Clever Geek Handbook
4 March 2026

How to Succeed in Business Using LinkedIn

Recommendation

LinkedIn, one of the Internet’s top, business-oriented social networking sites, focuses on helping people build their professional connections for fun and profit. Authors Eric Butow and Kathleen Taylor provide detailed steps on how to use every feature, big and small, on the site. Supporting their instructions with numerous, helpful screen shots, they clearly explain how to exchange references, promote your company, set up a home page, look for employment, recruit new employees, establish and maintain your business network, and more. The book’s disadvantage is that Web site logistics change in an instant; its advantage is that it offers the immediate, hands-on information people want so they can create stronger networks. BooksInShort reports that beginning networkers who want basic (actually, very basic), detailed instructions for using LinkedIn can link up here to get exactly what they need to know.

Take-Aways

  • LinkedIn, the business network Web site, targets business owners and professionals.
  • It costs nothing to use LinkedIn’s basic services, but users who pay for premium accounts have extended options.
  • You can build your online contact list by searching for people you know in LinkedIn.
  • LinkedIn contains exclusive job leads that are not available elsewhere.
  • Find recommended professionals and service people, from accountants to plumbers, with the “Service Provider” feature.
  • Recommendations boost your profile, especially if you get more than three.
  • The “Answer” feature lets you ask questions to get help and answer them to share your expertise.
  • Make new connections by requesting an introduction from a common contact or by using “InMail,” a premium service feature.
  • Contacting members who aren’t in your network can be beneficial, but you won’t have as much information about them.
  • Other Web applications complement LinkedIn to help manage your network.

Summary

Create an Account and Build Your Profile

LinkedIn’s Web site (www.linkedin.com) debuted in 2003, but really took off in 2007. The social network service offers business professionals a way to promote their companies, network with each other and build complete profiles to boost their Web sites’ search engine rankings. LinkedIn offers a place to find jobs or employees, and to make contacts. Start your journey with LinkedIn by getting to know the company on its Web site, where you can explore background information without having to join. LinkedIn’s blog also covers its features for business users, provides tips for using the site, and offers news about the company and its services.

“The more connections you make, the more opportunities you have to help others and to get help yourself.”

LinkedIn displays a chart comparing its available accounts, which range in cost from free to more than $200 a month. You may not know at first exactly what you will want to do on the site, but you can try it for free to see how much you use it. Its “Help” function also provides answers to users’ frequently asked questions.

“LinkedIn is only as effective as your contact list.”

As you navigate the site, it asks how you want to use its services and how you want to help others – such as potential employers or clients – find you. When you register for an account, LinkedIn asks you to fill out a profile with your current job and at least two past positions, educational background, credentials, a summary of your professional experience, a photo and a note about your specialties. Add three or more recommendations from other LinkedIn members among your clients or co-workers. Then, add your Web address and any other relevant links so people can learn more about you.

“Stay focused on who you are and what you do when building your contacts.”

You can select precisely which data you want to share with everyone and what information you want to restrict to your list of contacts. To verify your public presentation, click “View My Public Profile as Others See It.” You can create a Web address (URL) for your profile. If you don’t want your current employer to know you are hunting for a new position, don’t select “finding a job” as one of the reasons you want to join the network.

Find and Manage Contacts and Jobs

To learn if your friends or associates have posted LinkedIn profiles, enter their names in the “Search” tool. To refine your results, use the additional fields from the “Advanced People Search” or “Name Search” tabs. Access these tabs from the search results page or click “People” in the navigation bar to enter more details, such as company name, industry and address.

“Without a profile that effectively sells you and what you do, people won’t be interested in working with you, either as a prospective employee or as a recruiter.”

The search tools also let you locate people you don’t know who share your interests, work in your industry or hold positions you want to target. For instance, if you work for a software company that makes a product for a specific industry, you can search for potential customers by industry and job-title keywords. Once you locate a prospect, see if you share any contacts. If so, you can ask your common contact person for an introduction to the prospect. Generally, it’s better not to contact people you don’t know unless you have an intermediary.

“The more potential employers or employees see that you are well thought-of by others, the more interested they become in working with you.”

Having a high-quality list of connections is much better than having a large list of low-quality contacts. To make the most productive use of resources you already have, LinkedIn lets you import contacts from your e-mail account contact list. You can then select those contacts you wish to invite to join your online network.

Linking Up to a New Job

LinkedIn includes an integrated job application tool for posting, finding and applying for jobs. The job search tool enables you to search for openings by geographic location, keyword, job title, company, job function and more. The search results page provides two tabs: “LinkedIn Jobs” and “The Web.” If you don’t find anything promising on the LinkedIn Jobs page, switch to the Web tab to broaden your search. The advantage of LinkedIn is its “JobsInsider” feature, which indicates whether you’re already connected to anyone at the company you want to target.

“One of the attractive features of LinkedIn is that it effectively eliminates the need for the so-called cold call.”

To apply for a job that appears on LinkedIn, write a standard cover letter to accompany the posted application form. Fill it in with your basic background and employment information. You have the option of uploading your resume (up to 200 kb). Check the poster’s profile to see if you have any common contacts, and if anyone recommends the company as an employer. A lack of recommendations could signify that it may not be an ideal place to park your career. Some corporate recruiters prefer applicants who have recommendations, so you can provide those links as well. Note that Web-based job offerings outside of LinkedIn’s purview will have independent application requirements and processes.

“Though you don’t want to seek a recommendation from everyone in your network, it makes sense to have more than three.”

Hiring managers and recruiters use LinkedIn to display available jobs, find candidates and get references. However, posting a job opening on LinkedIn isn’t free. The employer’s costs depend on whether the company lists one job or saves money by purchasing bulk credits it can spend for multiple listings. Companies also can use LinkedIn’s “Distribute New Job” feature to send e-mails that tell selected connections or applicants about a fresh job posting. If an applicant uses LinkedIn to apply for a job with your company, you can search for contacts who have worked with that candidate to solicit independent references.

Finding Service Providers

Are you dealing with a leaky sink? When you’re ready to get it fixed, LinkedIn’s recommendations and connections can help you find a qualified plumber. Access the “Service Provider” section under the “Companies” tab. LinkedIn lists top providers by category, such as plumbers, photographers, contractors, career coaches or real estate agents. You can ask it to sort the provider list by the date of recommendation, with the most recent first, and to tell you if anyone you know also knows one of the listed plumbers. For added security, check the profiles of customers who recommend the plumber or ask them about the service. To recommend someone – whether he or she is already on LinkedIn or not – use the “Make Recommendation” tab on the Service Provider page. When you write a recommendation, be honest so you preserve your credibility. And if you recommend someone who later leaves your sink still dripping, you can take the recommendation down.

Services for Service Providers

To set up your listing as a service provider, click “Request a Recommendation” and send an e-mail to each contact on your list so satisfied clients can provide references for you. Recommendations are most valuable when they come from clients on your most recent projects and from high-quality connections, such as senior managers from a company that purchased your services. Try to obtain recommendations from a variety of sources to highlight your ability to work in many different settings. Ask for a recommendation at the end of each project or assignment when the clients’ impressions of your work are still vivid and detailed. The length of a recommendation letter doesn’t matter as much as the information it provides. In fact, short can be better.

Work with “Answers”

The Answers section of LinkedIn lets members ask and answer questions related to specific industries, careers, technology and more. If someone posts a question about a service you provide, you can contact that person directly, or you can ask someone he or she knows from within your network to recommend you. In fact, mentioning your clients in Answers can pay off when they return the favor by hiring you again or citing your services. Questions that you ask on LinkedIn remain open for responses for a specific time and then close, so that no one else can add a response. The answers to questions you have may already be on the site. Search for them by using keywords before posing a fresh question. Questions fall into categories, so you can search through them to find the answer you want or to find questions in your area of knowledge that you can answer. If you don’t want to respond to questions in public, you can do it privately. Here, members can share information within a trusted network instead of dealing with strangers elsewhere on the Internet.

Reaching Other Members

These avenues that LinkedIn makes available to you for contacting other members depends on the kind of membership you have. Premium members can contact other members directly using “InMail,” but the number of allotted InMails depends on your account level. The “Introductions” function provides another way to connect with someone through trusted intermediaries. Your account level also determines your maximum number of open introductions. Introductions contain two components. One lets you leave a message for your contact to ask for an introduction to the person you want to meet. The other lets you write the message intended for the person you want to reach. Your intermediary receives the e-mail, decides whether or not to make the introduction, and then forwards the message to the person you want to contact – or doesn’t.

“You also can find people outside your network, reach out to people whose names you do not know and who don’t have a connection with you or your network.”

The “Send invitation” feature helps you create e-mails inviting colleagues to join LinkedIn, or lets you connect to them if they are members. To send an invitation, enter the names and e-mail addresses of contacts from your Web-based e-mail account (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) or use Microsoft Outlook. Before LinkedIn sends the invitation, it gives you a preview so you can edit your e-mail. The invitation feature contains an option for accessing your address lists on other e-mail services.

“A constant thought to keep in mind when using LinkedIn is the give-and-take of the service and how you can help others so that it comes back to you.”

LinkedIn “Groups” connect members who are interested in the same topic. You can search for existing groups in subject areas that intrigue you or suggest new groups (although before a new group can move ahead, LinkedIn reviews the suggestion for appropriateness). People also use e-mail on LinkedIn to find potential employees, apply for jobs, request references and ask for introductions. While you may have a connection to a CEO or another high-level executive, that heavy hitter might not be the best person to ask for an introduction since he or she might not know your intermediary well enough or might be unwilling to be a go-between.

“Although LinkedIn suggests, as a matter of etiquette, not to ask a question to promote your business, many people do just that.”

When you get a message from someone unfamiliar, review the person’s profile and references before following up on the request. Ask a common acquaintance if you should pursue the connection. Sometimes you might extend an invitation that someone ignores and rejects. That is just part of the normal course of events. The person could be busy. Perhaps your shared connection did not forward your message, or the new person doesn’t want contact with strangers, doesn’t remember you or sent the message to the junk folder. Don’t give up hope. LinkedIn provides pages that let you review the status of all the requests you’ve received. Its inbox shows received, sent and blocked invitations, so you can resend, edit or withdraw unanswered ones.

Other Networking Sites for Business

At the moment, other online resources for enhancing your business network include:

  • Illumio – This free software application keeps you updated on the groups and feeds that you select.
  • Doostang – Recruiters and job hunters join this invitation-only community focused on a target market of young business professionals.
  • Plaxo – This free service acts like an automated address book that notifies you and your contacts when information changes. The premium version synchronizes with your LinkedIn account.
  • Spock – This site has indexed more than 100 million people, and can be more accurate than general search engines for finding your contacts online. It also lets you add tags and build a contact base.
  • Jigsaw – This site works like trading cards except its members buy and trade business cards. Members earn points for entering detailed information into business cards on the site and use the points to obtain more business cards. You can skip sharing your business cards and pay a fee to receive business cards with contact details.
“Whatever the reason you are contacting someone, give the impression that you are truly interested in him, not just looking to network with him only to connect with someone else.”

These sites have the same goal as LinkedIn: to help you build your business network.

About the Authors

Eric Butow is a CEO and author of a dozen books. Kathleen Taylor is a co-founder of an executive talent firm.

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How to Succeed in Business Using LinkedIn

Book How to Succeed in Business Using LinkedIn

Making Connections and Capturing Opportunities on the World's #1 Business Networking Site

AMACOM,
 


4 March 2026

Building a Winning Sales Force

Recommendation

To reveal the potential of your sales force, analyze and evaluate 12 sales effectiveness drivers. Maximize the benefits of those drivers and you often can maximize sales. Sales experts Andris A. Zoltners, Prabhakant Sinha and Sally E. Lorimer explain how these drivers work. Their comprehensive book is filled with flow charts, scatter plots and other graphic presentations of data, underscoring the authors’ technical rigor. The book also offers case studies that bring the authors’ points down to earth. If the painstaking information is any indication, this team has thought long and hard about improving sales force effectiveness and it understands the subject exceedingly well. BooksInShort believes readers can learn a great deal about building a great sales force from these astute observers.

Take-Aways

  • Selling requires more than just attaining sales targets, which may result from favorable market conditions or plain dumb luck.
  • To strengthen your sales force, analyze its results, customer accounts and work processes and activities.
  • Optimize 12 sales force “drivers” to enhance effectiveness, starting with strategy.
  • The second, third and fourth drivers are the size, structure and territory assignments of your sales force, which is the heart of your “sales system.”
  • The fifth driver, often overlooked, is recruitment. The sixth is training.
  • The seventh and eighth drivers are inculcating a “sales culture” and having the right sales manager.
  • The last four drivers are information technology (IT), incentives, goals and focus.
  • Use a “sales force performance scorecard” to evaluate your salespeople.
  • Make improvements to your sales force that support your strategy, comply with company procedures and minimize the risk of unintended negative consequences.
  • Your company’s marketplace is a dynamic “world of sales” that constantly changes, so your sales force must keep adapting to stay competitive.

Summary

The “Sales System” and the “World of Sales”

Businesses make huge investments in their sales forces. For example, U.S. companies spend $800 billion annually on sales, 300% more than on advertising. Corporations need to get a strong return on this sizable investment and now they can. When companies implement the correct sales effectiveness initiatives, revenues climb 10% on average. But determining the right initiatives is not easy. To do so, firms must examine five sales system elements: “company results, customer results, activities, salespeople” and, the most important element of all, their “sales effectiveness drivers.”

“Discovering the best way to enhance the workings of the sales force is not easy.”

A company’s individual sales system exists within a larger world-of-sales framework. This sales system determines how the sales division functions internally and how it works with the corporation’s other divisions. The company’s industry and the business conditions it faces also shape the sales system.

“Sales success is a gestalt. Top producers are not all identical, and it is difficult to know the precise combination of characteristics that a person needs to have to become a top producer.”

The sales process is the most dynamic of corporate processes. Market conditions constantly change, as do customers’ wants, needs and expectations. New products relentlessly emerge. Some competitors get stronger, others weaker. Government regulatory actions can inhibit or unleash commerce. The merger of your company with another firm could dramatically alter the business landscape. Your sales force must be equally dynamic. If not, your company soon may fall behind the pace of change. Make your sales force a change agent that identifies new opportunities and helps your company capitalize on them before your competitors get to them. That is what sales effectiveness means.

The “12 Top Drivers of Sales Effectiveness”

First, diagnose any problems in your sales force’s effectiveness and create workable solutions. This diagnosis should include development of a “sales force performance scorecard” for evaluating the 12 drivers of sales effectiveness. Any remedial actions you take should meet the “Three Cs” guidelines. They must be “Consistent” with the company’s strategy and “Compatible” with its procedures, and must result only in intended “Consequences,” such as increased sales or greater customer satisfaction. In your diagnosis, concentrate on the dozen primary sales effectiveness drivers:

  1. “Sales strategies” – Your sales strategy identifies your best prospects, details your basic value proposition and defines the selling process. Your sales force makes the strategy into a workable reality. The strategy dictates your salespeople’s product and account focus. It also should determine the nature and scope of their primary sales activities. Properly implementing the ideal sales strategy will give your company the ability to achieve the sales volume and customer satisfaction its leaders want.
  2. “Sizing your sales force” – How many salespeople you retain may depend on the age of your firm. Mature organizations usually know how many salespeople they should put in the field. Never maintain a small sales force based on believing that your products or services can virtually sell themselves. An undersized sales force may fail to capitalize fully on promising opportunities. At the same time, understand that a law of diminishing returns applies to each sales force: Add too many salespeople and you will begin to reduce average sales per salesperson. Useful guides to determining the ideal sales force size include your sales manager’s observations and the number of salespeople your competitors employ.
  3. “Structuring your sales force” – Should your salespeople be generalists who represent all your products, call on all types of customers and handle all sales tasks? Or should they be specialists who concentrate on selling particular products, cover specialized markets or handle only certain parts of the sales process? Sales forces with a generalist bent can promote an entrepreneurial spirit among salespeople, but they are inefficient if your product requires highly specialized customer knowledge. On the other hand, people on highly specialized sales forces may lack comprehensive knowledge of the company’s product line. The typical account executive on such a sales force won’t be able to capitalize on contacts with business prospects who want something beyond the account executive’s expertise. Sometimes a “hybrid structure” that combines generalists and specialists is the best approach.
  4. “Designing sales territories” – Re-evaluate sales territories every year or so to ensure that they continue to work well for you. Do all your customers get the attention they deserve? Does your firm maximize the capabilities of its sales force? Does the design of your sales territories positively motivate your sales force? If your answer to any of these questions is no, you may need to redesign your territories. Companies that correctly design sales territories achieve full coverage of customers, among other benefits. Plan sales territories so they correspond to the capabilities of individual salespeople. Assign all salespeople territories with similar sales potential. Ensure that their territories are compact to reduce travel time.
  5. “Sales force recruiting” – Sales managers often work to improve sales force effectiveness through training, compensation practices and customer relationship management (CRM) programs, but many overlook recruiting. The fact is, for most firms, recruiting should be at the top of the list. Use four steps to recruit top candidates for sales force positions. First, define the job and the type of individual who would best fill it. Second, identify candidates by using industry contacts, Internet sources and recruitment agencies. Next, attract the best talent by demonstrating that your company offers the most promising opportunities. Then hire the best candidate for the job. Whatever you do, never hurry to fill job vacancies. Select only the best people.
  6. “Developing more effective training programs” – Focus your training on the core competencies your salespeople need to do their jobs. Use “competency models” that define the requisite knowledge, skills and capabilities as your blueprint for training development. Consider the nature of the selling process as you create your training goals. Is your sales process complex? If so, your salespeople need consulting skills, not just well-honed selling techniques. Carefully examine your top producers to see what makes them effective. Incorporate this “trainable behavior” into your sales force’s education program. Consider a “blended learning” program that involves role playing, sharing best practices and exploring insights from business books.
  7. “How to create a winning sales force culture” – Make sure your firm’s core values are exemplary and then evangelize them at every turn. This will inspire a productive culture of accomplishment in your sales force. Consider the example set by the giant express courier United Parcel Service. UPS is an industry leader because of its “customer service-focused and team-oriented” sales force culture. Jim Casey started UPS in 1907 and his values continue to influence the company’s sales force culture today. He tirelessly promoted customer-focused core values of honesty and integrity, and fostered the idea that UPS is a team of people pulling together to achieve a worthwhile common goal.
  8. “The right sales manager” – Hiring a sales manager with a wide array of supervisory strengths is a vital component of selling effectiveness. A great sales manager is a must for companies that expect outstanding sales results. Weak sales managers, on the other hand, can do considerable harm. Strong-minded salespeople may intimidate weak sales managers, provoking conflict. When excellent but frustrated salespeople move on to other firms, weak sales managers tend to hire weak salespersons as replacements. Is your sales manager weak or strong? A strong sales manager always wants to win. He or she recruits the best talent, shows adaptability and decisiveness, and knows how to coach salespeople.
  9. “Using information technology” – Information technology (IT) increasingly helps salespeople perform better. One popular category of software that supports salespeople is customer relationship management programming. Other IT products simplify expense management, sales territory routing, appointment scheduling, order placement and tracking. Some products help salespeople target prospects in the most effective manner and identify their primary purchasing needs. Siebel Systems and Salesforce.com offer excellent sales-support products that you can implement quickly.
  10. “How sales force incentives can drive results” – In sales, incentive compensation (IC) is the horse that pulls the cart. Is your IC plan good? The answer depends on three metrics. One is “engagement rate,” or the portion of salespeople who earn incentive pay. Another is the “meaningful engagement rate,” the percentage of salespeople who earn a “motivating amount” of incentive pay. The “excitement index” is the percentage of your salespeople who earn all the incentive payments available under their compensation plans. Many corporate leaders support “100% engagement,” that is, they give salespeople the opportunity to earn incentive pay on every sale.
  11. “Setting fair and realistic goals” – Realistic territory goals for sales require realistic national goals. Rely on both your marketing and sales departments to set national objectives. In setting nationwide sales goals, consider sales projections, likely price changes, sales force expansions or contractions, product introductions and the launch of competitive products. Use data analysis and input from the sales force to determine ideal territory goals. Despite your best efforts, the national goal may appear too high by midyear. If so, use “add-on incentives” and “spiffs” (immediate bonuses) to boost sales.
  12. “Staying on track” – Utilize an effective performance management system to ensure that your salespeople faithfully tend to their daily responsibilities. This requires guidance from individual sales managers, as well as feedback and direction from top management. Sales managers play the pivotal role in managing performance. They must establish goals, develop and execute plans, measure and evaluate performance, distribute rewards, and take corrective actions.
“Having a sales force of the right size is critical for new and growing businesses.”

Hitting your sales numbers is not always a reliable indicator of sales effectiveness. Your 12 sales force effectiveness drivers are the best indicators. Improve them and sales are sure to increase. The sales drivers above fall into five main categories:

  1. “Definers” – These drivers concern the structure of the sales organization and the specific roles the salespeople fill.
  2. “Shapers” – These drivers involve “hiring, training and coaching” salespeople.
  3. “Enlighteners” – These drivers provide vital customer and marketplace information, often delivered through an IT system.
  4. “Exciters” – These drivers include incentive programs, sales leadership styles and other factors that motivate salespeople.
  5. “Controllers” – These drivers encompass business processes and control systems that enable salespeople to stay on track.

General Electric: Bringing It All Together

In 2001, Jeffrey Immelt succeeded the legendary Jack Welch as chairman and chief executive officer of industrial conglomerate GE. He quickly developed a “cross-organizational initiative” to enhance its sales worldwide. Immelt and his colleagues determined that the GE businesses that historically achieved the best sales results did so by using “data, analyses, processes and tools” to help them make better sales force decisions. Immelt decided to implement this scientific approach at GE on a global basis.

“What is the best remedy for sales force complacency? Preventing it from occurring in the first place.”

GE started improving its sales force effectiveness by analyzing the sales potential of individual customers and territories, and evaluating the adequacy of incentive compensation. The company developed various “delivery mechanisms,” including a sales-leadership training program, to act on these priorities. GE put 50 employees to work developing “frameworks, tools and best practices” that all GE businesses could use to improve their sales. GE’s “global sales force effectiveness initiative” has improved the corporation’s sales volume and sales efficiency across the board. But it took more than just planning: GE also committed the requisite resources to make the new program work.

About the Authors

Andris A. Zoltners, Ph.D., teaches marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Prabhakant Sinha, Ph.D., teaches sales at the Indian School of Business and at Kellogg. Sally E. Lorimer is a consultant and writer on developing sales force effectiveness. They are also the authors of Sales Force Design for Strategic Advantage.

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Building a Winning Sales Force

Book Building a Winning Sales Force

Powerful Strategies for Driving High Performance

AMACOM,
 


4 March 2026

Managing Your Government Career

Recommendation

Are you thinking of a government career? If so, consider this parable: When sorority sisters Bailey and Brianna graduated, Bailey went to work for the ABCD Corporation at a nice salary. She picked up a promotion and raise after a year. Unfortunately, Bailey also picked up an exotic disease during a business trip and spent three weeks in the hospital. With no healthcare coverage from work, she went into debt paying her medical bills. Shortly afterward, ABCD announced layoffs. As a new hire, Bailey was one of the first to go. Brianna joined a U.S. federal government agency at a lesser salary than Bailey’s, but her healthcare plan is golden, and she never frets about layoffs. Does that mean you should apply for a government job instead of one in the private sector? In today’s environment, when all jobs are hard to get, business pays better, but government jobs are more secure and the benefits just don’t quit. If you want to learn about U.S. government work, Stewart Liff’s book – based on his 32-year ascent through federal agencies – will tell you everything you need to know, including how to avoid getting tangled in red tape. BooksInShort recommends this useful guide to people contemplating a career in the public sector and to civil service recruiters.

Take-Aways

  • Government jobs in the United States offer great security and benefits.
  • However, they are also fraught with bureaucratic red tape.
  • If pay is your most important consideration, a federal or state job may be best.
  • If location is paramount, pursue a job in local government.
  • Thanks to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), you can readily transfer back and forth from federal, state and local government jobs.
  • Joining a government agency in a temporary capacity is not a smart career move.
  • In government, frontline supervisors face constant scrutiny and pressure. They appreciate employees who work to make their jobs easier.
  • Mentors can help you advance in a government career.
  • A rewarding government career depends on having a clear goal and a pre-planned, but flexible career path.
  • As in all fields, a satisfying career in government requires a healthy work-life balance.

Summary

Government Career Pros and Cons

Is a government job – federal, state or local – a good career opportunity for you? Before you apply for a government job of any type, consider these advantages:

  • Job satisfaction – A government job enables you to contribute to the common good. Few other jobs offer this special opportunity.
  • Job security – Businesses depend on profits to operate. If profits decrease, people get laid off. Mergers can also reduce jobs. Plus, many businesses now outsource jobs overseas where people will do them for less money. In general, government workers face none of these problems. If the federal government abolishes jobs, “reduction in force” protections shelter federal employees. Many state and local governments offer similar programs for their employees.
  • Perks – The federal government provides outstanding benefits to its employees, including excellent health and life insurance packages, a liberal leave program, flexible work schedules, several retirement options and much more. Benefits at state and local governments often are also excellent.
  • Career opportunities – The U.S. federal government employs nearly 2.7 million individuals (excluding the military). Approximately 19 million people have jobs in governmental work units, so clearly governmental staffers represent a huge portion of the workforce. Given the range of government employment available and the fact that senior employees are always retiring, job openings and promotions often abound.
“Before you decide to work for the government, it is important that you know what you are getting into, as the government is certainly not the right place for everyone.”

However, government jobs in the U.S. also have some distinct shortcomings:

  • Salary – In most cases, you can earn more money in the private sector than you can as a government worker.
  • Red tape – Government is the ultimate bureaucracy. If strict procedures and protocol frustrate and bother you, stay away from government work.
  • Politics – The direction of the government often radically changes with the latest election results. This can be disconcerting for government employees who must adapt their processes every few years based on the most recent administration’s philosophy.
“Customize your résumé [or] application form to the job that you are applying for, since staffing specialists do not have the luxury of spending a lot of time reviewing each application.”

If the advantages of a government job outweigh the disadvantages for you, should you target a job in the federal, state or local government? In most cases, federal and state government jobs pay better than local government jobs. However, that depends on the specific job you want to pursue. Your planning must acknowledge the number of jobs available in your chosen field at different levels of government. For example, if you want to become a policemen or firefighter, you will find more of these jobs at the local level than at the federal level.

“Attend all of the office events that you can possibly get to, including lunches, dinners, picnics, after-work drinks and other such occasions.”

Location is another important factor when you plan a government career. If you like the area where you live, your best bet may be to seek a local government job. But if location is not an important issue, then a federal or state job may be a better option. The versatile Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), which started in 1983, enables workers to transfer with relative ease among federal, state and local government agencies while securing their pensions.

Getting a Job in Government

You can join the public sector in a temporary capacity. However, that route does not offer civil service eligibility or benefits, in most cases. Instead, try to get on one of these three paths to start working for the government:

  1. Start out as a clerical worker, or in a blue-collar or technical capacity. This lets you take advantage of great government benefits as you get your foot in the door to move up to something better later.
  2. Land a trainee role. Then, as you benefit from onsite training, systematically advance into a full-fledged professional position.
  3. Join the government as an expert specialist, such as an accountant, scientist, nurse or engineer.
“Ultimately, the people who have the most knowledge, skills and abilities, and who have a strong track record of success, are the ones who make it to the top.”

Government agencies advertise open positions on their Web sites. To apply for a job, gather all the details of your previous employment history, education and, if applicable, any disability or veteran preference information. Carefully review all the application guidelines and procedures. Understand that you will need to include a “supplemental statement of your qualifications” for most government jobs. Hiring officials use this questionnaire to rate your experience. You also will need to write the answers to numerous multiple-choice questions covering your particular skills, capabilities and experience.

“Knowing what your supervisor’s goals are is extremely important because you do not want to be working at odds with these goals.”

If you have a good résumé, and you submit everything correctly, the next step may be an employment interview. Before your interview, learn everything you can about the agency where you have applied. Visit its Web site. You only get one chance to win over an interviewer, so prepare as thoroughly as possible. Anticipate the questions the interviewer will ask you, and practice answers that will reflect most favorably on your qualifications. Have your own questions ready. At the end of the interview, be prepared to state in a succinct, compelling fashion why the interviewer should hire you and not someone else. Send a thank-you note after your meeting. Then, keep your fingers crossed. If your experience or education are appropriate, and if your interview went well, you may have talked your way into your first government job.

Your New Government Career

In government, as in business, you must be mindful of tradition and custom. As a new government employee, learn the accepted way to present yourself. How you look is important. Maintain a neat appearance and good personal hygiene. Men should wear suits and ties; women can wear suits, dresses or smart outfits. In all other things, do your best to fit in with your colleagues. Arrive on time. Never leave early. Maintain a friendly attitude. Don’t abuse your phone or computer privileges. Use your office time for work activities, not personal business.

“The best way to get into upper management is to do an excellent job as a first-line supervisor.”

Should you join a union? Active involvement will allow you to learn about your rights as an employee and to rub shoulders with upper management. Nationally, federal workers can refuse to join a union. However, many government workers at state and local levels must either join a union or pay the corresponding union fees. In so-called “right-to-work” states, government workers can choose to cancel their union memberships.

Your Work Supervisor

No one in government has a tougher job than first-line supervisors. They receive criticism from every working group within their agencies, including upper management. Plus, they constantly come under fire from stakeholders and customers. Supervisors operate under close inspection from all layers of hierarchy. They must constantly supply all sorts of information to management regarding the work and accomplishments of the government employees they supervise. This can include audit and investigatory information for the Office of the Inspector General.

“The higher you go in management, the more you will be affected by the political process.”

In short, government supervisors constantly have their hands full. As a government employee, be mindful of the immense pressure that your supervisor is under at all times. Do your best to support him or her through your own good work and efforts. To help your supervisor out, always go the extra mile to do your job in an efficient manner, and to be as responsive to his or her needs and information requests as possible. This is not just the proper way for you to handle things, it also is the smart way. Your supervisor will remember your cooperation and assistance when it is time to evaluate your job performance.

Politics

Government is all about politics; politics is all about government. As a government worker, you need to become knowledgeable about the political forces that shape your government agency. Otherwise, you will never truly understand what goes on there. Some government workers think it is enough to keep their heads down and simply put in their eight hours a day. This is a decidedly shortsighted point of view. The more reliable knowledge you have about the political forces at work within your agency, as well as the politics that affect it from the outside, the better able you will be not only to protect your career but also to advance it.

“An excellent way to grow is to study the lives of successful people.”

To develop a sophisticated understanding of the impact of politics at your agency, seek the guidance of knowledgeable mentors, seasoned and savvy individuals who can teach you the ins and outs of government work. You may meet potential mentors during seminars, at conferences or even as a result of formal mentor programs at your agency. During your career, you may have scores of such informal mentors or confidants. Treasure each relationship. At the same time, develop a strong network of trusted colleagues throughout government, so you can brainstorm your agency’s activities and operations, share new ideas and gain valuable perspectives. This is the best way to stay in the loop.

Your Career Path

A career path without a map leads nowhere. Therefore, decide what direction you want your career to take. Maybe your goal is to be an executive vice president by age 50. This means you should be a “division manager” by age 40 and you should have a team working under you by age 30. To advance in government, you need a firm goal. Make sure you have one. But do not limit yourself to only one career path. Government presents numerous options for career-minded individuals. Therefore, it always pays to stay flexible and keep your options open.

“Many people become so wrapped up in their jobs that they define their own sense of self-worth almost exclusively by how they are doing at work.”

Do you aspire to management? The advantages of a management career in government are numerous, including power, prestige and better pay. Being a manager puts you in a more advantageous position to advance important agency goals, and to influence policy and direction. To become a manager, you must first work as a front-line supervisor, which, as noted, can be exceedingly tough. To get fully prepared for this challenge, develop a broad base of knowledge and expertise. Attend leadership courses. Establish your credentials as an expert, efficient front-line supervisor. Make sure your team scores for your agency. Get to know the agency’s current managers. Just as important, make sure that they know you and think well of you.

Work-Life Balance

A satisfying career in government, or in any field, requires balancing your work life and your personal life. Too many people in government and elsewhere invest everything in their careers, while effectively leaving their personal lives “on the shelf.” This is a recipe for dissatisfaction, even disaster. A life that exists only in the office is no life at all. Make sure that your zeal to advance your career does not blind you to life’s necessities. You should eat well and find time for exercise. Get enough rest. What good is a career if you burn yourself out at it?

“Ultimately, managing your government career is all about managing your life.”

At the same time, work hard to get ahead. Read the professional journals that pertain to your field. Get additional education. Develop and enhance your skills. Strive to become the best government employee in your office. Government work is not easy. It can involve a great deal of pressure. It is bureaucratic. It is often stultifying. You may feel that you are constantly “swimming upstream.” But government work also offers special rewards. Through it, you can truly make a difference on behalf of your fellow citizens.

About the Author

Stewart Liff began his federal government career in 1974. He is the winner of two prestigious governmental employee awards: the President’s Council on Management Improvement Award and the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service.

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