Using Government Sites in Your Job Search
Government Job Search Resources
Most job seekers are interested in federal, state or local government web sites for one of three reasons. First, they are looking for a government job. Second, they are looking for a job in the private sector and want to use the job search resources available from the federal or state governments. Third, they are looking for information likely to be found on a government web site. Usually this information involves employment laws or requirements such as unemployment compensation, or minimum wage legislation.
Most federal and state agencies have a web site which includes detailed information on the agency and its purpose and activities. Often the agency web site will provide a list of job opportunities or links to employment information. The United States and Canada federal governments operate employment sites which attempt to consolidate the available jobs from the various agencies and make it available in one convenient location. Some states and provinces consolidate employment opportunities, but others do not. City and local government sites may or may not have job listing and other employment information. Often the situation is further complicated by the handling of certain types of employment information. For example, state wide teaching and education employment information may or may not be available on a single web site.
The Federal and State Governments operate some of the largest career centers on the Internet. The mission of most of these sites is to improve the way residents' make career and educational decisions by providing useful and reliable information about careers, educational training options and jobs.
Federal and State Job Boards or Career Centers usually offer the following labor market and career information.
Access to employment opportunities and job postings by city and state. The various State Job Banks are an excellent resource for a local job search. Many of these sites include listings from local employers who may not post on the major jobs sites. These job postings are usually free to employers and may not be found in any other location.
Resources for a successful job search, such as resume writing assistance, interviewing advice, salary and compensation information, labor market information, employer databases or profiles, occupational outlooks and information about effective job search techniques.
Links to additional job search and career management resources at other sites. Most government sites include links to commercial resources and links to resources on other government sites. Often an excellent set of links to resources at state colleges and universities is available.
Information about various laws affecting employment. State web sites are a primary resources for this type of information. Information on unemployment compensation and the filing requirements is always available on the State Employment Commission web site.
The site may also contain information on special job search resources for disabled or otherwise disadvantaged workers.
Most employment related laws are established at the federal or state level. State or Province requirements are always available at the State Employment Commission web site. The specific name of the agency may be different but every state and province has an agency to regulate employment. A variety of Federal Agencies pass employment related legislation.
Tips for Your Job Search
If you are looking for government employment, start your job search with the job search sites listed in the Employment Site Directory under the Government Category. Expand your search to the Government Directory and investigate the sites that fit your specific job search. Use the Job Meta Search Engine and evaluate the results. Investigate the material and resources available on each site for immediate use or for future reference.Most of the government sites offering career information or employment opportunities for any type of management, professional or executive job search are located in the Job Search Site Directory under the General Category. Your job search should always include a visit to your State Employment Commission and the Commissions of any States in your target locations.
If you are looking for legal or legislative information using one of the traditional search engines is usually faster than trying to track down the information by locating the government agency responsible for the information.
The Government Directory
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