More PMF intel

Attended an awesome workshop today, led by our Grad College's Career Services Director. {heart} Career Services.

CSD (Career Services Director) gave us lots of good advice. And I got more information on my dream job: the Presidential Management Fellowship.

I want the PMF. Baaaad.

Here's more behind-the-scenes info I learned today:

First and foremost, CSD says this is the fastest and easiest way to get a government job. Good to know. So not only do you get fast-tracked into a cool position, you get it faster than colleagues who are trying to apply through usajobs.gov

Yes, the application is due in early October. The initial application consists of a usajobs.gov resume and questionnaire. I will confirm soon that the resume and questionnaire are like the "regular" government application. It really sounds similar.

Okay, so you submit your resume, fill out the "I did research a) independently; b) with minimal supervision; c) I made it all up" questionnaire, and get a nomination for the PMF. CSD says we should get our nomination from our departments. Okay, so scratch my previous post where I said that we don't have to get our advisors involved. It sounds like we have may to. CSD says if we really don't want to get our departments involved, CSD would write the nomination (assuming you are in good standing, etc). {heart} Career Services.

Once we are nominated and we pass the basic usagov screening process, we take a screening test. The screening test is like the LSAT and GRE (though more like the LSAT). It's all scantron and covers writing skills (okay that's probably not scantron); analytical skills; and a third section which CSD couldn't remember. Probably logic or something that claims that it isn't math based, but really is (shudder).

If you pass the test you become a finalist. (I really can't believe it is this easy, but that's how it sounded again in the CSD's rendering.) If we are a finalist, we are likely to get a placement in a federal program/department. We go to a jobfair where the organizations shop each us and vice versa. CSD claims that if we want to placement in a program/department that isn't at the jobfair, we can contact the organization and they will likely jump at the opportunity to have a PMF.

Not clear when the test occurs. The job fair is March 30-31st this year (i.e. 2010). Just in time to get everything wrapped up for a May graduation and June start date. Oh yeah, did I mention this is only open to soon-to-be PhDs? If your degree is already conferred you are ineligible. Sorry.... Also if you are not a U.S. resident/citizen, you are ineligible too (unless you have a green card in process).

CSD said that 80% get it. I thought it was more like 60%. And in fact, if we count all 8700 applications to take the test, etc. I think it's more like 10%.

Oh oh! I see they posted the Finalists for 2010. Sweet.

Check it, they have 880 Finalists for 2010. Whoa.
3 are from my university. 1 are from another campus within my same university system.
37 are from Harvard. (I've heard that the PMF is very Ivy-heavy. Gag.)

There are 3 anthropologists (way to represent!); 3 historians. One religion scholar from Harvard Divinity. A bizillion lawyers and a half bizillion public affairs/policy people.

The PMF has not yet listed the agencies in which finalists are fellows, but that's actually what I'm most interested in. Keep checking in I guess!

For my international peeps and Drs: I'm sorry, I'm really into the PMF which does nothing for your own job searches. I'll keep my ears open to any similar opportunities available post-degree and/or open to internationals.