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Virtual Organizations and Web 2.0 Tools for Emergency Relief Operations

With the growth of web 2.0 tools, different sectors are employing them to streamline and enhance programs and operations. Virtual organizations and web 2.0 tools can serve as an enabler in emergency relief (ER) operations. With the dynamic nature of ER operations, having a group of volunteers or citizens organization in a virtual organization will allow them to work together in handling a crisis. These virtual organizations can use web 2.0 tools and other technologies to effectively accomplish the task at hand. Organizational structures are exploited when resources like pictures of a flood or evacuation plans are shared among members of the virtual organization (WC3, 2009). It is not necessary for all the members of the virtual organization to be co-located or personally know each other in this boundary-less organization. A virtual organization in ER operations does not need to restrict them to one platform either. Users such as the regular citizen or organized volunteers do not limit themselves to one Web 2.0 platform as no single platform can provide all requested functionality. Instead a competition between various platforms can be observed. Therefore different plat- forms will exist that hold different resources (e.g. photos in Flickr and videos in YouTube) (WC3, 2009). This scalability and flexibility can enable the ER operations team to conduct its mission with all the information and tools available, increasing the probability of success.

Shaun Khalfan
Chief Information Officer
Young Government Leaders

W3C (2009). Leveraging Web 2.0 Communities in Professional Organisations. Retrieved May 17, 2009 from http://www.w3.org/2008/09/msnws/papers/ScherpEtAl-LeveragingWeb2Communities.pdf

The 2nd Annual FedPitch: Change has come to...the Mall?

With all the change going on in the Washington these days there has never been a better time for individuals with good ideas to stand up and be heard.  As it turns out, 13L (www.13l.org), Young Government Leaders and a handful of other great organizations are offering an opportunity to do just that - the 2nd Annual FedPitch.  FedPitch is an innovative, grass-roots initiative providing citizens the opportunity, and forum, to present their ideas on ways to improve workforce management in the federal government.

Sound interesting?  Want a chance to be heard?  Good.  This is what you need to do.

Step one, idea.  Dig deep.  Imagine you're in charge and you have all the time, talent and money in the world.  What would you do to effect positive change in your department?  Your agency?  Your government?

Step two, go to www.fedpitch.org and submit your idea by April 4th.  If you dream big enough you just might be selected as a finalist on April 13th.

This is where the fun begins.  Last year, 13L brought the finalists together to meet with professional speech writers to hone their idea to a two minute pitch.  Then, they pitched their ideas before a live audience and a panel of judges on the National Mall as part of Public Service Recognition Week.  This year the presentations will be held on May 7th between 1:30 and 3:00pm.

If you'd like to see what you'll be up against, or just get some ideas for your agency, check out the finalists from last year’s competition: http://www.fedpitch.org/fp2008/FedPitch%202008%20Presentations.pdf

The Roosevelt Scholars Act: Round Two

In May of 2008 during the 110th Congress, Representative David Price (D-NC) introduced H.R.6160: The Roosevelt Scholars Act.  Despite the support of 24 cosponsors, it was referred to subcommittee and, like many bills before it, was never heard from again.  However, now that hope and a new Congressional head count have come to Washington, Representative Price is planning to dust it off and introduce the new and improved Roosevelt Scholars Act of 2009 next month.

For those not acquainted with the Act, the Partnership for Public Service offers the following description:

“The Roosevelt Scholars Act is a new initiative that will help the federal government recruit the best and brightest talent in key fields.  The Act will create a scholarship program to fund graduate-level education in key mission-critical fields (e.g., engineering, medicine and public health, foreign languages, information technology, and law, among others) in exchange for a federal service commitment.  The model is similar to the military's ROTC program, which has proven to be an outstanding source of new talent for our nation's armed forces.”

For those of you that are in information technology, this may sound familiar as it shares several similarities with the Scholarship for Service/CyberCrops Program (www.sfs.opm.gov) currently in place through the National Science Foundation.  However, as stated above, the Roosevelt Scholars Act will have an expanded scope to create a farm team of future federal employees across numerous mission-critical fields.

Some highlights of the Roosevelt Scholars Act are as follows:

Benefits
•    Academic Costs: Tuition, Books and Fees.
•    Living Stipend: Up to $12,000 per year.
•    Total annual award not to exceed $60,000 and not to exceed five academic years.
•    Eligible for noncompetitive employment through partner agencies.

Service Commitment
•    Complete an internship with an Executive agency prior to graduation. 
•    Serve a minimum of three years in an Executive agency following graduation.

The Partnership for Public Service is rallying support for the Act.  They currently have more than 80 leaders of prominent colleges and universities, educational associations, and good government groups that have signed a letter of support, which is circulating on Capitol Hill. Additionally, they have launched a new petition for individual supporters to sign. 

If you would like to support the Roosevelt Scholarship Act or learn more about it, please visit their website: 

http://www.ourpublicservice.org/OPS/programs/governmentaffairs/rooseveltscholars.shtml

The Ideal Professional Network

How do you know what a good professional "network" looks like?
Is it the quality of information sharing?
Is it the professional connections you can make?
Is it the personal connections you can make?
Is it the access you have to new opportunities?
Is it the ability to add a line to your resume?

YGL has over 1800 members, yet our "network" means different things to each of them. Some enjoy coming to our professional development events, like the one we recently had in January on TSP or the one coming up on resume writing. Others like socializing at our Third Thursdays Happy Hours (like the one tonight at Eyebar!). Others prefer to use our LinkedIn network to contact colleagues and build their virtual network. And others are content to just scan our newsletters and not join us on the town, in the seminar room, or on the web.

I understand a "good network" means different things to different people, but there must be some common elements of a "good network" that make it valuable. What are they? And what does it take to get someone to step out from behind the computer and reinforce their virtual network with face-to-face connections?

Respond to this blog or come network with us tonight (Feb 19) at Eyebar. We'll be there at 6pm! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2422687464#/event.php?eid=65148513640

Happy New Year Young Government Leaders!

Looking at the challenges facing federal government in 2009, it looks like we will have some work to do. Luckily, taking on tough challenges is when young government leaders really shine.

Despite all the bad news we hear in the press, there is a lot to look forward to in 2009, especially for those of us in public service. We want to hear from you about what you are looking forward to most in public service in 2009. Please respond to this blog with your comments and we will feature some of them in our next newsletter!

Are You a Member of Generation C?

In my journeys across the Web, I have observed a fascinating phenomena: Millennials and Gen X'ers aren't the only ones embracing the power of social media and its potential to create "Government 2.0."

If I had to estimate the average age of guests at virtual venues like GovLoop, Twitter, the blogosphere and beyond, most participants are people in their late 30s through mid-40s.

In case you're wondering, here's a quick breakdown of the generations in the workforce:

Veterans: Born before 1940
Boomers: 1940-1960
Generation X: 1960-1980
Millennials: 1980-2000

Earlier this week, I was posting a PowerPoint on the generations to SlideShare and saw this deck:

Generation C - a look into their world by Dan Pankraz

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: gen co-creation)

But it's the following slide that really caught my attention:



I think this definition is too limiting and would contend that Generation C represents someone of ANY age who is actively using social media and engages others on the Internet with a "2.0" mindset - creative, collaborative and community-oriented. (For a list of "68 Words Beginning with C" that describe social media, see this tag cloud posted by Ari Herzog.)

In delivering workshops and blogging about the intersection of the generations in the workforce, social media and government, I describe the difference between "Web 1.0" and "Web 2.0" in the following way:

Web 1.0 is like a store front where browsers can behold the wares, but the door to the store is locked. With Web 2.0, there is no store front. It's an open market where people exchange and barter to gain better products and ideas.

Members of Generation C operate under this 2.0 mindset, creating marketplaces all over the Web to share and shape information and ideas.

For Boomers (who don't want to admit that you're getting old!), here's your chance to consider yourself part of a "younger" generation. For the Millennials and Gen X'ers, it's our turn to exercise leadership and create the agencies and organizations that we envision by building upon our aptitude with new media. For people of all ages, becoming a member of Generation C presents an opportunity to construct a bridge across the intergenerational divide and create a cohesive community that coalesces around a collection of common goals.

So if you are a member of Generation C (or wannabe), let's get to work! How can we bring other people in our agencies and organizations into the fold, encouraging them to embrace the 2.0 mindset?

Web 2.0 as an enabler Federal Government

Web 2.0: What is it? Who’s using it? How to introduce it in your organization? What to expect from a new national administration in 2009? On October 22, 2008, these questions and more were answered at the Web 2.0 event sponsored by Young Government Leaders (YGL), in coordination with our partners at the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), The Public Manager and our corporate sponsor, Cisco Systems.

Our expert panel consisted of Frank DiGiammarino, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at NAPA; Mary McCaffery, Senior Advisor to the Office of Environmental Information at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Andrew Krzmarzick, Senior Project coordinator in Business Development at the Graduate School, U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Alan Balutis, Director and distinguished fellow of CISCO’s Internet Business Solutions Group.

The mission of YGL is to provide a community and infrastructure for current and future public service leaders that will educate and inspire to transform government. Web 2.0 plays a pivotal role in all of this because it leads to more efficient government by breaking down stovepipes, inspires innovation and serves as an enabler for knowledge sharing and management.

Some highlights of the event were:

- Closing the gap on transformation. NAPA launched a website, http://www.collaborationproject.org/, which is an initiative aimed at leveraging the benefits of Web 2.0 and collaborative technology to solve government’s complex problems.

- Getting to Active Transformation. Discussed how Facebook and TSA blogging were forms of incremental passive and active transformation, respectively. Expanded on Active Transformational Initiatives such as the Pugent Sound and Virtual Alabama.

- Change in your agency. Clear problem, people who care and a real value exchange. Focusing on the ‘who’ by bringing in a wider array of stakeholders and embrace the opportunity. Do not empower the status quo.

- Information sharing and collaboration. Solicit knowledge, tagging and facilitating internet collaboration. Some people want to contribute, but don’t want technology to get in the way.

- Collaboration tools in your agency. Why? Tie it to the mission. Who? Owner/Audience – you need a champion. How? Decide which tools. What? Content is the key to success. When? Create a schedule to implement and evaluate. Andrew explores Web 2.0 in the federal environment in his blog, http://www.generationshift.blogspot.com/. His slide presentation on how Web 2.0 is changing government can be found at http://www.slideshare.net/akrzmarzick/web-20-for-young-government-leaders-oct-22-2008-presentation.

- Culture change. The government needs the ability to actually deliver and embrace collaborative technology. A citizen-centric model of service delivery is critical. Using technology to reach out to the American people for ideas on improving government.

The mixed crowd of over 60 people from both public and private sector took advantage of the opportunity to engage in open discussion with these experts and the event was a complete success. If you are eager to learn from our leaders throughout the private and public sector, have ideas to share or just want to get involved, take a look at some of YGL’s upcoming events by visiting http://www.youngovernmentleaders.org/ or send me an e-mail (shaun.khalfan@navy.mil) for more information.

Shaun Khalfan
Chief Information Officer
Young Government Leaders

Extra, Extra, Read All About It

Alerting members and enticing nonmembers to YGL news and activities – in effort to expand YGL’s membership and effectiveness – is the goal of our public relations activities.

YGL events (speakers, seminars, social activities, etc.) and messaging need to be shared as far and as wide as possible. Whether through major media outlets such as the Washington Post, social media such blogs, campus newspapers or agency-specific leadership development groups, all are value platforms in which to advertise YGL.

But in Washington where it’s easy to lose visibility in a city full of professional and social activities, we want your help and to hear from you on how to best get the YGL word out.

Please send your suggestions (see e-mail below) on the best ways to inform you on upcoming YGL news and events and how to help spread the word to draw in those not yet YGL members. There is no “silver bullet,” we need to include an array of publications, broadcast media, agency mailing lists, etc.

Also, if you would like to directly assist in YGL’s public relations activities, let me know of your interest.

-Chris Vaccaro
YGL Public Relations Manager
christopher.vaccaro@noaa.gov

Is micromanagement killing generation X/Y?

"The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it."
Theodore Roosevelt

Humans have incredible potential. If you set a path for advancement and challenge people you will often be pleasantly surprised. One of the biggest struggles a senior manager can face is a lower level manager that refuses to allow his or her people to grow. Employee satisfaction will last only so long and management must encourage growth at all levels and hold those accountable.

When an employee feels micromanaged they become pressured and demoralized thereby distancing themselves from work. In the worst scenario, the employee may focus only to earn their salary, leaving motivation at home resulting in little productivity.

To avoid this situation, managers should establish goals with organization mission and employee development plans and each must stay updated and aligned. Otherwise the employee receives a sense of confusion and lack of satisfaction in their work. I recently went through this exercise and had a hard time mapping my personal goals to the organization’s mission so what’s the problem here?

A read from a colleague that speculated “micromanagement is so prevalent because it passed from generation of leaders that were applauded and promoted in this backwards environment”

If you feel unrestricted and empowered I believe you will hold increase morale and ambition. When this happens, you feel comfortable thinking independently and pitching new ideas fostering performance, innovation, and creativity.

Can you relate to this quote?

John
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

OPM and the Federal Hiring Process

It has been said time and time again that one of the best ways to get young people interested in working for the Federal Government is to change its hiring process. It became no longer acceptable to have a Federal Agency take six months or longer to hire a candidate. In that time, potential hires sought other jobs and were hired in no time especially in the private sector.

What this caused was seeing the best and the brightest perceive the Federal Government as a place that is very slow to change, very bureaucratic and a place that is not interested in seeing young blood fill the halls of each agency.

I was one of those people that felt that way. In May of 2005, on the day of my graduation, most of my classmates had been hired by top accounting and marketing firms. I at the time had applied to over 20 federal jobs and had not heard back from any of them. I only began to hear from them in late October, early November of 2005. A good six months from when I first applied. I was pretty disappointed at this and realized that unless you were determined to be as patient as I was, nobody would be willing to go through this process.

I always wondered how hiring mangers felt about the situation. Well I guess they weren’t as happy as I was because the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is taking an unprecedented step in overhauling the federal hiring process and trying to make it more robust so that people, especially future young Feds, do not get discouraged by the whole process.

OPM on September 5, 2008, presented (in a 59 paged document) steps to cut down the time it takes to recruit at a Federal agency. One of the great initiatives is to cut down the hiring time from infinity to just 80 days or less.

The following links are great articles on this:

From OPM’s website:
http://www.chcoc.gov/Transmittals/TransmittalDetails.aspx?TransmittalId=1513

From the Government Executive Magazine:
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=40913&dcn=todaysnews

From the Federal Computer Weekly (FCW)
http://www.fcw.com/online/news/153730-1.html

From the Federal Times:
http://www.fcw.com/online/news/153730-1.html

I believe this initiative is a step in the right direction and I believe more work needs to be done, from having a clear and discernable job description on USAJobs that cuts out the unnecessary agency jargons to setting clear expectations on USAjobs on the expected hiring period.

This new initiative comes at the right time with the impending mass retirement of baby boomers.

I am excited at this hiring overhaul (as I have been a victim of the old process) and I look forward to more changes.

I.J Ezeonwuka
Chapter Liaison- Young Government Leaders 2008-2009

Where does the time go?

Where does the time go?

For many of us young, multi-tasking, information-saturated, new-to-government leaders, the answer probably includes part work, part play, and part procrastination (in fact, isn’t that how the whole blogosphere got started in the first place?) If you have a case of the pokes and can’t seem to focus on the task at hand, here are some tips on time management.

The experts agree: the first step to overcoming procrastination is admitting you have a problem…Wait, wrong self-help program. Recognizing when you start procrastinating and what triggers it, however, is a good start to regaining your focus. (How does the saying go? “We have met the enemy and it is us!”) Acknowledging when and why you are getting sidetracked will help you take the necessary steps to refocus your energy on the right things.

Understanding how you are allocating your time is also helpful. Virginia Tech’s Division of Student Affairs offers a free online time management calculator that will do the math for you. The calculator prompts you for the number of hours you spend on certain activities each day/week/month and then calculates how many hours you have left for “studying” (it’s for college students; substitute “studying” for your favorite pastime, like attending YGL events!). You can find the tool here: http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/tminteractive.html.

To do lists are another useful tool. Usually people fall into one of two categories when it comes to “to do” lists: they either swear by them or feel they are a waste of time. In fact, when used correctly, a to-do list can actually help save you time. The key is in the Covey…Steven Covey, that is. He made the urgency/importance matrix of time management famous. Covey’s matrix forces you to not only list the tasks you have to complete, but determine whether those tasks are urgent (or not) and important (or not). An example of this matrix can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:MerrillCoveyMatrix.png) The matrix helps you prioritize your efforts by directing your attention to the urgent and important tasks in “Quadrant 1” first before the not urgent and not important tasks in “Quadrant 4”.

Three other techniques may help improve time management include:
1. Delegating work to others. (Share the wealth!).
2. Minimizing interruptions, such as telephone calls, checking email, and unexpected visitors. (MS Outlook users: turn off the sound!)
3. Communicating with coworkers more often. (By keeping your coworkers informed, they will have fewer reasons to interrupt you.)

Finally, when it comes to effective time management, know that a bit of procrastination can be healthy. Taking short breaks periodically helps refresh your mind and body. So, go ahead: grab some coffee, take a lap around the hallway, or chat with a coworker. Jjust don’t come by my cube, I’m trying to concentrate.

-Margie Watson

The Presidential Candidates and the Feds

Hey Young Feds it is less than three months to a historic Presidential Election and I hope that every young Fed will take part in making history happen.

You might have made up your mind on who you will vote for, or are still taking your time to know the candidates; either way I hope that part of your decision will include each of the Candidate’s plan for the federal government including ideas for attracting the best and the brightest to work for the Fed.

Below are great articles from Government Executive Magazine that brings together some of the Candidate’s plan.

For John McCain:
http://www.governmentexecutive.com/features/0908-01/0908-01s1.htm

For Barack Obama:
http://www.governmentexecutive.com/story_page.cfm?filepath=/dailyfed/0607/062207a1.htm

Happy Voting Everyone!!

I.J
Chapter Liaison-YGL National 2008-2009

Service and Giving Back

Being a federal employee allows us to give back and play a vital role in making our nation great. Another way of giving back comes in the form of volunteer work and community service.

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to paint classrooms in an inner-city Washington D.C. school. While I am sure that most of us could have found something else to do on a Saturday morning, here were about 50 people from all walks of life, ready to contribute to the community and improve this school. It is experiences like these that allow us to see the greater good in others and willingness to make our community a better place.

Our mission in Young Government Leaders is to educate, inspire, and transform the current and future leaders of federal government. Part of educating, inspiring, and transforming consists of volunteer work and community service. The benefits of such service are two-fold. Not only does it provide you with an opportunity to better understand others and build interpersonal and teambuilding skills, you will be making a difference in your community. This difference can range from providing a place for kids to learn, food for the poor, or cures to diseases. With this in mind, I encourage you to take part in some sort of volunteer activity, whether you are racing for the cure, serving at a food shelter or cleaning up an elementary school. I believe that giving back not only makes us better as a person, but better as a nation.

Shaun Khalfan, Strategic Planning Committee
Young Government Leaders
2007-2008

Olympic Athletes vs. Young Feds

The 29^th Olympic summer games began August 8^th. I have been diligently watching every night to see every country’s best athletes compete to be the best in the world. These athletes are representing their country and sport with pride. They are competing to make their country proud. Is this the role, we as young federal employees try to play and portray in our respective agencies for the United States of America as well?

We work every day to try and play a role in helping our nation. Whether it is by saving taxpayer dollars, defending our homeland, conserving our wildlife, or developing cures for disease. We try to outdo what the last have done, better their strategies, craft new ideas, and be innovative in our way of thinking.

As young feds, we want to inspire those around us, colleagues, potential recruits, citizens, to see the rewarding benefits of representing your country as a government employee. It is just one of many ways to make a difference in our nation, even the world. We may not receive an Olympic medal for our work, but we still should identify with the athletes in that same sense of national pride.

So, are you going to be the Federal Government’s next “Michael Phelps”?

Mary Morrison, Social Committee Chair

Benefits of Working for a Large Government Agency

Six years ago I started working for the Department of the Navy as a Naval Acquisition Intern. This marked the beginning of my Department of Defense career. In the past six years, I worked in six different offices, three at the Washington Navy Yard, two at the Pentagon, and one in Rosslyn, VA. During my tenure I’ve worked in four career fields; acquisition, program management, policy and human resources. The opportunities afforded to you in a large government agency, such as the Department of Defense, are tremendous. If you are feeling stagnant in your current position, there are numerous opportunities available in the department for you to explore. You can change careers or change offices, the choice is yours. Don’t get me wrong, you still have to apply to most of these positions, but you carry with you a working knowledge of the largest organization in the world. As we all know, with good there is bad. On the flip side, you can get lost in such a large agency, so it is important to make your mark by taking advantage of opportunities and networking.

Cara Spiro
YGL Professional Development Committee Co-Chair

GOT(G)V - Get Out The Government Vote!

As federal employees, we have a big stake in the upcoming presidential election. Not only do we share the responsibility with the rest of America to elect a new world leader, but when we go to the polls, we are also voting for our future boss. No matter what agency you work for (federal, state, and local levels included), the president/governor/mayor we elect has the ability to appoint a number of his or her likeminded colleagues throughout the executive branch who will impact the work we do on a daily basis.

Government employees seem to understand the link between voting and their day jobs. Two researchers from Louisiana State University looked at voter turnout in the 1996 Presidential election and found that government employees had a turnout rate that was 12 percent higher than that of non-government employees.[1]

The researchers found that this difference could be attributed, in part, to the fact that government employees possessed certain characteristics normally associated with high voter turnout, such as being older, being female, and having higher levels of education, news readership, social capital, and satisfaction with democracy. Yet, even when the researchers controlled for these factors, they still found a significant correlation between public service and higher voter turnout. That is, there is something unique about public service that makes government employees vote at greater rates than those employed by the private sector. (We always new we were special, now we have the research to back it up!)

So what does this mean for young government leaders, besides the fact that we in the government community are in good company with voters and news junkies? Let’s break it down:

Young: In the 2004 election, turnout was highest among older Americans: about 70 percent of Americans age 45-55 turned out to vote, compared to only 56 percent of 25-34 year-olds and 47 percent of 18-24 year-olds.[2] The good news is that voter turnout among younger Americans has been increasing in recent years. As young government leaders, we have the ability to continue this trend. Our continued turnout will be especially important as the 69 percent of the federal labor force over the age of 40 retires in large numbers over the next few years. It’s our turn to represent, so bring it (well, bring yourself) to the polls this November!

Government: If the trends the LSU researchers observed in the 1996 election hold true, government employees’ votes are actually worth more than face value. Government employees are a smaller segment of the population, yet we turnout in higher rates than the country on average. The more government employees at the polls this fall, the bigger impact the “government vote” will have. So feel confident that your vote counts this Election Day!

Leaders: As leaders, we don’t take responsibility lightly. We embrace any opportunity to make a difference, set a positive example, and empower others to join us. As the current and future strategists, innovators, implementers, and evaluators of our country’s policies, we know that actions speak louder than words. So grab a public service colleague and register to vote, learn about the candidates, and locate your polling place.[3] Lead others to the polls and get out the (government) vote!

Now, before you rush off with American Flag in hand, there are two caveats you should know about as you get energized for Election Day. First, research shows that government employees as a group do not tend to favor one political party more than the other. So the “government vote” is unlikely to produce a mandate for any one candidate this fall. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, since – second caveat here – the Hatch Act and its 1993 amendments prohibit federal employees from engaging in certain political activities in the workplace (e.g. no soliciting political contributions at work and no wearing political buttons while on duty).[4] So embrace your nonpartisan exuberance for civic duty and, at the very least, celebrate one of the only times when we, as government employees, get a say in picking our new boss.

-Margie Watson

Notes:
[1] This research can be found in Public Choice, Volume 111: pp. 259–283, April 2002.
[2] The Washington Post, May 2005: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/25/AR2005052501965.html
[3] The voter registration deadline for DC and VA is Oct. 6; for MD it is Oct. 14. http://www.rockthevote.com/voting-is-easy/important-dates/
[4] Office of Special Counsel booklet on the Hatch Act: http://www.osc.gov/documents/hatchact/ha_fed.pdf

Government Service Offers Opportunities in a Period of Economic Uncertainty

Over the past few weeks, the news has been dominated by reports of economic decline. Even if American exports are up due to a weak U.S. dollar, it seems that the media and the American people are anticipating the worst: everywhere you turn there is fear - bank failures, an overheated housing market, high inflation and the list goes on. That news is enough to scare any recent graduate or employment seeker. However, for those of you contemplating public service, the time could never be better! There are three reasons why: job security, advancement opportunities and career development.

Government recruiters always tend to focus on the job security component. And given the uncertainty in today’s economy, its one of the best reasons to consider joining the federal workforce. Though most agencies require a probationary period or initial contract, once you’ve proven that you’re a productive member of your team and agency, you have a level of job assurance unmatched in the private sector. Not to say that it’s impossible to lose your job, as RIFs and voluntary early outs are always possible, but the dreaded pink slip generally does not rear its ugly head in the federal workforce.

Career advancement is the second reason for considering a public service career. Annual retirement rates likely surpass the annual rate of inflation! So have no fear, it’s a great time to join the federal workforce. In my organization, the U.S. Postal Service, and across the federal government, baby boomers in management positions are throwing in the towel faster than their critical positions can be filled. That means that management and leadership opportunities for Generation X and Y employees are more plentiful than at anytime EVER.

Finally, federal service offers developmental opportunities unmatched by the private sector. Of course, these depend greatly on the agency, but in an effort to recruit and retain the best and brightest, agencies are instituting tuition reimbursement programs, job rotations, and host of training programs for new employees to match up their talents with skills sets in great demand.

So to those of you considering federal service – now is the time! The private sector may be facing a host of challenges, but the public sector offers security, opportunity for advancement and developmental opportunities currently unrivaled by private employers.

Bruce Marsh

Chairman, YGL Strategic Planning

Take Charge of Your Financial Future!

Numerous studies have found a majority of Americans are not prepared for retirement and face the prospect of having to work longer than they expect. Younger workers today also face a much longer life expectancy. One out of four 65 year olds today can expect to live into their 90s.

Until about two years ago, I was like the majority of Americans; I had given little thought to my retirement investments and could think of a million better things to do with my Sunday afternoons than figure out how I would support myself in my old age. But as the big 3-0 loomed closer and closer, retirement started to seem like something I needed to think about now rather than the far distant future. To educate myself, I signed up for a course in financial management through Arlington County and started to dig around the National Finance’s Center’s Employee Personnel Page and the TSP website. Embarrassingly, at the time, I had no idea how much I was contributing (somewhere around 10 or 11 %?) or to which fund I was contributing. I found out that I was contributing the maximum percent allowable (15%) in the G fund. Bonus points for contributing the maximum percent allowable. Negative points for contributing to the G fund in my 20s.

For those of you that have no idea why contributing to the G fund in your 20s is not the best idea, this blog is for you. Below are some basics that will start you on your path to financial security.

What is the TSP?
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan for Federal employees. These funds are for your retirement and you cannot withdraw them without penalty until you leave Federal service. You pay no taxes on TSP contributions or earnings until you withdraw your account. TSP is voluntary. You don’t have to contribute anything. There are limits to the amount you can contribute to TSP, however. The federal government matches contributions to TSP from one to five percent, depending on the amount you contribute to TSP.

TSP is only one aspect of your retirement savings…depending on whether you fall under FERS or CSRS, you also receive set benefits, including (1) a FERS or CSRS annuity based on your years of service and your salary and (2) Social Security (who knows if it will be around when you decide to retire). Both of these benefits are made on your behalf by your agency and are mandatory.

What’s so bad about the G fund?
The G fund is GREAT…if you are only a couple of years away from retiring. If you are like me, however, and just beginning your federal career, putting all your $$ into the G fund just doesn’t make much sense because of its low return on investment. The most difficult aspect of investing is figuring out your risk profile (and your tolerance for risk) and how that relates to your age.

The TSP offers all participants a choice of six investment funds:
1. Government Securities Investment (G) Fund - invested in short-term, risk-free government securities. (In other words, the really safe fund. Of note, this is also the default fund. If you do not remember selecting a fund, as I did, this is most likely the fund to which you are contributing.)
2. Fixed Income Index Investment (F) Fund - invested in fixed income securities from the Lehman Aggregate Bond Index. (Reliable fund, with minimal risk of investment loss, but is not a big earner.)
3. Common Stock Index Investment (C) Fund - invested in Standard & Poor’s 500 index, which includes some of the largest companies in the country, such as Coca-Cola, Ford, and McDonald’s. (Riskier than the G or F fund, but still a good long-term growth fund.)
4. Small Capitalization Stock Index Investment (S) Fund- invested in small and mid-sized companies from the Wilshire 4500 Index. (Another good long-term growth fund; tends to be more volatile and aggressive than the G, F, or C funds.)
5. International Stock Index Investment (I) Fund- invested in international stocks indexed from Morgan Stanley's Europe, Australasia, Far East, or EAFE, Index of large-company foreign stocks. (Again, good long-term growth fund; tends to be more volatile and aggressive than the G, F, or C funds.)
6. Lifecycle (L) Funds- These funds balance your contributions among the five funds based on your projected retirement date. Thus, those closer to retirement would chose the 2010 mix, which would put a higher percentage of contributions in the safer, more reliable G fund. Those further away from retirement such as me would invest in the 2030 or 2040 model, which has a larger percentage of funds in higher yielding, but more volatile options.

Your Next Steps
1. Go to http://www.tsp.gov/account/index.html to learn more about your TSP account.
2. Attend YGL’s upcoming event: Success with your Money with Janet Bodnar, Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine on July 30, 2008 from 11:30 to 12:30 pm. For more details, check out our event calendar!
3. Take control of your financial future!

Kate Walker, President
Young Government Leaders

Technically Speaking...

I heard something the other day which I thought was quite interesting. Before I get into that I will stray for a moment. How important do you think computers and technology are? I think so much revolves around technology nowadays whether an individual is a public or private worker, a student in college or just starting kindergarten, and even for those who are retired or stay-at-home parents. My hope is that affluent people and high level politicians would fall into the same category as well. Technology such as computers is a basic staple in the daily activities of most offices. Of course there have been times in the past where I was more familiar and/or skilled with a system or a program than my supervisor, but never have I seen a Director or those in main leadership positions to be completely and utterly computer illiterate, unable to independently work on computers at a very basic level (i.e. email, Word, or some other basic computer function relevant to their work). It’s okay if you have a supervisor who doesn’t know the intricate details of how you do your job, after all that’s why they hired you and there needs to be something that you’re indispensable and best skilled for. However, to have a leader who has the basic knowledge and ability to understand and use a computer as relevant to the surrounding work environment may alleviate some thoughts of general incompetence at the top. If your boss didn’t dedicate time to have an understanding at this very basic level, what would that say about their commitment for bigger and much more complicated things? Wouldn’t there be some concern as to how they even worked their way up to that level without knowing the basics? Hopefully this sounds strange, although we see something similar when children slip through the cracks and never learn to read. They continue into adulthood and somehow are able to remain illiterate. Now of course reading in some form has always been around and computers have not, but if you have remained in the workplace especially in high level positions throughout this technology era you should have picked up something just as your subordinates and your peers around you have done. How would you feel with having a commander-in-chief in this day and age who may be brilliant, but to-date hasn’t learned the basics of the growing technology in their surrounding environment? Maybe you haven’t noticed but technology is shaping the world and most certainly the federal workplace. We all know that learning something through a book or some other second hand source is no match for the real world hands-on experience. So although this may not be a matter of substantial debate, I found it quite interesting when I heard that someone running for one of the most esteemed positions – the 2009 Presidency of the United States of America - didn’t possess these basic skills. I have spoken to some people who find this to only be a minor concern for what would make an effective President. However, I believe that these kinds of skills are important in a candidate - don’t you?

Marissa Pretto, Treasurer
Young Government Leaders