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Life After the Fed
Site updates, writing process, book projects, announcements.
Bullets vs Narratives: Building a Resume That Actually Works
“I’ve been on both sides of the hiring table. I’ve scanned thousands of resumes, hired well over 200 people across government and private sectors, and here’s what I can tell you: the format matters less than the story you’re telling.”
gmaylone
Sep 10, 20257 min read
Interview Like a Pro: The Storytelling Method That Gets You Hired
Now it’s time to peel back the curtain on the “tools” every hiring manager, HR rep, or panelist wants you to unknowingly use. You’ll hear a lot of alphabet soup: STAR, CCAR, PAR. Here’s the deal: Different letters. Same central "We want to know what the issue was, what YOU did, and what the results were".
gmaylone
Sep 2, 20256 min read
Questions You’ll Always Be Asked — and How to Answer Them Without Rambling
Tips for be prepared for job interviews.
gmaylone
Aug 26, 20255 min read
The 90-Second Test: Nailing First Impressions when interviewing
“Every interview has a silent clock. You’ve got 90 seconds to win the room — or spend the rest of the hour trying to climb out of a hole.”
Whether we like it or not, every interview starts with a silent clock. Within the first minute and a half, the panel has already decided if you look like someone they want to hire — or someone they want to move past.
gmaylone
Aug 25, 20255 min read
Hornet Wars: The Battle for Hornet Gate – Final Dispatch
"For weeks, the Hornet Hordes controlled the only direct access between the grape harbors, blueberry groves, and raspberry fields. They held the chokepoint like Spartans at Thermopylae — fanatical, relentless, and perfectly positioned. It took fire, precision chemical strikes, and a final siege to break their grip. Now the gate is free… but for how long?"
gmaylone
Aug 15, 20254 min read
Retiring with a bang! No, really....
One minute I was thinking about beer and fresh fish… the next, a 9mm was pointed at my face and someone was shouting “WE HAVE A BOMB!” in the middle of D.C.
It all started with a thoughtful retirement gift from a fellow veteran — and ended with a traffic jam, a crowd, and my wife giving me The Look.
gmaylone
Aug 14, 20257 min read
The Hornet Wars: Part I – The Grape Harbor Incident
Ground Hornets! Over the past decade, I’ve been at war with them every summer. I’ve faced them in the open field, being ambushed while mowing. I’ve battled them near tree stumps where they’ve built Jericho-like fortifications that have literally taken heavy machinery to dig up and eradicate a nest.
Each nest is a tactical challenge. It’s an endless, recurring war against an enemy that is relentless and fearless.
This is just the latest battle.
gmaylone
Aug 12, 20257 min read
Operation Maple/Congo: The Family Invasion of 2025
Amusing Details of how the annual visit of my wife's Congolese family from Canada is managed as they descend upon our household.
gmaylone
Aug 11, 20253 min read
33 Responses, 1 Launch:
Before I officially step into retirement this October, I asked a question. One word. That’s all I wanted—to complete a three-word description that’s been rolling around in my soon-to-be post-retirement head.
gmaylone
Aug 8, 20253 min read
Over a Beer at "The Sink Bar and Grill" in Boulder, CO.
It was a hot, sunny afternoon in Boulder, July 2025. My other half was tied up in a work meeting, so I had time to kill.
I wandered the historic downtown—old brick buildings, summer air thick with pine and pavement, the kind of day that makes you slow down.
gmaylone
Aug 5, 20255 min read
I Manifested My Ass Off! Well, I tried anyway.
“I bought a ticket, visualized the win, and released it to the universe. I got peace, a moment of clarity… and the cold beep of a losing ticket. But hey, there was coffee.”
gmaylone
Aug 4, 20252 min read
"So You're Leaving the Mothership?" – A Survival Guide for the Federally Fatigued
Retiring from federal service is less like walking off into the sunset and more like escaping a bureaucracy-shaped labyrinth — armed only with acronyms, signature forms, and a well-worn PIV/CAC card.
gmaylone
Aug 1, 20255 min read
The Wedding Circle: Where Ancients Dance in Modern Threads
A celebration that transcended faith, culture, and geography — a Congolese-Nigerien bride and an Ethiopian-Indian groom united not just two people, but worlds. A reflection on love, humanity, and what it means to belong in the great circle of life.
gmaylone
Aug 1, 20254 min read
The Magic of the Mountains! Pain-Free in the High Desert!
Somewhere between the crisp air, blue skies, and the first morning I wake up without my hands screaming at me, I realize: I am hopelessly, pathetically, gloriously addicted to dry air—and some altitude.
gmaylone
Jul 31, 20253 min read
“Off the Clock, Still on the Mark: A Farewell to RADM Johnston”
On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, I traveled from Washington, D.C. to New London, Connecticut to witness a milestone in the life of a friend, colleague, and one of the finest leaders I’ve ever worked alongside—Rear Admiral Mike Johnston.
gmaylone
Jul 22, 20253 min read
Amtrak Nightmare: The Legend of Uncle Baconstein!
A man smelling of bacon grease and Bengay boards the train in Jersey and turns an ordinary ride into an unforgettable sensory event. Meet Uncle Baconstein — a legend of snacks, soda, and haunting scent memory.
gmaylone
Jul 17, 20255 min read
Off the Clock, On the Mark™ – Why I Left, What I’m Building, and Why You’re Invited
In case nobody told you today:
It’s okay to want more. More time. More peace. More you.
If you're still setting alarms just to sit in traffic, answering emails that should’ve never been sent, or nodding through meetings that suck the marrow out of your bones — you’re not broken. You’re awake. And you’re not alone.
gmaylone
Jul 16, 20253 min read
Exploring Personal Growth as a Federal Employee: Your Path to Freedom:
A real, honest look at growing inside federal service—how to reclaim your identity, build momentum, and grow past the system instead of getting trapped in it.
gmaylone
Jul 15, 20254 min read
Navigating Federal Employment: Your Growth Map Inside the System
Getting into federal service isn’t easy — and once you're in, it’s tempting to breathe, sit back, and settle. Job security. Good benefits. A predictable pace.
But that’s also the danger: predictability can become stagnation.
gmaylone
Jul 15, 20254 min read
From Federal Desk Job to Freedom: A Career Transformation
In a world where people feel trapped by their jobs — chained to their desks, restrained by the golden handcuffs of stability and benefits — the idea of breaking free can seem like a fantasy.
gmaylone
Jul 15, 20256 min read
🦅 Welcome to Fed to Freedom
This is where my next chapter begins—and maybe yours, too.
✍️ Writing My Story
After years in federal service, I’m building something new. Fed to Freedom is part journal, part resource hub, part blueprint for reinvention. Whether you're a retiree, still in the grind, or dreaming of what's next—you’re in the right place.
📰 The Blog
Read. Laugh. Think. Repeat.
🔗 Resources & Links
Looking for help transitioning out of federal service?
I’ve curated guides, official links, and must-know content:
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OPM tools
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SES & ECQ guidance
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Acquisition, FAR/DFAR resources
🤝 Services
Need help with your ECQs, resume, interviewing skills. or just want to talk shop?
I offer:
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Writing & editing support
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SES coaching & federal consulting
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Speaking or collaboration for events
🎯 Join the Journey
No hype. No hustle. Just honest stories, shared lessons, and real work.
Follow along as I figure out what freedom looks like—one cup of coffee, one story, and one step at a time.
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