Traditionally, a gig in a Presidential administration is one of the most prestigious jobs in the world. Yet right now the Trump administration is struggling to find bodies to fill desks. The last several months has seen countless officials leave. Some of the names and resignations have been big and flashing, cue Press Secretary Sean Spicer and former White House communications director Hope Hicks. However, many more less well-known people have also fled.
To be clear, the Trump White House is far from the first to suffer from high turnover. Indeed, high turn over is part and parcel of a Presidential administration. However, the inability to attract new talent does appear to be a problem particular to the Trump administration. Still, the Brookings Institute estimates the White House turn over rate to be at 34 percent per year, roughly four times that of the Obama administration
White House gigs are stressful and the pay is often low compared to similar private sector jobs. At the same time, finding staffers willing to sacrifice pay for prestige hasn’t typically been all that difficult. In theory, a stint at the White House or another executive administration should pay off by opening doors when it comes time to rejoin the private sector.
However, many former Trump administration staffers are struggling to land jobs. Speaking to The Hill, a traditionally conservative publication, one anonymous DC insider stated: “There have only been a few high-profile people that have gotten out while the getting’s good. A great deal more very well may have committed professional suicide, at least in the short term, by serving in this administration. I don’t think it’s potentially a long-term thing. The net of it is, this administration, in general, was not able to attract the A-team. No one’s asking [for] anyone from the Trump administration.”
The Trump administration is trying a new tactic to recruit employees as White House staffers head for the exits at a rapid rate — the “Executive Branch Job Fair" https://t.co/GtTM490gT5 pic.twitter.com/qe8flGcecX
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) June 14, 2018
The political suicide bit is especially interesting. Some Beltway organizations apparently believe that the Trump administration is too toxic to touch right now. Trump has rattled not only Democrats, but also the Republican establishment. Beltway organizations may be worried that picking up former Trump staffers could alienate both Democrat and Republican connections.
It also has to be noted, however, that Trump’s administration hasn’t relied as heavily on D.C. insiders to fill staff roles. As a result, those leaving the White House might simply lack the relevant experience and connections to survive, let alone thrive, in DC’s insider culture.
There’s also a question over quality, as another anonymous source talking to the Hill stated: “Everyone is saying it’s a shitshow, that’s why they’re looking to leave early. Normally you would want to serve the first term at least or the first half of the term. What I’m trying to figure out is, how toxic are some of these people?”
President Trump has remained upbeat, claiming that “everybody wants to work in the White House.” Yet the White House has also resorted to holding a job fair to attract qualified candidates. Last Friday, the White House held an “Executive Branch Job Fair” with administration representatives on hand to meet with potential candidates. Some argue that such a move hints at desperation.
Public Service Pay and the Revolving Door
The bureaucrats and public servants who take up administration posts generally aren’t doing so for the paychecks. Many were making more money before they joined the administration, and they’ll likely make more when they leave. Consider an extreme example: Rex Tillerson made between $27 million and $40 million in total compensation per year at Exxon before taking up his short-lived stint as the secretary of state. There, he earned a “measly” $186,000.
Of course, Tillerson is an outside-the-norm example and the secretary of state gig is one for the history books. Regardless, White House officials and staffers have often been pulled from DC’s insular lobbying and business community, and many return to such work when they wrap up their stint at the White House. It’s hard to peg exact numbers for other staffers, but in general DC’s private sector is much more lucrative than public service.
Importantly, comparatively low pay in combination with high stress and what is widely seen as a tumultuous work environment at the White House means the administration may continue to struggle to fill positions.
