What is it Like to Work for the National Park Service?
From time to time I get questions or receive e-mail inquiries about jobs or volunteer opportunities at the National Park Service - what jobs are available, how to apply, and so on. If you're considering a full-time position or even a part-time assignment with the National Park Service, it is probably a good idea to find out as much information as you can ahead of time, including the skills required and the day-to-day expectations.
To help provide you with some insight, I thought it might be useful to interview some of the people who work for the National Park Service in various capacities, from office personnel to park rangers. They'll be able to explain firsthand what it's like to work for NPS, what they like and dislike about their jobs, and how they cope with daily challenges. This is the first of several installments that I hope to do in the coming months.
This interview is with Carol Anthony, Public Affairs Specialist in the Office of Communications for the National Park Service. Carol received her Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from Towson State University (Baltimore, MD) and has worked at the national headquarters of NPS in Washington, D.C. for almost ten years. She has held positions in Public Affairs as a Public Inquiries Clerk, Public Affairs Assistant, Writer/Editor, and Public Affairs Specialist.
Q. Carol, how did you originally become interested in working for the National Park Service?
I thought the National Park Service would undoubtedly prove to be an interesting agency to work for because of the subject matter -- national parks, wildlife, park visitors, etc. I saw a vacancy announcement for a Public Inquiries Clerk in the national headquarters office of the National Park Service. I applied for the position and was fortunate enough to get the job, which eventually led to my current position as Public Affairs Specialist.
Q. How long have you held your most recent position of Public Affairs Specialist, and what type of training did it require?
I've been in that position for about three years now, and it required a bachelor's degree, preferably in Mass Communications.
Q. What is typical day like at your job?
Current National Park Service issues and news stories dictate what my day is going to be like. Normally, I come into the office at 7am and check my voice mail and email messages first thing to see if anything is breaking that I need to be aware of or attend to right away. I read any news clips that have come in overnight to stay abreast of current issues being reported on in the media. Today, I am working on a Founder's Day message from the Director to all employees, finalizing talking points for our public affairs folks in the regions/parks on overflights at the Grand Canyon National Park, preparing an information packet for a filming company, and working on a press release announcing the new Concessions chief. During the course of my workday, I take media calls as they come in and respond to inquiries, which may require setting up interviews and/or gathering information on a given topic. I often work under stringent deadlines because of working primarily with the media.
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Q. Do specific types of questions get routed to you, as compared to, let's say, others who work in the Office of Communications, or is everyone equally suited to handling all types of inquiries?
Yes, for the most part I respond to questions pertaining to operation issues for the National Park Service. For example, typical questions would be about search and rescue missions, personal watercraft use, crime statistics, youth programs, concession issues, etc. Other specialists in this office deal with natural and cultural issues. However, by in large, we are all able to answer most incoming calls.
Q. What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy any interaction with the media-from setting up press breakfasts to organizing full press conferences. I especially look forward to writing assignments, particularly speeches.
Q. What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
Keeping abreast of all of the ongoing issues. It is important to stay on top of an issue that potentially will have a long shelf life, so that you are able to respond to media inquiries expeditiously and with accuracy.
Q. Are there any particular skills that you wished you had before taking your job?
It would have been helpful to have some formal media training -- how to deal with controversial issues and how to deal with the media in general.
Q. What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
I've been working on the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program, which is ongoing. I've also been dealing with the issues of personal watercraft usage in the park, and an alternative fuel initiative, which is one of three parts of a joint project between the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior.
Q. Do people who call ever ask for you to make recommendations for parks to visit, lodging, etc?
Not usually. Those questions are commonly fielded in our Office of Public Inquiries.
Q. Does your office keep track of the number of requests for information that come in every day and the nature of the requests? If so, what is done with this information?
Our Office of Public Inquiries does track requests for information and we use it to determine how we should be staffed/budgeted, what areas of concern the public has and how we can better serve our visitors.
Q. Since most people take vacations in the summer, do you typically get busier in the spring/summer? Is it necessary to hire additional people on a seasonal basis?
The summer season is the busiest and sometimes we are fortunate enough to have seasonal hires.
Q. Does your job give you opportunity to visit any parks; if so, what are some of your favorites?
My supervisor is very supportive of trying to get us out to the parks when it is deemed appropriate and will be a valuable experience. I have not traveled often, but will always be in awe of the Grand Canyon.
Q. Has the rapid growth of the World Wide Web and the amount of information that is now out there changed the number and nature of inquiries you get. If so, how?
In my opinion, I think the World Wide Web has helped to make the inquiries that we receive now more sophisticated because so much information already exists and is readily available before they (the public) get to us.
Q. If someone calls your office to request information on a specific park, how is it handled? Do you refer them to web site, send them a brochure, give them phone number for specific park, or what?
All of the above. We try to be as helpful as possible and treat each request individually. Sometimes a brochure or our website will do the job, other times I find it necessary to put the person in touch with someone on the ground at their destination park.
Q. About how many people work at the National Park Service headquarters in Washington, DC?
As of August 16th, there are 487 National Park Service employees stationed in the headquarters office in Washington, D.C.
Q. What changes have you noticed in NPS since you started working there?
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In the last decade, I think the National Park Service has re-dedicated itself to improving how we communicate with our visitors to ensure the best park experience possible (i.e. ongoing development of excellent interpretation programs, established website, placed strong emphasis on quality customer service). I also think the agency is more aware of the significance of telling the complete story of our past, including the good and the bad, because all aspects of our history are just that -- our history and need to be preserved. Hopefully, we will learn from our mistakes (i.e. Manzanar National Historic Site in California, which commemorates the World War II internment of Japanese-Americans in the Manzanar War Relocation Center) and build on our triumphs (i.e. recent designation of Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Alabama commemorating the famed Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, which will tell the story of integration of the U.S. military). Also, we are working harder to find innovative ways to overcome financial difficulties brought about by increasing levels of visitation, unfunded infrastructure repair, and rising operating costs. Currently, we are participating in the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program, a program created by Congress to help land managing agencies test new fees and be able to keep revenue at the park where it was collected.
Q. If someone was interested in working for the National Park Service, what advice could you give them?
I think the best place to start is with our Personnel Office, here in Washington, DC at (202) 208-4648. They can provide information about job opportunities and advise a potential applicant on education, training, and skills needed to work for the National Park Service.
