Linda Welch ⋅ Plano , TX United States Postal Service ⋅ 40 years experience

You don't mention education but the U. S. Postal Inspection Service offers a variety of opportunity but requires a bachelors degree for entry level inspector. Read my earlier post below if you want a postal job while working on your degree plan.

The United States Postal Service is the second largest employer in the U.S. We offer our team variety, training, and ways to move up. We have specific programs for recent grads and skills matching for applicants with military experience.

From mail carriers to corporate management, we work together to provide efficient, affordable service to the American public. USPS is an excellent workplace for self-motivated people who enjoy independence and measurable goals with the added satisfaction of serving our communities. Visit USPS.com and check out the Careers tab!

Deb Holland ⋅ Sun Prairie , WI --HAK Enterprises, LLC ⋅ 17 years experience

Jeremy, congrats on your high goals! Some agencies may have special hiring authorities for Veterans. Take a look at the website www.opm.gov. That is the personnel agency for the entire Federal workforce and has tons of information that should be very helpful to you. Each Fed agency does their own hiring, and it may be done at the headquarters level, local level, or somewhere in between. Two good strategies to start: 1) research what agencies you'd like to work for and contact their human resources departments to ask if they have special hiring authorities for Vets. If they do they can guide you through the process. 2) call or stop by your local office of whatever Fed agency you're interested in, and ask to do an informational interview with the manager. This is different from an interview for a job but can still be invaluable. Sitting down with someone who has the inside knowledge of how that agency works and how to get hired can give you key information to help your search. If you make an excellent impression, then the manager may refer you on to someone who does have an opening they know about. It all depends on what hiring authorities they have available to them. If it is an open application that the general public can apply for, the process takes months. But if you can find a special hiring authority then that can accelerate your search by quite a bit. Either way, be prepared with a knockout resume, and leave one or send one to every person you talk to. Start planting seeds and working the process and don't give up on your dreams! Go get 'em!

Tim Keefe ⋅ Washington , DC U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 6 years served

I second that your questions is way too broad and vague.

However, I can say these two things:

1. If you "need a job now," it won't happen with Federal employment, given the application process and the selection process. At best, you might have to wait three months; at worst, it could be more like nine months.

2. If you want to work in intelligence or something along those lines, you'll need a security clearance to get them. If you already have one that's active, you're well ahead of the game. If you don't, the chances of you getting one are not favorable because it takes a lot of time. The higher the clearance, the more time it will take. And, you have to have an agency or contractor sponsor you for a clearance. Given today's crunched climate, agencies and/or firms might be very skittish about putting an unknown -- you -- in for a new clearance. If this were ten years ago, you'd have had a much better shot. Not today.

Corinne Adamsky ⋅ Stow , MA American Express ⋅ 15 years experience

Jeremy

I think first you need to decide what you would like your career path to be. You might want to start in a position that has potential for growth. Your question in my opinion doesn't give enough information for me to be more helpful to you.