Burning Question: How do you tell a government employee from a contractor?

We've reached a point in government where we have such a blended workforce that in many agencies it can be hard to tell who's a federal employee and who's a contractor. GovLoop's Steve Ressler has some strategies, though, and he's not afraid to share them. "Wondering why someone is wearing a suit when everyone knows it is business casual?" he writes. "And who is that weirdo overdressed with cufflinks, and a Rolex watch? Contractor for sure."

But he also writes: "Ever been in the office and wonder, who is the cute new guy/girl? Contractor 90 percent of the time."

Ahh, c'mon Steve! Haven't you seen the research on how Hollywood -- in the interests of verisimilitude, to be sure -- always portrays federal employees as good looking and smart?

Top 5 Ways to Tell a Contractor Apart From a Govie
(GovLoop)

Burning Question is a recurring feature that looks at key issues and compelling stories being explored at other publications and social media sites.