NPS Doesn't care about you, but it's worth it!
Pros
You get to work in the most wonderful, magical places and engage with communities on shared national heritages. You have the opportunity to tell the most amazing stories, and see amazing sites. You get to wear the smokey the bear hat, and people love you just because of your uniform.
Cons
A lot of people want to work for the Park Service. They work SO HARD and are basically superheroes, and it can be very, very, very hard to get a permanent position. Please keep in mind that NPS is a government agency, with a lot of red tape. People that are in the agency have been traumatized by the poor management and leadership practices. If you choose to pursue this career, just know that it will be a battle to get in, a battle to stay sane, and a battle to get good work done. Every day. It's super hard, but it's worth it. You still need your personal health and social life to keep you strong, so don't give up everything on your way there. When you are there, make a strategy for the toughest battles your positions faces so they don't eat away at you. AND WHATEVER YOU DO: be careful about performing duties outside of your scope, unless you want the professional development. This is how the agency functions on being so understaffed: by taking advantage of their employees. So don't do it! For the good of us all! Love, luck, and solidarity to you!
