It's the sort of job that has that ‘feel good' factor. From firefighting careers to health care, those in public service universally claim that working with, and helping others, has given them both a sense of purpose and increased their feelings of self worth.

Getting employed in such jobs as raising funds for charity or not-for-profit groups is competitive.  However, jobs do exist. Building a career in public service, prospective employees need to make sure their aspirations are in line with the demands of the field. A strong commitment to service is the key in being successful.

A variety of websites help steer people to interesting careers in public service. At www.govtjobs.com, billed as the nation's leading website devoted to helping people find public service employment, job listings are current and open for online application. Job resource information is listed state by state, with links to municipal, city and county government Web sites. Local government executive search firms are listed as well.

Civil service employment generally means a person works for the government in some capacity - considered the ultimate job in public service, other than serving one's country in a branch of the Armed Forces.

Civil service encompasses employment in federal, state and local government agencies, with jobs in local municipalities such as school districts, villages and townships. But jobs in government, believed to be among the most secure of work environments, are highly sought after. Great retirement and health care benefits attract many to the field.  For listings of Federal government jobs by state, visit www.careerplanning.about.com.

Working for a non-profit organization offers both monetary rewards as well as those that are intangible, such as happiness. According to a report from the University of Chicago, clergy were found to be the most satisfied of American workers who pursued a career in public service. Teaching and protecting others also are fall under the broad base of public service. Firefighters and transportation ticket and reservation agents also ranked high on the happiness scale, as found by the University of Chicago.

On the flip side, more than 87 percent of employees are still searching for their dream job, according to Harris Interactive study that came out in 2007.

"Workers want to enjoy their work experience, apply their talents and feel like they're making an impact," said Richard Castellini, vice president of Consumer Marketing at CareerBuilder.com. "If given the opportunity to work at a Disney theme park for a day, most people would jump at the chance."

At www.jobangels.com, a website created to helping others fulfill their employment dream of helping others, people are brought together via online networking. The grassroots movement, which began in 2009, has received recognition on television and in newspapers around the country.

Another helpful website for those seeking employment in public service through the Federal government, can be found at www.data.wherethejobsare.org/wtja/home.