Presidential Transition and New Administration Resources

There are many ways to be hired by a Presidential administration, and the process can feel complex.

Some employees are political appointees. Of these appointees, some are Presidential appointees who require Senate confirmation, such as the Secretary of Energy or the Attorney General. Other Presidential appointees do not require Senate confirmation, such as Assistants, Deputy Assistants, and Special Assistants within the Executive Office of the President. Other political appointments include non-career Senior Executive Service (SES) positions, and Schedule C positions in confidential or policymaking roles. More information about types of appointments can be found in the Presidential Transition Guide (see pg. 84) released by the Partnership for Public Service’s Center for Presidential Transition, as well as in its summary of Presidentially appointed positions.

Other executive branch employees are not appointed, but rather hired through more common career pathways such as USAJOBS, the U.S. Department of Justice’s careers webpage, and other agency application procedures.

Prior to the inauguration, in some administrations, affinity groups or third party organizations may collect applicants’ materials for submission.

After inauguration, hiring responsibility passes from transition personnel to the newly installed administration. The White House Office of Presidential Personnel then manages selection of Presidential appointees and other roles that serve the President.

Some employees are hired to serve on the Presidential transition team even before the incoming President is inaugurated. Others may be selected before inauguration for hiring in the very early days of the administration. However, Presidential appointments often continue during the first weeks and months of a new administration, and interested applicants who are not selected or who cannot apply during the period of transition should know that they have many other opportunities to serve in the executive branch, particularly through non-appointed positions. Job openings may become available after an inauguration, midway through a Presidential term (when there is often some reshuffling of personnel), or at other times of change for agencies or individual staff.

More information about transition hiring timelines can be found in the Presidential Transition Guide released by the Partnership for Public Service’s Center for Presidential Transition (see pg. 10).

The Plum Book lists thousands of federal service positions filled through political appointment. This resource is updated after each Presidential election, and can serve as a tool for identifying agencies or positions for which to apply, as well as each position’s appointment category (e.g., Presidential appointment requiring Senate confirmation, Schedule C, etc.) and pay plan. Applicants can now search the 2020 version of the Plum Book (pdf), as well as the 2016 version (pdf) and other prior versions. Updated versions are typically posted in early December. Note that each edition will reflect the organizational choices made by the administration of the prior four years.

To learn more about the appointment process and administration hiring more generally, refer to the resources and guides above.

Before applying for a political appointment, applicants should review the Plum Book and think carefully about where they wish to serve within the federal government. Certain agencies and offices may contain more or fewer appointed positions than an applicant may initially believe. While the Plum Book does not list what level of experience is required for each position, applicants can determine whether their own experience is in line with that expected for a particular position by researching the current or prior incumbents in the position.

When applying through an administration’s hiring portal, applicants should consider the issue areas in which they have the most experience, then research and identify agencies that fit those areas. Applying to all of the agencies and offices listed, including those in which an applicant has little relevant experience, does not necessarily result in a better chance at placement.

Even when a cover letter may be optional rather than required, a cover letter presents a key opportunity to add details regarding an applicant’s background, experience, and motivation for wanting to serve, particularly those that may not be most apparent from a resume. A cover letter can also be used to show connection with the administration’s policy priorities and with particular issue areas or agencies. Review our general tips about public interest cover letters and resumes.

A law student may apply for internship opportunities in the Executive Office of the President, which includes the White House Internship Program, which itself includes placements in the Office of White House Counsel, among other internship departments. Applicants should be aware that the White House Internship Program is open to undergraduate as well as graduate students, and that not all internship opportunities are legal in nature.

Both of these internship routes generally offer fall, spring, and summer opportunities. In addition to eligible summer opportunities supported by HLS’s Summer Public Interest Funding (SPIF), students may consider seeking placements during the spring semester through the Government Lawyer: Semester in Washington clinic.

Applying for political appointments through open application portals or general resume banks should not be an applicant’s only method of demonstrating interest. Networking, particularly with staff already serving in the administration, can be a crucial way to stand out from other applicants and be “pulled in” for a political appointment.

Students and alumni seeking to build their resumes or networks with the goal of applying to jobs within Presidential administrations in the future should consider multiple avenues to demonstrate interest, make connections, and gain experience. Such avenues include:

• Making and sustaining personal and professional connections with political candidates, elected or appointed officials, campaign staff, political staff, government agency staff, professors, other former employers, or friends who may already be connected to an administration
• Gaining professional experience working in federal agencies or on Capitol Hill
• Securing paid political campaign staff work
• Interning on Capitol Hill, in federal agencies, or in the White House as a law student
• Gaining and maintaining security clearances where opportunities are available