Morley Career Solutions has always been a true blue business. We’ve also helped thousands gain federal employment. Here’s our advice about federal job seeking for the liberal professional during the upcoming Trump administration.
By Miranda Morley
On November 6th, I didn’t feel the shock that I did back in 2016. I’m a former poli sci grad turned career coach and Reiki Master, and although I hoped for a different outcome, my intuitive and academic spidey senses started warning me to prepare for red toward the end of October. With that being said, I started my preparations — both personally and professionally. Personally, I focused on transforming my house — already the place where people (and animals) gather and come to wait out storms, into an even more inviting home. Candles, rugs, furnished bookshelves, and Rokus in every room so we could tune out the news with nature documentaries. Professionally, I started looking into how a federal worker might fare during the Trump Administration because I knew I would be asked that question. And now I have an answer — one you might expect if you remember that I used to be a professor. It depends.
We’re likely to see some changes in federal employment with a Trump presidency, but changes depend a great deal on the agency in question. Overall, federal employment still offers solid benefits as well as the opportunity to serve your country in a positive way. Keep reading to learn more.
A Look at the History
According to the Partnership for Public Service, the first Trump administration came into the office promising to shrink the federal workforce, but federal employment actually increased throughout his tenure. In addition, benefits like seniority and promotions remained relatively unchanged. On the agency level, we saw increases in expected departments, such as the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and various components of the military and homeland security.
The lack of cuts to bluer-leaning agencies, such as the Department of the Interior, Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education is positive. When you look at the situation for a jobseeker’s perspective, this suggests that federal employment could offer a positive opportunity for you in 2024.
You can take a look at the in-depth data for the previous Trump administration here: https://ourpublicservice.org/blog/how-the-federal-workforce-changed-under-the-trump-administration/
How Politics Plays a Role
Of course, the administration plays a role in the organization and administration of federal agencies, but unless you are in a high-level position impacted directly by the executive branch (such as a White House intern or decision-making leader in the DOD), you’re not likely to feel that impact significantly. I’ve worked with many federal clients — from high-level decision-makers in project management or other leadership roles to entry-level administrative and secretarial workers — and most have indicated that the culture while working at the Federal government depends, as it does just about anywhere on the people working alongside you.
With that being said, you might expect people to be a bit free-er with their opinions, especially if those opinions align with Trump’s worldview. However, you should note that there are measures in place to protect you against outright racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, and other types of discrimination. In fact, because those safeguards are so established and strong, most of my federal clients report significantly reduced feelings of discomfort and concerns about discrimination than my clients in private-sector positions. The point system used to evaluate candidates also reduces the opportunity for discrimination — though we all know that hate happens everywhere.
Being Blue in a Red Administration
All in all, I recommend federal employment to a number of my clients for the following reasons:
- Benefits – Pensions, excellent healthcare, and PTO are a few benefits that attract many to federal work
- WFH Potential – There are many fully remote and hybrid (called telework) positions available with the federal government, and individuals who want to work from home can find options from IT to administration
- Promotions Potential / Stability – Unlike many private-sector jobs, federal promotions are based on a schedule/point system, so there’s less mystery surrounding when you’ll be able to move up. This results in greater stability
- Opportunity Potential – Once you have worked for a year in a federal position, in most cases, you are eligible to apply for positions available only to those working for the federal government
- Impact Potential – As a public servant, you’ll have the opportunity to make a positive impact, both on the individuals whom your department serves and internally as you share love and bright blue light! A great deal of research has been done on the fact that we tend to “surround [ourselves] with [ourselves]” to modify a Yes! song lyric. As a person of blue persuasion in a red administration, you help to keep decisions honest, well-rounded, and beneficial to all.
So, can you be blue and work in a red administration? The answer is, “it depends.” History, anecdotes, and processes show us that there are opportunities to be had. However, only you can determine whether you can stand working in an environment in which negative ideals dominate. If you can’t, no worries. There are plenty of opportunities to work with a liberal NGO, non-profit organization, lobbyist, school, or local business. As my daughter used to say, “All jobs save the world.”
If you want to learn more about how to find meaningful work, feel free to text me at 708-730-46324 or schedule an appointment here: https://morleycareersolutions.com/contact