Q: I bookmarked the White House Fellows application last year but I am afraid that if I tell my boss I am applying I won’t get promoted. Should I take the risk?
A: You probably know from reading my book that in my role as a White House Fellows [WHF] I served as Special Assistant to William F. Webster at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. My Fellowship year was a pivotal experience—a turning point—in my life. Don’t confuse the WHF with Monica Lewinsky’s White House internship.
The White House Fellows program has been a fixture of nine Presidential administrations – five Republican and four Democrat. President Johnson’s vision that, “A genuinely free society cannot be a spectator society [because] Freedom, in its deepest sense, requires participation – full, zestful, knowledgeable, participation,” remains a call to action for all Americans who seek to better themselves, their communities, and the world.
Applying is only the first step and is probably not the occasion to announce that you are leaving the firm, correct?
Here are questions to consider:
- Why are you interested in applying?
- Have you talked to a current or former White House Fellow about their experience?
- How does the White House Fellows program connect to your career goals?
- What is the value that you will bring back to your firm? Note: WHFs develop deep knowledge on how government works by serving as special assistants in the White House, to Cabinet Secretaries or Deputy Cabinet Secretaries.
- What is your plan B? What options will allow you to expand knowledge of government: Aspen Institute? Council of Foreign Relations? Japan Society? People-to-People?
- Do you have a close, trusted relationship with your manager? Do you talk freely about your career? If yes, don’t “surprise” your manager and damage your relationship.
If you still need a nudge to complete your application, make certain that you get feedback from your family, friends and mentors to bolster your confidence and help you focus on why you are a worthy candidate and meet the WHF application criteria below:
- A record of remarkable professional achievement early in one’s career.
- Evidence of leadership skills and the potential for further growth.
- A demonstrated commitment to public service.
- The skills to succeed at the highest levels of the Federal government, and the ability to work effectively as part of a team
Applications will be available on November 2, 2016. Go for it!