The greatest advice I gave as a government employee was always rooted in good common sense. This may seem obvious, but it really does make a difference when you are looking to move up in your career. My advice is straightforward and goes like this: “What you do when you DON’T get the job is […]
Finding a job you love and pursuing it for a personally fulfilling and financially rewarding career is a huge challenge in today’s highly competitive world. However, it is still possible if you follow some basic principles. Here are a few of the most important ones for finding a job you love: Define your ideal job […]
One of the biggest mistakes federal job candidates make is failing to sell themselves through accomplishments. Some candidates believe that listing accomplishments is only done on résumés in the corporate world. Not true! Actually, a résumé for a position in the federal government must show your qualifications to warrant that you meet eligibility requirements. (In […]
A new advertising campaign from IBM asserts that a successful CFO should be viewed as a Chief Future Officer. I smiled when I saw the ad because I thought businesses had exhausted all possible Chief Officer titles. Then I realized confusion already exists—from CAO (administrative or academic?) to CTO (technology or treasury?) to everything in […]
Warning: Read with care. The thoughts shared below are not intended for everyone. The ideas that follow are meant for local government public officials and career professionals who really want to make a difference. People often comment on the significant accomplishments I have made in my life. Though I am not sure any of my accomplishments […]
For generations the hallmark of government employment has been rock-steady job security. Career public sector employees often cite job security, together with generous retirement and fringe benefit packages, as factors which initially attracted them to their jobs and serve as a powerful retention force. However, the Great Recession has seen venerability turn to vulnerability. Government […]
Of the many facets involved in searching for and securing a new job, one activity that too often is given only cursory thought is soliciting and preparing references. If this is your first job, you may turn to a teacher who will tout your academic preparation and achievements, a coach who will vouch for your […]
Aging baby boomers, coupled with early retirement incentives designed to reduce salary loads, are swelling the ranks of retired public service professionals. Despite this crop of 60’s era retirees’ declaration that they would not toil into their advanced years like their parents’ generation, and notwithstanding generous pensions, many pursue encore careers. Motives may include bolstering […]
Government outsourcing, or privatization, is a central strategy to the notion of reengineering government which has been widely discussed and written about since the 1970s. However, while recession-choked cities and counties are now looking closer at outsourcing, historically the model has been slow to gain traction. Governments have long outsourced select non-core services to achieve […]
For many the job interview may be the most unnerving aspect of acquiring a job. It represents a more intimate exchange than a resume review and is far more subjective than the average civil service exam. Whether little more than a “meet and greet” or a rigorous subject matter expertise inquiry, in a matter of […]
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