FAQs
Qualifications
Who is eligible to apply to the Addiction Recovery Appointments Project?
We welcome resumes from any person openly in recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs
who is a U.S. citizen who seeks an appointment in the executive branch of the U.S. government. We
welcome professionals with a wide range of backgrounds and interests, ranging from junior, mid-level,
and senior professionals. Women, people of color, people with a criminal justice history, people with
disabilities, veterans, and individuals with diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Application
What should I prepare before starting the application?
The most important thing you need to begin the application is your resume in Microsoft Word (.doc
or.docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) file format. If you are ready to submit your resume and are unsure
about letters of recommendation or which agencies are a good fit, we encourage you to submit your
resume and fill out the application as soon as possible so that, as positions become available, we can
reach out to you if your experience is a good fit. Please review our resume tips below. The process of
pursuing a presidential appointment can be very lengthy and highly competitive. Pursuing an
appointment requires a balance of patience and persistence.
Letters of recommendation can be helpful to submit directly to the Appointments Project – especially
those that demonstrate political experience. They can help us start conversations about your candidacy
with the administration. If you don't have letters of recommendation but are ready to submit your
resume, send us your letters to [email protected] when you have them.
Having a clear idea of which agency or agencies at which you would most like to work can be helpful.
Generally, we find that substantial political or private sector experience with a particular federal agency,
state agency, or a relevant issue area, especially in your most recent work history, is the best indicator of
fit for a particular agency. Certain functional roles require less issue experience than others – for
example, communications/press/marketing, financial operations, scheduler/assistant roles may not
require issue- or agency-specific expertise. If you’re not sure which agency or position makes sense for
you at this time, please go ahead and submit your resume, we’ll be back in touch.
Please make sure to set aside enough time to complete the application in one sitting, about 30 minutes
– not doing so will result in multiple application submissions that will delay the processing of your
application. You will be asked to answer questions about your party affiliation, citizenship status,
recovery status, ethnicity, areas of expertise, and level of experience.
Resume Tips
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Upload your resume now as a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) file from
our home page www.facingaddiction.org/addiction-recovery-appointments-project and answer
the required questions in the Application. Our system does not allow us to search through PDFs.
You can update your resume at any time by sending it to [email protected]
List your professional experiences in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.
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Provide bullet lists for each experience that highlight specific skills, inputs and outcomes with
quantifiable metrics.
If applicable, include the size of your budget and the number of staff for which you were directly
responsible for managing.
Be sure to include public service at the local, state, or federal level as well as volunteer service
with non-profits.
Where possible, include information about advocacy for addiction recovery or involvement with
addiction prevention, treatment and recovery organizations – this can be accomplished under a
header such as “Other Experience” or “Community Involvement and Affiliations” towards the
end of your resume.
Do not include references or salary information, and do not include a "References available
upon request" statement. Generally, purpose or objective statements should not be included.
Junior and mid-level professionals should strive to condense their resumes to one page. Where
resumes and curriculum vita consist of more than one page, ensure that the page footer
includes your name and page number.
Keep formatting as simple as possible and focus on content over style. Avoid unusual fonts or
formatting. Use tabs rather than spaces to left/center/right-align content on the same line (see:
Set margins, indents, and tabs at microsoft.com).
We will contact you if there are changes that should be made.
Positions
What kinds of appointed positions are available?
For full-time appointments, the levels of employment range from entry-level positions to senior
executives, agency secretaries and ambassadors that require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. For a
complete list of appointed positions in the Executive Branch as of 2016, see “United States Government
Policy and Supporting Positions,” commonly known as the Plum Book. It is published every four years
and the 2016 edition will be out soon.
Volunteer boards and commissions are generally appointed by the president or the secretary of an
agency. Some of these positions require significant time investments and may be compensated. Travel is
typically arranged and paid for by the government. Agency-appointed boards and commissions are often
announced in the Federal Register as well as the Federal Advisory Committee Act database.
Process
Who will review applicants and how?
With the assistance of our partners, the Appointments Project collects, organizes and categorizes all
resumes it receives and meets with staff from the administration to review and recommend applicants
qualified for available positions.
When will applicants know whether or not they are being recommended to an administration?
The Initiative will make its best effort to contact applicants before recommending them for a particular
position. Due to the sheer volume of applicants and the urgency of some appointments, this is not
always possible.
When will applicants know whether or not they are being considered for appointment by an
administration?
Any applicant under consideration for employment will be contacted directly by the administration and
not by the Appointments Project. Please make an effort to inform us if the administration has been in
contact with you – depending on the situation, we may be able to provide additional counsel.
Does submitting a resume to the Project boost an individual’s chances of getting hired by the
administration?
The Addiction Recovery Appointments Project has no authority or official role whatsoever with respect
to hiring any personnel. Ultimately the White House Presidential Personnel Office, White House liaisons,
and supervisors within hiring offices determine who to interview and hire. Participation in this project
does not mean that we will recommend you for any position or that applicants will in any way be
advantaged in the appointment or nomination process for any such position.
Should I apply directly to the administration?
Yes, in addition to applying to the project, applicants should apply directly to the administration. In
order to be considered for a presidential appointment, all applicants MUST apply to the White House
through the official White House application site at https://greatagain.gov/serve-americae3c623c4e102#.r37w6hg7c.
What can I expect for the vetting process?
Most applicants under serious consideration for an appointment will have their employment,
professional, personal, travel, medical, financial, legal, military and educational histories reviewed and
scrutinized. The financial holdings and sources of income for most applicants under serious
consideration must be disclosed for review to ascertain if there are any possible conflicts of interest. .
For a helpful roadmap, see the National Academy of Public Administration.
APPLY TODAY! at www.facingaddiction.org/addiction-recovery-appointments-project.
Resources
What are some additional resources for me?
1. The Presidential Transition Directory includes links to the Plum Book (below); the United States
Government Manual with comprehensive information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial, and
executive branches as well as information on quasi-official agencies and boards, commissions, and
committees; and a Government Organization chart.
2. The 2016 Plum Book. Every four years, just after the Presidential election, the United States
Government Policy and Supporting Positions, commonly known as the Plum Book, is published. The
Plum Book is used to identify presidentially appointed positions within the Federal Government and
the 2016 edition will be available shortly after the elections.
3). The National Association of Public Administration’s Political Appointees Project has a wealth of
information for prospective and successful candidates.