Government Workers Who Want a New Job Amid Elon Musk's Efficiency Plans May Have to Tap the 'Hidden Job Market'

Tim Paradis Nov 19, 2024, 1:55 PM EST

With the threat of cutbacks, some government workers might look to shift to the private sector.

Career coaches told BI they're hearing from federal workers who want to beef up their résumés.

Experts advise networking and making résumé adjustments for transitioning to private sector roles.

When Donald Trump won the White House for a second time, Ayanna Jackson texted a colleague who revamps résumés to prepare for a possible surge in demand from government workers.

Jackson, who founded and runs AEJ Consulting, an executive coaching and career-development firm in metro Washington, DC, wasn't overprepared. She said she's already seen an uptick in inquiries from federal workers looking to beef up their résumés and explore life in the private sector.

"That rush is definitely coming," she told Business Insider.

Jackson said the increased demand is, at least in part, because some government workers are concerned about the Department of Government Efficiency. That's the quasi-government entity Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are setting up to slash public spending. That, with a cooperative Congress, could augur poorly for entire agencies.

For government workers trying to dodge the DOGE — or who might just have philosophical differences with the incoming administration — landing a job in the private sector might require a different tack than getting ahead in government, career experts told BI.

Laura Labovich, CEO of The Career Strategy Group, an outplacement firm in the Washington, DC, area, told BI that she has been hearing from workers ready to leave the government.

She said that, unlike in the past, these employees aren't saying they're frustrated by difficulties in getting a promotion or pay.

"They just say, 'I want to leave,'" Labovich said.

The 'hidden job market'

To get started, Labovich said, workers should try to talk to people at employers where they might want to work and put the focus on finding people and companies — instead of open jobs. So, for someone who wants to work in a marketing department, making contact through LinkedIn or being introduced by professional contacts with people who work in that unit might help someone stand out. Job seekers might ask to set up a brief call to learn more about the department, she said.

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Labovich said that's important because of what's referred to as the "hidden job market." Unlike in government, where the race for a job often starts once a role is posted, it's better to be on a hiring manager's radar before a posting goes up in the private sector, she said.

Beyond going big on networking, Labovich said, one of the biggest changes in looking for a private sector job will be the length of the résumé. She said that, unlike federal résumés that might run four to six pages, someone looking for a private sector job should typically keep the document to two pages unless it's for a C-suite position.

Jackson offered similar advice about what corporate recruiters want: "They're going to give you six to nine seconds, tops, to scroll two pages max," she said.

Don't just rely on AI

Jackson advised against solely relying on artificial intelligence tools to compress a résumé that was a half-dozen pages long into two. AI, she said, can introduce errors and leave a résumé bloated with empty phrases and inaccurate metrics.

"You've got to articulate your specific results," Jackson said.

For those remaking résumés for work outside the government, Jackson said, it's important to avoid relying on acronyms or namechecking obscure agencies that hiring managers and recruiters might not know.

She recommended that those looking for work focus on soft skills that many employers say they want. This includes the ability to influence, communicate ideas, and solve problems.

Jackson also said getting coaching before an interview is a good idea, especially for candidates who haven't gone through the interview process in a long time. She said workers must be ready to tell their stories without rambling and be able to demonstrate how they achieved goals and overcame obstacles.

Both Jackson and Labovich recommended that job seekers use the STAR method for answering questions. This involves describing the situation or task the worker faced, the action they took, and the results of that effort.

Consider other factors

Richard Poulson, a partner at the law firm Willig, Williams & Davidson in Philadelphia, told BI there could be unique factors that government workers might have to consider.

Poulson, who specializes in issues involving public safety workers, said that when public sector workers move to the private sector — in effect from being a regulator to the one being regulated — it might not be possible to work in the same field, with the same client, or on the same projects for some time.

"There may be restrictions in effect there," he said. "People need to make sure that they've got their eyes wide open before they make those decisions."

A strong private sector can be a draw

Lisa Simon, chief economist at Revelio Labs, which examines employment data, told BI that demand for public-sector jobs tends to wane as hiring heats up in the private sector.

However, she said she expects private sector hiring to recover "fairly well" over the next six months or so, which could attract workers from the government willing to give up what can be attractive benefits.

Simon said it's too soon to say how many public sector workers might choose to leave under the new administration — or be forced to — though she noted that there wasn't a major exodus of workers during the first Trump term.

Stepped-up job growth in the private sector could worsen problems that some government agencies have had in attracting people, according to Poulson, the attorney.

He said he would advise public sector workers who have a choice to consider how careers in government often span many power shifts in politics. Poulson also suggested that government workers focus on the importance of what they do.