Getting the Inside Scoop: Hiring Former Federal Employees
I know you heard that 100,000 employees are leaving the federal government workforce. That means security-cleared, compliance-trained, leaders will soon bein the job market.
Is your company ready for this once-in-a-generation hiring opportunity? Here are some tips to make sure it’s a match for both applicants and employers.
Benefits of Hiring Former Federal Employees
The U.S. government employs over 2.3 million civilian workers in industries from healthcare to cybersecurity. More than 80% of federal employees work outside Washington, D.C. so whereever you’re located, federal talent is available.
Here’s why using this newly available workforce would be a great decision.
Specialized Knowledge and Experience
Regulatory & Compliance Knowledge: Federal employees have deep experience with government regulations, which can help with industries like healthcare, finance, and legal.
Technical & Analytical Skills: From cybersecurity to supply chain, government employees have the skills that will benefit the functional teams in private companies.
Department-Specific Expertise: If you’re in healthcare, former VA employees can hit the ground running. In supply chain, Defense Department staff may be ready to go.
Did you know? The Department of Veterans Affairs is the largest employer of federal workers. About 1 in 5 people who work for the government – around 483,000 workers – are employed by the VA.
Security Clearance and Trustworthiness
Many former federal employees have undergone extensive background checks and security clearances, which is great for companies handling sensitive data, compliance-heavy industries, or government contracts.
Understanding of Government Regulations and Policies
Former federal employees deeply understand government regulations, policies, and procedures.
Who would be better to navigate government contracts or compliance issues than someone who’s worked on the other side? This alone could save you thousands in consulting fees.
Leadership and Management Skills
Many former federal employees held leadership and management positions. They manage teams, develop strategies, and can navigate bureaucracy.
The ability to get “stuff” done is a rare skill, and federal employees have mastered it. They can push projects forward, even when dealing with the hassles of red tape.
Public Service Attitude
Many government workers are dedicated workers who bring a service-first mentality to their roles. This translates into customer service, loyalty and more accountability.
Adaptability and Problem-Solving Skills
These employees have strong adaptability and problem-solving skills, which are gained in the always changing government environment.
Contrary to stereotypes about government inefficiency, many federal workers are skilled at finding creative solutions within tight constraints.
Wide Range of Skills and Occupations
The federal workforce has a wide range of occupations, which includes 111,000 nurses, and 101,000 IT professionals, and even includes meat cutters, naval architects, and funeral directors.
Different Backgrounds
The federal workforce is also quite diverse. About 25% of federal workers are veterans, which is more than the civilian labor force where veterans are 5% of workers. Plus, around 20% of federal employees identify as having a disability, compared to only 5% nationally.
Overcoming Common Hiring Hurdles for Former Federal Employees
While the benefits are strong, hiring federal workers also presents challenges.
1. Federal Resumes Are… Intense
Government resumes can be 10+ pages long, filled with jargon and acronyms, that may require explanations.
Solution: Ask candidates to summarize their experience in two pages and explain how their skills apply to your job. Use pre-employment skills tests to objectively measure qualifications, instead of blindly trusting on federal job titles, which may not translate directly to the private sector.
2. Different Compensation & Expectations
The average federal worker salary in 2024 was $106,000, with men earning about $7,000 more than women on average.
Solution: Competitive cash plus great perks, where possible, will be attractive to these candidates. These people are used to rock-solid benefits, so highlight your flexible work options and growth potential.
3. Cultural Adjustment: Bureaucracy vs. Agility
Federal employees often worked in structured, process-heavy environments with longer decision-making cycles.
Solution: During interviews, ask how candidates have handled fast decision-making, process improvements, or working in teams across departments.
Provide mentorship programs and onboarding support to ease their transition into the private sector worklife.
4. Addressing the Stigma about Former Federal Employees
Some employers worry that former government workers are too accustomed to slow-moving bureaucracies.
Reality: Most federal employees work under intense scrutiny, tight deadlines, and high accountability.
Solution: Stress your performance standards and management style, plus ask how they’ve increased efficiency or improvements, despite government restrictions.
Pro Tips on Hiring Former Government Employees
Lead with the career growth potential at your company
Target former feds looking for new challenges and emphasize the ways your role allows creativity leadership, and accountability.
Federal workers often face structured promotion paths and may be longing for merit-based advancement. Highlight how you reward performance rather than seniority.
Tell candidates that you’ll support them as they get used to the private sector’s faster pace.
While skills transfer, the private sector moves lightning-fast compared to the government. Ask candidates how they’ll adjust to faster decision-making and turnarounds.
Provide mentorship to former federal employees as they adjust to your company culture. Pairing them with experienced staff can help them become productive, more quickly.
Ask “What’s your experience collaborating with private companies or consultants?”
Many federal agencies work closely with contractors and private sector companies. Candidates who have this experience often adapt more quickly to private sector environments. They understand both worlds and can serve as translators between the two.
Probationary Period Firings & Background Checks
Some laid-off federal employees were let go during their probationary period under “poor performance” labels, even when their actual reviews were excellent. If this comes up, dig deeper and speak with references to verify their true work history.
Strongly Consider Veterans
With veterans making up 25% of the federal workforce, many former federal employees have military experience in addition to their government service. This can produce disciplined, mission-focused workers who enjoy high-pressure environments.
Pro tip: Use Pre-Employment Tests
Ready to hire a former federal worker? Try using pre-employment tests to measure what applicants can really do. Pre-employment assessments evaluate a candidate’s adaptability, problem-solving skills, and potential cultural fit. This is especially valuable when transitioning someone from a government to a private sector environment.
FAQs about hiring Former Government Employees
Do former federal employees have an advantage?
Yes! Former federal employees bring specialized expertise, security clearances, and regulatory knowledge that make them highly valuable in the private sector.
Are military veterans considered former federal employees?
Not always. Veterans are former military personnel, while most federal employees worked in civilian government roles. However, some veterans worked at federal jobs before entering the private sector.
What makes former federal government employees valuable to private industry?
Former federal employees offer proven leadership, problem-solving skills, and deep knowledge of compliance and regulations, making them great hires for private companies.
Does a former federal employee get hired before a veteran?
Depends. Some jobs prioritize veterans due to hiring preferences, while others favor former federal employees for their regulatory or industry knowledge.
Making the Most of Federal Talent
Once you’ve hired former federal employees, help them shine by:
- Creating clear expectations about timelines and deliverables
- Providing regular feedback (something that they maybe didn’t get in their government position)
- Encouraging them to share their regulatory knowledge with the team
- Celebrating their perspective and problem-solving approaches, which may be different
Remember that former federal employees likely have extensive training in their field, paid for by taxpayer dollars. This knowledge may represent hundreds of thousands in investment that you benefit from!
Are you ready to hire proven government talent? With these tips, you can hire federal employees to supercharge your team. Try a free pre-employment skills sample test and add one more tool to your recruitment toolbelt. You’ve got this!