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The federal government has difficulty attracting the talent it needs. The applicant experience is plagued by confusing job announcements, a USAJOBS platform that’s difficult to use and a cumbersome hiring process that can take months to complete. And it’s made worse by outdated methods of evaluating candidates, such as applicant self-assessments. Agencies can help the federal government improve its talent pipeline with these nine strategies from the Partnership’s new report: A Time for Talent.

#1 – Determining today’s hiring requirements

To hire smarter, some agencies have developed workforce plans, ranging from a few months to several years. The complexity of these plans can vary based on the scope of an agency’s mission and the makeup of its workforce, but they are valuable tools to inform organizations’ staffing needs. Workforce plans help agencies identify the organization’s priorities, the number of employees currently in each type of role, how many employees are needed and skills the workforce must have for the organization to accomplish its goals.

#2 – Identifying who will do tomorrow’s work

Many factors influence an agency’s talent needs, including retirements, changes to the mission, new ways of doing work and major crises like a pandemic. Identifying talent needs early—using strategic plans, attrition projections and workforce skills assessments—can help agencies ensure they have people on board with the right abilities. To identify their talent needs, agencies need to think critically about the work they’ll be doing, rather than what has been done in the past.

#3 – Being proactive

Agencies should seek out top-tier candidates and court them, rather than simply post a job announcement online—especially for harder-to-fill jobs, as government competes for talent with the private sector. For example, when the FBI worked with LinkedIn recently, the agency discovered that the way an advertisement was worded appealed to people differently, depending on the industry they were in. The FBI changed how it reaches out to job applicants and found the number of female applicants for special agent positions increased by 14 percentage points over the past three years.

#4 – Building and promoting the brand

Building brand awareness is an integral part of an effective recruiting strategy. According to a 2018 survey by the job-search website Glassdoor, candidates are 40% more likely to apply for a job if they’ve heard of the company and understand what it does. While the overall federal government doesn’t have a strong reputation, agencies can build their own brands to distinguish themselves. Some agencies have tried to increase their brand awareness, publicize the essential work they do for the country and clear up misperceptions about what it’s like to work for the government.

#5 – Keeping in touch with former employees

One under-tapped source of talent for government is its former employees. According to interviews with Amazon Web Services and Ernst & Young LLP, former federal employees who left in good standing are often great options for filling positions. They’re known entities and they’re familiar with the workplace culture and what it takes to thrive on the job.

#6 – Reaching young people

The federal government often struggles to recruit young people, but some agencies are making inroads. For example, the Government Accountability Office and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation maintain a robust talent pipeline through actively engaging with colleges and universities. Additionally, DOD has found the direct hire authority helpful for attracting and hiring young people. Indeed, the Air Force has used this hiring authority to bring interns on board full time once they graduate, and to make on-the-spot offers to highly qualified candidates at job fairs.

#7 – Recruiting and hiring more efficiently

One way that agencies can be more efficient is by recruiting in bulk, hiring multiple candidates from a single job announcement. Indeed, the practice could be particularly helpful for agencies rushing to add staff in response to COVID-19. By knowing which units within an agency might like to make a hire, you can tailor the job announcement to include a description of the units and the type of work they do. After the posting closes and the applicants are evaluated, you can share a list of qualified candidates with all departments and teams, and they can schedule interviews and hire people as needed.

#8 – Choosing the best applicants

To ensure agencies hire the best candidates, they should critically assess how they evaluate applicants, and change course if necessary. They also should try new and creative approaches to build their talent pipelines. For example, some agencies recently experimented with new ways of appraising applicants, generating higher-quality shortlists while still adhering to regulations giving certain candidates preference, such as veterans. And, agencies that used subject matter experts to evaluate applicants’ qualifications, rather than relying on candidates’ self-assessments, developed lists for hiring managers that contained better-qualified candidates.

#9 – Improving the candidate experience

It takes the federal government an average of 98 days to hire a new employee—more than twice the time it takes the private sector—with some delays due to the need for background checks, mandatory medical exams and security clearances. Fortunately, agencies can reduce the time it takes. The Air Force, for example, developed a dashboard that shows the status of every job search underway, and who’s responsible for taking the next action and by what date. This transparency holds staff accountable and helped the Air Force cut hiring time by more than 40 days.

Going forward

An aging workforce and growing skills gaps in mission-critical positions underscore the need for government to attract new talent. Agencies can employ these nine strategies to significantly improve how they attract, acquire and retain talent.

For more information on building your talent pipeline, read the report: A Time for Talent: Improving Federal Recruiting and Hiring.

When Michelle Massarik graduated from the State University of New York at Albany in May, she wasn’t sure how she would apply her cybersecurity degree. Then she found the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative, a program that places recent college graduates in two-year assignments at federal agencies followed by opportunities to work in the private sector.

“The CTI had a lot of benefits that excited me,” Massarik said, citing a placement at one of 13 different government agencies, student loan assistance and an invitation to apply for a job with the program’s corporate partners at the end of the two years.

Because the program required applicants to have graduated in the spring of 2020, she asked herself, “What better way to get work experience in the government?” She applied, and a few months later was accepted as a fellow in the program’s first cohort. “I felt like an industry pioneer,” she recalled. “I was so excited.”

Starting a new job remotely has been challenging, but Massarik said it’s well worth it. “I really enjoy working with my group because the culture is very welcoming and diverse,” Massarik said. “I’m new and have a lot of questions, but everyone is willing to help me learn new things.”

“The government has a lot of senior employees and that’s why this is such a good opportunity for a young professional like me to gain this work experience,” she said. According to data from 2019, only about 23% of cybersecurity positions in the federal government are held by people under the age of 40.

When asked to give advice to other women who want to pursue cybersecurity careers, Massarik said, “Go for it. There’s a lot to learn and it feels good to do something outside the box and do something different.”

Massarik isn’t sure what her future looks like, but she is excited to be a part of the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative and see where this experience takes her.

“It’s a great opportunity, and the program has a lot of career development opportunities for anyone who is unsure of what they want to pursue,” she said. “It’s a great stepping stone in the right direction.”

For more information on the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative and to find out who else is in the program’s first group, visit the CTI website or contact Brittany Moore at bmoore@ourpublicservice.org.

Read more about the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative on our blog:

This post was written by Abby Palazzo, a former intern on the Partnership’s communications team.

CyberVista, a cybersecurity workforce development company located in Arlington, Virginia, builds and strengthens organizations by providing cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to drive defense. We sat down with CyberVista CEO Simone Petrella and asked her about their role as sole technical partner for the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative and why she is committed to the growth and development of cyber employees in the federal government.

What inspired you to collaborate with the Partnership to train the cohorts in our program?

Petrella: My cybersecurity career has taken me to both the government and private sectors, and I’ve seen firsthand the impact of knowledge transfer between the two. When I started my career, the federal government was one of the only places doing computer network operations and information security work in a substantial way. In recent years, cybersecurity has become a bigger priority for both federal agencies and private companies, which benefited from recruiting former military and government cybersecurity experts.

The cybersecurity talent gap continues to grow, putting a strain on the security needs of both the federal and private sector workforces. The Partnership’s Cybersecurity Talent Initiative is a model for the public and private sectors to formalize a working relationship and provides an avenue for new talent to be considered for cybersecurity positions. At CyberVista, we believe that employers can, and should, invest in developing talent from within, as well as identify new sources of external talent that can be grown into cybersecurity roles.

There continues to be an excess of open cybersecurity positions, not only in the federal government, but across the country. How does a program like CTI help address that, and what role does CyberVista play in reducing the gap?

Petrella: We acknowledge that there needs to be a focus on developing and investing in the growth of entry-level talent, while recognizing that today’s talent is unlikely to stay in one place for their entire careers. By providing incentives on both the public and private sides, the program brings more high-quality talent into the cybersecurity industry than each sector would on its own.

At CyberVista, we provide measurable diagnostic performance data, as well as foundational cybersecurity training, to elevate participants’ on-the-job experience. In the beginning, we assess their skill level to gather baseline data for each participant which enables us to measure improvement and provide unique insights relative to each individual’s role. As participants continue in the program, we provide focused training to help fill gaps in their cybersecurity skills.

CyberVista is the sole technical partner for the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative. Now that applications are being accepted for the second cohort, what have you learned from being a part of the first?

Petrella: We have learned how important it is for participating federal agencies to be proactive and involved in the process from start to finish. The initiative’s overarching goal is to recruit and develop an effective cybersecurity workforce that can contribute to both the public and private sectors. That’s why government agencies reserve positions specifically for these participants – because the long-term benefits of establishing a program like this, where private and public sectors can work together, are well worth that initial investment.

As the initiative continues to grow, how do you envision the program, and CyberVista’s role within it, evolving to fill more cybersecurity gaps across the country?

Petrella: As more cohorts are placed, we will have more data on our participants’ backgrounds, their starting skill levels and how they have evolved over time. Analyzing that data can provide valuable insights on the overall skill level required for successful entry-level talent and allow us to identify trends in their development.

The Cybersecurity Talent Initiative has the potential to become a robust recruiting pipeline for government cybersecurity jobs, while simultaneously creating a predictable, reliable and skilled workforce for private sector jobs. It breaks down the assumption that professionals need to choose a career path in either the government or the private sector and instead demonstrates that a person can do both. I’d like to see more government agencies participate in the program, and entice additional corporate partners to support the initiative and hire graduates of the program. 

Why should college students interested in cybersecurity work for a federal agency or at least begin their career there?

Petrella: First, the federal government has some of the most exciting and meaningful cybersecurity missions that make tangible differences in our society and country. Additionally, federal agencies tend to have a greater willingness than the private sector to support career advancement and professional development training. Unlike the private sector where any investment in developing talent directly impacts the bottom line, the federal government has a vested interest in identifying and fostering talent to make employees more effective in their roles and strengthen our national security.

To learn more about the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative visit www.cybertalentinitiative.org or read more about the initiative on our blog.

Social distancing doesn’t require social disconnection, and thanks to an abundance of technology tools, you can still grow your network while working from home. All it takes is an internet connection and openness to new experiences. Research shows that social interaction at work is important, especially as it helps create a sense of belonging. So we wanted to share with you some ways you and your organization can improve its relationships in a virtual environment.

Schedule virtual coffee or happy hours with your coworkers. Take the initiative to arrange online meetups with your coworkers and friends. Socializing through a computer screen is different than interacting in person because it’s more difficult to pick up on nonverbal cues and a faulty internet connection could cause the screen to freeze. But it doesn’t take long to get used to it, and the adjustment is worth it.

Attend virtual conferences and speak up. Many conferences that used to be in person are now virtual. Find ones that interest you and participate in the conversations. You might find you’re able to network with more people than you typically would. For example, a person from California who is interested in a conference offered by a government agency in Washington, D.C., might be able attend a virtual event he or she wouldn’t have been able to attend if it meant buying a ticket and spending hours traveling each way.

Use LinkedIn to grow and maintain your professional network. LinkedIn, which has more than 575 million active users, is a great way to grow your professional network. You can find and connect with others who share your areas of expertise and encounter similar work-related problems, and you might find ideas for new career opportunities. A recent study showed that people who used LinkedIn more regularly and have a large number of connections had better career outcomes than those who didn’t.

Remember that social connection enables positive mindsets, which are important for productivity. To stay productive, consider these three tips as you continue working virtually.

For more tips on working in a virtual environment, check out:

This post is by Zach Taylor, a former intern on the Partnership’s Communications team.

This August the Partnership will invite the next generation of cybersecurity professionals to apply for the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative, a program run by the Partnership for Public Service, in collaboration with Mastercard, Microsoft and Workday.

And it can’t come soon enough.

The number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs across the public and private sectors in the United States reached more than half a million in 2019, and the need for qualified cybersecurity professionals continues to increase. At the same time, the annual cost of data breaches to individuals and organizations is expected to rise to $5 trillion by 2024.

Yet there remains a substantial shortage of, and a dire need for, qualified technology professionals to fill vacant positions, in both the public and private sectors.

The Cybersecurity Talent Initiative was created with the aim of easing the shortage of skilled technology specialists and filling critical federal positions by developing the next generation of cybersecurity leaders. The program provides participants with leadership development training, technical training through CyberVista—a cybersecurity workforce development company, and an experienced mentor from the cybersecurity field.

How the program works

Entry-level cybersecurity talent can gain unparalleled work and professional experience through the cross-sector Cybersecurity Talent Initiative. Participants will work in cybersecurity positions at one of the participating federal agencies for two years, after which they are invited to apply for positions with the three corporate partners. Those who are hired will receive student loan assistance of up to $75,000, inclusive of tax, for existing loans. Participants will engage with subject matter experts from the public and private sectors, build a network of colleagues across government, attend quarterly learning sessions and develop skills needed to excel as cybersecurity leaders.

A total of 437 students applied to the program in 2019 and, in August, the Partnership will formally announce the 12 participants selected for the program’s first cohort.

How to participate

Applications for the second cohort of the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative open August 10.

Visit the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative website to learn more about the eligibility requirements and application process. Please note that applicants for the next cohort must be graduating in the 2020-2021 academic year with an undergraduate or graduate degree in cybersecurity or a related field.

Sign up for program updates to stay in touch. Send any questions about the program to info@cybertalentinitiative.org.

This post is the third in a three-part series on how to ensure a successful virtual experience for interns and supervisors. The other posts were on intern onboarding and orientation and keeping interns engaged.

Before interns depart, it’s important to think about the impact they’ve had on your agency and how you can stay connected and engaged with them after they leave. Here are seven recommendations to consider as interns wrap up:

  1. Request that they prepare a document about the internship program, summarizing their activities, accomplishments and lessons learned. This enables interns to recognize how much they’ve accomplished and contributed to your agency and helps them build a portfolio they can use when applying for other positions. To give interns another opportunity to speak in front of a group, encourage them to share this information at a team meeting. This will also show your colleagues what your interns accomplished and how you can apply their lessons learned to improve future interns’ experiences.
  2. Pinpoint and discuss ways they can improve. While interns may be able to identify some of their areas for improvement, you’re in the best position to discuss steps for their personal and professional development.
  3. Ask for feedback. Just as you should provide interns with opportunities to grow and improve, it’s important for you to hear from them what they think you or the organization can do better.
  4. Determine how you will stay connected. Exchange email addresses and phone numbers and connect via LinkedIn or other professional networking sites. If you offered to be a job reference, discuss the best way for them to contact you.
  5. Encourage them to be federal ambassadors. Ask interns to promote their experience with their peers and student groups and on social media.
  6. Hire them. Discuss interns’ career goals and explore the possibility of future opportunities at your organization or across government. If you were impressed with their performance and your team or group has vacancies, consider hiring them full time.
  7. Thank them. Showing appreciation for interns’ work is perhaps the most important thing you can do. Remember that your interns worked hard, stepped outside their comfort zones, took chances and learned a great deal in a short time—all while working in a virtual environment. Whether you send an e-card, or a challenge coin or other office-related memento, thanking interns will leave a positive impression of their time on your team.

If you implemented any of the tips in this three-part series on virtual internships, let us know how it went by emailing me at RKempinski@ourpublicservice.

To learn about the Partnership’s internships and fellowships, visit our federal hiring page.

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of an effective federal workforce, yet it can be challenging to bring on new talent during a crisis. In April, the Partnership hosted two virtual roundtables to help federal human capital leaders recruit and fulfill their hiring needs in a virtual environment.

Best practices to bring qualified talent on board quickly

Roundtable participants who shared hiring lessons they’ve learned over the years included professionals from the National Science Foundation, the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Personnel Management and 18F, an office in the General Service Administration focused on helping agencies build, buy and share technology. Here’s some of what they suggested:

  • Work closely with hiring managers. When starting to hire, consult with hiring managers to determine what GS-level is needed for both the short and long term, and what skills and abilities the agency needs. 
  • Think strategically about the position the agency needs to fill. Consider the type of candidates you’d like to reach, and the hiring authorities in your toolbox. Are you looking for short-term employees, or to grow talent for the future? For hiring experienced people for the short term, consider the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) Schedule A hiring authority, the Intergovernmental Personnel Act authority, and the U.S. Digital Service and 18F, both of which provide access to specialized talent. Also consider these options:
    • Schedule D–Presidential Management Fellows Program.
  • Stay up to date on the latest guidance. Continually check OPM guidance for updates on vetting and onboarding new employees in the current environment.   

Virtual recruiting tips and tricks

Participants from the Department of Homeland Security, the USDS, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and George Washington University discussed how to find talent quickly in a virtual environment.

  • Look within government. Share the open position with your agency’s hiring managers – the right fit may be internal. Post short-term or project-based positions on Open Opportunities to find talent at other agencies.
  • Use existing networks. Referrals from current and former employees account for a high number of qualified federal employees.
  • Take advantage of online career sites. Use Handshake to connect with students preparing to graduate with undergrad or advanced degrees. Check paid recruiting sites such as LinkedIn Recruiter and Entelo.
  • Connect with colleges and universities. Develop relationships with career services representatives, faculty and advisors. Contact deans to arrange opportunities to hold virtual discussions to share your work and meet students.
  • Seek out STEM talent. If you need employees with science, technology, engineering and math skills, attend and speak at virtual STEM conferences and competitions. Recruit candidates from fellowship programs such as the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative and the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Science and Technology Policy Fellowships.

No matter how you find applicants, focus on your agency’s unique and important mission, and the effect people could have by becoming civil servants. Share success stories and case studies of innovative federal employees to highlight how applicants’ experiences and skills are vital to increasing the effectiveness of the federal government.

If you have suggestions on future federal recruiting and hiring sessions, contact Margot Conrad at mconrad@ourpublicservice.org.

Visit our federal hiring page to learn more about our work.

Lucy Cunningham is a former staff member on the Partnership’s Federal Workforce team.

Many Americans with critical skills want to join public service. But outdated personnel systems, failed recruiting processes and a lack of a hiring pipeline of students and recent graduates puts federal agencies’ capacity to maintain a qualified workforce at risk. It also jeopardizes their ability to fulfill their important missions, according to a new report by the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service, on which I serve.

The report includes several policy recommendations and legislative proposals to restore federal personnel systems at a time when our nation urgently needs a viable workforce. The report details the following practical solutions to ensure that agencies attract new generations of Americans to public service and compete for the talent they need.

Policymakers must fix basic federal hiring processes. The report suggests job descriptions should be short and accessible without government jargon and that agencies should accept standard one-page resumes and eliminate the candidate self-assessment questionnaire. Federal agencies must empower subject-matter experts and hiring managers to accurately assess the applicants’ qualifications, and all agencies should have access to OPM’s online assessment tools. The Commission also recommends a comprehensive revamp of hiring preferences and noncompetitive hiring options that would help attract qualified veterans and national service alumni to the federal civil service.

Federal agencies need functional internship and recent-graduate hiring programs. To attract new generations to public service, the nation needs innovative approaches to build a pipeline between postsecondary education and public service. The Commission recommends creating a Public Service Corps—equivalent to the military’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps—for the civil service, granting scholarships in exchange for a commitment to work for a federal agency. A new Federal Fellowship and Scholarship Center would streamline and promote programs to develop students with critical skills and leadership ability for federal employment. The Commission would also establish a government-wide goal of 30,000 annual recent-graduate hires by 2026, rising to 50,000 per year by 2031.

Agencies need a high-performing personnel culture and must invest in their human capital capabilities. According to the report, cybersecurity and health care personnel systems should be streamlined and made available to all agencies. The Commission recommends that federal employee benefits must accommodate all career paths, while protecting valuable benefits that help agencies retain employees who make public service their career choice.

Watch this video to learn more about these report’s findings.

Watch this video to learn more about these report’s findings.

A strong federal workforce is vital to the security, public health, and prosperity of the nation, and the COVID-19 pandemic makes that clearer than ever. Many of the bold changes that we propose will require congressional action. Policymakers have an opportunity—and an imperative—to bolster the federal workforce and bring new generations of Americans into public service. To learn more about the Commission’s recommendations, please visit https://www.inspire2serve.gov/reports and read the Partnership’s statement on the report here.

Steve Barney was appointed by late Senator John S. McCain as a Commissioner on the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. He is the former General Counsel of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and a retired Navy judge advocate.

Since its 2017 inception, the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service has researched public service challenges. The Commission was charged by Congress to review the military selective service process as well as ways to increase participation in military, national, and public service to meet national security and other critical needs of the nation.

In government cybersecurity, careers go far beyond the security operations center: There’s compliance, policy, project management, even communications. Part of my current role at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service entails strategic communications for cybersecurity, a critically important function that I’ve found is prioritized in varying degrees across the private and public sectors.

As federal employees, we have a responsibility to prioritize the security of assets and data. While extraordinary effort is directed to protecting sensitive information, information sharing is also indispensable to any security program.

How do you know when to withhold information, or when it would be wiser to share it? How can a cyber program balance these seemingly conflicting needs? The challenge of this contradiction is part of what makes cybersecurity communications so intriguing to me.  One solution I’ve seen work was a cross-agency forum designed to facilitate collaboration and information exchange among cybersecurity subject matter experts and executives. Forging partnerships—some of which may otherwise never have occurred—to discover common issues, transferrable lessons and mutually beneficial solutions provided a creative method to problem solve critical strategic cybersecurity challenges.

My work is anything but routine and I always welcome the mix of unique challenges and opportunities it brings. For anyone considering a career in cybersecurity, I advise you to find something you like. Challenges can be intimidating, but if the challenge interests you, you will find the motivation to take it on.

If you’re just starting your career, I encourage you to observe, absorb and participate even when you feel out of your depth; you learn by doing and being immersed. There is always something new to understand or piece together, and every agency is unique in its mission, and its stakeholders, and the way it operates. A nuanced and continually changing environment is a hallmark of the cybersecurity field and is also what makes the federal government such an exciting place to be.

For more on cybersecurity, check out these blog posts:

Catherine Sabas works within the Department of Treasury at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, where she supports IT strategic planning and cybersecurity strategic communications efforts.

Each October, we recognize National Cybersecurity Awareness Month to highlight the importance of cybersecurity and encourage the public to safeguard themselves against cyber threats. 

As the number of cyber attacks increases, our government needs strong cybersecurity talent to help protect the public. To learn more about cybersecurity careers in the federal government, we spoke with Austin Cusak, senior talent and innovation officer, at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at the Department of Homeland Security. 

Watch highlights from this interview below.

First, what work do you do in your position at DHS?

What is it like working in a federal agency on cybersecurity issues?

Next question: What is most fulfilling about your job?

Why is there a great need for entry-level cybersecurity talent (and awareness) in government?

Finally, what advice would you give to someone right out of school starting their cybersecurity career?

To learn more about the Partnership’s work to support the federal government’s cybersecurity initiatives, read this statement on our collaboration with private industry to protect against cyberattacks. You can also read more about the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative.