READY TO SERVE HELPS ASPIRING POLITICAL APPOINTEES SEEKING POSITIONS IN THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION

December 1, 2020

Ready to Serve is a streamlined resource created by the Partnership for Public Service to help prospective political appointees navigate the complex application, nomination and confirmation processes.

WASHINGTON – Job-seekers hoping to secure one of the approximately 4,000 politically appointed positions in the Biden-Harris administration can get help through a new set of resources created by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service’s Center for Presidential Transition.

Our Ready to Serve website is a one-stop-shop that helps candidates evaluate their qualifications for a political appointment and provides a roadmap to navigate the complex nomination and confirmation processes. Ready to Serve will help those who are seeking all types of presidential appointments, including those requiring Senate confirmation.

“Serving your country through a presidential appointment is a great honor and responsibility. Given the power, influence and vast resources of the federal government, trust in the integrity of presidential appointees and their commitment to public service is paramount,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. “The Partnership for Public Service’s Ready to Serve website helps aspiring political appointees do their homework and ask the right questions now so they can best navigate the historically tricky processes of presidential appointments.”

People who serve as political appointees are held to high standards of integrity and undergo rigorous background checks, which makes it important for potential candidates to start early and familiarize themselves with the process. Ready to Serve provides guides, webinars and expert advice from former political appointees background investigations, completing financial disclosure and ethics forms, and navigating Senate confirmation process. There’s even a self-assessment for potential candidates to determine if a political appointment is a good fit. 

Other Ready to Serve resources include:

1. Advice for prospective political appointees: get an early start filling out security and financial disclosure forms: Applying to be a political appointee is no easy feat. Prospective appointees can expect to disclose at least 10 years’ worth of information, so it is best to start the application process now. 
2. John Podesta on the 2020 presidential transition: John Podesta, former White House chief of staff for President Bill Clinton, joined Transition Lab podcast host David Marchick to give tips for political and judicial appointments based on his experience leading Barack Obama’s 2008-2009 presidential transition and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 pre-election transition activities.
3. How (not) to get a job in an administration: five lessons from transition experts:Hear from five transition veterans and the lessons they learned on what not to do if you want a job in a presidential administration.
4. Tips for aspiring political appointees: financial disclosure, taxes and conflicts of interest: Five legal experts walk candidates through the complex paperwork process to help prevent application roadblocks.
5. Frequently asked questions about the political appointment process: Taking the next career step to become a political appointee can be a complex decision. The Center for Presidential Transition answers the most common questions asked about the political appointee process. 

If candidates are interested in serving in the Biden-Harris administration, they can go to presidentialtransition.org to learn more. Aspiring candidates who have questions about the political appointee process can email readytoserve@ourpublicservice.org. Ready to Serve was made possible through the support of the SoftBank Group. 

Every Monday, the Center for Presidential Transition releases a new podcast episode of Transition Lab, a behind-the-scenes look at presidential transitions with host David Marchick. Former presidential chiefs of staff, transition team leads and other presidential transition experts have been guests, including award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, former George W. Bush Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, former Barack Obama Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Liza Wright, the former director of the Office of Presidential Personnel under President George W. Bush.

During the past 19 years, the nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service has been dedicated to making the federal government more effective for the American people. We work across administrations to help transform the way government operates by increasing collaboration, accountability, efficiency and innovation. Visit opswebdev.wpengine.com to learn more. Follow us on social @publicservice and subscribe today to get the latest federal news, information on upcoming Partnership programs and events, and more.

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