In case you missed it, NBC’s Parks and Recreation aired its final episode this year after seven seasons of inspirational and hilarious tales of city government workers in small-town America. Leslie Knope (as played by Amy Poehler) – my favorite character and one of my government heroes – is the Deputy Director of the ParksRead… Read more »
As 2015 graduates enter the workforce this summer, let’s talk about a contentious topic: the unpaid internship. There are a myriad of opinions for and against unpaid internships, and there are compelling arguments for each position. While interns gain industry experience that could possibly result in fulltime employment, the unpaid aspect can seem exploitative. Indeed,Read… Read more »
A lot of people are looking for federal jobs today, and if you’re one of these people it’s important to look before you leap. Before you apply, make sure you scrutinize the announcement like an eagle scrutinizes a rabbit before swooping down to catch it and eat it. Scrutinize all you want, but please don’tRead… Read more »
You’re hired…. Now ‘do’ security! That’s a common challenge to information security professionals hired into an organization that previously had not staffed security positions. Daily breach headlines, and evolving threats, can make the pursuit of a security program the equivalent of a game of ‘Whack-a-Mole’. After spending a few years in the security consulting arenaRead… Read more »
I have lost 30 pounds in the last year and I am halfway to my goal. I had more success in the beginning, but backpedaled because I continued get the same results. Recently, I realized I needed to stop riding the weight loss roller coaster. Working with a personal trainer has helped me focus onRead… Read more »
What is the word that inspires the biggest groan from government employees? That’s right, reorganization. When you work at any level of government, agency reorganizations can hit like a hurricane, leaving us feeling like we have been buried under a ton of debris. As today’s government works toward adopting a more agile and businesslike environment,Read… Read more »
As a “seasoned” employee of the Corps of Engineers, I thought I already knew quite a bit about leadership. After almost 25 years, I have been a Project Manager, Program Manager, and had a few stints as a temporary Supervisor, in addition to my usual technical work in environmental compliance. When my mentor suggested IRead… Read more »
“Demands from an increasing transparency movement and an intense, “prove-your-effective” task (and financial) disclosures forced onto non-federal organizations are making right and proper performance reporting vital for the continued existence of any public body, anywhere.”
Having a great idea on paper has never won anyone an award. If you want to move your project forward, and potentially get more money in your budget, it has to move out the idea stage, through the R&D lab, and get into the hands of potential customers. In a couple words, you need to… Read more »
This week marks my fourth week on detail to the Office of Personnel Management’s Innovation Lab, commonly known as The Lab at OPM. If you’re not familiar with the Lab, it was created as a space to encourage creative problem solving within the government. Modeled after visits to companies known for creativity and innovation inRead… Read more »