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How federal employees build resilience amid uncertainty and career transitions

Severe cuts to the federal workforce and to federal services, as well the ongoing government shutdown, are forcing civil servants to navigate extraordinary uncertainty and hastily plan career transitions. 

Below, David Brownstein, a senior facilitator and executive coach at the Partnership for Public Service, offers advice on how federal employees can stay resilient and mentally healthy as they manage the emotional challenges that often accompany these periods of intense uncertainty and professional change. 

Focus on your circle of control 

During periods of high uncertainty, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. In these moments, focus on your circle of control.

You cannot change everything you are concerned about in the world—that is the outermost circle. Instead, focus on what you can influence in your own situation, the middle circle, such as your relationships or work environment.

If you’re staying in your job, you can find ways to manage up and influence others to make decisions that support your work. If you’re looking at a career transition, you can work on your resume or network with others in your field. These are action items you are concerned with and yet, have influence over.

The smallest, innermost circle is your circle of control. In the end, you can only control your own beliefs, attitude, mindset and actions. Choose how you want to live your values and what will bring joy or give energy to your life.

Recognize the value of your federal experience 

Your experience in government is a unique strength. You have navigated complex regulatory landscapes and organizational constraints that do not exist in other sectors. You are likely more prepared for challenge than you realize.  

Your commitment to the public good and your ability to work through bureaucracy are critical assets. When interviewing, you must be prepared to “humble brag”—your accomplishments are worthy of recognition.

Your skills are transferable 

When identifying skills to highlight on a resume, focus less on specialized agency-specific knowledge and more on transferable people skills. 

Say you were an acquisition specialist. While your technical knowledge will certainly help companies bid on contracts, focus instead on your ability to lead with a customer experience mindset, manage complex interagency relationships and build trust with diverse stakeholders. 

In addition to the private sector, also consider state and local government or the nonprofit space, where your commitment to public service and deep understanding of how to implement policy are highly valued.

Prepare your narratives 

If your networking skills feel rusty, memorize and practice three to five short narratives or “scripts” until you can naturally improvise them in any setting, such as an interview, a neighborhood event or a LinkedIn conversation. Here are some script examples: 

• A classic elevator pitch on your skills and what you do best
• A story of how you did great work
• An explanation of what you’re passionate about in your field or work
• A story of how you overcame an obstacle and learned something new
• A story or experience that shows how you led or influenced people 

Invest in yourself—body, mind and soul 

Mind: Invest in learning by going back to school, earning a certification or simply committing to reading more. 

Body: Prioritize movement, whether it is walking, exercising or stretching—whatever is best for you. 

Soul: This is a catch-all for everything else. Socialize with friends, join a volunteer group or find spiritual guidance. 

Remember: Rejections do not reflect who you are and are often not even a result of your competence as a worker. The system doesn’t always work in our favor.  

Maintain a positive mindset and keep taking action. Recognize that drifting toward the negative is a normal part of the process and swiftly redirect your focus back to the positive.

Find your motivation, find your champions 

You are making a difference by being where you are. Find moments of motivation and joy in what you do. No job is perfect. What is working well for you?  

You also might be motivated by this thought: You’re carrying the load for those who aren’t there anymore—do it for them. 

Find the people who get you and understand how things actually work. They might be hiding, but they exist at all levels. They can help you navigate uncertainty and change. 

Finally, recognize that two “games” are going on: The external change happening to your agency and the internal transition happening inside you. Your mindset about these transitions will impact how well you play the “external change” game.

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