"Should I Send an Introduction Letter to a Federal Hiring Manager?" Three reasons I say: HECK NO!

I recently wrote an article titled: “5 Thoughts on Acquiring a Federal Job for Transitioning Military” (http://bit.ly/2mmahX1) and, as I had friends reviewing it, I got the question “Should I send an introduction letter to a federal hiring manager?” I have worked 36 years in the government both active duty, and a follow-on career in civil service, retiring twice with the US Army. I started as a Private, and ended as a GG-15, the highest manager grade in federal service. I have been both the job hunter and the hiring manager.

I have had many people over the years send me emails when I got promoted. Often, they had either their resume or a friend’s resume in that email with strong suggestion for me to review and hire when there is an opportunity. I am sure we all love people to tell you how to do your job, and most of us may not react well to that. Below are some of my thoughts on receiving these emails or conversations:

• Inferior package submitted: My first thought from an applicant that contacts me, or sends me more information than was asked for in the USAJOBS web-hiring portal, is that the applicant believes he/she has a weak package. The applicant is contacting me to get more information in front of me as a hiring manager. This is flat out not fair to the other applicants. Remember, most hiring managers were job hunters in the past. We all feel our package could have/should have had better information to make ourselves more competitive. Even if you know you are missing information and it is past the deadline, suck it up, and move on. Do better on the next application.

• Ethical standards: You send me an email or chat with me at a unit gathering trying to give me more information to make your package better looking. My first thought is what I wrote above, but my reaction here is that this person thinks that I am morally corrupt! They think they can gain illegal influence? I, and most hiring managers, worked hard to get to our positions with strong ethical standards as civil service employees. Managers are getting closer to retirement and most have families. Why would these people think I would endanger my job, family, and retirement for someone I probably do not even know? We got to our positions by doing right and being fair. Giving assistance to one applicant over the others is not fair. As I’ve stated in the past, I often had 200 qualified resumes per position.

• Sting operation: My third reaction is one where I become curious as to why this person is asking for an illegal and improper favor during job hunting. There is the possibility that person, who is asking me for a hiring favor, is also working as part of a sting operation with the Inspector General Office, or a criminal investigative body.

All of this is going through my head when the nice person at the party approaches me, or someone sends an email that says, “Should I send an introduction letter to a federal hiring manager?” My answer is always without a doubt: HECK NO!!

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About the Author: James Lint recently retired as the civilian director for intelligence and security, G2, U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command. He started the Lint Center for National Security Studies, a nonprofit charity, which recently awarded the 42nd scholarship for national security students and professionals. He has 38 years of experience in military intelligence within the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, contractor, and DHS & DoEnergy civil service.