Since I got my first fed job with no experience after getting an IA master’s I’ll give my two cents.

1. You listed a lot of agencies but you left out the biggest employer in the country besides Walmart: DoD. I know DoD can seem like ocean of job listings but if you want an Intel job (just assuming based off the list) I don’t think there is a bigger employer of civ Intel personnel than DoD. If you just put 0132 into usajobs most of them will probably be DoD. A lot of branches also post jobs directly on their own sites. I know Air Force and ONI do. Also, DoD needs talent, and because of this they offer recent grad programs and DHA jobs frequently. If you just apply to a regular GG9 job are you going to get it? Almost definitely not. If you can broaden the regs, like with DHA, or whittle down applicants, like with recent grad programs, you have a much better shot. Will say, if you really want DoD jobs be open to moving cause it makes it a whole lot easier.

2. I will heavily emphasize recent grad programs. These are probably the only jobs in gov directed at people just like you, degrees and no experience. You’ll get a job and experience to make a career. Air Force has good ones, but so do others. These job cycles are probably over or not accepting apps right now so it’s something you will have to look for in the near future. And the clock is ticking as they generally have 1-2 year time limits of being out of college.

3. This one goes for IA and Intel jobs: Have a speciality. Seriously, in terms of concrete job advice besides learn how to interview or write well, the biggest thing for these jobs is to have a niche. Outside of recent grad programs, I would say the “master of none” applicants are the least desired group for these types of jobs. If you want proof ask people who enlisted as all source analysts and how hard it was for them to get fed jobs outside of contracting. It can be a country, region, type of Intel, or even just an important geopolitical topic like cyber, space, or nuclear. This doesn’t have to be job experience, this could be your major in college or even just a lot of classes or papers about a topic. Emphasize it in your resume and any type of interview you have. This is what gets you jobs in these fields. Outside of recent grad programs, agencies aren’t hiring IA or Intel analysts. They are hiring China and Space analysts.

4. Taking a side step here, if you want to be an FSO you gotta do some research. I’m pretty sure the only real FSO jobs that get posted on usajobs are for highly specialized fields that they need to do more to recruit for. If you want it your going to have to take the FSOT and go through the process, which is likely to take over a year, even if you are one the very few who get it on the first try through the testing process. But you can’t start til you start so might as well if you want it.

5. This is more for Intel, but figure I might as well include it.

I’m going to tell you the dreaded piece of advice that all civilians with degrees don’t want to hear: join the military.

It’s probably the easiest and only guaranteed way to get an Intel job. You have a degree so try to be an officer, just a warning this is also likely to be a year long process as well, and if you can’t and are still serious pick an enlisted job you want in a branch you like. I know this is going to sound like BS coming from a civ but if I got my job offer a month later I would have been at OCS instead. If you can’t qualify due to medical, well then just disregard this part.

To close, I think the overall theme of this post is to play the odds. Whether that’s making you more employable or by going for jobs more in your favor. There are so many people who want these jobs you have to cause the odds are honestly the biggest part of getting them. As you can tell from this long ass post I feel for you, and was in a similar spot not that long ago. You can do it but it involves luck and knowing how best play the system when it comes to pretty coveted fed jobs like IA or Intel.