I was a PMF in the mid-90s. JDs were very rare in the competition those days. Great opportunities, I was just very assertive about finding my own position and my own details since the program itself wasn't going to provide me the experiences I wanted.

Since the process has changed, I can't offer much advice OP but will say good luck! Especially with the government in a hiring freeze essentially, there will be opportunities to do great work.

DH and I were both PMFs. We love the program and credit it with kickstarting our rapidly accelerating federal careers and opening many doors along the way. Highly recommend anyone apply.

Update from OP: So I was selected as a semi finalist! Hooray, but there are over 1000 semi-finalists so that sort of ruined the thrill for me.

Any tips on the second leg of this process, i.e. the in-person assessment?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in the program coming out of grad school in 2001. I'm not sure if the assessment process has changed, but at the time, they brought in all nominees for an assessment where we had to write an essay, give an oral presentation on a policy related topic (we were given about 20 minutes to prepare our presentation after being given the topic) and then present with a group on the same policy topic.

This was also my experience in 2006. I'm a lawyer.

Frankly, it sucks as a program for lawyers since you can't be hired as a 0905 through the PMF program. I took an opportunity I thought would at least be "legal related" based on what they sold me during the interview process. It was awful.

I was lucky and used the detail to get in an attorney position and that group hired me after my detail.

Others I know have no been as fortunate.

I am curious about this pp; what kind of work did they have you do since you were a lawyer?

Theoretically, contracting. However, that part of the organization was SUCH a cluster, they didn't really understand the PMF program at all, they eliminated the division I was supposed to be working for 2 weeks before I started but didn't bother to tell me until after I got there, they didn't provide the training and developmental assignments you are supposed to complete, etc. After about 6 months I simply stopped asking for work because my manager clearly didn't know what to do with me and just sat me in a far off corner cubicle and if I asked for something to do he'd rummage around his desk and find something for me to photocopy. At that point I threw in the towel and started looking for a new job, but instead lucked out with a detail assignment in an attorney group. They hired me permanently after my detail and I left the PMF program 14 months in.

Anonymous wrote:Bump! How about law school graduates applying to this program, does anyone have any advice about that?

Worked well for a number of my friends when the government could hire. We are on a freeze and I think it might be a waste of time until the make up of congress changes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in the program coming out of grad school in 2001. I'm not sure if the assessment process has changed, but at the time, they brought in all nominees for an assessment where we had to write an essay, give an oral presentation on a policy related topic (we were given about 20 minutes to prepare our presentation after being given the topic) and then present with a group on the same policy topic.

This was also my experience in 2006. I'm a lawyer.

Frankly, it sucks as a program for lawyers since you can't be hired as a 0905 through the PMF program. I took an opportunity I thought would at least be "legal related" based on what they sold me during the interview process. It was awful.

I was lucky and used the detail to get in an attorney position and that group hired me after my detail.

Others I know have no been as fortunate.

I am curious about this pp; what kind of work did they have you do since you were a lawyer?

I was selected twice- once in 2004 and once in 2009 (2 grad degrees & didn't take apposition the first time). As of 2009, it's just a standardized test- way easier, IMO, than the previous evaluation. I'm not a veteran, but not sure if that's gotten stricter lately. My agency started us as 11's and we finished in 2 years as 13s.

Tonight at midnight is the deadline to apply. Check out www.pmf.gov for eligibility requirements...they have changed. The PMF application changed last year. See for yourself. Some people are giving dated information here. I'm a GWU Career Director and I know all sorts of folks who've made the grade. Take a chance. For the law student question above...many lawyers make it...give it a try. It is still a prestigious program unlike what a previous poster said. Good luck!

It is a struggling program and not as prestigious as it once was. If you are not a veteran, you have a slim chance of getting selected these days anyway.

Anonymous wrote:I was in the program coming out of grad school in 2001. I'm not sure if the assessment process has changed, but at the time, they brought in all nominees for an assessment where we had to write an essay, give an oral presentation on a policy related topic (we were given about 20 minutes to prepare our presentation after being given the topic) and then present with a group on the same policy topic.

This was also my experience in 2006. I'm a lawyer.

Frankly, it sucks as a program for lawyers since you can't be hired as a 0905 through the PMF program. I took an opportunity I thought would at least be "legal related" based on what they sold me during the interview process. It was awful.

I was lucky and used the detail to get in an attorney position and that group hired me after my detail.

Others I know have no been as fortunate.

Anonymous wrote:I was in the program coming out of grad school in 2001. I'm not sure if the assessment process has changed, but at the time, they brought in all nominees for an assessment where we had to write an essay, give an oral presentation on a policy related topic (we were given about 20 minutes to prepare our presentation after being given the topic) and then present with a group on the same policy topic.

Yes, this was my experience as well. I came through the program in 1998 and served as an evaluator for several years in the early 2000s, but it's my understanding that the process has changed since then. If you came through a school with a public administration program, talk to them about it. The bigger MPA programs have lots of info and provide some coaching for their graduates.

I was in the program coming out of grad school in 2001. I'm not sure if the assessment process has changed, but at the time, they brought in all nominees for an assessment where we had to write an essay, give an oral presentation on a policy related topic (we were given about 20 minutes to prepare our presentation after being given the topic) and then present with a group on the same policy topic.

I applied and interviewed in grad school, but didn't get it. One of my classmates did get in.

I don't think there is any preparing. We had to write an essay and then do a group problem solving.

Bump! How about law school graduates applying to this program, does anyone have any advice about that?

Has anyone applied to this program or gotten into it? Any tips or knowledge would be appreciated! Thanks!