Federal Jobs

Ready To Quit? Consider These Things First

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Many of us fantasize about quitting our jobs—usually in a moment of pique or fear. Over the last several weeks, many federal employees I have spoken with are seriously considering their options. Before quitting impulsively, consider the following:

  • Do you have a real plan? Have you mapped out your job search strategy? Have you assessed exactly what you’re looking for in your next job? Are you willing to move if necessary? Go into an office fulltime? Before you start to look for your next position, decide what is most important to you so you have clear parameters for your search.
  • Do you have another job lined up? If not, how quickly (realistically) do you think you can land another job? Can you afford to be unemployed? If so, for how long? Do you have high monthly payments? Have you created a budget?
  • Are your salary expectations for your next role realistic? No hiring manager cares what you “need” to make…they’re only interested in what they think the job (and you) are worth. If you work in a niche industry (such as astrophysicist) or high demand occupation (like cybersecurity), you’re more likely to be able to negotiate a high salary.
  • Is your resume updated and your LinkedIn robust? These are critical tools in every job seeker’s toolbox.
  • Have you removed your personal documents, emails, and contact information from work systems? If not, this is something you want to do before announcing your resignation. And of course, you’ll need to follow your organization’s rules regarding what documents belong to the organization.
  • Determine if there are ethics / conflict of interest rules which need to be followed as you search for your next role? Make sure you understand any restrictions on your search before getting started.
  • Review your medical and other benefits. How will you cover your health insurance if you are unemployed? Yes, you will likely be eligible for COBRA but do know that premiums may be much higher than what you ar used to. Have you taken a loan against your 401 (k) or Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)? How will you repay it? What are your options to rollover your 401 (k)?
  • Is this the right time to leave? Have you appropriately considered your options? What do you have to lose /gain by leaving? Would some time off help you gain some perspective?

Whatever you decide, make sure that your decision is well considered and if you do decide to leave, do so with grace and professionalism.

Looking For A Job While Still Employed?

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The best time to look for a job is when you already have one. No hiring manager purposely decides to hire someone who is unemployed. Keeping your options open and making sure that you’re paying attention to what’s going on and having a resume ready to go is called “career cushioning;” something that should be part of your career strategy.

Here are some strategies for career cushioning:

  • Monitoring the job market
  • Preparing/updating job search documents and LinkedIn profile
  • Networking with recruiters and others who can assist with a job search
  • Arranging for informational interviews to learn more about an organization
  • Activating job search alerts and browsing job listings
  • Creating a target list of prospective employers
  • Applying for jobs
  • Researching opportunities in new career fields
  • Inventorying your skills and interests for alignment with future opportunities
  • Improve your personal brand by increasing your online visibility (blogging, social media engagement, etc.)
  • Upskilling/reskilling/training
  • Starting a side hustle that could become a job/career or taking on freelance work
  • Working with a resume writer and/or career coach

One of the most important parts of career cushioning is protecting your future.

  • What kind of job or career do you see yourself in a few years down the road?
  • What skills would that job or career require?
  • What steps do you need to take today to prepare yourself for a job search tomorrow or in the near future?

One key tactic for setting yourself up for success is networking. Connecting with individuals inside and outside your field can help you land your next role. Networking can help you identify unadvertised job opportunities, connect with recruiters and hiring managers, and learn more about an organization before you apply for an advertised opening.

Especially when pursuing a confidential job search, networking can help open door to finding the next job opportunity. No longer does networking mean just attending industry conferences and trade shows — connecting with contacts on LinkedIn and using LinkedIn messages to stay in touch can be just as effective.

Even if your position isn’t threatened, career cushioning is a smart strategy to ensure you’re being paid a market rate and you’re ready for an opportunity if it arises.

If you’re looking to learn even more, check out our other career resources.

It’s That Time Of Year Again!

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September means that school is starting, along with the fall season. September is also Update Your Resume Month!

Since most careers require a resume in order to gain employment, it’s important that job seekers take a proactive approach in order to be ready for any and all opportunities that come their way. Too often, people try to write their resume at the last minute, which is the worst time to prepare a document that needs to be perfect. A well-crafted resume takes time and research, and Update Your Resume Month is a perfect reminder to be prepared for new opportunities

To update your resume, consider the following:

  • What have you accomplished for your employer? Have you improved efficiency (and if so, by how much?) Complete more than xx number of transactions in a specified timeframe? Have you saved your organization money (and if so, how much)? Etc. If you have written an annual self-assessment or accomplishment report as part of your annual performance evaluation, review that to help you get started.
  • Have you completed a new degree or certification? Or learned new skills?
  • Is your current resume focused on the past 10 years (I promise no one cares what you did in 1980).
  • Have you had a new job since you last updated your resume?
  • Is your resume keyword-rich for the position(s) you’d like to target?
  • Did you check that the dates and titles on your resume are consistent with what you have on LinkedIn?
  • Are acronyms spelled out?
  • Is your resume visually appealing? Readable (font is not too small and neither are your margins)?
  • Do you have both a federal and private sector resume? You never know what opportunities will become available and it’s best to be prepared!

September is the perfect time to think back on the past year of your career and achievements—and get ready for the future. This will you be prepared to maximize your opportunities and take the next step in your career.

To celebrate this time of year, don’t miss out on the opportunity to invest in your professional growth and secure your path to federal job success by using code BACKTOSCHOOL for 10% off our self-paced online training courses by September 30, 2024!

What Does The Federal Workforce Look Like?

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The Partnership for Public Service recently published a profile of the federal government’s 2M civilian, executive branch employees based on data from FedScope. Here are some fun facts:

  • Between 2019 and 2023, the federal workforce grew by ~140,000 employees.
  • In 1945, the federal workforce represented 2.5% of the entire US population; today, federal government employees make up ~.6% of the US population.
  • The vast majority of federal employees are involved in defense and national security (nearly 71%). The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has 20% of the entire federal workforce with 400,000 employees.
  • The top occupational category in the government is medical and medically aligned positions; these include physicians, nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists, dental officers, veterinarians and many other public health occupations. There are ~310,000 federal employees in these occupations.
  • Despite media reports to the contrary, only 20% of federal employees work in the Washington, DC-Maryland-Virginia area.
  • Only 7.4% of federal employees are under the age of 30; this is lower than the US labor force; 42.6% of the federal workforce is 50+. New hires are primarily between the ages of 30 and 49 (55%)/
  • The federal government is more diverse than the private sector with 60% of employees identifying as white (compared to 76% in the private sector). 26% of the members of the Senior Executive Service (SES) identify as people of color and 39% of SES members are women.
  • 30% of federal employees are veterans.
  • Education levels are higher in the government as well, with 53.8% holding at least an undergraduate degree (compared to 40.4% in the IS labor force).

Want more data? FedScope (www.fedscope.opm.gov) can provide it!

Wondering Why Your Career Has Stalled?

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There are lots of reasons your career has stalled—and many of them have nothing to do with your supervisor. If you find your career to be stuck, you need to take a hard look at how you might be contributing to the situation.

Here are some of the most common reasons things are not going as well as you had hoped.

You don’t take the initiativeYou fulfill only your job requirements
The position you want doesn’t existYou only want a paycheck—and it’s clear
You have an entitlement mentalityYou are unorganized / procrastinate
Your job skills are outdatedYour personal issues affect your performance
You lack interpersonal skillsYou don’t follow through
You don’t implement suggestionsYou don’t express interest in development
You lack professionalismYou have “issues” with key personnel
Of course, there are other possibilities as well but if one (or more) of the above reasons resonate with you, consider making a commitment to getting your career back on track. You can make a plan by documenting the following—and following through:

Feedback Received:    

What Needs to Work:    

My solution to fix this is:    

I can demonstrate improvement by:    

While I cannot guarantee that this will work, at a very minimum it will allow you to know that you did everything you could before you decide to move on to another employer.

If you’re considering a career change check out our free Career Change Self-Assessment Worksheet and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need assistance with updating your resume, interview prep, or more!

How To Turn Down A Job Offer (Without Burning Bridges)

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You’ve decided that the job offered isn’t the right one for you — so how do you turn down the job offer gracefully? Just because you were offered the job doesn’t mean you have to accept it.

The first step is to decide how you’re going to communicate that you’re declining the job offer. If you had a good rapport with the hiring manager, and the hiring manager is who made the job offer, it makes sense to reach out to him or her directly using the phone. Don’t put off telling them no if you have decided you’re not going to accept the job.

If the offer was extended through a human resources representative, you may decide to let the HR rep know you’re declining the offer, again by phone, and then follow up with the hiring manager as well.

You want to communicate three key points:

  • You are grateful for the job offer
  • You’re declining the offer
  • You appreciate their time and consideration of you as a candidate

The most important is the second point — it should be clear that you’re turning down the job offer. You don’t have to provide a reason for doing so, but it’s likely you’ll be asked, so be ready.

Here is one possible answer: “After thinking it over, I just don’t think now is the right time for me to make a move,” or “After getting a better understanding of the role, I’ve come to realize this role isn’t the right fit for me.” Don’t provide criticism of the job or the organization when providing your reason for declining the job offer.

Don’t lie. It can be easy to say, “I’ve decided to accept a different job offer,” but if that’s not the case, it may come back to bite you. It’s fine to say you’ve decided to stay at your current job, but don’t make up another job offer as a way to decline this one.

The most important thing is to be clear that you’ve made your decision. If you’ve decided that you aren’t accepting the position, don’t be persuaded in the conversation you’re having to decline the job offer to accept it. (Especially if you are offered more money after previously being turned down for a salary increase when you made a counteroffer.)

If you’d like to be considered for other jobs at the organization in the future, make sure that you emphasize that you appreciate learning more about the organization but that this specific role wasn’t the right fit. It’s no guarantee that you will be considered for other roles in the future, but you’re trying not to burn the bridge. In fact, you can express interest in staying in touch with the hiring manager in the hopes that you’ll be considered for future opportunities.

Declining a job offer can be difficult. However, turning down a role that you ultimately wouldn’t be happy in is important. But it’s better for you — and the organization — that you decline the position so they can find someone who is a better fit.