GovLoop

The Battle Against Burgeoning Bureaucracy

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The word ‘bureaucracy’ does not conjure warm, fuzzy feelings for most people; in fact, it’s often considered a dirty word. In government, it seems inevitable. Many larger agencies would not run effectively without hierarchy and rigid structure, which often presents a frustrating set of challenges.

David Paschane, Organizational Architect at the Department of Veterans Affairs and an Associate Research Professor at UMBC, recently brought this issue to the attention of the GovLoop community and pondered why bureaucratization happens in the first place. Keep reading →

 /  Published January 27, 2012 at 12:00 PM

Are Interns Your Best Bet for Social Media Management?

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It is no secret that social media has been widely adopted by government agencies. The question is: why would a government agency want to be connected to constituents round-the-clock? The answer: it is a relatively cost effective way to engage with the public.

The challenge (and the hidden cost) is that consistently keeping up with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, GovLoop, or any other social media accounts can be extremely time-consuming. Building on high rates of unemployment coupled with current students and recent graduates looking for any work they can get, many organizations are adopting what appears to be an easy fix: hire a social media intern. Keep reading →

 /  Published December 20, 2011 at 4:00 PM

Advice For Government Job Seekers: Don’t Wait

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As college students, we keep hearing that “times are tough.” In the midst of economic uncertainty, we are studying hard, networking and trying to keep our resumes fresh. We want to work, and for those of us with a passion for public service, the government is our first choice for employment. The problem is that government employment might not be available.

GovLoop member, Amanda Parker, recently completed her Master’s of Public Policy program. Through sacrifice and dedication to her work — and what Parker admits was a stroke of good luck — she secured an internship that she called her “dream job” at a federal agency. Alas, due to budget constraints, she’s afraid her agency won’t be able to convert her to a full-time employee upon completion. Keep reading →

 /  Published November 14, 2011 at 3:52 PM

When Government Cuts Comments On Social Media, Is It Censorship?

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Let’s face it — if your government agency does not have an online presence, especially in the realm of social media, both the public and your agency are missing out.

Social media provides unprecedented levels of engagement. It can spur discussion, generate rapid feedback and encourage participation. Keep reading →

 /  Published November 9, 2011 at 9:23 AM

Making The Best Of A Bad Budget Situation

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File this one under “obvious,” but the Federal government finds itself in a budgetary bind. The talk coming out of every pundit’s mouth for the past few months has included “budget,” or “cost cutting,” and this could translate into a dramatically reduced Federal work force.

Can any agency afford to furlough, eliminate or contract its way to a slimmer budget? That was the question posed to government employees by GovLoop Founder, Steve Ressler: Can we really do more with less? Keep reading →

 /  Published October 31, 2011 at 10:30 AM

Social Media Use Jumps Dramatically Among Federal Employees

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Social media is approaching main stream adoption in the federal government, with 41% of federal workforce respondents polled in a new survey having begun using social media in the past year. That’s in addition to 51% who had begun using social media more than a year ago, leaving only 8% of federal employees who say they do not use social media.

Perhaps more significantly, the distinction of where federal employees use social media–once clearly confined to home or controlled office use–has begun to dissolve. While 92% of federal respondents said they use social media at home, 74% use it at work, and 70% use it via mobile devices, the study suggested federal agencies are demonstrating a new level of comfort in using social media. Keep reading →

 /  Published October 18, 2011 at 11:18 AM

Fixing How We Hire Feds

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This article originally appeared at GovLoop.com.

Is the Federal hiring system cumbersome and lengthy, and does it need to be reformed to meet the current workforce demands of the government? Keep reading →

 /  Published October 10, 2011 at 1:00 PM

GovLoop Helps Thousands Connect to Careers Despite Job Market

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While jobless numbers look bleak, economic reports point to a deeper recession and President Obama pushes a reluctant Congress to pass his jobs plan, thousands of GovLoop members have recently found success launching and advancing their careers through new tools offered by the social network for public sector employees.

GovLoop reports growing participation in free online training programs, resume guidance and a pilot Mentors Program that made more than 50 matches over an eight-week period. Keep reading →

 /  Published September 9, 2011 at 2:15 PM

Six Essential Elements to Government Customer Service

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President Obama recently issued a Presidential Executive Order to all federal agencies to streamline processes and improve customer satisfaction with plans due to the Office of Management and Budget by this October.

How exactly do we improve customer satisfaction in government agencies? Great service in government is harder to provide and sustain than it is in private industry. Keep reading →

 /  Published July 21, 2011 at 2:00 PM
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