The Public Sector as a Career Choice: Antecedents of an Expressed Interest in Working for the Federal Government

Abstract

Data from a nationwide survey of recent college graduates were used to investigate the question of what factors, or antecedents, might exist that would lead to an interest in working for the public sector. As antecedents, three general classes of variables were identified including: demographics, religion and volunteer experiences, and recent critical historical events (i.e., reactions to 9/11 and the Iraq war). The dependent variable was an expressed interest in working for the federal government. Secondary data analysis was carried out on survey responses from 621 graduating seniors. The results indicated that minority group status, viewing government as a form of public service, and trust in the government were all significant predictors of interest in working for the federal government.