Career

World Cup Strategies for Better Public Sector Recruiting

After the US Men’s National Soccer Team lost in the World Cup, all the commentators lamented the state of US soccer. How are we going to develop great American soccer players when the best athletes are still choosing football and basketball? Listening to this discussion, I found a parallel between attracting great young athletes toRead… Read more »

4 Tips for Federal Hiring Managers

Every week I search all the new jobs on USAJOBS and pick the top 10 per category (from HR to IT) for our jobs.govloop.com section (sign up for our weekly emails). After spending a few months perusing and picking the best jobs, I have 4 tips for federal hiring managers on making a good posting:Read… Read more »

See the Big Picture and Stir Things Up

In ancient Greece, privileged countrymen consumed a sacred drink called barley wine containing barley, grated cheese, and wine. But the if drink was not kept in a constant state of movement, the contents would harden and became undrinkable. Just like the barley wine, if we settle for comfortable routines, our thinking becomes rigid and ourRead… Read more »

The GovLoop Unofficial Guide to Getting a Federal Job

Approximately once a month, I get an email from a family member or friend that goes something like “My cousin/neighbor/babysitter is really interested in getting a federal job. S/he can’t figure out the process. Can you give her some inside guidance?” Whether OPM wants to admit it or not, the process is still way tooRead… Read more »

Practice Makes Perfect: Improving Your Skills

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Practice makes perfect.” While many dismiss this idea as well-worn and antiquated, the concept of meaningful practice has been embraced by neuroscientists and life coaches alike in recent years. Author Daniel Coyle champions practice as the means to achieving excellent in his book The Talent Code. The idea is thatRead… Read more »