9 tips for recruiting diverse, early career candidates into finance roles within a government agency

Recruiting diverse, early-career candidates into finance roles within government agencies enriches the workforce and ensures that public services reflect the communities they serve. A diverse team brings a wealth of perspectives and innovative solutions to their workforce, something that is essential for effective public administration.

To attract such talent, local, regional, and federal government agencies must actively engage with students, recent graduates, and other early career candidates across a variety of platforms, from career fairs at colleges and universities known for their diverse student bodies to digital outreach through targeted social media campaigns to advertising those jobs on early career recruitment platforms such as College Recruiter.

Government agencies can enhance their appeal to diverse, early-career professionals by emphasizing opportunities for career growth, job security, and the chance to contribute to meaningful projects. Implementing inclusive hiring practices, such as structured interviews and blind recruitment processes, can help reduce bias and open doors for candidates from all backgrounds. By fostering an inclusive culture that supports professional development and mentorship, government finance roles can become a beacon for ambitious, early-career individuals eager to make a difference.

We’ve gathered insights from nine industry experts, including recruiters and CEOs. They share strategies ranging from valuing internships for diverse candidates to composing diverse recruitment panels.

• Value Internships for Diverse Candidates
• Establish University Partnerships
• Engage College Career Services
• Host Targeted Career Workshops
• Create a Diverse Fellowship Program
• Collaborate With Professional Organizations
• Streamline the Hiring Process
• Invest in Early-Career Training
• Compose Diverse Recruitment Panels

Value Internships for Diverse Candidates

Candidates entering the job force and forging a path into their desired career can, in many instances, also be recent college graduates, and those who have earned their degrees within the past five years. Although these candidates may not come with scores of applicable work experience, viewing early-career positions and exposure in internships as credible, valuable, and oftentimes unique can allow for a distinct flow of diverse candidacy when government agencies are considering candidates for finance roles. 

Internships can give candidates a firsthand look into the many facets of the finance realm, including the possibility of being able to navigate the most modern platforms and software with potential utilization within the agency. Learning experiences can be upheld against professional experience at the same degree of recognition to further qualify an early-career candidate.

Cara DeBlois, Recruiter, Victors Home Solutions

Establish University Partnerships

One effective strategy for recruiting diverse, young candidates is to establish partnerships with universities and other minority-serving institutions. By creating internship and mentorship programs that select students from diverse backgrounds, the agency can provide hands-on experience and career development opportunities. Hosting workshops and networking events focused on financial careers in public forums can also attract a wider pool of applicants. 

Tailoring recruitment efforts to highlight the unique benefits and mission-driven aspects of government finance roles can also appeal to diverse candidates looking for meaningful work. Ensuring that the recruitment process is inclusive and transparent will further the agency’s ability to attract top talent from diverse backgrounds.

Peter Reagan, Financial Market Strategist, Birch Gold Group

Engage College Career Services

The best way to recruit diverse, early-career candidates is to approach students at universities. Companies can easily market their company on campuses and build connections.

Engage with college career services to recruit the most fitting candidates. Host mock interviews, career fairs, and workshops.

Targeting historically Black colleges will make it easier to find diverse recruits. You can approach these institutions to develop a more inclusive team.

Campus recruiting will allow you to meet future candidates as well. You can develop contacts with students who will graduate in the next few years. This lets you have a built-in base of potential candidates.

David Magnani, Managing Partner, M&A Executive Search

Host Targeted Career Workshops

An effective strategy to recruit diverse, early-career candidates into finance roles within a government agency is to host targeted career workshops and webinars. These events can provide insights into the finance sector’s impact on public services and introduce them to role models in the field. From my experience, these initiatives can demystify the sector and make finance roles more accessible and appealing to a broader audience.

Josh Ladick, President, GSA Focus

Create a Diverse Fellowship Program

My practical advice would be to create a fellowship program with local universities or community colleges. Partner with these institutions to identify high-potential students from underrepresented backgrounds in finance. Offer a paid fellowship program that integrates classroom learning with real-world projects within your agency.

First, it exposes diverse students to the exciting world of government finance, often unseen by this demographic. Second, project-based learning fosters valuable skills while contributing to your agency’s goals. Finally, the engaging online content, co-created with the fellows themselves, acts as a magnet, attracting a wider pool of talented candidates who see themselves reflected in the program’s success.

This fellowship program, focusing on project-based learning, social media outreach, and student co-creation, offers a fresh and effective strategy to cultivate a diverse talent pipeline within your government agency.

Raviraj Hegde, SVP of Growth & Sales, Donorbox

Collaborate With Professional Organizations

Partnering with diversity-focused professional organizations like the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) has proven instrumental in recruitment efforts. Through this collaboration, access is gained to a rich pool of diverse, early-career candidates who are passionate about finance. 

Actively participating in NABA’s career fairs and networking events showcases the unique benefits of working in a government agency. This strategy allows connections with candidates who might not have considered public sector roles and demonstrates the agency’s dedication to fostering a diverse workforce.

Shawn Plummer, CEO, The Annuity Expert

Streamline the Hiring Process

One key aspect of this strategy is to streamline the application and hiring process, making it more accessible and appealing to young professionals. This can include simplifying job descriptions to focus on essential skills rather than years of experience, offering competitive salaries and benefits packages, and highlighting opportunities for training and advancement within the agency. 

Government agencies should also leverage social media and early career, online job search platforms to reach a wider audience of potential candidates, showcasing the diverse range of finance roles available and the positive impact of public-sector work.

Brandon Thor, CEO, Thor Metals Group

Invest in Early-Career Training

My recommendation is to establish a robust early-career recruitment program. Government agencies looking to bring in fresh finance talent must have effective strategies for attracting early-career professionals. But attracting them is only part of the battle, given the stiff competition from the private sector for the same talent pool.

A structured approach is crucial, not only for hiring but also for retaining and nurturing these young professionals. It’s important to invest in training programs that enhance their skills and prepare them to be the future leaders of your agency. The idea is to train them well enough so they have the option to leave if they choose, but treat them so well that they don’t want to. This ongoing investment in their development is critical for creating a loyal and skilled workforce.

Eric Croak, CFP, President, Croak Capital

Compose Diverse Recruitment Panels

Composing recruitment panels with individuals from various backgrounds is crucial for recruiting diverse, early-career candidates into finance roles. This diverse composition shows a dedication to fostering an inclusive environment. It also provides different viewpoints during the hiring process, which can lead to more balanced and fair assessments. 

Candidates often feel more comfortable and respected when they interact with a panel that mirrors the diversity the agency aims to achieve. Furthermore, having diverse panel members can help highlight the agency’s inclusive culture and values.

Jeffrey Zhou, CEO & Founder, Fig Loans