Top Jobs in Government Increasingly Filled From Outside

Veterans have increasingly filled many upper-level jobs. In 2005, 42 percent of upper-level hires had served in the military, a 12 percent increase since 2001, the study said.

The majority were hired through the 1998 Veterans Employment Opportunity Act, which Congress approved to give former military personnel the opportunity to compete for jobs that are normally not open to outsiders.

When applying for a job under the law, veterans give up any preferences based on their military service. The study found that former military officers appear to be considered as ideal job applicants because of their experience in security, logistics, contracting and intelligence and because they often hold security clearances.

Federal agencies also hired for expertise in information technology, medicine and law when filling upper-level positions, the study found.

The average age of these upper-level hires from outside government in 2005 was 43 1/2 . They were largely male (71 percent) and white (78 percent), the study found.

Asked to select all possible reasons, from a list of 16 choices, to explain why they applied for a federal job, nearly half of the new employees said they wanted more job security.

Other reasons were the appeal of an agency's mission, the chance to fully use their talents, the opportunity to serve the public, the desire for a better job, and employment benefits.

Those findings, said Neil A. G. McPhie, chairman of the merit board, "suggest that government service has strengths that agencies can capitalize to compete for highly skilled workers."