Shutdowns, layoffs and hiring freezes have shaken the core of what it means to build a career in the federal government. The Washington, D.C. region now leads the country in unemployment, and the recent shutdown was one of the longest in history, with roughly half of federal workers furloughed and the other half working without pay.

For a region built on government stability, this is unfamiliar territory. And it has prompted many federal employees to ask a question they never expected to confront: What if government service is not the forever plan anymore?

The story beneath the headlines

But beneath the headlines, there is another story that should spark optimism. The private sector is not retreating from government; it is moving closer. Tech companies, especially those driving AI innovation, are expanding and deepening their presence across the Washington, D.C. region in ways we haven’t seen before.

Nvidia, now the world’s first $5 trillion company, brought its flagship GTC conference to the nation’s capital this year for the first time. The move signaled how central the region has become to the future of AI.

Google launched a public-sector division in 2022 with leadership based in the region. Since then, it has introduced Gemini for Government and hosted major public-sector events in D.C.

OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, is opening its first Washington D.C. office next year. Recent reporting suggests the company is preparing for a possible IPO that could value it at up to $1 trillion.

And Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg bought a home in Washington, D.C. to spend more time in the area “as Meta continues the work on policy issues related to American technology leadership.”

Why Washington, and why now

Washington, D.C. influences how technology is researched, funded and regulated. The companies shaping the next era of AI and other strategic industries will not do so alone, but in partnership with government.

This can be seen most clearly in the national security space. In today’s global strategic landscape, conversations about American strength include Nvidia and advanced computing as naturally as the Pentagon.

This is not new. The public and private sectors have long worked together toward shared goals. When then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) once held up an iPhone and listed the federally backed technologies inside it — GPS, flat screens and voice recognition — she reminded us that government has always been a catalyst for innovation. That same spirit of shared purpose in innovation and national interest should include people, not just ideas and funding. Talented public servants should see private-sector service as equally legitimate, mission-aligned work.

Service, not sector

For decades, a federal career meant purpose, service and stability until retirement. That model is shifting. And while the transition is difficult, it presents an opportunity.

Federal employees are masters of judgment, complex systems, crisis decision-making and mission-driven leadership. These skills translate directly to work in the private sector.

A long federal career remains honorable. But for those navigating uncertainty, or simply curious about contributing in new ways, this moment calls for a new mindset. Service can take many forms. Mission transcends institutions. Public service is no longer confined to one path.

For anyone weighing a transition, the work does not start by translating a résumé into Silicon Valley speak. It starts by articulating how you think: how you assess risk, operate under pressure, and navigate complexity. It means embracing what makes you different, not trying to blend in. And it means making your expertise visible by building relationships, showing up in the right rooms, and contributing to the conversations shaping this next era.

Washington is not shrinking. It is shifting. And federal talent has never been more relevant.

Candice Bryant is a strategic communications leader with 20 years of experience at the CIA and Google.

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