More than six million Americans are still looking for work, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Amid ongoing economic uncertainty, the federal government remains one of the country’s most active employers, with open roles for nurses, actuaries, physicists, engineers and IT professionals listed at USAJobs.gov.
But prospective applicants may notice something different about the application process in 2025. Alongside typical questions about experience and qualifications, some federal job forms now ask about an applicant’s alignment with presidential policy priorities, raising concerns about political screening in what are supposed to be nonpartisan civil service roles.
