Career

Are you ready for some PMF?

I’ve totally forgotten how busy the school year can be. It’s already been non- stop and its not yet October. Speaking of October, the PMF application will be available from October 1-15th. I’m getting ready to open up that application and get working on it this weekend and next week. Compared to last year, thereRead… Read more »

GL Training – Social Media – Why It Matters & How To Do It

**Register for GovLoop Training – Social Media – Why It Matters & How to Do It** Fortunately this year, I’ve gotten the chance to speak at a lot of conferences from federal to state/local government, from U.S to Canada, from HR to IT to Security conferences. Since GovLoop is a social network, most people wantRead… Read more »

Local Government Hiring: Interview with HR at Washoe County, NV

Interview with Margaret Brindzak, Human Resources Analyst, Washoe County, NV. Thanks, Margaret! 1. I know local governments have been hit hard by the recession. How has hiring been reduced? Have there been layoffs or furloughs? We have had layoffs and a hiring freeze on positions. 2. What positions do you hire for the most? ClericalRead… Read more »

An Interviewer’s Guide to Job Interviewing

People who interview jobseekers for a living are usually NOT included in the group that makes employment decisions. That’s unfortunate since they are also the people who tend to have the expertise to spot prevaricators! On the plus side, the people who do make hiring decisions are people who are skilled in the technical aspectsRead… Read more »

How to Calculate the High-Three Average Salary

Everybody knows what the high-three is – right? – but who knows how to calculate the high-three? Definition. The high-three is the highest average salary obtained by averaging an employee’s salary over a consecutive 36-month period, with each salary weighted for the time it was in effect. In calculating the high-three, use basic salary only,Read… Read more »

Survivor Annuity, Retire Happy, Save a Life – Maybe Your Own, & UPDATES

A soon to be retired fed contacted me last month about an estimate they received from their HR department with a grossly incorrect survivor benefit cost estimate. The employee was advised that a full survivor benefit for their spouse would reduce their monthly benefit by one third! Incorrect high estimates like this can put theRead… Read more »

Ask the White House Your Questions about Promise Neighborhoods

Do you want to learn more about what the federal government is doing to support distressed neighborhoods? Today, you have a chance to submit direct questions to federal officials Larkin Tackett (The Department of Education), Luke Tate (the Department of Housing and Urban Development), Thomas Abt (the Department of Justice), and Richard Frank (the DepartmentRead… Read more »