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  It is not only recent college graduates who are interested in working for the federal government but end up taking jobs in the private sector. I took early retirement last year from my SES job -- I was unhappy with my then-current position and undertook a serious job search. I had 10 interviews with the government. In most cases, even six months after the interviews, I have never received any feedback about the positions. I had no offers, even though all positions were in my specific career field. I also had five serious interviews with private sector companies, had three job offers and accepted the best of the three -- at a 40 percent increase in compensation. The hiring process in the government is broken, and with all the hand-wringing about the coming retirement wave, no one is doing anything seriously to fix the process. Not that I'm surprised, but I just wanted to my experience to the discussion.

  GovExec.com reader Posted May 31, 2006 2:34 PM
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  An educated citizenry is as vital a part of our society's infrastructure as highways and electronic connectivity

  I totally agree with the above statement; however, this does not mean that everyone in the society needs a college education. Attending college is a process for most to achieve a higher paying job in the future than otherwise would be the case. Therefore, college attendance is an investment in the individual's future income. If the investment is too high (as demonstrated by the inability to repay student loans) then the person should not go to college.

  The taxpayer should not be burdened with payment of individuals' student loans! Loans are there to help and not be taken advantage of as is the case today. The government should not forgive student loans. If you paid for your education as some of us did, you should not be penalized by others getting a handout from the government from the money we pay in taxes (or the outrageous debt amassed to avoid taxes today). This stuff is driving this country into third world status and should be stopped before it is too late. By that time it will not matter if you have a college education of not -- you probably will want to become an immigrant to China or India because that is where the growth is and will be for the next century. Deduct the government excessive spending and you will see the United States is in decline, not advancing as other countries are!

  Taxpayer Posted May 23, 2006 7:24 AM
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  I also don't doubt the willingness and drive of young people to do good work, just as I don't doubt that same willingness and drive in current public servants. Didn't we all start our government careers, however we came to take those jobs, with shining eyes and high hopes. But reality happens. We marry and find it really does take money to raise a family, we become so enmeshed in government red tape that it is difficult to make even the small changes for the good but constantly get senseless mandates stuffed down our collective throats by some political appointee trying to make a name for him/her self. But we still strive to do our best because we support the troops because if we don't then who? If we don't get it right, soldiers die. How do we then motivate the young? Simplify the hiring process, provide meaningful work but everyone should understand that there will always be the mundane that must also be done, offer praise when warranted, counsel when necessary, cut the red tape so that it is possible to make a difference, and pay a competitive wage so that the needs of a growing family can be accommodated. And lastly, the American people and certainly our president and Congress, must see public service as worthy and essential.

  GovExec.com reader Posted May 22, 2006 6:27 PM
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  I don't doubt the willingness of young people to do good works. I don't see how they can afford to go into government service with the student loan burden most of them carry out of college. There needs to be a two pronged approach -- first, help via partial repayment/forgiveness of student loan debt; second, more help in the way of grants so that they don't have the burdens to start with. An educated citizenry is as vital a part of our society's infrastructure as highways and electronic connectivity.

  GovExec.com reader Posted May 22, 2006 11:08 AM