The new acquisition professional

The current Government Executive Magazine has a long article about the acquisition career field, showing how attractive what we do really is. When they put it online, I will link to it.

In the meantime, a couple of juicy quotes:

(From page 51) Federal contracting isn't the most tantalizing of career choices. It involves details, paperwork and lots of rules. Contracting officers...are among the most scrutinized of government professionals. Contracting's deadly reputation for being boring yet stressful undoubtedly is part of the reason that procurement people are so hard to recruit.

Really makes you want to sign up, doesn't it? Here's a great recruiting slogan (page 56),

There are a lot of people retiring, why don't you give it a shot?

On the plus side, there is a of discussion of appealing to 20- and 30-somethings and their need for "meaningful" work and on how government employers might make more attractive work environments, including,"giv(ing) workers what they want, whether its working from home or bringing their dogs to work...(page 56).

This is an interesting article. Look for it around the office or wait until it comes online (they usually put it online a week or so after it comes in the mail).