Advice for Employers and Recruiters
11 tips for government agencies trying to hire students and other early career candidates into customer service roles
In the quest to attract young talent to public service, we’ve gathered 11 pieces of advice from CEOs, Presidents, and other leaders on recruiting college students, recent graduates, and others early in their careers for customer service roles in large governmental agencies. From highlighting the use of cutting-edge technology to touting the work-life balance and benefits, these insights offer a strategic roadmap to engage the next generation of civil servants.
- Highlight Cutting-Edge Technology Use
- Showcase Meaningful Public Service
- Spotlight on Skill Development
- Utilize Social Media Engagement
- Share Authentic Success Stories
- Create Structured Onboarding Programs
- Emphasize Job Security and Advancement
- Offer Hands-On Internship Experiences
- Promote Flexibility and Tuition Assistance
- Stress Community Impact of Roles
- Tout Work-Life Balance and Benefits
Highlight Cutting-Edge Technology Use
When it comes to recruiting college students and recent graduates for customer service roles, emphasizing your agency’s use of cutting-edge technology can be a game-changer. Young professionals are keen to work in environments that leverage advanced tools and digital platforms. They want to be part of an organization that’s committed to innovation and efficiency.
Imagine presenting your agency as a forward-thinking place where technology isn’t just an afterthought but an integral part of the workflow. Show potential recruits how they’ll be using AI chatbots to streamline customer interactions, employing data analytics to improve service delivery, and utilizing cloud platforms to enhance collaboration. This not only makes the job appear more dynamic and modern but also aligns with their tech-savvy backgrounds and aspirations.
Cesar Cobo, Director of Operations, Webris
Showcase Meaningful Public Service
From my expertise, I’d recommend governmental agencies highlight the opportunity for meaningful public service in customer service roles. Emphasize the chance to directly assist citizens and resolve their concerns. Additionally, offer flexible work arrangements and professional development opportunities tailored to young professionals’ needs. By showcasing the importance of customer service in serving communities and providing avenues for growth, agencies can attract top talent eager to make a difference in people’s lives.
Josh Ladick, President, GSA Focus
Spotlight on Skill Development
To attract recent graduates to customer service roles, large government agencies should shine the spotlight on the development of key competencies. This includes strong communication, problem-solving skills, and digital proficiency.
Plus, toss in the chance for some top-tier training and climbing the career ladder, and you’ve got an offer that’s hard to pass up.
Laying out the perks of these skills and the room to grow, that’s how you reel in the go-getters ready to roll up their sleeves and make their mark—building a team that’s not just ready but raring to excel in those customer service roles.
Stanley John Kebite, Project Manager, Japan-101
Utilize Social Media Engagement
Engaging college students and recent grads means meeting them where they are. I’d recommend leveraging social media platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram to showcase your agency’s culture, mission, and growth opportunities. Host virtual career fairs and Q&A sessions, offering a glimpse into the day-to-day and long-term career paths. Authentic stories from current young employees can make a compelling case for joining your team.
Tornike Asatiani, CEO, Edumentors
Share Authentic Success Stories
Authentic success stories make a significant impact when recruiting college students and recent graduates. Showcasing real-life experiences from current employees who started in customer service roles and advanced within the agency can truly resonate. Videos or written testimonials can highlight their career progression, the skills they gained, and the opportunities provided by working in your agency. This creates a tangible connection and helps students envision their future growth.
College students and recent graduates are looking for jobs that offer more than just a paycheck; they want a meaningful career path. Authentic success stories can demonstrate that your agency values professional development and offers a supportive environment for career advancement. This approach attracts quality candidates and helps retain them by setting clear expectations and fostering a sense of belonging.
Casey Meraz, Owner & Digital Marketing Expert, Casey Meraz
Create Structured Onboarding Programs
I advise creating a structured and supportive onboarding program. As CEO at Parachute, I learned the importance of setting clear expectations and providing continuous support for new hires. When we onboard new employees, we ensure they thoroughly understand their role and the resources available to them. This approach helps them feel confident and prepared to handle their responsibilities effectively.
Another key aspect is to provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities. At Parachute, we offer regular training sessions and workshops to keep our team updated on the latest industry trends and skills. For a governmental agency, offering similar opportunities can help new graduates feel valued and motivated to grow within the organization. It also ensures that they are well-equipped to provide excellent customer service and handle any challenges that may arise.
Elmo Taddeo, CEO, Parachute
Emphasize Job Security and Advancement
The people who take governmental agency jobs in customer service do so for security. When recruiting for these positions, find a thousand ways to say that the job is secure to make sure that the message is heard. The right recent graduates will flock to those positions. However, it should be mentioned that there is room to move up as well. There has to be a brighter future that comes along with that security as well.
Bill Mann, Privacy Expert at Cyber Insider, Cyber Insider
Offer Hands-On Internship Experiences
Start building relationships with students before they graduate. Partner with colleges to create internship programs that offer hands-on experience in customer service roles within your agency. Internships are not just about work exposure; they’re a chance for students to see how their efforts impact the public. This connection to a larger purpose can be a powerful motivator.
Make sure these internships include mentorship opportunities. Allow interns to shadow experienced employees and gain insight into different aspects of the agency. This can make the roles more appealing and provide a clear pathway for career growth. A well-structured internship can essentially serve as an extended interview, showing students the benefits of working with your agency while allowing you to spot the best talent early on.
Will Yang, Head of Growth & Marketing, Instrumentl
Promote Flexibility and Tuition Assistance
Regardless of what type of role it is, I’ve found there are a few benefits that are consistently appealing to students and recent graduates. Foremost among these are:
- Flexibility – For students, this is often not simply a desire but a requirement, since they need a job that can fit around their class schedule and other activities. Many customer service positions have shifts in the evenings, on weekends, etc., which can actually make them a perfect fit for students. Emphasizing the flexibility and variety of shifts available can help to attract more students to these roles.
- Tuition Repayment Assistance, Reimbursement, or Forgiveness Programs – This is one area where government agencies may have an advantage over other companies, in that those who work for the government may be eligible for some student loan forgiveness once they’ve accrued enough time in the role. If this is the case for you, this is definitely something to emphasize in the job posting that you’ll be sending out for young applicants. Even if not, you can still independently offer benefits related to student loan repayment, something that will be at the front of recent graduates’ minds.
- Skill Building – Most people who take a customer service role don’t plan to stay in it for their entire career. Emphasizing the transferable skills they can develop or strengthen while working in the role can help applicants better see how it can lead to future career progress, which can make it a more appealing position for them.
Rob Boyle, Marketing Operations Director, Airswift
Stress Community Impact of Roles
For government agencies aiming to draw in young talent for customer-service jobs—it’s absolutely important to showcase the job’s positive ripple effect on society.
Recent years’ young job seekers want to leave their mark in their careers. Stressing how these jobs help the community and contribute to the common good can resonate with what this generation is looking for.
Highlighting a job’s real-world impact attracts individuals passionate about making a difference. This approach goes beyond simply attracting applicants—it draws those genuinely motivated and eager to contribute meaningfully.
Raisha Shrestha, Marketing Manager, Ling
Tout Work-Life Balance and Benefits
Touting work-life balance and administrative benefits is another way that firms can attract young talent: jobs in government ports sometimes offer more reliable hours, health benefits, robust retirement plans, and other perks, such as student loan forgiveness. For those interested in a sector we envision will grow, it’s a great selling point that allows customer service gigs to compete with similar jobs in the private sector, where such benefits can be less extensive.
Mark McShane, Founder, Cupid Digital PR
