My First Permanent Job with the Park Service

Editor's Note: This post is part #1 of a series on becoming part of the National Park Service. New posts in the series should be added in the coming weeks.

I’m a park brat, the same way that some people are military brats.  One of my parents worked for the Park Service my entire life, so it was always a part of my life.  It wasn’t until I was in college that I even considered it as a career possibility.

We rarely visited other Park Service locations when I was growing up.  Indeed, we only really traveled once a year and there was only one NPS location near where I grew up.  However, I did see almost every inch of the park my parent worked for.

Photo credit: SaintLost

Photo credit: NPS

I think being a park brat heavily influenced my eventual decision to pursue a career with NPS.  Initially, I wanted nothing to do with it, still being in that “rebellious” mindset of not wanting anything to do with my mother in the workplace.  Eventually, I fell in love with it all and set myself on the path to getting a job.  Hint: Start looking at USAJobs.gov!

The cert, the list of the top 10 or so people that qualified, for any given position is going to be heavily populated with either people with perfect qualifications (some are liars) or those with veteran’s preference (not a bad thing).  You might not think it, but a lot of people want the entry level positions working for the Park Service, even working at an entrance station.

My story is more about luck than anything else.  I had a lot of drive-thru cashier experience, so it ended up that I was perfect for working at an entrance station.  However, I think the only reason I made the cert is because of my stint as a seasonal Park Ranger.  How they came to my name above whoever else they had interviewed I’ll never know.

What I do know is that interviewing with enthusiasm was a huge part of why I was chosen. While I didn't know everything about the job I was pursuing, I did know that I wanted it. As a friend of mine always tells me, the worst thing that can happen from applying for a job is that they offer it to you. I realize there are arguments against that saying, but the meaning behind it really is that applying for a job doesn't actually hurt. IF you get the job, then you have to decide whether or not you want it and are willing to uproot your life for it. Working for an organization with remote sites like the National Park Service, upheaval really is a big possibility and commitment. Your new job is likely to be hours away from the nearest major city, and things like going out to dinner at a restaurant or catching a movie after work may no longer be possible. It's up to you to determine what is important to you.

Photo credit: SaintLost

For me, taking this job involved moving cross-country and being over an hour away from the nearest grocery store. My brother made that move easier, but it was also expensive. Only in certain circumstances will NPS be able to help pay for the cost of moving. Mine was not one of them.

Working at an entrance station isn't glamorous. It isn't usually exciting, can be stressful, and doesn't pay as much as other government jobs. Yet, I wouldn't trade the experiences, friends, and career path I made for anything in the world.

Photo credit: SaintLost

One of the main things I recommend if you want to pursue a career with the Park Service is have some notable experience at one.  Try to volunteer at the closest location, get a seasonal position, or work as a student hire (much easier to get than a seasonal position, if you lack experience.)

My tips for building your resume on USAJobs:

• Be extremely thorough in your description of duties at past jobs. Even the smallest thing can be seen as a game changer from the perspective of the person doing the hiring.
• Write a succinct list of the skills you gained and the duties you had in your various positions. Be very thorough.
• Read through the questionnaires that you have to fill out when applying for a job ahead of time. Include anything you have experience with, but had not previously included, on your resume. Without this, you’ll be automatically disqualified from consideration.

If you have questions about specific types of positions, feel free to leave a comment on this blog.

Makeshift Medical - Doing more with less, the NPS way.

If I ever submit a story, it is safe to assume it is something odd or ridiculous that happened to me.  In this case, it was when I worked at South Entrance Station for Grand Canyon National Park.

It is standard when working for any job, government or otherwise, that you do not come to work when you are contagiously sick.  However, when you are passed that point, you should be at work, no matter how miserable you are.  During my first year at GRCA, this happened to me.

I’d been very sick with a respiratory infection for a couple days, but once the worst of it had passed, it was back to work.  I drank lots of water, had soup and fruit whenever I ate, and made sure I didn’t overexert myself, while trying to protect my lungs from any cold air.  It being October in Northern Arizona, that was starting to become quite the feat.  Not to even mention all the coughing I was still doing, which was eliciting some horrified looks from the visitors that went through my lane (it sounded like I was dying, I imagine).

In order to avoid making myself sicker and to prevent the visitors from being grossed out, a search for a medical face mask commenced.  Now, this is a standard item to have in such a work situation where public contact is constant.  Of course, none could be found.  Welcome to employment with the United States Federal Government.

So, I made my own. Comprised of coffee filters, rubber bands, and staples, and despite my constant coughing, copious amounts of vehicle exhaust, and Jason Vorhees style, the mask lasted all day.

Needless to say, my superiors heard about this and from then on, there would always be actual medical face masks available for use.