Struggling a bit with county job applications — looking for advice on breaking in
Hey everyone,
I’m currently job searching and could use some advice from people who’ve gone through something similar.
I have a bachelor’s degree in a social sciences-related field and experience working in community program coordination, outreach, and supporting public-facing programs in a nonprofit/public health setting. A lot of my work has involved community engagement, event coordination, and administrative/program support across different counties in my area.
Right now I’ve been mostly applying for county and local government roles (program coordination, recreation/community services, outreach-type roles, etc.).
What I’m running into:
- Some counties seem to expect more direct “government experience” than I currently have
- Fairfax County positions especially feel very competitive / experience-heavy
- I’ve had some back-and-forth with Loudoun County but nothing has moved forward yet
Im at a dead end in my current job with no way I can get a promotion since its grant related and personally living pay check to pay check is getting ridiculous. I’m trying to figure out if I’m applying for the right level of roles, or if I should be targeting something different to get my foot in the door or even jobs that aren't government.
For people who’ve broken into county or local government work or have any advice in general.
- What helped you get your first role?
- Any advice on how to better position nonprofit/community experience for government hiring?
Appreciate any insight — just trying to figure out the best path forward without wasting time applying in the wrong direction.