Federal Special Assistant positions

[Anonymous]

I am interviewing for a Special Assistant to an Assistant Secretary job and am wondering if it's even worth pursuing. Does anyone have any experience with these positions? On one hand it seems like it could put me in a great position networking-wise and be a decent stepping stone, on the other hand the job description makes it seem very much like a glorified administrative asssistant.

It would be a lateral move on the GS scale, but it would take me from the excepted service to the competitive. The big issue is that while my current job has no opportunity for advancement, it's really fun and interesting and is also very low-stress with maybe 4 hours of actual work a day.

Does anyone have experience with a similar job? Is it worth the risk to do a lateral move from a job I enjoy?

[Anonymous]

Would you enjoy having a workload that constantly evolves and is dependent on whatever fire drill comes up on a given day? Expect to work long hours with tight deadlines.

In my experience, the jobs are high prestige and can be a stepping stone to upper-level positions (if done well) but they’re also high-stress and high-burnout. Hard to do with young kids and/or significant family obligations.

[Anonymous]

They can vary a lot. Make sure there are parts of the portfolio or office you are supporting that you’re excited about. Then say yes to every project thrown your way to gain more meaningful experience. That is how it turns into a stepping stone. If they don’t offer or you don’t accept the bigger projects, it could be a dud. People who don’t understand what it takes to be a successful executive / leader can be dismissive of these roles, but they can be really powerful.

This has turned into a good path for me. I do agree with the above comment about high stress/burnout and difficult with family obligations. I have personally pursued this path while having kids and have managed to find periods of job stability around each kid followed by a big jump after each kid. If this kind of job appeals to you and you have the right personality / skills, you can thrive. And if not… you will find out fast.

[Anonymous]

Np, Special Assistant here, and I agree with the pp. While the job is rewarding and provides exposure to high-level matters and connections, never fully owning my day gets exhausting. My day is contingent on my executive's needs and whatever fire(s), as the pp mentioned.

I rarely take breaks, definitely don't take lunch, typically work 10-12 hour days, and have to know every corner of my division and the goings on at all times. I have a parking spot in the building, so that's a plus, and again, the access to leaders who can get you to the next level is unmatched.

I recommend the position if you have minimal personal obligations, thick skin, and can manage multiple competing priorities.

[Anonymous]

Is this a political appointee position? Probably not since you say competitive service. I'm confused because most of the time Special Assistant positions are political. I don't know entirely about the difference between excepted service and competitive. Is Competitive better? I think I've always been excepted. What is the difference?

I was a Special Assistant who was a political appointee. I've also been a career employee. I also had a political position that felt more like a career position (they needed more people in one area and I temporarily did the work the careers were doing while we were between assistant secretaries).

Personally, I prefer the career work, where I have my own cases and book of business and don't have to support a principle.

But it really depends on your personality, goals, and age.

it some ways supporting a principle might be seen as sexier. You might be cued into or brought into meetings, high level strategizing etc. You will do schmoozing and meet a lot of people potentially.

But if the principle sucks, your life can be miserable.

And yeah it can be kinda secretarial. Is there a confidential assistant who will do more of the low level work? is there a good scheduler? Or will that be your job?

Me personally, I'd rather come in, do a job on things I find interesting, and fly below the radar and not have to deal with the egos and demands of principles.

But what's the deal with excepted vs competitive? if competitive is better that could be a big swaying factor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am interviewing for a Special Assistant to an Assistant Secretary job and am wondering if it's even worth pursuing. Does anyone have any experience with these positions? On one hand it seems like it could put me in a great position networking-wise and be a decent stepping stone, on the other hand the job description makes it seem very much like a glorified administrative asssistant.

It would be a lateral move on the GS scale, but it would take me from the excepted service to the competitive. The big issue is that while my current job has no opportunity for advancement, it's really fun and interesting and is also very low-stress with maybe 4 hours of actual work a day.

Does anyone have experience with a similar job? Is it worth the risk to do a lateral move from a job I enjoy?

The highlighted part is pretty much the opposite of a special assistant role, so you have to decide for yourself if giving that up to become a special assistant is worth it to you or not.

[Anonymous]

I was in a role like this. It was great and great for my career. But a number of factors came together.

I really threw myself into it. I didn't have kids yet (I wouldn't work those hours now).

I was willing to take on all the small things. Being a special asst is more personal than being a career fed who's a specialist IC. You are doing whatever is needed.

The Asst Sec level person and his fellow politicals were great people. They included me on big stuff. I got good projects and they gave me credit. They were interested in my career and stayed in touch even after leaving the Adm.

The role had a lot of exposure to other managers and staff. I was invited to meetings and introduced to everyone. I met a lot of people and people got to know who I was.

It can be a real career boon but depends a lot on the person you're working for and what exactly you'll get to do. Hopefully the people and role are already familiar to you or something you can find out about. Good luck OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hard to do with young kids and/or significant family obligations.

No kids or family obligations but I have zero desire to work more than 40 hours a week. I'll put out fires and deal with emergencies 110% all day but if they expect me to be on call after I clock out that's a deal breaker.

Sounds like it's not for me.

[Anonymous]

The SAs I worked with at State were miserable and always working. They also had to know the nuts and bolts of the operation and everything that went with it. I didn’t see it as a prestigious position.

[Anonymous]

I once took a pay cut, GS-13 to GS-12, in 2015 to move from excepted to competitive. It was torture but I was finally in the competitive service, and became a GS-14 in 2018.

Take the job and use it as a stepping stone. You'll have more opportunities and protections in the competitive service.

[Anonymous]

Great stepping stone but if you're not willing to work long and hard, forget about it.

[Anonymous]

Can be a job for someone who nobody wants to work with or have as a manager because they are unbearable. They put them out to pasture as an assistant so employees stop quitting to get away from them.