I used to hate getting feedback.  I would interpret all feedback (no matter how trivial) as fatal character flaws that were going to stymie my career and relegate me to an entry level position for the rest of my life.  Like many, I was a bit too hard on myself.  Over the past few years I have grown to appreciate feedback, particularly informal feedback, as a means of bettering myself in the workplace.  However, it was only when I became a supervisor this past year that I really began to understand feedback and its crucial role as a communication tool for relationship management at work.

Everyone makes mistakes.  It’s just a fact of life.  Talk to any senior official and he/she will tell you of the disastrous mistake made earlier in his/her career.  The key to rising above these mistakes is to learn from them.  Sometimes, you learn from a mistake by recognizing it.  Other times, you may not even know that you made a mistake and need a peer or boss to point it out.  Cultivating a relationship with your superior where mistakes are identified in a helpful not accusatory manner can be the building block to a successful career.

It should be noted that feedback is not just about pointing out mistakes.  Sometimes, feedback is about managing expectations.  For example, you may think that precision of arrival time for meetings and work is not that important at work.  Your boss, however, might have different expectations.  These mismatched expectations can create unnecessary tension at work.  Creating relationships at work where honesty is valued can have huge impacts on your success and happiness at work.

Developing these honest relationships is not easy.  People often would rather ignore an issue than talk about it.  Thus, it is important to develop ways to get feedback from superiors, colleagues, etc. about how you are perceived by the rest of the world.  I have found that the best way to give and get feedback is not in our annual performance reviews.  It is better to start an informal conversation with your boss/colleague/employee and just ask him/her how things are working for them.  Ask him/her if there was anything that you could do to make things easier for him/her or that he/she would rather you do.  Keep it low-key.  Talk about whether you think you have enough interaction or if they would like to change something about how you are communicating currently.  Also, ask for feedback on a regular basis.  I am not suggesting asking for feedback every week or even every month, but it should be done at least every three months.  People tend to want to give feedback at the end of things (such as a year, performance review cycle, project, etc.).  By this point, it is way too late.  It would have been more helpful to get feedback earlier in the process, which will save you and your co-workers from months of irritation.

But, remember, when you ask for feedback…you are going to get it.  So, be prepared!

Kate Walker
Young Government Leaders
www.youngovernmentleaders.org

Don’t look now, but they’re invading your office. With the annual Summer Solstice come the energetic, flip-flop-wearing, fresh-from-college idealists who, by now, have probably made their presence known. They’re eager to please and for a short three months offer usually free office help.

I remember when I was an intern. I actually got to do some interesting, substantive work. As tempting as it probably was, no one asked me to pick up their dry cleaning or lunch. My biggest problem was walking around D.C. with money for the train and lunch and little else. It’s not easy being unpaid staff. As exciting as the work may be, the internship is likely replacing a part-time job that might earn a student some dough. So we should utilize our interns and tap them for their input. The interns challenge our antiquated assumptions, and provide a fresh lens on all manner of topics.

We also can’t ignore the obvious: they’re younger and likely more connected to our digital world. If I were a manager in the federal government, I’d spend a day or two downloading information from the summer co-ed about all of the technology out there that we feds aren’t yet utilizing. Interns also tend to be happy to work and possess the can-do attitude to go with it, unlike some of our regular colleagues.

I also read somewhere recently about a few famous interns who went on to rule the world:

Before Harvard University and Microsoft, 17-year-old Bill Gates spent a summer as a congressional page. During her sophomore year at the Tennessee State University, Oprah Winfrey worked at a Nashville TV station. Then she was hired on to co-anchor the news from 1973-1976. Brooke Shields volunteered at the San Diego Zoo through an internship program at her N.J. high school before heading off to Princeton University.

The moral of the story? Don’t relegate your motivated intern to mindless administrative tasks. Give them work with substance and they might just add value to your agency. Plus, you never know who they’ll become.

Christine Nazer
EEOC

Exceeds Fully Successful, Fully Successful, and hopefully not Unacceptable, at this juncture in the government fiscal year, most of us have already had mid-year performance appraisals and should be seeking self-improvement.  Regardless of how we were rated we should always strive for short and long-term improvement.

With young federal careers, we cannot afford to enter a stage of cruise control or settle for the norm.  We have been hired to bring new and innovated perspectives to the table and must apply the same level of energy that initially got us interested in the government.  If we plan on advancing and exceeding in our career, it is necessary to build upon success and mend areas in need of self-improvement identified in our performance appraisals.  It is okay to stop and enjoy moments of success, but do not remain idle for too long.  I am not saying that flourishing is never enough, but do we really want to stop and test that theory at this juncture of our career?  Maintain the momentum, with much to be desired and expected of us it is our job to have a constant drive of determination.

While maintaining that drive, keep in mind that there is no quick fix or path to exceed expectations on your performance appraisals.  Our success begins with the tone and work habits we choose to bring to work daily.  Consider my following assertions to initiate changes or maintain successful drives for the next performance appraisal.

Bring a high volume of positive energy to work daily:
Undoubtedly, it is difficult to do even when working on an exciting project and especially between projects.  The energy we apply daily begins with motivation that is usually set upon arriving at work.  Approach the day with a positive attitude determine to accomplish daily assignments while making progress on the long-term ones.  Feed off the positive energy of people you are working with and if non-existent, take the initiative to set the positive tone.  Do not let negative attitudes bring you down or deter your momentum.  Remind your self why you chose to work in your current agency even if it is for personal gain.  Additionally, a positive tone is quite contagious and makes the day go by faster.

Genuinely learn from your mistakes:
Obviously it is impossible for anyone’s career to continuously surpass expectations beyond belief regardless of what type of attitude we bring to work.  It is almost guaranteed that if we want to succeed, we will experience low points and will have to learn from them.  Indeed, we all make mistakes along the way and there is absolutely no shame in it, however, it is how we perform thereafter that identifies effectiveness and determines our ability to persevere.  Do not be afraid to ask questions upon initial mistakes, input is necessary to avoid repeating them.  If no one seems to have answers then exercise your best judgment, and conquer with your team leader.

Know your limits:
Nobody understands better than your self what you are capable of accomplishing.  Do not worry about impressing or outshining someone, complete your assignments by submitting your best work.  If you feel overloaded, inform your team leader that you are capable of completing the workload, but will need additional time and specify a timeframe.  Quality not quantity is still a good rule of thumb. 

Never let anyone tell you what you incapable of accomplishing:
While we would like to believe that every agency provides a positive work environment, unfortunately for what ever reasons (stress, spite, jealously) odds are there is always going to be someone who will try to deter you.  Negative comments rarely deserve a rebuttal, besides they are often made out of haste and usually regretted.  Always put forth the best effort regardless of any circumstances and your work will always be noticed.  Hard work will always speak for itself even when you think it goes unnoticed.

Accept constructive criticism with an open mind:
Never take criticism personally.  If we expect to improve, we must be willing to make changes, adapt, and move forward.  We must remind ourselves that with young government careers, there is much to be learned.  However, while we should be open to changes, we should also seek suggestions on improvement.   Constructive criticism is a two-way street so always remember to ask for advice.

Rate Yourself
Why wait for performance appraisals to be rated?  We are aware of the standards by which we are rated and should routinely rate ourselves and determine honestly if we are effectively completing tasks and duties being asked of us.  Additionally, we can determine whether there is more we could be doing, but have not been given an opportunity.  Let’s not deceive ourselves; we know how much effort we apply to assignments and projects daily and if we are being under or over utilized.

Performance appraisals are meant to support and guide not hinder or deter our efforts.  However, we should never put ourselves in situations where we are solely relying on them to make adjustments to our work ethic.  We must always put forth our best effort, and constantly strive to find ways to improve.

All the best,

Jacob Farias
Young Government Leaders: http://www.youngovernmentleaders.org/

I’ve always associated certain health issues, such as back pain, with the “older” people. Silly, I know, since anyone can have back pain for a million reasons, none of which might include their age. But I still associate it with my grandfather, who was unable to stand straight because of his discomfort, and my mom who perpetually mopes around her yard with her hands on her waist after working in the garden. Older people do that. Not me.

Until recently, I considered myself still eligible for the “young” category in life. I am a healthy, active, 34-year-old woman with no prior health problems, and I do write for YoungFeds.org. The fact that I’m younger than most people in my office also supports my false sense of youth. But lately, I’ve been plagued by upper back, shoulder, and neck pain and stiffness. I ignored it for several days, until it got so uncomfortable that I couldn’t sleep one night. The next morning, I couldn’t even turn my head, the pain was so bad. I visited the EEOC nurse and described my pain. She asked some questions about how much time I spend on the computer, referred me to the on-site doctor, and sent me back to my desk with some Advil. “I’d also like to take a look at your workstation,” she said.

A few days later, I was examined by the doctor. He felt around my back, asked me to do a few hand and neck exercises, and took notes. “You’ve got some repetitive stress injuries to this muscle in your back,” he told me as he pointed to a diagram of the human body. The doctor advised me to take breaks from my computer several times a day, walk and do stretches. He sent me off with reading material on repetitive motion pain and a slip that read: “Please do ergonomic evaluation of workplace.”

I’ve become an ergonomic mess. I admit to spending 8-12 hours a day in front of a computer on most days, but I never feel physically uncomfortable while sitting at my desk. Is this just part of getting older? Not according to the people who did my ergonomic evaluation last week. Apparently, our bodies were not designed to sit for extended periods of time. My problems are the product of too much hunching over a computer screen, a bad office chair, and a keyboard that is not quite right. My desk is also too low. None of this, of course, has much to do with my age. Sound familiar? I hope not. The back and neck pain and stiffness can be very uncomfortable and can last for days at a time. Since most of us spend most of our days sitting at a desk, I’ll share some tips that might spare you some of the discomfort I’ve endured:

• Be sure your computer monitor is at or just below eye level
• Align or head and neck with your torso; relax your shoulders
• Your elbows should be close to your body and supported; your wrists and hands should be in-line with forearms
• Adjust your chair height so your feet are flat on the floor, and your knees are bent slightly more than 90 degrees in front of you.
• Also, sit in a chair that supports your back from pelvis to shoulder blades
• For every 50 minutes you sit, take a 10-minute break to walk around and do some stretches.

I encourage you to have your workstation evaluated to stop potential ergonomic problems before they start. Don’t put this off until pain starts – the sooner the better.

Christine Nazer
EEOC

May was an eventful month for me as a young fed.  First, several weeks ago I attended the Public Service Recognition Awards, sponsored by GEICO, and got to meet some truly amazing public servants.  Take a moment to follow the link above and read some of the winners’ stories.  These individuals exemplify the kind of innovation, compassion, and dedication that the YGL is trying to promote throughout the federal service.

Also, my agency recently gave me my first promotion, undoubtedly as recognition of my invaluable contributions to our mission.  I’m joking of course, but my supervisor mentioned my involvement in organizations like YGL and my experience with Presidential Classroom (which I wrote about previously here) when explaining why the department felt I was ready to take on more responsibility.  Believe it or not, someone in the chain-of-command is paying attention when you give that extra effort.

And finally, I turned 25 on Monday, so I’m just about due for my quarter-life crisis.  This, along with the events above, encouraged me to think about what sparked my interest in public service in the first place.  What really brought me to a career in the federal government?  How did I get here, and where am I going?  I was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2006, which certainly helped nudge me toward a career as a fed.  I also turned down job offers from the private sector well before I took a job with HUD - for some reason, they never appealed to me like public service did.

I’d been thinking about this topic for a couple of weeks before I was promoted.  As part of the promotion, I rotated to another economic development office to help manage a grant competition.  While there, I had the pleasure of meeting a federal employee who had been with the department for more than thirty years.  Economic development is not usually the most engaging subject, but he spoke about it with a passion that was infectious.  I sat with him several times while he briefed various groups about our program.  It was amazing to see the excitement on the faces of various mayors and city managers as they came through the office, looking for ways to help their cities and their citizens - they always left with new ideas and new dreams for their communities.  He will be retiring at the end of the year, but his dedication has not diminished.  Instead of phoning in his meetings, he was still seeking to inspire everyone that walked into his office.  He was still seeking to develop communities across the country, even with retirement mere months away.

Ultimately, this is what brought me to public service in the first place: the opportunity to serve with committed and passionate people who put the community before themselves.  In the private sector, business is the bottom-line, however, in the public sector, it is about the community and they ultimately are the bottom-line.  The opportunity and privilege to benefit my community is the momentum that keeps me driving forward.

So take sometime this week to think about what brought you to public service.  It is a commitment that needs to be renewed from time to time.  Think about your colleagues, mentors, and heroes in public service.  Let them help you renew the spark and fan the flames of your dedication.  Maybe then we can all speak the quarter-life crisis.

James Hedrick
Young Government Leaders: http://www.youngovernmentleaders.org/

 

As the spring semester draws to a close and the interns flock to D.C. for their summer internships, I am reminded again that the gap between my perspective and that of current college students is increasing exponentially.  I am still learning how the modem for my cable works. Conversely, college students’ digital lives are moving at warp-speed.  Remember Friendster?  Well, that’s not “in” anymore.  My mother-in-law, a teacher and computer-integration specialist says that the popular terminology to capture this generational gap is “computer immigrant” and “computer native.”  You are a “computer immigrant” if you can remember what a mainframe looks like and learned how to type on a type-writer.  You are a “computer native” if you can barely remember life before email.  My mother-in-law said that students in her school are creating PowerPoint presentations by second grade. I think I figured out PowerPoint sometime during my second year in my first job after college.  Today’s interns have many common denominators with interns of yore:  they want to be challenged; be considered part of the team; have copy-making, coffee-making, and data-entry kept to a minimum.  But, they also have different expectations for technology in the workplace.

I spent yesterday showing a summer intern the ropes.  He made two interesting comments during the day that I think highlight the interests of today’s interns and some areas for attention for government recruiters. 

Among the first questions the summer intern asked me when discussing the logistics of the job was “what type of computer am I going to get,” specifically whether it was going to be a laptop (the preferred type) or a desktop. Today’s young recruits are weighing job options where laptops, blackberries, and cell-phones are considered standard issue on the first day of work.  Investing in technology that keeps the federal government up to date will help to attract younger generations of employees.  Colleges and universities have 24-hour computer lounges with free wireless so that the writing of papers and taking of tests can occur any where and any time.  Students can email their professors and have on-line chat-rooms to discuss homework, upcoming tests, or papers.  They text message and instant message.  All.  Day.  Long.  They are used to instantaneous responses.  I can only imagine them waiting f-o-r-e-v-e-r to hear back about their applications for jobs with the federal government (which, from my experience with a small non-scientific sample of friends in the federal government, can take anywhere from three to fourteen months). 

This brings me to the second illuminating remark by the summer intern.  He indicated that he had considered not even applying to the university he attends (a very prestigious university in the North East) because “the website sucked so much.”  Every little impression that we can possibly make on our interns is valuable—starting with our websites.  Many of the federal government agencies’ websites that I have visited are not providing the information that future potential employees want to see.  Today’s college students want to see their likeness, i.e., recent grads employing the positions being announced.  They want to know what the career paths and advancement opportunities for different positions.  Small perks such as a snazzy website and up-to-date laptops might be the difference between the impression that “the government is out of date and out of touch” and “hey, maybe I’d like to work here.”

Kate Walker
Young Government Leaders
http://www.youngovernmentleaders.org/

Have you ever clicked on the “forms” link on the OPM website and perused the long list of government forms? It is a masterpiece of bureaucracy. And despite recent promises that the government is moving toward doing business electronically, I marvel at how much work is turned into paper. I thought the internet was supposed to reduce paperwork—but in government, our hearts might be in the right place, but we’re still in the paper business because I still have to print the form off the Internet in order to submit it.

As a newcomer to the federal government, I was shocked to learn a few months ago that I needed to fill out a form to request a step ladder. Is there a short form for a short ladder? Does ‘red tape’ really mean white paper? It would seem so. Filling out a form that required two signatures just to get a ladder seemed too cumbersome to me, so instead I asked someone from facilities with whom I shared an elevator earlier that morning if he would let me use his ladder.

On the OPM website, there are “Standard Forms” and “Optional Forms.” Note to self: If I really had the option as the title suggests, I wouldn’t fill out the form! There are also OPM-specific forms, and those that relate to retirement. If this hasn’t whet your appetite enough, there are links to browse other federal agency form sites. Wow. I’m mesmerized. There’s also a “forms manager” at OPM whom you can e-mail directly. Culprit identified! How does his performance evaluation go? Is he rated on how many new forms he can create? What it his promotion potential, since he’s already the manager?  He must have a huge circular file.

My agency has amusing names for some forms. There’s Form 120 called “Report of Excess Personal Property.” Must I report my personal property? And what does “excess” mean? This is hilarious: Form 120a is called “Report of Excess Personal Property Continuation Sheet.” I guess that’s for people who have too much. There’s also Form 326a: “Back side of Standard Form 326.” I’m not touching that one. Then there’s Form 167 called “Agreement of Non-Disclosure,” which begs the question: Why would I disclose it on paper? Here’s the best one: Form 101 “Request for Approval and Development of Form.” There’s literally a form to develop a new form! This is an outrage - I want to speak with the forms manager about this. Oddly enough, I cannot find a form to fill out in order to speak with him.

As I look over the impressive list of forms on the OPM page, it occurs to me that the reason for all of this is that the government wants everything documented. Yes, that even includes borrowing ladders. The problem is that often there are too many hands in the pot. These forms often clog up the system, and then it’s not clear who is responsible for seeing a task through.

I prefer things much simpler; opt for human interaction. Find the department or person you need and make the request. Eliminate the unnecessary forms by speaking directly with the forms manager. Repeat as necessary.

Christine Nazer
EEOC

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was proud to participate in this year’s Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) activities. PSRW honors government employees for their contributions to America with exhibits on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. that are open to the public. Last week, the EEOC exhibited information about its mission and employees were answered questions about Commission initiatives. PSRW provides an opportunity to educate citizens about the many ways in which the federal government serves the public.

The EEOC is a law enforcement agency, though not usually associated with the more well-known organizations like the FBI or the even the police. But EEOC employees are dedicated public servants who serve without weapons; the Commission enforces the laws that prevent workplace discrimination. EEOC programs necessarily take the human factor into account because our focus is always on helping people. By breaking down barriers that obstruct free and fair competition in the workplace, EEOC employees work hard to ensure that American workers don’t face discrimination based on their sex, race, religion, national origin, disability, or age. Public service can be defined as improving the lives of others, and the value of the EEOC’s work can be seen in workplaces across America.

The EEOC is committed to the protection of all workers, particularly those most vulnerable in the United States. Currently, there is a worldwide effort to combat human trafficking - a terrible reality all over the world, including in the U.S. There are thousands of inspiring EEOC stories to tell, but I’ll mention two exceptionally compelling:

In 2006, the EEOC rescued dozens of Indian immigrants who arrived in pursuit of the American dream, from a harsh existence of exploitation and neglect. The highly skilled workers were lured to the U.S. with promises of high-paying jobs, insurance, apartments and cars. Instead, they were paid $2 to $3 an hour to clean toilets and mow lawns. The cook was paid $1 an hour for 18-hour days. Job assignments were also discriminatory. The darkest-skinned Indians were forced to perform the worst work. Unfamiliar with the laws of the land, the Indian workers had their documents confiscated and locked away in a safe. They were forced to live on tiny food rations behind fences topped with barbed wire, with gates sometimes locked with armed guards watching, and a door chained shut so they wouldn’t escape at night.  The EEOC filed a lawsuit against the employer and prevailed. Today, the Indian workers have found jobs with legitimate employers across America, and are now compensated well enough to support their families.

A few years ago, the EEOC also came to the rescue of a group of welders brought to the U.S. from Thailand under false pretences who were mistreated and kept as virtual prisoners. As soon as the workers arrived in the U.S., the company confiscated their passports and visas, and put them to work in menial jobs, in many cases for 13 hours a day, six days a week. They shared two apartments without water, electricity or gas, beds or furniture. They had no means to cook or store food. They were trapped and could not leave the intolerable conditions. If this wasn’t enough, the welders were told that the police and immigration authorities would be called to arrest them if they tried to escape. They were also told that any attempts to escape would result in harm to their families in Thailand. Eventually, the company settled with the EEOC for $1 million among other relief. The EEOC also helped the victims with become permanent residents.

It is safe to assume that these two cases represent only the tip of the iceberg, as human trafficking goes.  The EEOC rescued the victims from nightmares and helped them fulfill the American dream. The calling of public service provides the strength and determination for EEOC employees – and all public servants – to work for the public good and help the weakest in our society. We should be proud.

Christine Nazer

I recently attended an event that took place during Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW).  As I watched the people that received awards of honor for their public service contribution, it got me thinking about how many contributions people make throughout their career, and how few are truly recognized at any really significant event.  Does this mean that the small contributions are not important – certainly not!  But what makes one person’s contribution stand out above others?  While it is possible that the people who were recognized for their truly remarkable public service contribution came up with an idea or innovation that really improved government operations and implemented it all by themselves, it is more likely that they achieved success by getting others to rally around their idea and help bring it to life.  It was a few days after I thought about this that I started reading Mark Sanborn’s book, “You Don’t Need Title to be a Leader”.  He discusses several principles that a leader embodies – and principle 3 is “Power with People”.  This chapter of the book starts out with a quote that reads “Leadership is the art of getting extraordinary performance from ordinary people.” (Anonymous) The first sentence that Sanborn writes is “Everything we accomplish happens not just because of our efforts but through the efforts of others”.  In public service careers, we couldn’t accomplish much without the help of and coordination with others, but that doesn’t make us all leaders.  Leaders in government are those that can really mobilize the troops and catalyze change in an environment in which change does not generally happen quickly. Another thing that Sanborn points out is the difference between managers and leaders.  There are a lot of managers in government, but not many leaders, as was clear by the handful of people who sat on the stage at the event I attended during PSRW who most likely had 15+ years in government.  What are some things that differentiate the leader from the manager?  According to Sanborn, Managers have employees, Leaders win followers; Managers react to change, Leaders create change; Managers have good ideas; Leaders implement them; Managers communicate; Leaders persuade; Managers exercise power over people; Leaders exercise power with people.

As young feds, we may often hear people giving guidance and advice about career management, getting to the next level by impressing your boss or the division manager, or ways to “exceed expectations”.  What you don’t really hear people talk about is how to affect change by being a leader, regardless of your grade or band level.  But according to Sanborn, you DON’T need a title to be a leader, so why not start making your “true” contribution right now with the help of those around you.  I don’t know about all of you, but I don’t want to wait 25 years or more to hear someone praise my contribution to public service when I can start making a difference today that will continue to be carried out through my career.  What will your contribution be, and who will you get to help you make it happen?

Addie Spahr
Chair, Young Government Leaders 2006-2007

The high school I graduated from has a proud tradition of academic excellence. The average SAT score is 1314. The average ACT score is 28. The school strives to have students that ‘will be known for their well-defined values, high ethical standards, love of learning and the ability and desire to lead’. 

Before the end of senior year, we were required to complete forty hours of community service. This was not voluntary. If you did not fulfill the requirement, your grades were not released and you would not be eligible to receive your diploma. The requirement for the current student body is sixty hours of community service. According to the school’s website, the goal of the Community Service Program is to:

“Foster a sense of community responsibility. Through volunteer service, students will gain a greater understanding of social and moral issues. It is our belief that service to the community is one of the major characteristics of leadership. Those who serve also lead. Those who lead also serve.”

I applaud the school for the program and its goal, but it stops short of what community service is really about. Their goal promotes selfishness and not selflessness.

My interpretation of this goal is that upon completion of the required hours, the individual, not the community benefits. That is not community service. Community service is about performing a service that benefits the population you serve and doing it without wanting or expecting recognition or payment. The school is right that community service is a major characteristic of leadership, but it’s because leaders must sometimes sacrifice themselves to make someone or something better.

I graduated college from Howard University, located in Washington, D.C. When I attended Howard, the university did not have a community service requirement. Thanks to the values instilled in me by my parents and reinforced by my high school’s community service program, my college experience would have felt unfulfilled if I did not invest in and serve the community surrounding Howard.

When I graduated from college, I went to work in the private sector. Prior to graduating, I met the woman who a few years later, I married. A little under twelve months later, we had our first child. Life was good. I had a wife, child, good career, and my first house. I was happy, but something was missing. In my development as a leader, to my family at home and at work, I lost sight of my commitment to community. In college serving the community was easy. I had a flexible schedule, no wife, no kids, no car and no bills. Those days were over. I now had a job that took up forty – sixty hours per week, a car payment, a mortgage, and daycare, my 2^{nd mortgage. How could I serve the community without taking time away from my young family? I felt I was caught in a ‘catch 22’. I took me a little while to figure it out, but the answer was ‘Public Service’. A career in government gives me the opportunity to serve my community as a career public servant! It was a win win! Instead of working forty-sixty hours per week to benefit shareholders, I could now do it for the benefit of the community. Not only would I be fulfilling my need to serve, but I also would be providing for my family and giving them the time they deserved. I started my public service career in local government and for a little over one year now I’ve been working in the federal government. I work for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in the office of Public and Indian Housing. My program is responsible for providing Operating Subsidy to Housing Agencies. The program serves approximately 1,300,000 low-income households. My program does not deal directly with the tenants who benefit from the operating subsidy we provide, which allows my contributions to remain anonymous. HUD has given me the opportunity to serve the community on a national level and for that, I am thankful.}

This week is Public Service Recognition Week, “a time set aside each year to honor the men and women who serve America as federal, state and local government employees.” I am truly honored to be recognized for doing something that I feel is my civic duty, community service.