MULTIPLE FACTORS ARE CREATING JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

In the private sector today, "pink slips are landing everywhere, even in corner window offices," according to a report on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition." In its October 2002 story, NPR noted that 1.6 million Americans have been out of work for six months or longer.

Those in need of jobs often don't think of the Federal government as a potential employer. And jobseekers who are interested can be discouraged by news of cutbacks in some segments of government. Yet great job opportunities exist within the Federal government today! "The government needs people now," says federal jobs expert Kathryn Kraemer Troutman. "Reasons for the vacancies are complicated. Some important factors include the aging Federal workforce, earlier government reduction efforts, and outdated recruiting practices."

Currently the Federal government is expected to:

• Hire more than 250,000 people over the next two years
• Lose hundreds of thousands of additional employees to retirement over the next decade
• Intensify staffing related to homeland defense initiatives.

The statistics are mind-boggling. According to the Wall Street Journal, roughly half of all government workers are eligible to retire within the coming three years, and about one-fifth are predicted to do so. Currently more Federal employees are in their 60s than in their 20s! And agencies essential for the War on Terrorism are among those facing possible large retirement hits (30% of workers at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and 36% of those at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, could retire by 2006). For more information, see the 09/19/02 WSJ article, "Retirement Bubble Causes Void in Federal Work Force."

WHAT ABOUT EARLIER GOVERNMENT REDUCTION EFFORTS?

Today's Federal job opportunities can also be traced to efforts to reduce government in the 1990s. With hiring freezes, buyouts, and other measures, the government ultimately slashed nearly 17% of its 1.8 million employees from its payroll.

In 1999, in a law that authorized agencies to offer $25,000 buyouts to management employees who agreed to retire or resign, Congress voted to cut 272,000 Federal jobs. Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, 106th Congress (who in April of 1999 voted for legislation that enabled workforce cuts) admitted, "Frankly folks… we took a number. We did not make an analogy between the programs that we wanted accomplished and the level of personnel that would be required to accomplish those objectives."

Naturally, such efforts encouraged the exodus of the best employees, and today agencies don't have the needed skills on board. In retrospect, Federal officials now realize that the buyouts and reductions in workforce were indiscriminate and ill-considered.

PROBLEMS IN FEDERAL HR

Federal human resources departments were among the hardest hit by job cuts. Agency officials are now frustrated by the results of undervaluing the function of human resources during the downsizing frenzy of the 1990s. And unlike private sector employers, the government doesn't generally market itself as an employer or advertise vacancies.

Historically decentralized and largely autonomous, agency human resources offices developed a patchwork of announcement and application procedures. Even after reforms, "There are at least six primary ways to apply for a Federal job," explained Kathryn Troutman, an expert in teaching jobseekers how to navigate the difficult Federal hiring system. The government now has centralized online jobs announcements; however, not all human resource offices are required to post vacancies there.

The staffing deficit is most keenly felt in areas where special skills and experience must be cultivated, such as in management, law enforcement, intelligence analysis, technical skills, information technology, foreign languages, nursing and contract administration. <p> In a recent study, the Partnership for Public Service found that managers are "too thinly benched" and the government must recruit middle management professionals to avoid a major gap in skills between the middle and senior levels. Employees for management grades 13 through 15 levels ($60,000-$80,000) are nearly always sought.

There's also a special demand for people in law enforcement, intelligence, physical security, cybersecurity, and general computer skills. In addition, studies show that the government will need about 16,000 more technology professionals over the next decade, and hundreds of experts in Asian, Middle Eastern, and other languages. The General Accounting Office reported in a study that the lack of competence in foreign languages has hampered U.S. commercial interests, military operations, diplomacy, law enforcement, intelligence operations, and counter-terrorism efforts.

Services with the most immediate staffing needs include the intelligence services, the Federal Aviation Administration, law enforcement agencies, the Defense Department, and many of the 22 agencies reorganized under the new Homeland Security Department.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

"To be serious about applying for a Federal job, you need information about how to apply, how the agencies hire, and where to find the job listings. This means researching, visiting websites, reading articles and learning about the Federal government as an employer." -Kathryn Kraemer Troutman

Practical Advice: Where to start? Read Troutman's new book "Ten Steps to a Federal Job: Navigating the Federal Job System" and visit www.resumeplace.com, with its helpful links to other websites.
On the Issues: See "Retirement Bubble Causes Void in Federal Work Force," The Wall Street Journal, September 19 2002; "The Federal Employment Crisis," the Washington Post Online, the Partnership for Public Service website ; Stephen Barr, "Federal Diary" articles, The Washington Post; "Foreign Languages: Human Capital Approach Needed to Correct Staffing and Proficiency Shortfalls," The General Accounting Office, . Also, see articles in www.GovExec.com, including "Lost in Translation," May 1, 2002 by Katherine McIntire Peters.
For Federal Job Postings on the Web: See the U.S. government's Office of Personnel Management site; and other sites, including www.federaljobsearch.com and www.fedjobs.com.