cshY-^-e^t-/'^ o UR UTURE REMEMBER UNCLE SAM WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING AN EMPLOYER Pamphlet BRE-10, May 1969, UNITED STATES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION HICH SCHOOL STUDENTS Whatever your immediate plans, sooner or later most of you will think about earning a living. The Federal Government employs people in many different kinds of jobs in thousands of locations. Since 90 percent of Govern- ment jobs are located outside Washington, D.C., you may find Federal employment opportunities in or near your hometown. Uncle Sam has much to offer the young person looking for a good position. The work the Government does is of critical importance to every American citi- What are your plans after high school? To go on to business school or college? Take a job? Enter the Armed Forces? zen. To be a part of this important work, to contribute toward accomplishing the mission of a Federal agency, is stimulating and satisfying. Many people consider this the greatest attraction of a career in Gov- ernment. Pay for most Government jobs compares very favorably with salaries for similar work in private employment. You have a chance to work up to better paying jobs. The leave system is liberal, with paid va- cations and pay for sick leave. We have training and career development programs, low-cost life insurance and health benefits, incentive awards, and liberal retirement. Most Federal jobs are under civil serv- ice, and this means that they are filled through competitive examination and that hiring and promotions are based on merit. Appointments are made from among the people who receive the highest passing marks. This is the democratic way of choosing employees. It makes no difTerence who you are or who you know — the Government is interested only in whether you are able to do the job you are applying for. All appli- cants get equal consideration — regardless of their race, religion, color, sex, or any other nonmerit factor. A civil-service examination is designed to show your ability to do a particular kind of job. An examination for a simple job would not be difficult. Many examinations are not written tests — you would be graded on such things as how much of the required education or experience you had or on a sample of work. The usual minimum age limit is 18, but for most jobs a high school graduate may apply at 16. Although a nongraduate 16 or 17 years old may be employed if he meets certain conditions, it is to his advantage to complete high school before working full time if possible. Part-time employment is often available to students who need fi- nancial help to stay in school. On the inside of this folder is information about jobs a high school student may pre- pare for. To find out what examinations are open, check with your school's vocational coun- selor, a nearby post office, a Federal agency where you would like to work, or a Federal Job Information Center. In writing about a job, always mention the kind of work you want and the place where you would like to work. If you plan to continue school, the back panel has information of interest to you. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from University of Florida, George A. Smathers Libraries with support from Lyrasis and the Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/yourfirstjobkeyt1969unit OFFICE MACHINE OPERATORS Almost very Government agency employs office machine operators. The agencies in which they are employed in the largest numbers are the Post Office Department and the Departments of the Treasury, Army, Air Force, and Navy. The equipment operated by these employees includes addressing, graphotype, bookkeeping, calculating, alpha- betic card punch, electric accounting, and tabulating machines. No experience is required for jobs at GS-1. Applicants who can pass an appropriate performance test or high school graduates instructed in the operation of the type of machine appropriate for the position involved may qualify for jobs at GS-2. A written test is usually given. CLERKS Clerks read and route mail, do indexing and filing, read proof, code information for statistical purposes, or do related office work. Job opportunities are good for both men and women. Clerk examinations test skills you will need on the job, such as alphabetizing, arithmetic, understanding what you read, writing and spelling correctly, comparing names and numbers, and following directions. No experience is required for jobs at GS-1. High school graduates without work experience usually start at grade GS-2, after passing a written test. DRAFTSMEN ENGINEERING • OFFICE Engineering draftsmen prepare drawings related to engi- neering or architectural activities, and office draftsmen do such work as lettering and illustrating charts, graphs, and diagiams used for statistical purposes. No experience is required for GS-1 jobs. High school graduates whose courses included a certain amount of study in mathematics and other subjects (science, draft- ing, or surveying) may qualify for jobs at grade GS-2. A written test is required for GS-2 jobs. POST OFFICE No particular kind of experience or education is required JOBS for many jobs in the postal field service, and you can qualify by taking a written test. Opportunities for em- ployment are excelent in most major metropolitan areas. STENOGRAPHERS TYPISTS Stenographers and typists will be required to pass a writ- ten verbal and clerical abilities test. Those who submit acceptable certificates of proficiency in typing or steno- graphic courses may be excused from the additional re- quirement of passing typing or stenographic performance tests. Typists normally enter at grade GS-2 and stenog- raphers at grade GS-3. However, by meeting higher quali- fications, typists can enter at GS-3 and stenographers at GS-4. Opportunities for employment are excellent in most major metropolitan areas. In Engineering • Physical Science • TECHNICAL Cotton Technology • Meteorology • AIDS Cartography • Biology • Forestry These employees are hired to assist engineers, scientists, and technologists working in the above fields. No experience is required for GS-1 jobs. High school graduates whose courses included subjects such as mathe- matics, physics, chemistry, drafting, surveying, art, or cartography may qualify for jobs at GS-2. A written test is required for jobs at GS-2. The Government's industrial establishments, mainly un- der the Army, Navy, and Air Force, train apprentices in many trades. The minimum age limit is 16 years. No experience is re- quired, but a written test may be given. Salaries vary from trade to trade and are set in line with local wages. Apprentices who do satisfactory work are promoted at intervals and at the completion of apprentice training earn the salary of fully qualified workmen in their occupation. There are many other civil service jobs that the high school graduate may be able to qualify for with little or no additional education or experience. Examples are — Telephone Operator • Nursing Assistant • Library Assistant • Carpenter's Helper, Plumber's Helper, etc. Messenger and elevator operator jobs are other examples, but they are reserved for veterans as long as veterans are available to take them. And for young men and women who go on to college or gain experience through working, there are opportuni- ties in a large number of other fields. APPRENTICES OTHER JOBS AND IF YOU ARE CONTINUING YOUR EDUCATION- — There are many opportunities in civil service for men and women who have had education beyond high school. Two ex- aminations are used more than any others to recruit such people. The Federal Service Entrance Examina- tion is the means of entry into Federal service of most college graduates and per- sons with equivalent experience. It is used for filling entry-level professional, admin- istrative, and technical positions in all but highly specialized fields such as engineer- ing, physical science, and accounting. The Junior Federal Assistant Examina- tion is for persons with 2 years of college, business school, or technical school, or with comparable work experience. Quali- fying in this examination can lead to jobs providing support and technical assistance in a number of fields. Some agencies have planned work-study programs that can lead to full-time work after graduation. They are for college stu- dents who are majoring in subjects related to the agencies' programs. Selected students work during vacation, on a part-time basis during school, or in alternate periods of work and related study. 3 1262 08134 724 6 U.S.G0VERNMENTPR1NTING0FFICE:1969— 0-349-533