How to Find a Meaningful Job

How to Find a Meaningful Job

From Firewall with Bradley Tusk by Firewall

May 28, 2026 · 39 min

About this episode

Caitlin Lewis discusses the benefits of working in government and the challenges faced in the hiring process.

If government is one of the best career moves a young person can make right now, why does nobody seem to know it? Caitlin Lewis, Executive Director of Work for America , joins Bradley to extol the benefits of working for state and local governments. They're desperate for talent, they pay better than you think and the work makes a difference in people's lives. Not that there aren't problems, like painfully long and onerous hiring processes, which Caitlin is addressing. She and Bradley talk about the long shadow of Tammany Hall, how displaced federal workers are finding new jobs and why idealism is alive and well in the public sector. "If you want to be part of the resistance," she says, "there is no better way to do it than actually going into City Hall and changing things from the inside." This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio. Send us an email with your thoughts on today’s episode: info@firewall.media . Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter and follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack .

People in this episode

Host: Bradley Tusk

Guest: Caitlin Lewis

Topics covered

  • government jobs
  • career advice
  • public sector
  • idealism
  • hiring processes

Keywords

  • government jobs
  • career moves
  • public sector
  • Tammany Hall
  • hiring processes
  • idealism
  • City Hall

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Work for America

Places: New York City, P&T Knitwear, City Hall

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