Researching Federal Government Careers

USAJOBS.gov
Search and apply for federal jobs; post your resume online; receive automated job alerts.

DIRECTORIES: PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATION

Washington Information Directory (Yale subscription)
Arranged in topical chapters; easy way to discover who the players are in any given area. Includes nongovernmental organizations, policy groups, and foundations. Quick way to get to agency or organization web sites. Does not have extensive personnel contact information.

U.S. Government Manual
Overview of agencies; names of top personnel, but not individual-level contact information. Organizational charts, brief histories. Browse is better than search.

Leadership Library (Yale subscription)
Personnel contact database of the institutional leadership of the United States, integrating 14 "Yellow Book" directories with information on more than 400,000 individuals leading U.S. government, business, professional, and nonprofit organizations. Includes information on personnel in Congress, executive branch agencies, the judicial branch, military installations, and service academies. Browse the “Federal Regional” section for information on government personnel outside of Washington, D.C.

Federal Staff Directory

Judicial Staff Directory

Almanac of the Unelected
Covers staff of the U.S. Congress, arranged by committee. Information about staffers' education, professional experience, and expertise.

BUDGETS AND PROGRAMS

Agency budgets

Each agency’s web site may present budget information in a different way. Search the agency’s web site, browse an A-Z subject list on the agency’s web site, or use a general search engine.

Two examples:

• Environmental Protection Agency
• International Affairs budget,(on State Dept. web site)

Budget of the U.S. Government
Also known as the “president’s budget,” because it is submitted by the president to Congress.  Includes past year’s actual spending, current year projected spending, and proposals for next fiscal year. Good way to ascertain administration’s priorities. Organized by agency. Sections include:

Analytical Perspectives
Historical Tables
Appendix: most detail on individual programs and appropriation accounts

Status of Appropriations Legislation

Government Accountability Office (GAO) Reports
GAO reports are audits, surveys, investigations, and evaluations of federal programs.