Overseas Opportunities With The Federal Government

One of the best-kept secrets about employment with the federal government is the number of positions that are available overseas!  That’s right—working for the man will not only help you advance your career, but it’s a great way to get to see the world as well!

Applying to overseas jobs is only a little bit different than applying here domestically.  To begin with, I recommend getting familiar with the agencies that do the most work outside the country.  Once you’ve done your research, you’ll be much more familiar with the scope of each agency’s mission, and you’ll have a better idea of how you’ll fit in.

Department of Defense--  The DOD currently has personnel in over 130 countries, even places where the United States doesn’t have a particularly large troop footprint.  DOD civilians support the agency’s mission in a number of different roles, such as security, analysis, and administration, but they also perform thousands of other roles that you might not have heard of.  For example, in countries such as Japan, Germany, or the Philippines where there are long-established military bases, the DOD actually runs its own school systems for military dependents!  If you’re slightly more adventurous, don’t overlook the opportunity presented by year-by-year term positions in Afghanistan or Pakistan.  These might make your best chance to get a foot in the door, and the pay increases significantly due to the hardship and danger of the post.

Department of State—  State has the most opportunities available overseas by far, and many of their positions based in Washington, DC, actually afford the opportunity for occasional international travel.  With 280 embassies and consulates worldwide, State has a constant need for both full-time and year-by-year term support staff abroad.  Also, State is the parent agency for special programs such as the Peace Corps and USAID (Aid and International Development).  These jobs are slightly beyond the norm of traditional federal employment, but they represent great ways to build your experience while serving your country overseas.

USAJOBS is still the starting point to apply for these overseas positions, but you should be prepared to submit additional documentation during the course of the hiring process.  For example, you’ll probably need a security clearance to work overseas, so start gathering up information on all the places you’ve lived and make sure to get current contact information from all your references.  You’ll almost certainly need to obtain a medical clearance, so be prepared to set up appointments with your doctors on short notice.  If you have to travel in any way for your application, be sure to save your receipts.  Some agencies reimburse these expenses completely, but if not, you can at least claim them as a tax deduction.

Last, if you’re still not having any luck getting hiring by the federal government, don’t overlook some of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that support our country’s mission.  The United Nations is continually hiring, as are the American International Schools in each country.  While you’ll have to apply individually to these places’ websites instead of using USAJOBS, they can be a great way to gain international experience while building your worldwide network of contacts.  Good luck!