Welcome to the Call to Serve eNews August 2007 edition focusing on International Relations and National Security. This online forum is designed to energize Call to Serve members to educate a new generation about the opportunities for an exciting career or internship with the federal government.  

Where the Jobs Are Report: Security and Protection

Do your students know that more than 35,000 people will be hired in the next two years for security and protection positions in the federal government? These jobs vary by location and positions. Some of the top departments for Security, Protection and International Relations jobs are: 

• Department of Homeland Security 23,746 (including Intelligence Analysis, Contact Representatives, Transportation Security Officers)
• Department of Justice 5,609 (including Correctional Officers, Intelligence Analysis, Security Administration)
• Department of Defense  4,886 (including Foreign Affairs, Intelligence Analysis, International Relations, Security Administration)
• Department of State 4,395 (including Foreign Affairs Specialists, Intelligence, Public Diplomacy)
• Agency for International Development 380 (including Foreign Service, Program Management)
• Department of the Interior 261 (including Park Rangers)

Find out more about new hires in the Where the Jobs Are report, which provides information on 193,000 jobs, by federal agency and occupation, that need to be filled in the next two years. Opportunities abound!

 

Also, be sure to download the latest International Relations Quick Guide in this issue! 

 

Table of Contents

News

       Makingthedifference.org Gets a New Look

       New Call to Serve Toolkit: Coming in September

       Welcome to our New Call to Serve Members

       Foreign Service Exam Changes

Resources

       International Relations Quick Guide

       Hot Jobs/Cool Internships

Community Forum   

       Agencies: Share Your Programs        

       Ask Us Column: Foreign Service Exam

       Campus in the Spotlight: Louisiana State University

Events 

       Student Programs: Call to Serve Workshop Registration  

       Postal Services Career Fair       

       Career Fairs on the Horizon

Makingthedifference.org Gets a New Look for Back to School

Have you seen it? Makingthedifference.org, the Partnership for Public Service's job-seeker and student outreach Web site, was recently upgraded. Check it out and spread the word by posting the link on your Web site or sending out the link via email to you student listserv. 

 

Makingthedifference.org provides valuable information and resources about job and internship opportunities in the federal government. On the site you’ll find more information about federal agencies, an overview of the benefits of federal service, a directory of federal internships, “hot jobs” and “cool internships,” tips for finding and applying for federal jobs, and much more. Plus, you’ll see how federal employees are making the difference every day. 

 

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Call to Serve Toolkit: Coming in September

We are excited to announce the release of the new Call to Serve toolkit that will be delivered in mid-September to your campus University Coordinator. Only one toolkit will come to each campus, so if your Call to Serve information has changed or you are not sure who that person is, please take a moment to update your school's information. Complete the Updates form or send us contact information for your school or agency POINT OF CONTACT and any other changes (Presidency or Contacts at Business/Public Policy/ Engineering/ Medical schools). Please contact Brooke Bohnet if you have any questions. We appreciate your help in keeping our records up to date!  

 

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Welcome Mercer University in Georgia to Call to Serve

Welcome to the 595th member of Call to Serve. We asked Steve Brown, the Mercer Call to Serve University Coordinator, about their reason for joining. 

"Mercer University emphasizes leadership and service among our students.  Many of our graduates have found careers in government and the nonprofit sector to be excellent opportunities to share their talents and to further develop their potential while serving the greater good. Our desire is to increase awareness among our students about the diverse opportunities they can pursue and encourage them to make a difference in their world."

Let us know: Why are you an agency or school member of Call to Serve? If you know of any additional colleges, universities or federal agencies that would be interested in joining Call to Serve, have them email calltoserve@ourpublicservice.org or download the application online.

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Foreign Service Exam Changes

Finding Tomorrow's Diplomats

By Stephen Barr, The Washington Post 

It has been an annual ritual for decades -- a seven-hour written exam, offered once a year, taken by about 18,000 U.S. citizens with yearnings to serve their country as diplomats.

But, starting in September, the State Department will change how Foreign Service officers are selected and hired. The new approach is called "total candidate" -- an effort to make the department more competitive in targeting and recruiting smart and skilled Americans.  Read the complete article.

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International Relations Quick Guide

With more than 45,000 current employees today, international relations is an important focus in federal government.  We've compiled information about the most common IR positions, overseas jobs, internship programs and more. Use our printable international relations quick guide to easily share information with students and faculty/staff about jobs for IR grads. Also, makingthedifference.org has more information about jobs in international relations.  

More interest specific guides are available on makingthedifference.org.

 

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Hot Jobs/Cool Internships of the Month

Updated weekly, Hot Jobs and Cool Internships are your source for the great entry-level opportunities in government. 

Agencies: Submit your Hot Jobs/Cool Internships to get them featured!

*TIP* Send Hot Jobs to your listserv of students or post the link on your school careers Web site  

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Agencies: Share your Student Programs

1. What Tuition Reimbursement Programs does your agency offer?

2. What student programs exist at your agency (FCIP, STEP, SCEP, other programs)?

Send us your programs to get them posted on makingthedifference.org and highlighted in future issues of eNews!

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 Ask Us

Q: Any news on the new Foreign Service hiring process? (Chris Foley, Michigan State University)

A:  In September, State Department launches the “Total Candidate” hiring approach for the Foreign Service, which will strengthen how State targets and recruits. There are several substantial changes to the organization and makeup of the process:

• Computer-based exam
• Register online
• About three hours (instead of the original seven hour handwritten exam)
• Offered quarterly (instead of annually)
• 8-day period within each quarter with multiple testing times
• Language abilities are tested earlier and taken into consideration before the oral exam
• Cuts hiring times in half from fourteen to seven months

 Steps to the Foreign Service

• Register online
• Complete a “personal narrative” (open-ended questions) to qualify for an appointment to take the written test and accompanying essay
• Once you pass the test, all of your materials are sent to a “qualifications evaluation panel” who's members will determine who goes on to the day-long oral interview

For full details about the Foreign Service be sure to visit the State Department Web site.

Have a question about federal jobs and internships? Send it to us and it will get answered in the next eNews!

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Campus in the Spotlight: Louisiana State University

LSU was part of the Call to Serve Recruitment Initiative. They will serve as a mentor school to campuses in the region this year.

"This year, we plan to focus on getting students the information they need to explore opportunities in federal public service. We will merge the existing Call to Serve Web site with the LSU Career Services Web site, and there will be a prominent link to this new portal from all pages of our site. That means the information will be easily accessible to students, employers, faculty and staff, families, prospective students and network schools. We’re going to beef up the resources we link students to online, and provide directions for navigating the federal application process. We also hope to do a more effective job of letting students know what the MCOs (mission critical occupations) are, as well exposing them to trends like the best places to work and hiring projections."   Sara Crow, Louisiana State University

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Student Programs in the Federal Government: Call to Serve Workshop Registration

PMF, SCEP, STEP, FCIP- Maybe you know what these acronyms mean or maybe they sound like hearing a foreign language. Either way, join us for a conference call on Thursday, September 13th at 1:00pm EST to learn everything you ever wanted to know about "Student Programs in the Federal Government." There will be a panel of agency experts ready to answer your questions and give you background on student programs across government. Send us your complete contact information and share this opportunity widely with your colleagues and faculty!  Limited space is available.

Due to the popularity of past conference calls, we have put together a series of calls for this school year. Look out for the next conference call in late September on "Security Clearances" in time to get students prepared for summer internship and job deadlines that require security clearances.  

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Postal Service Career Fair

Did you know that the United States Postal Service is the second largest employer in the nation? Explore Postal Service opportunities in fields like information technology, finance, public affairs and communications, and much more.

What: Postal CareerSMART

When: Wednesday, November 14th from 9:00am- 4:00pm

Where: L'Enfant Plaza Hotel/ 480 L'Enfant Plaza, SW/ Washington, DC

 

Online registration at usps.com/employment. Share this USPS career fair widely with your networks!

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Agencies: Note these Career Fairs on the Horizon

This list provides the details of many of the upcoming career fairs at our Call to Serve member schools. Make sure to email information about your school's career fairs, so we can include it next month.

 

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