Musk's DOGE is now hiring: High-IQ, long hours, no salary
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's recently launched Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has begun hiring. The one-of-a-kind initiative doesn't ask for particular educational qualifications or work experience. However, it looks for 'a super high-IQ small government revolutionaries' willing to dedicate over 80 hours a week. The hiring announcement was made through DOGE's X account which already has over 1.2 million followers.
DOGE's mission and leadership
DOGE is an unconventional department formed by US President-elect Donald Trump to cut down on federal spending. The department is headed by two billionaires: Musk, the world's richest person, and former Republican Presidential candidate Ramaswamy. According to Reuters, the department's task is to work with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to reduce the US budget by July 4, 2026 — America's 250th anniversary.
Unique recruitment process
The job application, posted on DOGE's X account with a description, says, "We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting." The post also clarified that they're not looking for "more part-time idea generators." Interested candidates were asked to DM their resumes to the account. However, only verified accounts or those followed by DOGE can send messages due to platform restrictions.
Take a look at the requirements
Selection process and compensation details
The selection process will be strict as Musk and Ramaswamy intend to evaluate only the "top 1% of applicants." As for pay, Musk said in a separate post that the job which requires 80 hours per week of work pays "zero." He humorously described it as, "Indeed, this will be tedious work, make lots of enemies and compensation is zero. What a great deal!" The unpaid positions would "greatly help America," Musk said, according to NBC News.
Public reaction and DOGE's future plans
The recruitment post has drawn a mixed bag of reactions from the public. While some users questioned the overtime policy, others humorously listed their qualifications. Regardless of mixed reactions, Musk and Ramaswamy are undeterred. They plan to start "crowdsourcing" examples of government waste and alleged fraud soon. Further, in a bid to keep things transparent, Musk said the panel will post its "actions" for public comment and make a list of "dumb" spending which he believes would be "extremely entertaining."
