The best government job varies form person to person, of course. The good thing is that, no matter what field you’re studying or what your interests or passions may be, you’re almost certain to find a government job that’s a good fit for you. Below are some government jobs that many people might not think of, but that definitely make for rewarding careers.
NASA is a great governmental agency to work for. And if NASA does decide to send a person back to the moon, or to Mars, or into deep space, it might regain the attention of the world, which it commanded in the late 1960’s. NASA needs computer technicians, programmers, engineers, and even writers. You get to work as part of a team, and you get to live someplace sunny, like Southern California or central Florida anf. Study up on your science and math, kids, and NASA just might be in your future! (The average salary is around $43,000, too.)
If you studied education but you don’t want to become a teacher or school administrator, you might consider working for the U.S. Department of Education. You will play a role in shaping educational policy, standardized testing, and teacher testing in the future, all of which are crucial for the nation and its future. Every once in a while a major politician, almost always a Republican, talks about getting rid of the Department of Education, but most experts believe it will be around for a good long time to come.
The United States State Department is great for anyone who’s dreamed of a life of travel and excitement. You can work as a civil servant, earn around $50 or $55,000 a year, and help to advance the United States diplomatically in nations all over the world. There are more job openings in areas deemed “high-risk,” like Afghanistan. Keep in mind that in order to get such a job you will first have to pass the Foreign Service Officer Test. And some positions are only obtainable if a high-ranking official in the government nominates you.
Two more exciting places within the U.S. government to work are the FBI and the CIA. Not only do they need law enforcement officers and spies, but they also need psychologists, computer programmers, economists-really, almost any profession you can think of is represented by a job in one or both of these agencies. And you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re working to make the world safer and freer. Also, the CIA really needs translators, and people who are fluent in certain languages, such as Arabic, are especially in demand as far as CIA jobs go.
Of course, the above list represents just a tiny fraction of government jobs. Teachers, firefighters, police officers, professors and administrators at state colleges and universities, postal employees, everyone who works at your town hall and state house, legislative aides, and many more people all receive their paychecks from the government, and all work diligently to make our lives better.
