New Guide for Federal Workers and Contractors Helps Navigate a Post-DOGE Job Search
Two veteran career industry professionals have teamed up to create a “get started” guide for more than 1 million employees who are impacted by the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) plan to eliminate federal jobs and contracts. The stated goal of DOGE is to reach $1 trillion in savings by the start of the 2025-26 fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1.
The 40-page guide, “Solutions for Starting Your Federal Career Transition,” is designed for federal workers who have already been laid off or terminated, or who may be separated from their employment in the near future. It also is a resource for employees of companies with federal contracts who are affected by contract cancellations.
The federal government is the nation’s largest employer. As of November 2024, there were an estimated 3 million federal employees (including US Postal Service employees) across the United States, excluding military personnel. In addition, there are more than 3.5 million federal contractors who aren’t counted as federal employees, but whose employment is affected by government contracts. Over the past week, multiple government agencies have cut 121 contracts worth $350 million, according to DOGE.
Tens of thousands of jobs have already been eliminated across numerous federal agencies. Most government workers (92%) are considered white collar workers. The website Layoffs.fyi estimates more than 113,000 federal employees have been fired or voluntarily resigned (on the condition they would be paid through the end of September). Mass layoffs were announced Tuesday at the Department of Health and Human Services, with 10,000 employees expected to be let go.
The federal government layoffs are expected to be the biggest from a single employer in history. IBM previously had that title, laying off 60,000 workers in 1993.
The guide is designed to cover the basics of getting started with a post-federal employment job search, including accessing federal employment-specific transition services, translating ‘fed speak’ into corporate language for a private-sector resume, and providing details about common job search scams to help federal jobseekers avoid being scammed.
About the Authors:
Nancy H. Segal is the owner of Solutions for the Workforce. She started the business following her 30-year career in human resources with the federal government. She has extensive experience as a resume writer and career coach, with emphasis on federal jobs. Her certifications include Master Career Director (MCD), Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW), Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), Certified Federal Resume Writer (CFRW) and Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC).
Ellen Steverson opened StartingBlock Career Services, LLC in 2011. She is a Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW), Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert (NCOPE), Certified Employment Interview Consultant (CEIC), and Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF). She has written more than 1,000 resumes and coached hundreds of people on job search and interview preparation.
The guide is $7.49 and can be ordered here:
https://sftwshop.com/products/solutions-for-starting-your-federal-career-transition
