When I ask political appointees of either party what surprises them about government service, one answer consistently comes back: the talent and dedication of the civil servants they are working with.

That's reassuring, of course, but also sad and a bit scary. Sad because their surprise reflects how little many Americans expect of their federal government. Scary because such competence as exists in government is at risk: In the next four years, 600,000 federal jobs — close to one-third of the government — will need to be filled.

But, says Stier, there are a few little problems standing in the way. The government has no strategy for identifying the talent it will need. Its hiring process is a ghastly and, to most young people, incomprehensible swamp.

Washington Post: “The Federal Government’s Broken Hiring System”