University of Wisconsin-Madison
Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies Program

Federal Jobs

The Federal Government is the single largest employer in the United States, hiring in excess of 300,000 people every year, and maintaining a staff well in excess of one million. A federal job generally guarantees strong benefits, a competitive salary, and significant opportunity for advancement. There are numerous opportunities within the government to apply your knowledge of Latin America, ranging from a Mexican consultant with a Southwestern National Park, to a development policy consultant.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of seeking a federal job is the application process. Rather than send in your one-page resume which you've refined at CAPS, you must complete the dreaded SF-171 form, a glorified 6-page job application which screens applicants. The form is available from state employment offices, or from Federal Job Information Centers. When you finally have the form (request at least two), it is advisable to fill in all of your general information i.e. things that will remain the same during the period of your search (phone, address, references, etc.), and photocopy this several times. Then, for each successive federal job you apply to, just fill in the blanks that are specific to the position being offered. This is typical procedure, and you need not worry yourself over the cosmetics of your SF-171. However, as bureaucratic as it is, the SF-171 is your resume, so you must be thorough and accurate!

Once received, your application will be rated and added to a database, and your name will remain in a seasonal pool and distributed to prospective hiring agencies until you are hired, or until your file expires. Federal jobs are classified between "competitive service" and"excepted service." Excepted service jobs require a higher level of security clearance, a more complex application process, and a more detailed background check, so consider this before applying. For excepted service jobs, you may need to contact the agency directly, and by pass the computer pool, but added forms and exams are substituted. You must be a U.S. citizen to work for the federal government. The federal government has a number of "affirmative action" hiring programs aimed at women, minorities, the disabled, etc. While a majority of federal jobs are in Washington D.C., there are opportunities all over the country, as well as in embassies, consulates, and consultation firms overseas.

To locate jobs, you must scan the federal publications that advertise openings, which are published semi-annually. The Memorial Library Reference Room is your best starting point, followed by state job offices, and the regional office in Chicago.