One piece of advice that I’ve continually seen given on internet forums is the importance of getting that first job- ANY job- with the federal government. Even taking a position of lesser responsibility than your current job is acceptable, if only to get your foot in the door. There are several reasons why people give this advice, so today I’d like to explore what current federal employees have that external applicants don’t!
I hate to use the word “network” when this topic is beat to death during every career-related discussion, but it’s true. Every employee needs to continually focus on building and maintaining a network of contacts, but the one thing current Feds have over you during the application process is their access. An employee can look up any other person within their agency and send a quick, personal introduction email when they apply for new jobs. Even when applying to other agencies, it’s a fairly simple matter to rely on referrals through the extended, “my friend of a friend works there” network. An employee’s reputation counts for so much when it comes to applying for promotion opportunities, and in contrast, external applicants are generally at the mercy of USAJOBS and a HR Technician.
Beyond the actual ease of getting a job, there are quite a few actual benefits that current federal employees enjoy when they move between jobs or agencies. Did you know that Feds are entitled to a 10-day paid house hunting trip whenever a new position involves relocation? Most new hires pay out of pocket for that first move, and can only claim the expenses as a tax deduction. Also, Feds carry their vacation hours and sick time with them, even when they change positions. Try doing that when you move between companies in the private sector! And speaking of paid time off, it’s important to note that your leave time generally increases over the years. This varies by agency, but you’ll generally start out earning 4 hours of Vacation each pay period and increase up to 8 hours after 15 years or so of service. For veterans, prior active duty service counts toward this calculation, so it’s not unusual for a lot of mid-career professionals to be pulling in 208 hours (26 days!) of paid vacation every year.
Also, a big consideration within the government is the concept of seniority. In the event that any layoffs or organizational resizing takes place, people with more time in service are given the most opportunity to be retained. Outright layoffs are rare because of the retention, retraining and relocation options that are offered, but when they do take place, it’s usually on a “last-in, first-out” principle. On a happier note, having a larger amount of time in grade or time in service will make you much more competitive when applying for promotional opportunities.
The benefits of federal employment really add up over time, and before you know it, you’ll be looking at retirement. The government’s retirement plan provides a pension based on years of service, so the employee who was able to get hired at 22 and spent 40 years with the G will have a much greater payout than a mid-career professional who got hired at 52 and only had 10 years of service. Also, don’t forget about that Thrift Savings Plan! The more time you allow for your 401(k) plan to work, the more savings you’ll accrue through compound interest!
I hope this post showed a few advantages that you might not have considered, and hopefully it gave you some motivation to get your foot in the door. Remember, even if you have to take a slight pay cut in your initial assignment, the long-term benefits are usually worth the trade-off!
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