Skills Wiki for New Government Hires

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Government Norms

Communications

This section includes materials on crafting clear and effective public communications. Resources are divided into those that deal specifically with written communications and those that address digital communications strategy more broadly.

TOP RECOMMENDATIONS:

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Plainlanguage.gov⁠

(General Services Administration) A website full of templates, checklists, and guidelines to help government employees with public-facing writing. Maintained by the Plain Language Action and Information Network.

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US Government Publishing Office Style Manual⁠

(Government Publishing Office) A manual designed to achieve uniform word and type treatment across all US government publications.

Resources on Written Communications

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Positioning Yourself as a Plain Language Editor⁠

(General Services Administration) A webinar on using plain language, covering how to establish a personal plain language “brand,” how to advance your brand, and how to plan for your long-term future as a plain language pro.

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Federal Plain Language Guidelines⁠

(Plain Language Action and Information Network) A document of best practices curated by federal employees. Includes examples of poor and improved writing from real government copy.

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Using Plain Language to Tell Our Stories⁠

(General Services Administration) Templates for crafting simple stories to suit various purposes.

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Press Releases⁠

(State of Pennsylvania) [State government] A primer on how to write a press release with proper formatting and content.

Resources on Digital Strategy and External Communications More Broadly

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Digital Strategy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: Q&A with Rob Flaherty, White House Director of Digital Strategy⁠

(General Services Administration) An interview with a senior member of the White House digital team on how their team uses digital tools to effectively communicate the President’s priorities and activities with citizens.

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Federal Communicators Community⁠

(General Services Administration) A website allowing government employees and contractors with a .gov or .mil email address to join a community of federal communicators with extensive experience in government communications, public affairs, social media, and other related areas.

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Plain Language Webinar: Using Words to Build Better Digital Experiences⁠

(General Services Administration) A recording of a webinar on the importance of removing jargon in digital services specifically.

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18F’s Content Guide⁠

(18F) A style guide developed by 18F, a federal office that delivers digital services and technology products.

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Website and Social Media Basics⁠

(Department of the Interior) The Department of the Interior’s guidelines and best practices for social media and website managers. Many guidelines are specific to the department, but its best practices could be broadly helpful to employees at other agencies.

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Social Media Policy⁠

(Office of Personnel Management) Guide for any employees who manage official government social media accounts. Details allowed and disallowed types of content, restrictions against personal use, and required disclaimers.

Resources for All Employees on Personal Communications

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Social Media, Personal Email, and the Federal Ethics Rules⁠

(Department of Labor) An overview of what constitutes allowable personal versus work use of social media and email. Explains the federal ethics rules under the Hatch Act, a federal law limiting some political activities of federal employees, as well as specific guidelines from the Department of Labor.

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Hatch Act Guidance on Social Media⁠

(Office of Special Counsel) An overview of what activities the Hatch Act allows and prohibits for federal employees when they use social media.

GAP ANALYSIS:

We found myriad resources on crafting effective external communications, including the

Federal Communicators Network Community⁠

and the

General Service Administration’s⁠

⁠

templates for clear storytelling⁠

. However, we did not find resources that help new government employers approach internal communications, such as email correspondence

We also did not find any general communications resources at the federal level that explain how to write an effective press release or approach conversations with the media. This would be helpful to any new staff that are on-boarding.

We also found several

writing classes for government employees⁠

, but these appear to be live courses that are offered periodically. We were unable to find resources that help government employees improve their writing skills on their own time.

⁠

Government Speak This section provides resources for navigating terms and abbreviations commonly used in the federal government.⁠

⁠

Ethics This section gives an overview of the ethics rules and restrictions that govern federal employees.⁠

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