Working for America: Opportunity is Knocking!

1. Working for America: Opportunity is Knocking! Dr. Johari M. Rashad U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Penn State University Harrisburg, PA November 20, 2009

2. The Partnership for Public Service The Partnership works to to revitalize our federal government by inspiring a new generation to serve and by transforming the way government works. MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

3. Agenda • Breaking down government stereotypes • My federal story • Resources you can use to learn more about federal career and internship opportunities • Question and answer session MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

4. Myths About Federal Employment • The political science major myth • The low pay myth • The Washington myth • The bureaucracy myth MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

5. Myth #1: The Political Science Major Myth Breaking down myth #1: • Federal employees are all liberal arts majors. The government doesn’t need people with other backgrounds. MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

6. Busting Myth #1: Find Your Federal Fit In FY 2008, roughly 101,805 people were hired in the federal government at the entry level (GS-5, GS-6, GS-7, GS-9) into some of the following occupations: MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

7. Myth #2: The Low Pay Myth Breaking down myth #2: • Salaries for federal employees are low. You’re better off going to work in the private sector. MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

8. Busting Myth #2: The General Schedule • Most Federal salaries are set by the General Schedule (GS) pay system, which goes from Grades 1-15 • Each pay grade has 10 steps • Varies by geographic location • Within a few years, you could progress through several grades MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

9. Busting Myth #2: General Schedule Grade Criteria GS-5 and GS-7 are considered “entry-level” MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

10. Busting Myth #2: Sample 2009 Starting Salaries MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

11. Busting Myth #2: Sample 2009 Starting Salaries Then, 2-3 years later… possible career progression MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

12. Busting Myth #2: Federal Service Benefits • Student loan repayment assistance • Some agencies may repay up to $10,000 of your student loans per year • In 2007, 33 agencies provided 6,619 employees with $42 million in assistance • The average loan repayment in 2007 was $6,345 • Flexible work schedules and generous leave benefits • Training and professional development • Competitive health and retirement benefits

13. Myth #3: The Washington Myth Breaking down myth #3: • Most federal jobs are located in Washington, D.C. MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

14. Busting Myth #3: Jobs Are Everywhere! 16% in the Washington, DC metro region Plus 50,000 jobs overseas MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

15. Myth #4: The Bureaucracy Myth Breaking down myth #4: • Federal employees are only paper pushers who are caught up in bureaucracy. Your work as a federal employee doesn’t make a difference. MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

16. Busting Myth #4: My Federal Career Path • Started Federal career after graduation from Howard University (B.A., 1976) as a GS-4 clerk-typist • Administrative Intern, U.S. Civil Service Commission (1979) • Personnel Management Specialist/instructor, U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), 1980-86 • Senior Training Specialist, U.S. Coast Guard (1986-90) • Chief, Office of Employee Development, Bureau of Land Management BLM) (1990-93) • Management Analyst, BLM (1994-2000) • HR Workforce Effectiveness Advocate, OPM (2000-2004) • Management Analyst/HR Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2004-present) MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

17. Busting Myth#4: My “Piece of the Action” • Human Resources (HR) Specialist (Policy writer/analyst), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Headquarters) • Helping Agency managers to effectively carry out their HR duties by providing advice, guidance, and policies for managing EPA employees to carry out EPA’s mission. • Representing the Agency to other federal agencies, professional associations, and educational institutions and private sector organizations as a leader/member on interagency teams, workgroups, and task forces on a variety of HR issues • Serving as EPA’s Telework Coordinator MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

18. Busting Myth #4: My Federal Career Legacy • Helping thousands of Federal employees to advance their careers; using my knowledge to help others to apply for Federal jobs. • Adopting & supporting the 5,500 sailors on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, the first aircraft carrier to depart for “Operation Enduring Freedom” after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

19. Partnership Resources • www.makingthedifference.org • Academic Quick Guides • www.bestplacestowork.org • www.wherethejobsare.org MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

20. Resources: Making the Difference • Hot Jobs/ Cool Internships • Student Programs • 17 interest-specific career guides • Agency profiles • KSA writing and federal resumes • Security clearance • Student loan repayment www.makingthedifference.org MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

21. Resources: Academic Quick Guides www.makingthedifference.org MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

22. Resources: Best Places to Work • Provides overall rankings for agencies and subcomponents • Also ranks agencies based on Best in Class scores in areas including Teamwork, Effective Leadership, Support for Diversity and Pay and Benefits www.bestplacestowork.org MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

23. Resources: Where the Jobs Are • Identifies 273,000 mission-critical employment opportunities in government • Search by professional field and agency • View profiles of individual agencies www.wherethejobsare.org MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

24. Questions? • Dr. Johari M. Rashad, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (rashad.johari@epa.gov) • www.makingthedifference.org MAKINGTHEDIFFERENCE.ORG

25. www.makingthedifference.org