The Federal Government and YOU

The federal government continues to search for great candidates! According to a recent article,
Government agencies need to add about 193,000 new employees to fill "mission critical" jobs in many fields in the next two years. The key to success is "patience and stamina to plow through the cumbersome federal hiring process.

To learn more about the hiring process as well as tips for navigating through the federal government, take a moment and read this interesting article.

How The Federal Government Is Trying To Recruit Candidates Like You

The federal government is constantly looking for ways to improve their hiring pool. A recent article highlighted how agencies are reaching out to other agencies to learn best practices for attracting talent to service in the federal government. To learn more about this report, click HERE.

How Can Job Seekers Compete in the Current Job Market?

A recent NALP survey asked public interest legal employers what kinds of experiences would make job applicants, particularly law students, the strongest candidates for employment. The results may surprise you ....

• Civil legal services providers look for a demonstrated passion for serving low income communities and for direct experience interacting and working with low income clients. This serves as a reminder of the importance of building cultural ompetencies for legal services attorneys. Without this awareness, it is difficult to develop trusting relationships with clients who may have limited educational background and be distrustful of service providers. Civil legal service providers also highly value bilingual ability in their attorneys, especially knowledge of Spanish or of an Asian language.
• Federal government employers seek to hire individuals with a demonstrated commitment to public service and practical legal experience gained through clinics, internships, and/or pro bono opportunities.
• Public defenders desire candidates with ... to continue reading what public defenders, prosecutors, and nonprofit legal organizations look for in candiadates, click HERE to access the full survey.

Out With The Old ... In With The New

In December, President Obama issued an executive order on Monday evening scrapping a controversial federal internship program. The order shuts down the Federal Career Intern Program -- whose popularity as a means for quickly hiring new employees has skyrocketed since it was created in 2001 -- as of March 2011. The directive also establishes three pathways for students and recent graduates to enter the federal workplace. The programs are tailored to recruit, train and retain well-qualified candidates. To read more about this exciting new program for entry level positions into the federal government, click HERE.

Great Resource To Review

Here is your new issue of Opportunities in Public Affairs, with hundreds of sought-after jobs in the Washington, DC area all focused on Jobs in Government Affairs & Policy, Public Relations & Advocacy, Media & Journalism, and Entry Level Jobs & Internships. These jobs are on Capitol Hill, in non-profits, think tanks, institutions, the government and in corporations and professional firms.

To read Opportunities in Public Affairs January 11, 2011 issue on-line, click: http://www.opajobs.com/login_subs.php

If you need login information, contact careerservices@fcsl.edu

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Headquarters Summer Legal Intern Program provides valuable and challenging professional opportunities for outstanding law school students. Our goal is to provide our summer interns with a better understanding of the FDIC's role in our financial system while providing an opportunity for public service. Our summer interns are assigned to a variety of projects within one section of the Legal Division that will provide significant legal experience.

FDIC summer intern appointments begin in mid May and may not exceed September 30, 2010. Although a summer intern appointment can not exceed September 30th, it is possible that interns from local schools may continue as part-time legal interns during the school year.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the 2010 Program, you must:

1.be enrolled in your first or second year of an American Bar Association accredited law school, and
2.be a United States citizen.
Candidates who have, at minimum, a B average or equivalent or are in the top 33 percent of the law school class are preferred. When deciding which candidates are qualified for an interview, we look at the total application package including undergraduate record (GPA), law school courses and grades (GPA), law review or law journal participation, national or regional moot court competition participation, and other special qualifications (such as another advanced degree, foreign language skills) or life experience. Writing samples will be evaluated for legal research, analytical and writing skills (i.e., organization, grammar, spelling, and persuasiveness).

For more information, click HERE.

Orlando Internship Available - Immigration Court

VOLUNTEER JUDICIAL INTERNSHIP WITH THE ORLANDO IMMIGRATION COURT
ORLANDO, FLORIDA

The United States Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, is seeking law student interns to participate in an excellent internship opportunity during the Summer of 2011. Positions are available at the Orlando Immigration Court near downtown Orlando, Florida. All law students who are United States citizens are eligible to apply. Prior knowledge of immigration law is not absolutely required but highly recommended. Strong research and writing skills are required.

The internship offers an excellent opportunity to develop research and writing skills as well as an understanding of immigration law and procedure as it relates to removal and deportation issues. The intern will become familiar with the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Code of Federal Regulations, and immigration case law set forth by the Board of Immigration Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

The jurisdiction of the Immigration Courts includes all matters brought before the Court by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The immigration judges at the Orlando Immigration Court preside over formal immigration hearings to determine whether aliens are deportable, excludable, inadmissible or removable from the United States. In addition, the judges have jurisdiction to consider applications for various forms of discretionary and mandatory relief, including various waivers, adjustment of status, cancellation of removal, asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the United Nation’s Convention Against Torture.

The internship requires a commitment of at least forty hours per week for at least eleven weeks. The position entails in-depth research and analysis of legal issues, as well as preparation of legal memoranda for the immigration judges. Interns will have opportunities to draft motions that will be taken under advisement by an immigration judge and may later be used as writing samples. In addition, the intern will be able to observe a variety of matters brought before the Court. Interns will work under the supervision of the Court’s Judicial Law Clerks, but will have interaction with the individual judges. Although the internship is unpaid, academic credit may be obtained with the permission of the intern’s law school. Required hours and weeks may vary depending on requirements for school credit.

Selected candidates must pass a background security check, including a credit check, conducted by the United States Department of Justice. Since background checks take up to eight weeks to complete, APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY February 7, 2011. However, we reserve the right to fill the position before this date.

Interested students should submit a cover letter, resume, transcripts, and writing sample to:
Yasmin Elhady-Kureshi
Frances Spiegel
Judicial Law Clerks
Orlando Immigration Court
3535 Lawton Road, Suite 200
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 722-8919
Yasmin.Elhady-Kureshi@usdoj.gov

The U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Here's a look at some of the well-paid jobs for which the federal government has thousands of openings. Think BROADLY when applying to the federal government. Your law degree may be applicable for all kinds of openings***

Program manager ($75,497)
Government agencies assign projects via contracts--and then people have to manage those contracts to make sure they stay on budget. The Department of Homeland Security--one of the agencies hiring the most right now--needs 1,850 program managers. Once you're in as a program manager, you can easily go from project to project within various government agencies for the rest of your career, says Heather Krasna, the author of "Jobs That Matter: Find a Stable, Fulfilling Career in Public Service."
Logistics manager ($62,782)
The Departments of the Army and Navy need about 2,000 of these experts to help them move goods and personnel efficiently and cost-effectively, both at home and overseas. Prior military experience is a strong plus here, says Janet Ruck, a coauthor of "Guide to America's Federal Jobs."
Attorney ($80,009)
The Department of Justice alone needs 2,700 attorneys, out of more than 5,500 projected attorney hires across all agencies. Qualified attorneys can pick their area of interest--for example, transportation, treasury, environment, or communications.
Paralegal ($45,761)
The Department of Justice also has a big need for paralegals and anticipates hiring 870 by 2012. Also known as legal assistants, paralegals help lawyers prepare cases and may draft contracts, take depositions, or write briefs. Many get started with a certificate program or by earning a two-year college degree.
Intelligence analyst ($60,158)
In a world of homegrown terrorists and threats that seem to come from nowhere, intelligence analysts are in demand. Analysts research and study data to come up with policy recommendations, says Ruck.

***Salary figures for these jobs are provided by online salary database PayScale.com. Projected hiring figures are from Where the Jobs Are, a nonprofit, nonpartisan website that promotes government-service jobs.

Your Government Salary May Depend On Where You Live

Employees in six more cities and all employees in Alaska and Hawaii would be eligible for higher locality pay beginning in 2012 under recent recommendation approved Friday by the Federal Salary Council.

The two states and the six cities — Albany, N.Y.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Bakersfield, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Harrisburg, Pa.; and Portland, Maine — all would be designated separate, higher-paying locality zones and move up from the "rest of U.S.," or RUS, zone.

For the entire article and to learn more about government pay structures, click HERE.

The Government & Social Media

Staying on top of what's happening in the federal government is essential to landing a coveted position working "for the feds." Utilize all the resources at your fingertips including social media. Click here for more information about how the federal government is looking to connect with you.

Searching For Federal Jobs

Seeking and applying for federal jobs can be overwhelming, so to help lawyers get started, the 2009-2010 Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide provides help. The guide—produced by NALP/PSLawNet, in partnership with the ABA Government & Public Sector Lawyers Division and the Partnership for Public Service—offers information on how the hiring process works, where to find federal jobs and how to apply successfully for them. Check it out today!

For all you dog lovers ...

As a dog lover myself, I couldn't resist this story about a a program that is getting underway at a Veterans Affairs hospital in California and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. It's called Paws for Purple Hearts, and it is helping injured veterans and active-duty troops in two very different ways.

The program trains Labradors and golden retrievers - including many offspring of Yount's dog Gabe - as lifelong service dogs and companions for veterans who use wheelchairs. But for their first two years of life, these dogs spread their love around in another way.... to read the entire article about the partnership between dogs and the federal government, click HERE.

Networking is Everywhere

You have all heard the news by now ... networking is your key to job success! Don't think that networking stops once you enter the job field. A recent article in The Washington Post notes that networking is key in the federal job search as well. To read all the great tips in the full article, click HERE. Also, if you missed the CSD Presentation on Networking, feel free to stop by (Room 180) and check out the DVD.

Where Can I Work In The Federal Government?

The federal government is a great place for legal positions. Are you interested in learning which agencies tend to hire the most individuals for legal positions? Take a look at the Law Academic Quick Guide which provides an overview of positions both by geography and agency.

Remember ... the federal government is hiring!

Frequently Asked Questions

"Is the federal government going to change the job application process. If so, when will these changes be implemented?"

The answer can be found on the Call To Serve website ... On May 11, 2010 President Obama released a Presidential Memorandum that called for a major overhaul in the way the government recruits and hires it's civilian workforce. In order to eliminate some of the inefficiencies and barriers to hiring the best and brighest citizens, each federal agency was tasked to outline a plan to implement changes and improve hiring practices. While the first stage of federal hiring reform is to be impletmented by Nov. 1, 2010, this date only signals the beginning of a restructured process that will be ongoing into the near future.

This is great news for those applicants interested in a more streamlined application process!

Cool Jobs Working For the Federal Government

Research shows that Uncle Sam is hiring, and there are federal jobs available in practically every interest and skill area, in all 50 states and around the world.

To learn more, visit makingthedifference.org. Recently, Allison Landsman, a program analyst at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was profiled. To learn more about how Allison is helping to provide environmental enforcement information to the public, click HERE.

Attention all 3L Students!!!

Federal Jobs: Find and Apply for Full-Time Work in 2011
Tuesday, October 26 at 5:00 p.m.

This webinar, a product of the Partnership’s Making the Difference campaign, is for students interested in finding and applying for full-time jobs with the federal government. During this session, we will highlight a number of exciting full-time jobs across government, and show you how to research, find and apply for a job that’s right for you.

Come join us for the presentation!

October 26th

5:00pm

Room 565

Federal Internship Program

Federal Internships: Find and Apply for Summer 2011
Wednesday, October 20 at 5:00 p.m.
This webinar, a product of the Partnership’s Making the Difference Campaign, is for students interested in finding and applying for internships for Summer 2011. During this session, we will highlight a number of exciting internships across government, and show you how to research, find and apply for an internship that’s right for you.

Join us for the presentation!

5:00 pm

Room 400

The BEST places to work in the federal government

Do you know what was ranked as the number 1 place to work in the federal government? Would you be surprised if I told you it was the Nuclear Regulatory Commission? For the entire list of reviewed agencies (based on feedback from thousands of federal employees), click HERE.

Presidential Management Fellowship Program

The federal government is currently seeking candidates for the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management! This highly selective, rigorous leadership program recruits outstanding graduate students for a two-year developmental fellowship at various Federal Agencies.

Fellows Receive
 Two-year paid fellowships
 80 hours of training each year
 Competitive pay and benefits
 Potential accelerated promotions

Mark Your Calendar to Apply October 1-15, 2010!
Eligibility and application information is available at http://www.pmf.gov/