Having a job with the federal government can be exciting, challenging and a stable way to make a living. Federal jobs range from postal carriers and law enforcement jobs to positions in law and finance. Prepare for your job interview by wearing a polished, traditional suit, providing a resume and arrive prepared to answer traditional interview questions. Federal job interviews come with its own set of requirements, such as handle stressful situations and how will you work within a structured government setting.
Dress the Part
Working for the federal government means arriving dressed for the part at your interview. When you sign up to work for a federal government branch, you are essentially going to work for the country and should show your interviewer respect by selecting appropriate attire.
Select a conservative, dark-colored suit with classic touches such as a pearl necklace for ladies or a subdued tie for men. Pair dark, closed-toe shoes with your outfit and bring your briefcase or a leather folder that contains your resume.
Women should stay away from wearing colored nail polish and heavy makeup and men should avoid wearing too much cologne and too much jewelry. You want your personality and qualifications to shine and instead of your outfit.
Punctuate your Proudest Accomplishment
Highlight your shining moment at work during the interview. Identify one feat or accomplishment that made you a top performer at your previous employer. Federal government job interviewers are looking for how you can deliver results for their division so identify one or two instances during the interview where you were the company star.
Prepare for at least one to two weeks prior to the interview. Select several crowning work achievements and start a list. Mentally review each achievement and determine how this achievement fits into your current job interview. Choose the achievement that you believe will get the most positive response from your interviewer.
Anticipate Interview Questions
Some federal job interview questions are formulated differently than what you would find in a traditional interview. Your interviewer will want to determine how you handle stressful situations and how you resolve problems in a federal organization.
Be ready to answer how you'd handle coming into a federal government position as an outsider. You might also be asked how you deal with conflict, difficult people and how you creatively resolved a conflict in your previous position.
Conduct mock interviews at home with a friend. Role play how you plan to answer questions and how you'll respond to any follow-up questions to the interviewer's initial question. For example, if you are asked how you deal with conflict you will be asked to elaborate on the situation, the people involved, the outcome and how the conflict was resolved long term.
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