Recruitment 411: We Salute You!!

This week marks the 27^th annual Public Service Recognition Week celebration around the country.

Budget restrictions are keeping activities on a more subtle scale this year – casualties include the annual street fair on the National Mall in DC. Additionally, the current political atmosphere makes it an interesting time altogether to be a public employee. From possible shutdowns to union showdowns, it sometimes seems not everyone is on our side.

However, our commitment to the public cannot be scaled back or shut down. In my work group at the IRS Recruitment Office, we have decades of public service listed on our collective résumé. There’s a reason we continue coming into work – and despite what some people say, it’s not super-sized salaries.

Working for the government gives us a sense of unparalleled satisfaction. We not only vote for our leaders, we work for them – and with them.

The Partnership for Public Service held a video contest this year for PRSW. The winner was ‘A Day Without Public Servants,’ a video by Mark Diemer showing a young man who realizes his city is without bus drivers, police officers and teachers.

The Partnership’s website also highlights other things we would live without had it not been for the work of government employees, like GPS and smoke detectors. However, despite budget issues, we won’t be living without recognition or appreciation this week.

It’s not a huge street fair, but the IRS Commissioner is holding an ice cream social in the IRS headquarters building. Our director frequently sends messages highlighting our accomplishments and offering thanks for jobs well done. Also, our branch manager even posted a message on welovepublicservice.org – a website where you can post messages and link them to Facebook and of course, GovLoop!

How is your organization celebrating Public Service Recognition Week?

Recruitment 411 is the official blog of the IRS Recruitment Office.