Work for A government agency. Here’s a good story. How to get into the U.S. Secret Service.
Sharing my own personal story on how I was able to successfully land an internship, and subsequently, a paid student assistantship with the agency. I did this with an undergrad degree that didn’t align to the agency’s mission.
So how was this possible? This is where creativity comes into play. So, here’s the background. I was an average college kid, pursuing average things, with an average GPA, blending in like the rest of my colleagues.
So, what made me different? How was I successful here? Key points that led me to success to work for a government agency:
1) Think outside the box. Routine and non-creative methods won’t return results. Think creatively
2) Leverage resources. I will always advocate for this. Know who to reach out to, and know how to best navigate these leverages timely
3) Tell the right story. This ended up being my saving grace, particularly here. Very close to being told “no”, I didn’t stop until I told the right story. I found a way, and I made it happen
4) Have a solid resume. I’ll keep saying it – this matters. I’ll never forget the feedback I got from the Investigative Assistant who interviewed me who literally said “we chose you because we saw you had an impressive resume” (impressive? or just effectively communicated telling the right story? Remember – I was average just like everyone else)
5) Keep at it. Nothing worthwhile will fall in your lap. This took work – a lot of work. Look what the result was
I will always be grateful for having had this opportunity. I had about two years at this agency in total – an experience that has opened up endless opportunities for me. I met Former President of the United States, Barack Obama, shook hands with presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, and had other once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
This didn’t happen overnight. This didn’t happen because I sat back and said “I’m not sure”. This happened because I did it. I got things done, I had the confidence to do it, and I didn’t accept “no” when I was told it wasn’t possible. This is what top performers do to get where they need. They make it happen.
Pros and Cons of Working in Government