Fred Harteis News Articles - Should You Work for Uncle Sam?

Fred Harteis News Articles - The nation's largest employer wants YOU. Due to an increasingly aging workforce, the federal government is going on a hiring spree -- especially among the 20-something crowd. Experts say about 44% of federal civil servants are eligible for retirement within the next five years, meaning there's a heck of a lot of job openings for younger workers to fill.

Recently, the federal government hired more workers between the ages of 20 and 24 than from any other age group, according to the Partnership for Public Service, a non-profit organization that educates the public about jobs in government. With one of the sweetest benefits packages around, Uncle Sam is aiming to lure prospective employees. But should you bite? After all, doesn't working for the government mean making a pittance at a mundane job in a soulless federal building?

Don't write off Uncle Sam just yet. Sure, there's some truth to the stereotype, but perhaps less than you think. Consider this: The rate of people voluntarily quitting their federal government jobs is only one-fourth the rate of resignations in the private sector, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In other words, government workers seem much more satisfied with their jobs.

And there are plenty of work environments besides office buildings -- some federal workers serve in national parks, hospitals, kitchens and laboratories. The government employs workers in a variety of fields from accounting to zoology, and plays a major role in any key issue facing the nation today from the environment to terrorism to the growing elderly population. And while a large number of federal employees work in the Washington, D.C., area, there are plenty of jobs available across the country, with high concentrations in Norfolk, Va., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Atlanta and San Diego, to name a few.

Right now, the hottest government jobs are in security and enforcement (including criminal investigators, security guards and airport screeners); medical and public health (including physicians, nurses, pharmacists and medical technicians); and engineering and sciences (including microbiologists, chemists, astronomers and veterinarians), according to the Partnership for Public Service.

As for the stereotype of being underpaid, there is some truth to that myth. Entry-level jobs in particular may pay less in the federal government than in the private sector, depending on your education and skill level. But on average, that salary discrepancy can even out overtime and, depending on the field, some government workers actually average higher earnings than private-sector employees, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Office of Personnel Management.

Getting in the door also can be challenging, says Stier, which seems counterintuitive to the big push to replace retiring workers. "The government hasn't been in the business of hiring for quite some time," says Stier, so the system isn't quite up to date. Job listings are now available online at USAJobs.gov, and student opportunities are listed at StudentJobs.gov. But the application and hiring process can still take a while as you jump through bureaucratic hoops.

Source: Aol.com

About Fred Harteis: Fred Harteis leads Harteis International. Fred Harteis has a background in agriculture and has created many successful business ventures.