When you choose a career in public service, you’ll be making a commitment to make a difference as part of your community. Public service careers range from addressing social injustices to helping people through life’s challenges. You can do this through jobs in a variety of sectors, from non-profit organizations and teaching to the government and local businesses. This is a huge area of opportunity for change-making, and the possibilities are nearly limitless.
To serve others, you’ll need to have a healthy dose of empathy. This means understanding the thoughts and feelings of your clients so you can help them through challenging circumstances. You’ll also have to be creative, because solving these problems often involves thinking outside the box.
Working in the public sector can be demanding, as your clients will often have a variety of complex needs and expectations. They may be dealing with difficult personal situations or have to work within a system that doesn’t always align with their values. You’ll need to learn how to deal with this, while still achieving your goals and staying calm.
The public service workforce is changing rapidly. The traditional 30-year careers ruled by seniority have given way to a more flexible civil service that spans all sectors and levels of the government. This has led to greater job satisfaction and higher levels of employee retention, which have made the federal government a desirable place to work. However, many graduates still view the government as trailing both the private and nonprofit sectors in terms of representing the public interest.