September is the month when employees come back from vacation and work kicks into full gear. Not surprisingly, hiring picks up as businesses look to meet year-end goals with new talent. The Federal government is no exception; agencies will look to fill positions as budgets open at the beginning of the fiscal year (October 1st).Read… Read more »
Attracting and retaining talent is a challenge for many public sector organizations, especially in light of an aging workforce and an upsurge of retirees. One effective method to uncover the reasons employees jump ship, be it to the private sector or elsewhere in the public sector, is the exit interview. What is an exit interview?Read… Read more »
Staying in the same job for your entire career is not a typical scenario for most government workers, making interviewing for jobs a necessary evil. Believe it or not if you prepare correctly, you can blow away the competition and never again be caught unprepared during an interview. In last week’s post about writing aRead… Read more »
Is your resume ready for prime time, or is it languishing in its folder, just waiting for that day when you grab it for a job application? Are you ready to confidently answer any interview question that comes your way, with results-oriented examples of how your unique skills and characteristics saved the day? One ofRead… 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 »
For those who aren’t familiar with USAJobs, usajobs.gov is a single, centralized site devoted to finding federal jobs. It is a cross-departmental and cross-agency platform, meaning that it lists jobs with the EPA, FDA, USDA, and many other departments and agencies. There’s a wide variety of criteria that you can use to search the database,… Read more »
Innovation can happen at your office every day – when employees find new solutions to challenges, big and small. Learning how to be innovative helps you to be more effective and satisfied at work.
An informal mentor can be a great career development resource, whether you are trying to manage work/life balance, navigate career decisions, or develop new skills.
For a lot of people, writing the cover letter is the most excruciatingly painful experience of applying for a job. It shouldn’t be. Here’s why: 1) Cover letters are stories. Everyone loves stories. 2) Cover letters are stories on your favorite topic. You can write a story about yourself, and enjoy yourself while doing so,Read… Read more »
There are some commonly held myths about how to effectively grow your professional network. A few key tips can help you find a networking approach that works for you.