How to Get a Job With the National Park Service

If you enjoy interacting with people and being around nature, there are a number of jobs within the National Park Service that you would find appealing. However, this government agency has plenty of opportunities within its departments for all others, as well, including number crunchers, legal beagles and trade workers.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

National Park Service Website Job Search

1. Visit the National Park Service's "General Employment Information" page at nps.gov/personal. Read the "General Information" and "Career Guide" sections to get a sense of which positions might be of interest.
2. Visit the National Park Service's home page. Select the "Getting Involved" tab.
3. Choose a state in the "Location Search" box, or "US" for nationwide search. Select the job or career of interest in the "Occupational Series" box.
4. Type in salary rage and verify your eligibility for employment. When finished, click "Search for Jobs."
5. Select position(s )listed. A page will open under the USAJobs server that describes the position in more detail. Select "How to Apply" for instructions about the appropriate measures to take.

Networking

6. Look for someone who works directly for the National Park Service. If you can't think of anyone offhand, ask friends and relatives if they know someone. Any contact is a good contact; this is especially true for federal jobs.
7. Visit a park or office run by the NPS if Step 1's efforts fail. Ask to speak with someone who is in charge of employment or who can inform you about hiring procedures. Don't worry about finding a position within your field of interest or expertise just yet. At the present moment, the most important thing is gathering information and possibly developing a contact in the form of the person with whom you are speaking.
8. Follow up on the information you acquire. This could involve conducting more research or calling a lead; use whatever knowledge you received on your visit to bring yourself closer to landing a job. Don't forget: before you start working "at" the job, you must work "getting" the job.

Tips & Warnings

• If there aren't any positions available, don't be discouraged; be persistent. Repeat the search until the job you are looking for opens.

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