News

By Susan Fallon Brown
Byline Originally Posted on Government Executive 
April 18, 2019

When it comes to recruiting top talent, federal agencies may have a hard time competing with the private sector on compensation and efficiency of the hiring process, but most have one great advantage: mission. Government employees are scientists, investigators, analysts, and attorneys. They’re researchers trying to cure cancer; engineers working to launch rockets to Mars; cybersecurity specialists fighting digital threats, and medical professionals providing services to veterans.  

In a world where people want to feel as if they’re contributing to a greater cause, there’s no better place to look for mission-driven work than a government agency. Job seekers of all ages place higher value on an organization’s mission than other factors—42% of federal employees indicated in a recent survey. And good news for the government trying to attract younger workers: nearly half of millennials say they want to work for an employer because of its mission-driven work.

CACI International and PenFed also recognized as finalists at NVTC’s Dec. 3 Tech 100 party

TYSONS CORNER, Va. — December 4, 2018 — The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) Veterans Employment Initiative (VEI), along with Monster and Military.com, announced today that IntelliDyne, LLC is the winner of the third annual Veteran Service Award.

The VEI Veteran Service Award is sponsored by Monster and Military.com, the premier recruiting solution providers for veterans and employers in the United States, and honors NVTC member companies who have demonstrated a superlative level of engagement with the VEI and support for the Veteran community. IntelliDyne, LLC, a Virginia Values Veterans (V3) certified company, was selected for the focused engagement of its talent acquisition team, and for creating unique opportunities to connect with job seeking Veterans and military spouses. Additionally, IntelliDyne has been a consistent leader in supporting the larger Veteran and military family community. 

In addition to IntelliDyne, LLC, CACI International, Inc. and PenFed were also finalists for the award.

LIST REVEALS COMPANIES LEADING THE WAY IN RECRUITING AND RETAINING VETERAN TALENT, WHILE A NEW MONSTER SURVEY UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR EMPLOYER BEST PRACTICES

WESTON, Mass., November 5, 2018 – In advance of Veterans Day, Monster and Military.com convened a panel of veteran employment experts to identify the top 10 employers demonstrating extraordinary success in veteran hiring and retention. Additionally, Monster conducted its exclusive 2018 Veteran Hiring** survey to help all employers better understand what they can do to attract this important source of diversity talent.

“Veterans are a highly skilled talent pool,” said Bob Melk, Chief Commercial Officer at Monster, which together with Military.com is the premier recruiting solution provider for veterans and employers in the United States. “There is no question about the value those who have served can bring to our civilian workforce and economy. All of the companies highlighted on this year’s list recognize that value, and are leading the way with programs and innovative initiatives. Along with the results from our survey, we hope this information will inspire and motivate other employers to strengthen their ranks with veteran talent.”

As the need for talent is increasing, competition from the private sector is growing fiercer.

By Susan Fallon Brown
Byline Originally Posted on Government Executive
October 31, 2018 

Employers across the country are facing critical skills gaps, and the federal government is no exception.

Missions are evolving quickly and agencies need new talent to keep the nation safe and deliver critical services. We talk a lot about the tech talent gap and the need for more cyber pros and data scientists, but government also has needs in areas like public health and federal law enforcement. Unfortunately, as the need for specialized talent is increasing, the competition from the private sector for hiring that talent is growing fiercer.

It’s time for a reality check: Talented people have options. These highly sought-after pros are heavily pursued by the private sector. Agencies are typically competing against higher salaries, corporate recruiters with compelling advertising campaigns, and a faster hiring process.

According to the Office of Personnel Management, the average hiring time for federal personnel is 106 days. This time lag can perpetuate the lack of trust employees have in their HR team’s recruitment capabilities. The most recent Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, released late last week, revealed that just 42 percent of federal employees felt their team had the ability to recruit people with the right skills. In addition, the time it takes to hire personnel—typically more than three months—causes federal agencies to lose out on viable candidates who cannot wait that long to take new job opportunities.

These are major workforce challenges that the current administration is trying to change. In the president’s management agenda, the Office of Management and Budget called on agencies to re-evaluate their current HR processes and technology in support of establishing the “workforce of the 21st century.”

In its 2019 budget proposal, the White House noted that “the private sector continually finds new ways to evolve human capital management programs to maximize the return from their most valuable asset: their people. The federal government should do no less.”

To evolve workforce strategies and remain competitive with the private sector, federal agencies need to overcome four common challenges in federal recruiting: