You in Public Service : Applying for a Public Service Job (1977)

when you pick up the phone and get the police or you get a letter from your favorite niece or sensus checks population increase P that's service when you get all the facts about asirin or a new bus service is about to begin or Internal Revenue call you in yes that's Public Service we're here because you need what we do we're here to provide that service for you just for you for you when you get a license to sell wine and beer or Warnings are heard about SM in the air or you get free help with a new career yes that's public Serv when you climb in a jet take a safe flight oh the book you wrote need a copyight or farmers get help in fighting the flight yes that's service we're here because you need what we [Music] do we're here to provide that service for you just for you just for you yes we may even have a job for you that's service that's service yes that's service yes that's we do it for [Music] you in this series we talk about you in public service today we're going to talk about how you you go about doing that how you apply for a job in public service hi I'm Hank and you'll see my picture back there is a public service working mine too I'm Wanita and there I am as a lab technician from the public health service and that's me as a law enforcement officer and this is me as Charles and my friend here is Susan hi don't I get to show off my picture too sure go ahead a there's old Susan as a sens taker from the Regulatory and Census records you get the idea all of those pictures are of us as public service workers and if you paid attention to our opening song we were Public Service workers there too that's right but you know Hank that's not surprising because today Public Service employees are at work in occupations representing nearly every kind of job found in the private sector as well as some unique to federal government such as postal clerks that's me and to paraphrase a very important motto neither rain nor snow nor hail shall stay my way other unique federal government jobs are Foreign Service officers immigration inspectors and Border patrolman and Internal Revenue agents public service jobs comprise a significant part of the non-agricultural workforce in every state public service jobs can be found in units of government such as counties municipalities towns school districts more than 25% of the state and local government Workforce are employed in public service jobs federal state and local employees are at work in offices in Laboratories in colleges in public schools and in other educational programs and services they're also to be found in hospitals clinics libraries in law enforcement and Fire Protection in Housing and Urban renewal in Highway construction and maintenance in parks and recreation in public utilities and in natural resources and conservation in all of these activities and so many more workers are needed in such various occupations as clerk Economist mathematician electrician engineer Forester educator when we consider the many different governmental agencies and programs there are and the growing every day we can see the potential the opportunity for working in public service today we're going to show you how to get started PS that's public [Music] service because you need what we do we here to provide that service for you just for you just for you B we may even have a job for you B yes that's service that's service yes that's service yes that's service we do it for you let's take first things first even though all the career occupations we've just seen are exciting and different in many ways to get those jobs each person had to start at the beginning a first job in public service we call that first job entry level the beginning step the first job on the career ladder that's what we're talking about today public service jobs local state and federal all operate under a civil service system that means that application examination and interview determines who gets the job but there are steps to take even before you've decided to fill out an application that's right Hank you want to know which family you should apply to because in public service jobs come in family groups generally speaking there are eight broad family groups to consider this is government agency management responsible for Staffing and for every cent that is spent someone has to organize keep records and pay all the bills for the government's management social and economic services are this Department's public service business working for the betterment of all of the people wherever and whenever they can Educational Services are what helps everybody grow from kindergarten to graduate school you grow as a person on what you know vocational training liberal arts adult education it is the function of educational services to supply knowledge knowledge you can use Parks Forest mining fish and game all come under the resource management Department's control their responsibility covers the air we breathe and the water we sometimes take for granted resource management is an interesting job choice what do you think Urban Rural and Community Development falls into the category of building management who builds what how high and when and where the face of your city is urban Rural and community development's area of concern Public Safety Corrections and judicial Services protector of lives and property that's this Department's concern as firemen paramedics they're the first to arrive on the scene emergency alert they're trained to be the doctor's AIDS in the field regulatory services and Records have to do with taxes on what you import make and grow they keep the public records and you might say they're in charge of American History transportation management is there whenever you take a trip whether by train plane truck or bus or boat they enforce safety regulations which govern and regulate Transportation throughout our country with all those career occupational potentials to consider there must be one for you let's find out how we can get there this looks like a nice job here in the tax office how do you go about getting a job like this well this is a public service job you have to take a test and then pass an interview and then you're hired why did you choose this job well I checked out all the public service job areas then took a good look at myself and decided what I was really interested in and I decided that a career in the regulatory Services Department was just for me you mean you wanted to be a tax clerk well I'm going to school night studying that but no I'd like to be a tax auditor or better but you have to start someplace here are the forms you want thank you very much sure bye bye-bye next see I couldn't help overhearing what you were saying mhm you said that you thought about what you wanted to do and now you're doing it where did you find out about these jobs oh from newspapers and local libraries and State Employment Services they all have information about public service jobs all you have to do is ask uh speaking of asking what can I do for you I just came for a couple of 1040s oh fine sure so you might have asked you another question no go right ahead ask how did you how did you decide about this job well Mr Gomez at the state employment service was was very helpful he said that if I checked out the authorized referral services and then sat down and made a long list of what I really wanted to do you know what I liked in school what I hated in school took a good look at myself whether I like to work with people or whether I'd rather work with paper by myself that the answer would come to me you know what he was right thanks I'll try that good good luck next guess what you overheard too well that too but I just wanted to tell you that you are a fine advertisement for public service well thank you very much what can I do for you I need a Schedule C and a Schedule D C and D right and uh may I ask you a question too sure besides listing the things you like to do and that stuff what else should you consider well do you like to work Outdoors or indoors do you like to work with mechanical things you know like tinkering with electronics are you good at recordkeeping how's your energy level do you like to do really physical type work or is there any physical handicap that might keep you from any kind of the job choices all those things I see well thank you sure is there anything else I can do for you not that I can think of at this moment thank you very much sure weren't you two just here yes but I had another question I wanted to ask me too is there anything else we should know if we want a job in public service well you should start thinking about what you want to do 5 years from now kind of a career path so you could start getting on the right road today oh you could change your mind of course but as I said you have to start someplace speaking of which why don't we do just that what are you guys doing for lunch nothing why don't we have lunch together maybe we can work something out great hey wait a minute I'm on my lunch break too and I'm the public service expert we're coming along Let's see we found out what works best for you through self-evaluation oh doing it yourself is just one way there are other official ways of finding out about the same thing for instance there's a test called the occupational preference oh what's that just what it says it gives a professional guidance counselor a chance to find out about you and evaluate you and your preferences and then the counselor can tell you whether or not they're the right choices well sort of the counselor evaluates your test and then matches it against other standards and he also gets a chance to evaluate you and your job choice and see if it's realistic you mean he can tell if you really want it or if you're just talking exactly but there's another Factor too even if the test show that you really want the job you say you want what it doesn't show is do you have the ability to do the job oh well what would you do about that do what I do go back to the old report cards look them over there are your grades and your strengths and your weaknesses what if you goofed off in school but could have gotten better marks if you tried well there are other tests to help you there really good ones of aptitude tests and achievement tests oh yeah I took one of those in school oh then you already know about it it shows what you can do and what you can't do well if I wanted to take a test like that what would I do well what I did I went down to the state employment service very little cost local libraries and post offices and adult education centers have information when the tests are given and how you go about taking them I see so first we draw up a picture of ourselves then we take an occupation test to see if that was a true picture and then we take an aptitude test to see if we really can do what we think we want to do right on that's it okay I have this beautiful picture of myself working in a laboratory in school I always got really good grades in math and science and I just love science and I had two years of business school except now I'm being a typist in a clothing company well listen typing can always come in handy everything we learn is very helpful in my department the regulatory services and control is the Food and Drug Administration and their entry level job is as Food and Drug inspection trainees hey that sounds really interesting I think I'll look into that one and as for me I like to build things screws and pipes wires and bolts I like all those things well then there's civil engineers and safety engineers in the transportation department I love books I love to read I spend hours in the library maybe that's what I should look into wait a minute hold it hold it hold it you don't have to make the decision right now your first job entry-level job is just a job remember you're not applying for just a job you're applying for a career a whole Future Okay so say you start out as a trainee you can go from there to where can you go from there aha that is question number 12 Charlie you going eat that pickle well I was but for all the information uh please have a pickle May sure thank you you mean you left me as a trainee for a pickle okay okay where do we go from there in public service jobs they have what we call career ladders which are steps that start at the entry-level trainee then go to clerk then to Aid to assistant and finally department head that Civil Service promotion right you get numbers for every step you go right Susan why don't you tell them about it I want to eat my pickle well I don't think I know it all but I do know that every so often you're eligible to move up a grade if you can pass a test and you start working on the next step right up as far as you can go right well department head recommendation does help but you get the idea you come in as entry-level trainee and then the rest of it is entirely up to you what do we do now well you just go get an application and apply where do we do that well contact your local employment service office they have pamphlets and information about public service jobs you probably never even thought of considering and many of them are in your own hometowns on the state and local level Hank thank you very much I'm on my way good me too sounds great glad to help thank you what a beautiful day seee here I am talking about public service jobs and if I don't get back from lunch I'm not going to have any public service job to get back [Music] to there's a great job waiting just for you oh yeah I said it you may ask well now what do I do go out and get it you got the knowledge you got the skills you got what it takes you may be in for a couple of spills but you only need the proper breaks there's a great job waiting just for you in the public service you might think it's too good to be true but don't be nervous knock on the door fill out the form Backle the interview you're going to do just fine there's a great job waiting and it's just for you and it's just for [Music] you let's backtrack a bit and ask a few questions on what we've covered so far today this is question number one people are are usually chosen under the civil service system on the basis of a interest B ability C personal friendship D all three the answer is B ability your civil service test evaluates you and everyone else taking the test the people hired depend on one how many jobs there are to fill and two where your test score replaces you jobs are filled from the top down based on how many job openings there are to fill and they're filled on ability that brings up question number two a good way to find out one's ability is to take a an occupational preference test B an interest inventory C an aptitude test d none of these the answer C an aptitude test it helps determine if you have chosen realistic goals for yourself or whether you should be making some adjustments in your thinking Susan I have question number three it pertains to the best procedure to help you find a job and here are the Alternatives one find out what positions are open and then find out about your abilities and your interests two apply for a lot of different jobs you might find one you like three discover your interests and abilities select your occupation group and then find out about possible job openings what do you think is the best way to go about looking for a job Susan the last idea number three first discover what your own interests and abilities are then select your occupation group based on those interests and abilities finally seek job openings that fit your plans very good Susan now audience here's a question for you question number four information about job opportunities in public service can be found at a federal job information centers B City personnel offices C State Employment centers or offices D all three the answer is obviously D federal job information centers City personnel offices and state employment centers and offices all have information about public service job opportunities just ask for an employment form there is easy to complete as listing your name address and other information you want people to know so they get to know you if you're really interested pick up one this week and study it take your time if you have any questions ask the person where you got the form then answer it at your own pace but answer it and mail it in or file it with your local public service office now once you've chosen and made application the next step is the examination remember most employees of Public Service organizations operate under the civil service system which means that examinations are important but consider and put it into perspective it's just a test when you were in school how many tests did you take hundreds right so this is just another test and the good thing about it is if you feel you could have done better you can always take it again next year but there are some rules you should be aware of first be sure to check check the date the application should be in by because there are specific closing dates though there are no legal discriminations because of age most individuals are between the ages of 18 and 65 when hired 18 is the usual minimum but students 16 or 17 and out of school can be hired check for the specifics normally only American citizens can apply for competitive examinations in federal civil service and other public service agencies may require you to declare your interest in becoming a US citizen and of course you must be physically able to perform the job you've applied for oh and one last thing your application is part of your examination so be sure it's complete honest and up toate okay time's up pass in your papers please thank you thank you do you have any further questions about the examination no okay good luck thank you boy am I glad that's over but you know it wasn't as bad as I expected it was going to be yeah you know following the suggestions helped reviewing the material in the examination announcements there were some good hints for study materials especially when you've had a good night's sleep and you get here early enough to relax I like the part about dressing comfortably and leaving the things we don't need at home yeah and and I learned if you didn't understand something you just ask the monitor they help you and I also learned to read the questions very carefully well good luck to both of you good luck to you too you too good luck Susan goodbye byebye there are some public service jobs that require written tests like the one we just took but but there are some public service jobs that base your rating on experience training education as well as the oral interview that's called the unassembled test as I said it depends on what job you're trying for whether you take a written test or not but everyone takes the oral interview and that's important because 40% or more of your score may be assigned by this part of the examination here are some hints you might find helpful before you take your oral examination you can't look for a job dressed like you're doing the town you'll draw attention to yourself but not to your job qualifications and abilities if you dress like you're ready to take off for the nearest ballpark or racetrack your interviewer will wonder if you're really ready to go to work don't tell them you're the greatest most public service sections have been in existence for a hundred years simple self-confidence will impress them more than any boasting don't puff yourself up or make yourself out to be too big a deal but don't put yourself down either remember they need you just as much as you need them some other things to remember smile listen ask questions look the other person in the eyes while he or she is talking to to you to show you're really paying attention use your own natural language your own words but make sure they're words that fit the occasion and bring your social security card health certificate if they're needed paper to work out notes on and uh say Hank have you an extra pencil pencil oh pencils yeah bring one or more than that if you two if you have them three three three yep three and four three and four bring a whole bunch if you have to if you're a real Point breaker you'll need them come to the test room ready to take the test one last thought if there are any dates of jobs you've hell that you're not sure about write them down or references names and addresses phone numbers write them down and uh remember to bring them along with you and good luck well I feel we did it did what Susan well we self-evaluated right we self-evaluated and when we weren't sure we checked our occupational preference test and then double checked with an aptitude test we know where we want to go that's for sure and then we checked with our occupational grouping yep we should have picked our groups and then found out about any possible open positions headed right over to the federal state or city Personnel or employment office and got our applications we got them filled them in sent them in and took our civil service test the written the unassembled and the oral as I said we did it all yeah good feeling just one thing oh what's that we forget something well I was just wondering I hope we passed oh come on no problem about it sure we did oh by the way Sue uh the mailman left this for you it's from them Public Service come on let's go let's see what you did I passed out fantastic it's it's not easy but hundreds of thousands of people have made it if you're interested maybe a career in public service is just for you if you follow the routines we outline today and do a little checking on your own it might help put you in public service when you pick up the phone and get the police or you get a from your favorite need or census checks population increas that's service when you get all the about aspir a new bus service is about to begin or Internal Revenue calls you in yes that's Public Service we're here because you need what we do we're here to provide that service for you just for you just for you when you get a license to sell wine and beer or Warnings are heard about SM in the air or you get free help with a newer yes that's service when you climb in a jet take a safe flight or the book you wrote needs a copyight or farmers get help in fighting the flight BS that's service we're here here because you need what we do we here to provide that for you just for you just for you BS we may even have a job for youo B that's service that's that's service yes that's service we do it for [Music] you