Abby (2022)

HHS
Washington, DC

I’ve held a few different positions during my time but currently work as a budget analyst. My job helps ensure that money is getting to our program offices and that those programs can then go on to serve at-risk populations across the country. We also help write the budget requests and justifications and support the program’s financial needs. Without us, this process would be more complex and convoluted, preventing the programs from reaching as many communities and people as possible. While I still have my job, because I am only a recent PMF graduate, I am constantly on edge, assuming that I will be the first let go from my office during a RIF because of my age and experience.

I’ve always wanted to be in a “helping profession.” While in college, I discovered the way for me to do that was through policy and in the government. When I learned about PMF, it immediately piqued my interest because I really didn’t think that an agency job was going to be attainable in my field because I assumed that every person with a political science degree would be aiming for the DC jobs. I’ve always wanted to work in the health and social programs arena, and I knew that I could use my knowledge and skills to make a positive difference across the country this way, which is exactly what I’ve done.

The PMF Program truly produces some of the best leaders in the federal government. So many people I have sought mentorship from have ultimately told me that they were also PMF/PMI alumni, and I have made it a goal to try to reach the level they’re at. I have no clue if that will even be possible now.

This Administration seeks to use more “merit-based” hiring practices, and while I believe that the federal hiring process already is incredibly merit-based, the PMF application process is incredibly rigorous, and so few people make it through to be a finalist, let alone land a job as a PMF. If you want to use merit-based hiring, you are doing yourselves a major disservice by eliminating this program that would continue to get you the best of the best. This isn’t “wasteful government spending;” this program is an investment in the next generation of government leaders, and we know it will take strong leaders to fix what will have been done over these next 4 years.