Two Formats: You may need a paper format for submitting by fax or mail for some agencies and an electronic format for submitting to the various resume builders and databases. Each agency has its own application system and instructions, so be ready to copy and paste.
Be Considered Your Application: It may also serve as your examination for the job and sometimes the interview (or certainly a preinterview), so more information is better.
Include Competencies or Soft Skills: If you are particularly analytical, detail-oriented, a natural leader, enthusiastic, energetic or resourceful, mention these qualities on your resume.
Highlight Academic Achievement: If If you have a 3.45 GPA or higher, write “Outstanding Scholar, 3.45/4.0” on your resume. If you have a 3.0 or higher, you can write “Superior Academic Achievement, 3.0/4.0.” These GPA-based programs can help you get hired faster. The government can offer Direct Hire opportunities to students with GPA of 3.0 and higher. And a 3.45 GPA can even earn you more money!
Additional Reading:
● <a href= “http://govcentral.monster.com/benefits/395-education-and-federal-jobs-what-you-need-to-compete”>Education and Federal Jobs: What You Need to Compete
● <a href= “http://govcentral.monster.com/education/1214-top-ten-federal-internships”>Top Ten Federal Internships
● <a href= “http://govcentral.monster.com/education/1844-the-ultimate-government-internship-index-”>The Ultimate Government Internship Index
LDO1993
4 months ago
4 comments
I will be 53 on July 27th. Last year I applied for and was a finalist for the FBI Honors Internship Program. I interned at the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory here in San Diego. This was a PAID internship (GS-7, Step 10). At the end of the summer, I was converted over to Operations Assistant position at the laboratory.
I am a retired military officer, with prior enlisted service (Mustang). I am in finishing up a doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in Computer and Information Security. I wanted to see if I was interested in the field of computer forensics, and although it is interesting, for health reasons it's just not a good fit for me.
Applying for this internship allowed me to into a earn some money, get a good organization like the FBI on my resume AND offered a government job at the end of the internship. I would advise anyone to try this route. It worked well for me....just ensure you work hard during the internship period and be pleasant. You will be surprised at what canl happen.
Hegs5
8 months ago
10 comments
Do you have to be a kid to do an intership, I am recently laid off , I am in searchof any & all Goverment work ,I HAD 22yrs of service
AlenaC66
about 1 year ago
444 comments
This is a great article, with some very usefull information. I am going to check out the internship for the Department of Treasury.
y_j_shimabukuro
about 1 year ago
4 comments
Hi,
I have my question. This is very important for me. If 50 years old, still one can apply for the internship?
Young S.
prtyfcbldg
about 1 year ago
2 comments
I had an A in power point,I started a neighborhood watch in my community,In Garden Grove I was in a speech craft class I am ok and need improvement on the computer.
Account Removed
about 1 year ago
Jessica, don't post your resume here.
rshareck
about 1 year ago
2 comments
Your resume is the first step in getting your foot in the door. Without carefully crafting a resume you stand little chance of getting an interview. The steps listed are very, very important.