What is the hierarchy of "prestige" entry-level fed positions for a new college grad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:White House bc I work for them. You need a grad degree though.

Not all the time. Family friends DD works for Biden White House. Attended college in Philadelphia (where the campaign was HQed); interned for the campaign during the primary to general throughout her senior year. Offered a campaign job after graduation, which lead to transition and now WH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:White House bc I work for them. You need a grad degree though.

Not all the time. Family friends DD works for Biden White House. Attended college in Philadelphia (where the campaign was HQed); interned for the campaign during the primary to general throughout her senior year. Offered a campaign job after graduation, which lead to transition and now WH.

Im not through a campaign and have been for administrations, I mean the actual get a job where you don’t leave w administrations. But that is one way, sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With just a bachelor's degree. I'm sorry to use prestige, I personally dislike that word, but I suppose it is somewhat synonymous with selective or highest standards. I'm assuming State is at or near the top (?), but I only base that on the fact they seem to have a lot of Ivy Leaguers and wealthy young adults. I'm sure I'm inviting snark, but I appreciate serious responses. I'm just a clueless mom trying to learn. Thank you sincerely.

There aren't many prestigious government positions for people with just an undergrad degree. I agree that an Federal Reserve RA is probably the job that opens the most doors and is most prestigious. Close after that would be committee staff on the hill. While Congress may be a disaster, those jobs are pretty good for someone without an advanced degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CIA is the most prestigious but you can't talk about it. So I guess State is next.

Disagree.

More state school grads at cia than non-irs treasury from my experience

I interviewed at: cia, state and treasury out of ug.

Treasury had the most elite school grads, then state, last cia

Received offers from state and cia but not treasury

Treasury was also the hardest interviews. CIA was a joke interview (but hardest “exam” portion)

Treasury Econ group (so macro, ia, etc) gs 09/11 is pretty sought after because the exit options are way better than from state or cia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FRB as a research assistant. Good pay, good mentoring, lots of hands-on training with data tools. It's a pit stop before applying for prestigious Econ PhD, law, or MBA programs.

I don't know about overall prestige, but this is a baller job for a recent grad. Incredible instant network, great resume booster. Plus FRB offers relocation assistance and very generous tuition reimbursement so you can get a few of your prereqs out of the way for grad school, free, while on the job.

Diff pp here, yeah I wanted to stick to something purely federal but if not, above is accurate

Frb or nyfed gets a lot of t20/ivy ug applicants

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NASA

This one as well

[Anonymous]

I started in USDOL as a 7 with a BA. But that might have been because they were matching a corporate job offer.

I wasn't very prestige conscious and my agency staff didn't mingle a lot with other agencies. However, I remember thinking the GAO analysts must be a notch up. I work with an ex-GAO analyst now and he confirmed my good impression of those jobs. I also was interested in working at Commerce: commercial attache work, various int'l trade oriented offices, and the Import/Export Bank.

CIA was interested but I turned down a Langley interview. I'm not a closedmouth type person. I don't get the feeling that it's prestigious - more patriotic and intellectual. I also worked with an ex-CIA analyst recently. Nothing amazing to report.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CIA is the most prestigious but you can't talk about it. So I guess State is next.

Disagree.

More state school grads at cia than non-irs treasury from my experience

I interviewed at: cia, state and treasury out of ug.

Treasury had the most elite school grads, then state, last cia

Received offers from state and cia but not treasury

Treasury was also the hardest interviews. CIA was a joke interview (but hardest “exam” portion)

Treasury Econ group (so macro, ia, etc) gs 09/11 is pretty sought after because the exit options are way better than from state or cia

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think CIA is all that prestigious.

For a lot of agencies, you can get a job there if your parent works there. Is that prestigious?

You can get a job there if you meet the qualifications of the job you applied for, do well in the interview, pass the security and medical screening process. Doesn't matter if you're a relative or not, everyone goes through the same process.

Signed,
CIA recruiter
https://www.cia.gov/careers/how-we-hire/

[Anonymous]

Asking this board about prestige is like asking someone who lives in a tent in Farragut Park for dinner recommendations on Nantucket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or followed by Justice.

You need a JD for that.

-- works at DOJ

Depends on the office and role.

Grants doesn’t need a JD and positions go up to GS-14.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or followed by Justice.

You need a JD for that.

-- works at DOJ

Depends on the office and role.

Grants doesn’t need a JD and positions go up to GS-14.

Non-lawyer jobs at DOJ aren't prestigious.

[Anonymous]

Accountant at the SEC

[Anonymous]

I don’t.know about prestige but GAO has recently started hiring college grads (there were always a few but more now) and the work is pretty interesting.

[Anonymous]

Fed straight out of college isn't prestigious