Justice Connection’s Employment Support Network is expanding to connect current and recent Justice Department career employees with job opportunities from employers who are specifically seeking applicants with experience working at the department.
Career prosecutors in this administration are continuing to be forced to make career defining decisions. According to the New York Times, for example, U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro in the District of Columbia abruptly told prosecutors who were in the initial stages of investigating six Democratic lawmakers for making a video telling military personnel that they did not have to obey illegal orders that they needed to seek an indictment. They were faced with the decision to comply or resist.
Justice Connection is doing everything it can to support career employees who suddenly find themselves in this position and can no longer work at the department.
“When career employees are forced out of their jobs or fear they will be, they often need help navigating their transition from the Justice Department,” said Stacey Young, executive director and founder of Justice Connection. “There’s no shortage of online job boards and apps that anyone can use, but connecting current and recent DOJ employees with employers who want to hire them in particular is a feature that only Justice Connection provides.”
Employers regularly reach out to Justice Connection because they want to hire exceptionally talented alumni who’ve recently left DOJ or are trying to. The network creates a formal process to collect these job opportunities and share them. The job seekers include not only attorneys but also legal support staff, law enforcement personnel, investigators, intelligence professionals, communications staff, grantmaking staff, as well as administrative and professional staff.
Employers interested in advertising an open position to Justice Connection’s network of DOJ alumni job seekers complete this form, and current and recent DOJ employees complete this form. This initiative is for people who worked at DOJ under the current administration.
The job-posting service builds on an earlier expansion of Justice Connection’s Employment Support Network announced in January, connecting current and recent employees with alumni who will give informational interviews – an opportunity for employees to seek advice and insight related to a specific career path or field. Justice Connection shares non-public lists of alumni volunteers directly with job seekers.
Alumni volunteers providing interviews have experience with many kinds of employers, such as law firms, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, policy and research firms, communications organizations, security companies, and state and local governments.
During its first year, Justice Connection provided a wealth of employment-related information to current and recent staff. We also held virtual employment events for employees across the department. These additional services will provide even greater support to the public servants who need and deserve it.
