State Government Hiring Procedures

Working outdoors for a state government is awesome. The jobs are easier to apply for, there is less competition, and more demand for energetic, lively workers like you. Overall, the state governments are more easy going and much less strict.

State governments usually require that applicants be 18 years old, but if you’re a student – either high school or college – you can bend that rule and apply when you are 16. You also must be legally able to work in the United States. You usually don’t even need prior experience, but some positions do require special things – for example you can’t drive a car if you don’t have a driver’s license and you can’t be a lifeguard without CPR training. But if you meet their requirements, it’s time to start looking into where you want to work.

Start by picking a state park that interests you. You can apply anywhere because every state has state parks. You may want to check out:

  • Vermont’s Silver Lake
  • Tennessee’s Paris Landing
  • Rhode Island’s Beavertail
  • Oklahoma’s Quartz Mountain

Any of those look good? Or if those don’t fit your needs, you could look into:

  • Oregon’s Smith Rock
  • Nevada’s Valley of Fire

There are so many choices that deciding where you want to work may be the hardest part of the whole process.

Once you pick your playground, it’s time to apply.

Do your research first. The deadlines are usually later than the federal government’s January cut-off, but they do vary depending on state and park. Also note that each and every park has a unique application process.


Luckily, the application process is pretty easy unlike the federal government application process, which is sometimes described as a nightmare. The state application will be official, but won’t require too many details. It may take a few hours, not a few days to complete.

You may also be curious about what you will be paid working for the state government in your dream job. Well it varies for every state and every position. But a general rule of thumb is that you’ll be making pretty similar wages as the same job in a federal government position, which ranges from $8 to $15 an hour. Obviously entry-level jobs will be paid entry-level wages and with experience, training, and special skills you’ll be making more.

One of the great things about state seasonal outdoor jobs is that you’ll be making money by doing things you love to do. What could be better than that?

 

NEXT PAGE: Summer Jobs with Parks Concessionaires

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