What kinds of appointed positions are available?
The president appoints thousands of executive branch employees across dozens of federal agencies, boards and commissions. For full-time appointments, the levels of employment range from agency staff to Cabinet secretaries and ambassadors that require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. For a complete list of appointed positions in the Executive Branch as of 2008, see “United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions,” commonly known as the Plum Book. A list of open, U.S. Senate-confirmed positions is available at the Washington Post’s Head Count. Volunteer boards and commissions are generally appointed by the president or the secretary of an agency. Some of these positions require significant time investments and may be compensated. Travel is typically arranged and paid for by the government. Agency-appointed boards and commissions are often announced in the Federal Register, as well as the Federal Advisory Committee Act database. Grant review bodies are generally appointed by the
