Presidential Management Fellows Share About their Experience

I work for the Department of Housing and Urban Development within the Choice Neighborhoods office. Choice Neighborhoods is a program that transforms neighborhoods by revitalizing severely distressed public and/or assisted housing and catalyzing critical improvements in the neighborhood, including vacant property, housing, businesses, services and schools. I manage a portfolio of grantees from across the country who are either in the midst of planning or implementing their neighborhood transformation projects. Specifically I work on the "people" component of our program which seeks to improve outcomes related to health, education, and employment/income among public housing residents. I ensure grantees are on-track to completing their projects, share best practices among grantees, and advise/support grantees as they encounter challenges during grant implementation.

The application process was unlike any other job I had applied for because it involved an exam. In my opinion the exam is not something you can really study for, because it involves a lot of hypothetical scenarios to understand your leadership style and how you would react in various workplace settings. Once I was accepted, I attended the PMF Hiring Fair where I had the opportunity to talk with different program offices and their staff. I applied for around 20 different positions and interviewed throughout April and mid-May. If an office would like to hire you, you will receive  a "tentative offer" which is conditional on passing the background check. I received my formal offer at the beginning of June and began a month later!

I really like being part of the PMF community. PMF alumni at HUD (and outside the agency) are very willing to set up time to talk with you and support you on your PMF journey. PMF alumni at HUD have hosted several in-person get-togethers and regularly host virtual meetings. Since we are in a virtual environment, I've really enjoyed meeting people in-person at Nationals Games, Happy Hours, and other events. We have really tried to cultivate a sense of community among current and former PMF's! I feel like I always have a resource to go to when I need advice on navigating life as a new government employee.

I would recommend conducting informational interviews with current and former PMF's to get a sense of what the program looks like in their office, what their role is, and why they decided to work for the federal government. 

I work at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development as a Community Planning and Development Specialist in the Office of Grant Programs, Community Planning and Development. I report directly to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs in the front office and have been tasked with helping our office advance Biden's climate and equity priorities, as well as our communications and messaging strategy around climate change. Day to day, this could be anything from writing talking points for leadership or working on strategy to highlight our disaster recovery and resilience grants.

The application process was pretty straightforward! The placement process was less so, though agencies definitely uploaded a lot of PMF placements onto the PMF jobs portal around the jobs fair in March.  

Working on climate change policy has been much more dynamic under the Biden administration, which is super exciting. I also love working at an agency that works to intentionally incorporate equity and justice considerations into their climate adaptation and resilience work, given the historically marginalized communities that HUD serves around the country. HUD also has a good network of 2021 PMFs and PMF alumni that are really supportive and are always there to answer questions, provide advice, and give you access to their networks. 

Don't overthink the test! Answer truthfully and don't try to game the system by guessing what they want to hear.  

I'm a management analyst at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is located in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). My primary role is to support the implementation of the No Surprises Act, which was signed into law earlier in 2021. The law prohibits service providers from billing patients with huge, unexpected medical bills for emergency services from out-of-network providers. Instead, insurers will have to treat these bills as in-network, which will prevent people from going into medical debt because of an emergency.

For me, the application process was the easy part. The placement process was much more stressful. There are a lot of talented finalists, and it's more competitive than you might think. I applied to a ton of PMF opportunities and spoke with a lot of people before getting my placement. I don't say this to be discouraging, but to show that it's important to be open to any opportunities that might come your way. You might not get a placement at your top choice agency, and that's okay! The great thing about the PMF is the opportunity to network and rotate to different agencies once you become a fellow.

So far, I have enjoyed getting the opportunity to meet and speak with different people across the government. There are a lot of dedicated public servants in the government who care deeply about what they do, and I've enjoyed hearing different people's stories. Health and Human Services is a huge agency, and I really enjoy being a part of that community. 

Be flexible and be open! Like I said before, you may not find a placement at your first choice agency, but there are so many opportunities in the government. I will most likely be doing my rotation in an office that I didn't even know existed before I began my fellowship. You just never know what you might find!

I am at the US Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration in the Office of the Assistant Secretary. I provide project management, administrative, and communications support to the Assistant Secretary, Chief of Staff, and Senior Advisor for Workforce Development.

I found it to be extensive but enjoyable. Once I was selected as a finalist, I spent a lot of time connecting with people, interviewing, and learning about agencies across the federal government. It was a privilege to learn from so many federal leaders about the service they provide to the public. I am also grateful for the relatively streamlined process through which PMFs get the opportunity to work in the federal government. 

I have gotten to work on a wide array of projects with staff across our agency. This has been an incredible opportunity to learn and grow as a professional. In just a few months, I feel as though I have a good understanding of the breadth of our work, how we collaborate with other federal agencies, within and beyond DOL, and our impact on people around the United States. At the same time, I know I've only scratched the surface and have a lot more learning to look forward to as I continue serving. 

First, when applying and taking the exam, absolutely believe in yourself. You are a smart and talented individual who would bring a lot to any federal agency. Going into the exam confident will give you the best chance of succeeding. Once you're selected, I would recommend casting a wide net in your search for a placement and taking the chance to learn about a lot of different agencies, even ones that are perhaps tangential to your core interests. You might find just the right role on the perfect team in a place you weren't expecting.