Washington, DC (NAPSI) - Jobs with the federal government offer many benefits, everything from good pay to pensions.

If you are looking for a government job, here are some tips:

• Get to know the landscape. Take the time to identify the specific government departments or agencies that are a good match for your interests and experience. For example, if you’re a financial professional intrigued with the environment, you might investigate finance jobs with the National Park Service.

The government Web portal USAjobs.gov is an excellent starting point to learn about federal agencies and the positions they need to fill. You can search the site by location, the type of job you want, the department you’d like to work for or your skills.

• Look for openings on agency sites. All federal agencies are required to list their openings publicly and most do so on USAjobs.gov. But some agencies prefer to post on their own sites, so be sure to check those, too.

• Talk to friends who are government employees to learn about openings and to gain insights into the job application and interview process. Also check in with your college’s career services department to see if it has established relationships with any government agencies and recruiters. Many of them have.

• Reformat your résumé. The terminology used by the federal government in job descriptions can differ from what you’ll find in the nonprofit and private sectors. Be sure your résumé speaks their language.

• If you are male, make sure you have registered with the Selective Service within 30 days of your 18th birthday. Young men must register with the Selective Service System to be eligible for a federal job or a Pell Grant. In addition, many states and municipalities now link their jobs to Selective Service registration. Even some government contractors are now requiring proof of registration for employment.

A man can register on his smartphone at www.sss.gov or at any U.S. post office.