Advice for Employers and Recruiters
10 tips for government agencies hiring diverse students, grads for early career science and engineering jobs
Anita JobbGovernment agencies seeking to hire diverse students and recent graduates for early-career science and engineering jobs must adopt more inclusive and proactive recruitment strategies. One effective approach is to strengthen partnerships with minority-serving institutions (MSIs), such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). These partnerships can include hosting career fairs, offering internships, and providing mentorship programs that specifically target underrepresented groups. Additionally, agencies can create outreach initiatives that showcase the diverse career paths available within government science and engineering roles, highlighting the importance of diversity in driving innovation.
Furthermore, agencies should review and refine their hiring processes to ensure they are equitable and free of bias. This can involve reevaluating job descriptions to avoid unnecessarily restrictive qualifications that might inadvertently exclude candidates from diverse backgrounds. Implementing blind recruitment practices, where identifying information is removed from applications, can also help reduce bias in the selection process. By committing to these efforts, government agencies can build a workforce that reflects the diversity of the nation and enhances their ability to tackle complex scientific and engineering challenges.
In the quest to attract diverse, early-career talent in science and engineering to government agencies, we’ve gathered effective strategies from 10 CEOs, founders, and engineers. Their tips range from implementing bias-free hiring practices to offering internships to STEM organization members.
- Implement Bias-Free Hiring Practices
- Promote Comprehensive Development Programs
- Partner with Community Groups
- Engage Employee Resource Groups
- Ensure Robust Research Funding
- Highlight Impactful Government Projects
- Collaborate with Minority-Focused Institutions
- Outreach to Underserved Students
- Create Specialized Fellowship Programs
- Offer Internships to STEM Organization Members
Implement Bias-Free Hiring Practices
I believe the most effective strategy for recruiting diverse, early-career science and engineering talents in government agencies is to implement bias-free recruitment processes.
Start by standardizing job descriptions and using objective criteria for evaluating candidates, which helps ensure that assessments are based on skills and potential rather than unconscious biases. Incorporating blind recruitment practices, where personal details like names and genders are removed from resumes, can further level the playing field.
Furthermore, using structured interviews with predetermined questions and scoring rubrics allows for a fair comparison of candidates. This approach not only expands your talent pool but also enhances team diversity, fostering innovation and inclusivity. By focusing on bias-free recruitment, agencies can build more dynamic and equitable workforces that reflect the communities they serve.
Craig Tribe, Engineer & National Sales Manager, TECHNI Waterjet
Promote Comprehensive Development Programs
As an organization, pushing for comprehensive Employee Development Programs is a powerful strategy for attracting diversified, early-career talents in the science and engineering fields. In my experience, these programs are incredibly appealing to recent graduates and budding professionals. They offer a promise of continuous learning and career growth, which is a big magnet for talent.
By investing in these programs, government agencies can demonstrate a commitment to employees’ skill enhancement and professional progression. This is not just about technical training but also about nurturing leadership skills, promoting creativity, and embracing innovation. A well-structured Employee Development Program can also serve as a platform to foster an inclusive and diverse work culture.
Tim Hanson, Co-Founder & CCO, PenFriend
Partner with Community Groups
Leverage connections with community and professional groups to attract diverse talent. The agency can boost its visibility by hosting career fairs and informational sessions with organizations that have strong ties to under-represented communities. This strategy positions the agency as a supportive and inclusive employer.
By fostering direct and meaningful interactions with potential candidates who might not have considered government careers otherwise, the agency can build a more diverse applicant pool. Success hinges on actively involving current employees from similar backgrounds, which helps establish trust and authenticity. Focus on forming long-term partnerships with these organizations and maintaining consistent engagement with diverse networks.
Jeffrey Pitrak, Marketing Account Manager, Transient Specialists
Engage Employee Resource Groups
An impactful method for attracting diverse, early-career talent to government agencies is to actively engage Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). ERGs, such as those focused on women in STEM or underrepresented minorities, create a supportive environment that fosters inclusion and belonging.
By involving ERGs in your recruitment process, you enable them to lead outreach efforts at industry conferences and career fairs. They play a crucial role in connecting with underrepresented candidates and offering valuable insights into their challenges and aspirations. Encourage ERGs to represent your agency at relevant events and use their feedback to refine your recruitment approach, broadening your talent pool and enhancing diversity.
Sacha Ferrandi, Founder & Principal, Source Capital
Ensure Robust Research Funding
In my opinion, one effective strategy to recruit diverse, early-career science and engineering talents into government agencies is by ensuring substantial funding. Government agencies should prioritize and maintain robust funding for fundamental research in engineering, science, and technology. This includes supporting the infrastructure of institutions and facilities that not only conduct outstanding research but also play a key role in educating and training the next generation of scientists and engineers.
For instance, currently, a significant portion of federal support for university research is directed toward health-related fields. It’s crucial to ensure that other scientific disciplines also receive adequate funding to seize emerging opportunities and develop the human capital necessary to maintain U.S. leadership.
Additionally, agencies need to refine their approaches to funding use-oriented research in collaboration with private entities. Generally, the government should avoid funding research that the private sector would likely invest in independently, or research that primarily benefits specific private companies, unless it serves a significant non-economic governmental mission.
Sarah Gibson, Director, Proactive Healthcare
Highlight Impactful Government Projects
As someone with a background in chemical engineering and now a CEO of a company with a mission to provide financial services to underserved communities, I understand the appeal of using technical expertise to solve pressing societal issues. Highlight the unique impact of government projects.
Government roles offer early-career professionals in science and engineering the chance to tackle real-world challenges that can significantly impact society. Emphasize the opportunity for meaningful work and leverage personal stories to inspire. By showcasing how their skills can contribute to the public good, government agencies can attract diverse talent eager to make a difference.
Jeffrey Zhou, CEO & Founder, Fig Loans
Collaborate with Minority-Focused Institutions
Partnering with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), and other minority-focused educational organizations is a powerful strategy.
By creating internship programs, offering scholarships, and hosting career fairs at these institutions, government agencies can connect directly with diverse, early-career talent. This not only builds a pipeline of qualified candidates but also demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and representation in STEM fields, making these agencies more attractive to top talent from underrepresented groups.
Outreach to Underserved Students
To recruit diverse science and engineering talent, government agencies should focus on outreach programs that connect with students in underserved communities. At Lansbox, we’ve partnered with local universities to offer scholarships and internships, which has significantly diversified our talent pool. A similar approach, coupled with showcasing the impact and purpose of government work, can attract passionate young professionals.
Create Specialized Fellowship Programs
One effective strategy for attracting diverse, early-career science and engineering talent to government agencies is through the creation of specialized fellowship programs. These programs should offer unique opportunities not commonly available in the private sector, such as working on significant public projects, accessing cutting-edge technology, and receiving mentorship from experienced professionals.
To ensure a diverse applicant pool, agencies should actively forge partnerships with universities that have robust STEM programs and are committed to supporting underrepresented groups, including historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), minority-serving institutions (MSIs), and women’s colleges. Agencies can also engage in sponsoring events like hackathons and workshops to raise awareness about the impactful roles available within the government.
The recruitment process itself must be designed to be inclusive, employing strategies to eliminate biases and making job descriptions welcoming to all candidates. This includes training for recruiters on inclusive hiring practices and using software that screens for unconscious bias.
Creating a supportive work environment is crucial for retaining the talent recruited. This environment should encourage professional growth through mentorship, ongoing education, and providing networking opportunities through affinity groups. Additionally, publicizing the achievements of diverse teams can demonstrate the agency’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, further attracting ambitious early-career professionals.
Brett Ungashick, CEO & CHRO, OutSail
Offer Internships to STEM Organization Members
An effective strategy to recruit diverse, early-career talents in science and engineering for government agencies is to foster strong collaborations with minority-focused STEM organizations and societies. These partnerships can help promote government roles directly to a pool of qualified candidates who might not otherwise consider them.
Additionally, offering internships and fellowships through these organizations can provide practical experiences that not only enhance skills but also showcase the agency as a viable and attractive employer.
