I would love to hear your tips and tricks for securing a job with local government.

10 Comments

1. maria roseOctober 23,2025 at 5:23PM UTC

   Most government jobs are applied for via the specific government website—city/town-county-state-federal websites where there’s listings of jobs available and if a certain test has to be taken to get on the list—for example in my city, either on the major’s newsletter or the city council website there will be a posting of opportunities available and how to apply with a link to fill out the application

2. AnonymousOctober 23,2025 at 5:30PM UTC

   TBH that type of position is often based on who you know, not what you know. If you can do some volunteering where you work with the mayor or whoever has clout, then they will recommend you when something becomes available.

3. Lara BallardOctober 24,2025 at 12:05PM UTC

   I'm a longtime federal employee, currently on furlough because Congress and the White House cannot agree to fund the government. I would not recommend federal employment at this time and doubt that many federal agencies are even hiring.

4. AnonymousOctober 24,2025 at 12:13PM UTC

   If you are looking for local government, and you know anyone on the City Council, that is a good place to get your foot in the door. The same holds for county or state government. At the present time, federal jobs are a nightmare, so I would agree with Lara to avoid those. I also agree that who you know is always a good way to get in those places. I have often connected with my city and county representatives because of civic and neighborhood issues, not because I wanted to work there.

5. AnonymousOctober 25,2025 at 1:59PM UTC

   I work in local government and got the position with no help from connections. Our process for hiring is relatively objective. Referrals from council or even internal people don’t necessarily help. You have to meet the requirements of the position to get your resume read by the hiring manager.

   With that said, I know it’s not always the case in all entities. And it can be a little more challenging if you’re applying for a position that might be an internal promotional opportunity. But not impossible.

   Presuming you’re in the US, the best place to start is by looking at government jobs.com. If you find a position you’re interested in, research the entity and look for things like the strength of the budget, has there recently been a hiring freeze, any public scandals related to staff, etc. Also, see if you can find out how long the head of the department has been there. My observation has been if they are on the newer side, they might be looking for an external person to bring in a new perspective. Use this information to manage your expectations and apply if you’re interested. Many government entities hold resumes for a period of time to consider for future openings. I see those resumes pulled frequently and have witnessed hires from them.

   Some positions, more so lately, are temporary, which usually means no benefits at all. While they can often be a lead into a permanent job, not always. If an entity is experiencing difficult times, they are likely considering cutting that position if they get worse. Again, with that said, if you are good, people will help you shop around for another role in the entity when the position terms out, is officially cut, or if you don’t make it to the permanent hire.

   My experience comes from working for a government entity that happens to have a strong financial position in these tough times. Except for the highest levels of leadership, all permanent employees are represented by unions or collective bargaining units. There is a commitment to employee growth so people get promoted. It’s probably the best situation a government employee can be in in the current environment.

   My point is, not all government work is lead by cronyism and can be rewarding if you find the right fit.

6. AnonymousOctober 25,2025 at 2:10PM UTC

   Try to get in as a temp it’s a great way to get your foot in the door and be seen. I’ve been unemployed since February 2024, and I finally landed a temp job with a government agency I’ve wanted to work for over ten years. I’ve applied for full-time positions there many times, but nothing ever came of it. Then a couple of weeks ago, a recruiter reached out about a temp role, and I jumped on it. I had a quick video call, and the next day they offered me the position.

7. SPQOctober 25,2025 at 10:26PM UTC

   Really interesting to hear how others have landed a job in the public sector!

   My experience (in Canada) was definitely not through my network. I was with the local City government and their hiring practices are very, very objective, but quite rigid:

   - you *must* possess the posted qualifications. If they ask for X years of experience with that specific title, you have to have X years or more. If it wasn't with that title, but your experience shows similar work, that doesn't count. If they ask for a specific degree or designation, you have to have graduated in that specific field. You check a box to state "I claim these things are true" and they may ask you for verifiable proof should they proceed with your recruitment

   - like the below comment, I had also applied for years to get a City job. I finally got an interview for an 18 month contract/temporary position

   - my City prefers to hire from within. Internal applicants who are looking to switch departments get preference, as opposed to external hires (even if you left the City and now wish to come back!). One of the reasons for this is because if you've passed the 12 month mark as a "temp", then you are automatically within their "internal temporary pool". What that means is that you've served with them for an extended period and they value your service. If your contract was terminated with that department, as long as your skills and requirements match another area/division/department in the City, they will put you at the front of the applicant line as a way of helping you through the "layoff" so-to-speak.

   What I would recommend is researching Glassdoor for the governmental jobs you're aiming for. Make note of how others have gotten in. See if you can connect to some current employees on LinkedIn, and ask for an "Informational Interview" or ask if they could give you some advice for how to successfully land a job there.

8. Christi LopezOctober 27,2025 at 11:21AM UTC

   I work for my state. All of our job postings have links to the position description. Make sure the words in your resume match the words in the job description. HR does the initial review before the hiring team even sees the applications. If your application material doesn't match, they won't pass you through.

   If the exact wording is "Collect, analyze, research, compile and process data," don't use whatever wording is from your present position description to describe equivalent work - use the wording from the job you want.

   Others have recommended taking on limited term positions or temp work - that is an excellent pathway to employment and I have quite a few coworkers who came to us that way.

   My department does extensive recruiting - hit up any recruitment fairs at your local colleges or universities.

   And, as others have said, now might not be the best time to try to get into federal work. My dream job is to work as a graphic designer with the national park service or a national museum. I graduated in May and that was my plan. However, I'm planning on staying where I am for at least the next four years because the federal jobs are in chaos.

9. AnonymousOctober 27,2025 at 9:44PM UTC

   Not associated with this website or anything, but this is apparently an initiative to help staff local and state governments. Good luck!

   https://www.workforamerica.org/civicmatch

10. AnonymousOctober 31,2025 at 2:39PM UTC

    I have been considering the same. Pay seems slightly lower but benefits are quite a bit better- so it seems