Federal Mediator

People don’t always agree. Spouses, friends, parents, children, and coworkers disagree on just about anything. Most manage to work it out with little shrapnel. But, when a dispute between employees and employers reaches a level that threatens to result in a strike, it affects consumers, suppliers, and service providers.

At that point, the Federal Mediator comes in to see if she can works things out for the benefit of all.

As a Federal Mediator, you work for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), an independent mediation service. You’re a Mediator, which means that you need acute listening skills as well as the ability to communicate ideas. If you’re a parent, a Teacher, a Counselor, a Union Representative, or anyone else who’s ever helped resolve a dispute, then you have an idea of what the job is about.

Your clients aren’t children on the playground or battling spouses, however. Instead, they’re major players in the country’s economy.

You inspire compromises between Teachers or Steelworkers and their unions. Or, you might re-spark conversations involving the NFL or NBA. Perhaps the conflict lies with a major utilities provider or within the shipbuilding industry.

Whoever the client, your job as a Federal Mediator requires patience, a calm demeanor, and a creative mind. Not only do you listen to the complaints from both sides, but you also ask what they hope to accomplish and what compromises they’re willing to make. Then you brainstorm ideas and provide motivation to settle on terms.