Civil Service
WHATEVER MAY HAVE BEEN many people's disinterested or indifferent attitude toward the Federal Civil Service as a career the fact now is that its opportunities are numerous and attractive and its requirements may be met by a great many persons. The Civil Service has perhaps had a reputation as something quite restricted in opportunity, hedged around by politics, and otherwise enmeshed in red tape. The Service now has the demand upon it to furnish hundreds of thousands of civilian war workers in its tremendous program of expansion.
All war jobs are listed as "for the duration plus six months" and this is true of the Civil Service. In other words, it is not necessary to sign up for life. The man or woman who is qualified and whose ordinary peace-time work is out the window may be interested in helping to meet the tremendous demand for Civil Service employees.
Harold H. Leich '29, examiner in charge of the Public Administration Unit, U. S. Civil Service Commission, Washington, offers to fellow-alumni the following guidance: "Recently the demand for college graduates has become so great that the Commission announced a Junior Professional Assistant examination open to all college graduates regardless of major work, and without the usual 35-year age limit. Some 15,000 persons applied to take the written test. Successful candidates are appointed to junior administrative and professional positions throughout the Federal service, at salaries from .$1,620 to $2,000 a year.
"In the past year there has been a great demand for high grade executives and administrators from industrial and commercial fields. Such agencies as the War Production Board and the Office of Price Administration have been seeking industrial specialists and executives who know the production and distribution of specified commodities, or who have had general administrative experience which would enable them to take charge of a field office or a unit in the Washington office.
"In August of 1941 the Civil Service Commission announced an examination for Executive and Administrative Officers, at salaries ranging from $3,800 to $8,OOO. About 20,000 persons applied for this examination and 6,500 were rated eligible according to the standards applied by the Commission."
Dean Herluf V. Olsen '22 of the Tuck School spent much of the past year in Washington on leave of absence from Hanover as a consultant to the Civil Service Commission, aiding especially in drafting training programs for college graduates. He kindly gives us some valuable short cuts, recommended for those who seek employment in Federal Agencies. The Civil Service is the bureau which secures personnel for many government agencies where employees either have a Civil Service rating or are dollar-a-year men.
If you go to Washington to file a Civil Service application, Dean Olsen suggests the following procedure: For positions in classifications paying salaries of $4,600 and up, call at Room 1021. Tariff Commission Building; for positions $2,000-$4,600, Room 113, Tariff Commission Building; for positions carrying salaries below $2,000 apply at 801 E Street; for positions with the OPA or WPB applications may also be made directly to the personnel offices of those expanding agencies.
CONSULT REGIONAL OFFICES
It is not necessary, however, to go to Washington, Dean Olsen emphasizes, since applications may be made in the thirteen cities where there are branch offices of the U. S. Civil Service Commission. These are: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, St. Louis, St. Paul, San Francisco, Honolulu (also Balboa Heights, Canal Zone, and San Juan, Puerto Rico).
At the Commission headquarters in all of the above cities there are two recruiting specialists whose responsibility it is to interview professional and business men and women for possible employment in the higher Civil Service brackets. Application forms and full information are available in all of the above thirteen branch offices for either Washington work or jobs in each particular region. There are also regional offices of both OPA and WPB in most large cities through which applications may be made directly to the personnel director.
Such information as the above is given to Dartmouth men as helpful short cuts in seeking Civil Service employment. Dean Olsen also says: "Applicants should not only call once at their regional Civil Service, WPB or OPA offices, but should repeat their calls and make sure their applications are receiving attention. Applicants must not be discouraged if the inevitable delays occur between date of filing applications and hearing anything from these. The tremendous amount of work handled by the Civil Service creates delays of a few weeks but there is no reason why the first interview should not be repeated and followed up. No one is going to seek out prospective Civil Service employees. They must take the initiative and keep it up."
DARTMOUTH MEN AMONG U. S. CIVIL SERVICE ADMINISTRATORS Helpful advice on Civil Service opportunities is included in the accompanying articleand was provided by Harold H. Leich '29, left, and Herluf V. Olsen '22. Mr. Leich isExaminer-in-Cfharge, Public Administration Unit, Washington. Mr. Olsen, Dea?i of theTuck School, spent much of the past year in Washington as a special consultant to theCommission on training programs for college graduates.
