The Outlook for Federal Jobs
By all accounts, the outlook for federal jobs looks bright for years to come. Even during economic instability, the federal government workforce remains stable as job growth increases in certain areas and people retire or leave federal employment.
The latest figures show that the federal government is the largest employer in the United States, employing more than 1.8 million civilian workers. That number excludes the U.S. Postal Service. And if you think all those jobs are around our nation’s capital, think again. The most recent job report indicates that nine out of 10 federal employees work outside the Washington, D.C. area.
Thus, there is a wealth of federal job opportunities available in all 50 states in a variety of levels and in a multitude of general and specialized positions. In order for everything to run smoothly and safely to protect those who live in this country, the federal government oversees numerous activities, including those implemented on the state or local level. For that reason, federal government employees work in the area where they reside in every major occupational group.
Professional, management, business and financial occupations are among the areas with the best outlook for federal job openings. They are followed by office and administrative support and service jobs. Installation, maintenance and repair, and transportation and material moving also show a promising outlook.
While government cost-cutting could impact some federal jobs, there is expected growth in specialized areas, including security, enforcement, compliance, engineering, the sciences, program management, and administration. Among the growth positions are those related to border and transportation security, emergency preparedness, information analysis, business functions, and public health. Other areas expected to be in high demand are patent examiners, lawyers, and foreign service officers.
According to recent data, the federal government is expected to hire 193,000 new employees over the next two years. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which oversees the hiring of federal employees countrywide, there are about 16,000 new jobs available each day. Furthermore, past history has shown that layoffs in federal government are rare. As such, federal government jobs are expected to continue providing stable employment in future years.
