President-elect Barack Obama will be the country's next commander-in-chief. He could also be your next boss.
At the start of every new president's term, roughly 7,000 government jobs open up nationwide and abroad. Some are reserved for top officials and corporate leaders, but the majority of the positions are typically up for grabs.
The jobs, referred to as politically appointed or noncareer positions, span all levels and are in a range of fields, such as accounting, communications, law, engineering, technology, social services, and education. They pay annual salaries ranging from $30,000 for low-level positions to $175,000 for the most senior jobs, plus health care and other benefits. Political experience isn't a prerequisite, nor is having campaigned for the incoming president.
There is a catch: The positions last only for the duration of the president's tenure.
If you are interested, now is the time to start your search. The U.S. government announced which positions will become available and where they'll be located, in a print publication called the Plum Book. You can find a free online version at gpoaccess.gov.
The positions are projected to be filled throughout the first year of the new administration, and will range from jobs such as director of accounting services for the Department of Defense to deputy manager of cleanup for the Department of Energy.
You can fill out a general application online now at change.gov, a site that offers news and events about the set-up of the Obama administration. You'll receive instructions via email at a later date on how to provide details about specific jobs that interest you.
In the meantime, figure out what kind of government work you'd like to do, advises Charlie Cragin, who served in several politically appointed positions between 1990 and 2001, including chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals of the Department of Veterans' Affairs. While specifying what type of job you want isn't required, it greatly boosts your odds of success. Mr. Cragin says many applicants err by offering to do any job, falsely assuming that government recruiters will be able to identify fitting opportunities on their behalf.
- To identify an ideal job now, Mr. Cragin recommends searching the 2008 online edition of the Plum Book, which can be viewed for free at transitionjobs.us, a Web site published by Avue Technologies Corp., a software company based in Tacoma, Wash. Both that site and gpoaccess.gov list titles for all politically appointed positions; the agencies and departments they're located within; some salary information; the incumbents who are currently in those positions, and other details.
- Look up the agency Web sites for the jobs you are targeting to learn about what these organizations do.
- Search the Web for information about the incumbents' backgrounds to see if yours is similar. This can help you determine whether the jobs are a good fit since the Plum Book doesn't describe what skills and experience they require, nor their responsibilities.
- "If you're really gutsy, you pick up the phone and call" the current person in that job, says Mr. Cragin. This person may be willing to provide details about the job.
- Once you've narrowed down which job you want, focus on ways to boost your candidacy, says Andrea Rice, president and founder of Gotta Mentor, a New York-based firm that helps unite students and professionals with mentors. She suggests networking with professionals who could vouch for your candidacy or introduce to you those who can.
- In addition to your work history, be sure to provide details about relevant past experience, such as any campaign work you might have done for the president elect, says Ms. Rice.
- Don't expect to negotiate salary, says Linda Rix, co-chief executive officer of Avue Technologies. Politically appointed positions pay fixed yearly incomes. The government typically does not offer sign-on bonuses, though a performance-based bonus system is used, she says.
- Finally, bear in mind that some factors can automatically derail your candidacy, she adds. These include a poor credit rating, failure to pay income taxes in a timely manner, and child-support delinquency.
Obama as your Boss - Here is How to Apply Online
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