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Fast Track to the Federal Government
Seventeen SIPA students are traveling to Washington this week as finalists in the federal government's Presidential Management Fellows program.
The program is a fast track to a position with the federal government, according to Meg Heenehan, executive director of SIPA's Office of Career Services. Presidential Management Fellows spend two years working in a federal department or agency and participate in a mentorship program and training sessions.
They also have the chance to rotate from one agency to another to get a better understanding of their career opportunities.
“I really like that idea of figuring out what the best fit is,” says Devon McLorg (MIA ’11), one of SIPA’s finalists.
McLorg, a student in the Economic and Political Development program, hopes to work for the U.S. Agency for International Development or the State Department. She says that advice from SIPA’s Office of Career Services has helped her navigate the fellowship’s challenging application process.
The process began in October. In November, applicants took an online assessment that deals with possible responses to challenges on the job.
“I spent a lot of time preparing for it,” McLorg says. “I knew that the main thing they were going to be looking for was consistency in responses. It’s kind of like a personality exam.”
Throughout January and February, semifinalists traveled to Washington to take part in an in-person assessment. In one test, they worked in groups to prepare a presentation on a piece of legislation in just five minutes.
This week, the finalists are attending a career fair in Washington to make their final pitch for a job. Nearly all applicants are successful at this stage, so the event is largely a matter of determining who gets placed where.
Last week, the Office of Career Services brought in a current Presidential Management Fellow to conduct a workshop for the finalists on “How to Navigate the Job Fair.”
“It kind of comes down to that two-minute pitch that they basically drill into your heads,” McLorg says.
Tim Shenk, April 18, 2011