Policies and Procedures

Setting up your Placement File

If you are planning on seeking employment, you will need to contact the Graduate Placement Coordinator to activate your job placement file. 

Instructions for first time users of the placement service:

• Fill out the Department of Government Placement Agreement Form and submit it to the Graduate Coordinator in charge of placement.

• Order an official transcript from the University of Texas at Austin Office of The Registrar.
• You should order it after the first class day so that the current semester appears on the official transcript.  Please have the Registrar’s Office deliver the transcript to Graduate Placement Coordinator.

• You can also have transcripts from other universities in your placement file.  Please ask the Graduate Coordinator to check your admissions file for these transcripts before ordering new ones.

• Ask at least three people to write letters of recommendation for you.  These letters are considered confidential and must be mailed or hand delivered to the Graduate Coordinator in charge of placement.

Instructions for those who already have a placement file:

• Fill out the Department of Government Placement Agreement Form and submit it to the Graduate Coordinator in charge of placement. A new form is required each year you use the service.

• Order an official transcript from the University of Texas at Austin Office of The Registrar.
  Check with the Graduate Coordinator in charge of placement to see if this step applies to you.

• You can also have transcripts from other universities in your placement file.  Please ask the Graduate Coordinator to check your admissions/placement file for these transcripts before ordering new ones.

• The letters in your placement file must be kept up-to-date.  You must have your letter writers supply updated letters for your file.  It is best to have your letters updated yearly. Letters that are more than two years old will not be mailed.

Procedures for Placement File Mailing Request

• Your request must be made in writing.  Each request must include the Placement Service Request Form. 

• Attach to the Placement Service Request Form your address labels (of the places you are applying to) and a photocopy of the labels.  You need to write the application deadline next to the addresses on the photocopy.  Make sure you use labels that will have enough room for the address. Sample 1 | Sample 2

• All current letters of recommendation and only your UT transcript will be sent to the addresses provided unless otherwise noted on the photocopy (next to the address).  Occasionally you will need to supply a transcript from another institution or if you have more than three letters on file, you may specify which letters to send.

• Requests need to be made 10 working days (this does not include weekends) prior to the institution's application deadline to ensure delivery before said deadline.

• Failure to follow these procedures will delay your request.

Helpful Job Search Links page

Contact Information for Coordinator:

The University of Texas at Austin
Job Placement Service
Department of Government
1 University Station A1800
Austin, TX 78712-0119

Email: gov-gac@gov.utexas.edu
Phone number: 512-471-5121