Just thought about how normally I’d be crashing @AAAS_STPF luncheon with current fellows at orientation (though I guess I can’t do that anymore! #alum) where I’d be enjoying a yummy meal and giving them all my very real takes on working in government, so I’ll give some here:

1) You will struggle and fail through learning email etiquette. Don’t feel like you have to respond immediately. Think it through, pretend the Under Secretary might read it. More people prefer to be “looped in” than “bothered by another email.”

2) YOU ARE LIKELY NOT THE EXPERT IN YOUR OFFICE, Program Area, or even Agency. Be humble and learn from people who know more about the process than you do. You know a lot, but your best skills are being able to learn new things and problem solve. Lean in to that.

Use United States as a noun and U.S. as an adjective.

Find ways to appreciate the bureaucracy. It can be soul crushing, but you’re prepared for this! Pushing a new idea through bureaucracy can take a little bit of sustained effort over a loooong period of time. It’s exactly like doing a PhD!

Don’t be afraid to cold email people for a teams chat about what they do in their office, whether it’s super related to what you’re doing or not. DC people love to talk about themselves and their jobs and the difference they are making.

Lastly (for now) enjoy the ride and the wave of new stuff you’re going to learn! You might feel like you’re starting all over and it does take at LEAST a year in most placements to feel like you have a handle on your job...

... but you’re going to pick up on things so easily once you get off the first big learning curve. Good luck and enjoy!!

Lol I stopped numbering after 2, but you get the picture!!