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
Monday, August 18, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
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 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
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
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
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
Sunday, July 6, 2008
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
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
Monday, June 23, 2008
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
Marissa Pretto, Treasurer
Young Government Leaders
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Dedicated to the Mission
Last month I had the opportunity to work with Federal employees at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. The thought of working in a potentially hostile environment would make some people uneasy, but it was definitely not the case with the personnel I had met. These Federal employees, both male and female, were motivated, had a strong work ethic and were dedicated to the mission.
The fact that these employees had volunteered to live and work in such austere conditions immediately displayed a certain level of motivation in my eyes. These men and women are vigilantly working alongside our members of the Armed Forces to ensure the mission is accomplished. From the moment I landed, I found myself working 12-13 hour days just trying to understand the dynamics of the mission and some of the tasks the organization was trying to accomplish. It appeared as if they were trying to complete so much with such limited resources, yet somehow managed to get them done.
What also surprised me was how much more money contracted personnel made in these high threat areas. They would make two or three times more than the average Fed, have much of that tax free and enjoy plenty of perks. Taking all of this into account, I realized that these Federal employees believed in public service and were dedicated to the mission. They had a vested interest in seeing their organization succeed and the mission accomplished. The operations tempo is always high in Southwest Asia and many Feds in the theater, similar to our Armed Forces, are away from their families and work long hours for 6 or sometimes 7 days a week. I hope others will take note as this experience speaks volumes about our deployed Feds/Service Members and the kind of people who are dedicated to the mission and their country.
Shaun Khalfan, Strategic Planning Committee
Young Government Leaders
2007-2008
The fact that these employees had volunteered to live and work in such austere conditions immediately displayed a certain level of motivation in my eyes. These men and women are vigilantly working alongside our members of the Armed Forces to ensure the mission is accomplished. From the moment I landed, I found myself working 12-13 hour days just trying to understand the dynamics of the mission and some of the tasks the organization was trying to accomplish. It appeared as if they were trying to complete so much with such limited resources, yet somehow managed to get them done.
What also surprised me was how much more money contracted personnel made in these high threat areas. They would make two or three times more than the average Fed, have much of that tax free and enjoy plenty of perks. Taking all of this into account, I realized that these Federal employees believed in public service and were dedicated to the mission. They had a vested interest in seeing their organization succeed and the mission accomplished. The operations tempo is always high in Southwest Asia and many Feds in the theater, similar to our Armed Forces, are away from their families and work long hours for 6 or sometimes 7 days a week. I hope others will take note as this experience speaks volumes about our deployed Feds/Service Members and the kind of people who are dedicated to the mission and their country.
Shaun Khalfan, Strategic Planning Committee
Young Government Leaders
2007-2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
A Week of Training
As part of the GSA program, twice a year, the agency brings together all the “interns” (full time employees that are on a 2-3 year career track and rotate throughout the agency) for a week of professional development. All 80 or so individuals get together in a L’enfant Plaza Conference room and look forward to a week of lecture, interaction, and socialization away from the cube. I, for one, think this is a great experience. Each of us has the opportunity to network with employees, find out what others are currently doing in their rotations or tracks, discover previously unearthed information about the agency that you had no idea about, and gain leadership skills - all at the same time!
Mary Morrison
YGL Social Networking Chair
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