From snowy mountain peaks to stunning red deserts, Utah is a beautiful place to live and work. It’s one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S. — many people are drawn to its promise of natural beauty and high quality of life. Utah has a thriving economy, low crime and tax rates, and a bounty of educational and employment opportunities, especially in Salt Lake City. In fact, there are more job openings than employees available to fill them in the Beehive State.
Government jobs are appealing because they offer many benefits, like job security, health care, and insurance. The Utah Department of Human Resource Management provides a complete look at the pay and benefits you can expect as a state employee.
In this article, we’ll review the government job application process as it differs from applying for a private sector job. We’ve also included helpful tips for resume writing and the interview process when you’re actively pursuing a government job.
Full-time and part-time positions are available with the federal, county, or state government in Utah. The state of Utah currently employs over 22,000 people throughout 30 state agencies. Job openings are often available in the following categories:
Utah is an equal opportunity employer, which means the state doesn’t discriminate during the hiring process due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability. It provides reasonable accommodations for those who have accessibility concerns due to disabilities and even has an employment preference program for qualified persons with disabilities and U.S. armed forces veterans.
Federal jobs are divided into three categories, known as services:
The exception to these federal services is the United States Postal Service (USPS), which has a job application process that differs from the typical federal application process.
The types of government jobs you can apply for in Utah depend on your experience, education, and qualifications. Government agencies are more particular when reviewing job applicants, so only apply for a job if you meet every qualification in the job description, including non-negotiable eligibility requirements.
The Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) provides a list of government jobs in Utah. Keep in mind that some government jobs give preference to veteran applicants over nonveterans as a way to help those who have sacrificed for their country. If you’re a veteran, consider contacting the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS). They offer employment services to help veterans, military members, and their spouses. The state government also has an Alternative State Application Program (ASAP) to help applicants with disabilities.
Another way to search for state government jobs is to create a free account and profile on Joblist. Joblist expertly tailors job searches to help you find the opportunities that are the right fit for you.
Job seekers from a variety of backgrounds can apply for government positions in Utah as long as they meet the qualifications in the job description. Joblist enables you to quickly find and review government job postings. Browse job openings here by entering “government” or a specific job position in the “Job Title or Keyword” space. Next, narrow the search results by entering your city or ZIP code.
For a broader search, simply put “Utah” in the location filter to see what’s available statewide. Joblist also enables you to search by county. For example, if you’re interested in working for Salt Lake County, you can enter “Salt Lake County, UT” into our job search engine.
A government resume needs to be more detailed than a usual one-page resume. For some government jobs, you can expect to write a resume as long as four to six pages. The agency’s hiring agent will be looking for extensive details about your past work experience, education, and other qualifications that are particular to the job posting.
Sometimes, your resume will first go through a digital scan to make sure it contains certain keywords before being placed in front of a hiring manager. It’s a way for them to quickly weed out unqualified applicants. Include important keywords from the job posting in your resume, such as technical terms, and be as specific as possible when describing all relevant experience, skills, and qualifications so they’ll recognize that you’re a highly qualified applicant.
It’s also important to tailor your resume to each job posting. It’s good practice to have a main resume that includes everything about your background. You can make a copy of your main resume each time you apply to a job and adjust it as needed, then adjust the details to meet each job you’re applying for. It’ll be faster than creating a resume from scratch each time you start the application process.
Once resumes and other required documents have been sorted and reviewed, the hiring agent contacts qualified applicants to begin the interview process. The process may include more than one interview in person, on the phone, or over video chat. You may also be reviewed by a panel of interviewers, not just the hiring manager.
Government job interviews are structured by federal laws, so you can expect all questions to be job-related. Also, all candidates are asked the same questions in the same order to ensure fairness in the hiring process. An interview usually takes 30 minutes to one hour to complete. If the interview goes well, the agency will then contact your references before making a job offer.
To help you prepare for an interview, we’ve gathered some of the most common questions that are asked:
Take some time to practice your answers so you’ll feel more confident on the day of your interview. Remember to keep your answers honest and relevant to the job. You don’t have to memorize exactly what to say; however, preparing some specific answers or examples can help you express yourself easily. Preparation also helps you make a better impression and appear as knowledgeable and qualified for the job as you truly are.
From Ogden in the north to St. George in the south, Utah communities are welcoming, highly educated, and prosperous. The state abounds with opportunities for recreation and employment, attracting many people in recent years to relocate for work. Job seekers should turn to Joblist for career advice and to discover curated job openings for them based on their skills, experience, and location preferences. Take a quick Joblist quiz to get matches and discover your next government job in Utah today.
