We've all heard about government jobs, but where are they? Well, the government has a pretty good-looking Website that will tell you exactly what it is looking for, and where the jobs are located.

There is a projected total of 11,549 IT employees to be hired by the U.S. government between now and 2012.

Check out the site http://wherethejobsare.org for a complete listing of jobs, including IT, but also jobs in public health, security, compliance, legal and program management.

But if you want IT only, check out http://data.wherethejobsare.org/wtja/field/1502. There you will find every department that is hiring and every projected target between now and next year, including information on how many positions have been filled already. This site then links out to the full spectrum of departmental sites and details the application process and job descriptions. However, you may want to skip all that and go directly to usajobs.gov.

While there are some obvious hurdles to get over to work for the government, which can include very detailed background checks, security clearances and extensive documentation, including resumes that may require having the full address of your high school (no joke), there are some great benefits to working for Uncle Sam.

Think government pension, personal investment options, pre-tax federal health care and one the most important things long term: stability. But also pay attention to the details, dates and deadlines. When they ask for something, they want everything and their deadlines are hard dates, and every job requires something different.

You may consider hiring a professional resume writer with experience in federal resumes to take on the task.

Careerbuilder sums up benefits in a little more detail in the article "Working for the Government vs. Corporate America":

The government is known for strong employee benefits, which are the same for every employee, whereas top corporate executives often receive special added benefits. Government employees receive, among other benefits:

* thirteen sick days per year that roll over
* ten paid holidays and vacation time that increases over the years
* flexible work schedules and teleworking options
* options for extending healthcare coverage to parents, adult children, and other family members

Some government agencies also offer public transit subsidies, recruitment bonuses for exceptional hires and hard-to-fill jobs, student loan repayment, and relocation assistance. Perhaps most important, the government's retirement benefits are secure, unlike the private sector these days. Government pensions are based on salary and years of service, and health insurance continues into retirement.

Careerbuilder goes on to detail that the U.S. government is already the largest employer in the country, and only 15 percent of all its jobs are in Washington, D.C.

If you are interested in seeing all government jobs by location and job type, this is the site for you: http://www.usajobs.gov/