TAILOR YOUR CAST: Employers need to tailor their hiring approach to fit the group they are targeting. Just as different types of bait attract different fish, millennials and Gen Z workers may not look for the same things that a baby boomer seeks in a job. (Photo by Karolina Grabowska, Pexels)
An updated approach to hiring practices will draw in today’s diverse civilian workforce.
by Brianna Clay
In recent years, significant changes have swept through both the workplace and our daily lives, with COVID-19 playing a pivotal role. Practices such as teleworking and a growing spotlight on mental health are shaping how employees navigate in the work environment and choose where to work.
Additionally, a generational shift is transforming the workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2029, more than 38.5 million people ages 35 to 44, or millennials, are expected to join the labor force, outnumbering all other age groups, while the newest group to join the workforce, Generation Z—aka the “Zoomer” generation—has already overtaken the number of baby boomers in the workplace. With the rise of a new generational mindset, an updated approach to hiring practices is needed to draw in today’s diverse civilian workforce.
READ THE ROOM
Before hiring, employers must ask themselves, who is the target audience? What do they want? Nuances among different generations will always exist, but recognizing common characteristics between each group can assist employers in attracting the right candidates.
Employing the same hiring strategy for a Zoomer as one would a “Boomer,” or someone of the baby-boom generation, is likely to yield disappointing results. Unlike their predecessors, millennials and Zoomers have grown up in a digital age, using the benefits of advanced technology throughout most of their lives. Baby boomers and Generation X have had to adapt to this new technology as adults. Furthermore, older generations exhibit greater loyalty to an organization, often staying within a single organization for many years. According to a report from Forbes, younger workers are more willing to leave the financial security of a position to pursue meaningful work that offers better work-life balance. They tend to value flexibility and stronger connections with their work. Mental health is a priority, while concepts like diversity, equality and inclusion are essential to fostering a positive work environment. Unlike older generations, this workforce places a stronger emphasis on identity in the workplace over uniformity. With these characteristics in mind, employers adapting to this new work landscape have options for making improvements in the hiring process to attract candidates.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
Employees don’t work in a vacuum. They are often engaging in collaborative projects and trading input. Therefore, the hiring process doesn’t have be in a vacuum either. Employers should take advantage of the best resource around them: People.
Partnering internally and with other organizations not only increases the opportunity for referrals but improves the hiring process. For hiring managers that have been in the game for a long time, it can be hard to break away from old habits or see where new opportunities lie. Establishing a forum with other organizations encourages a sharing of best practices. In addition, it opens avenues for current or future recruiting opportunities, such as through job fairs and conferences, in underrepresented or overlooked talent pools.
Hiring managers shouldn’t be afraid to let team members get involved or ask them for feedback. Before posting a new job opening, the team can identify what assets a hiring manager should look for in a candidate beyond the baseline job description. They can increase the efficiency of the process by offering helpful additions to job postings and thoughtful questions to use during interviews.
MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE
“We are currently in a candidate-driven market,” said Yolanda Compton, chief of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) office for U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center. In a candidate-driven market, prospective employees have a lot more leverage when it comes to the final decision, so employers must ensure strategies are interesting and strongly connect with target audiences.
What’s one way to do this?
“Appeal to the ‘influencer’ in each candidate. And demonstrate an interest in unique talents,” Compton said, adding that when advertising a job, employers should emphasize the role candidates will play in influencing the organization, speaking to their creativity and social recognition.
Employers need to be willing to meet candidates on their playing field. If a hiring manager is looking to fill positions for those early in their career, a GS-9 level or lower, digital platforms are key to success. In addition to popular social media platforms like LinkedIn, they might find it worthwhile to invest in hiring platforms that directly target college students early in their careers. Organizations should also consider employing audio or visual imagery in their job postings to increase engagement.
When trying to appeal to younger generations, employers should enlist the help of Gen Z or millennials already working in the organization to provide insight on what draws candidates at a similar level. Taking this approach would encourage creativity in the hiring process while fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment.
PLANTING THE SEEDS
Job seekers are looking for opportunities to grow. To attract new hires, organizations need to convey the types of developmental and educational opportunities that come with the job. (Photo by Akil Mazumder, Pexels)
GET TO THE POINT
The longer the hiring process, the more likely an organization will lose a job candidate. While more stringent requirements and lengthier assessment periods are necessary on some level to ensure accountability, an exhaustive hiring process increases the difficulty of filling vacancies. When the hiring need is critical or a qualified candidate is encountered, government organizations shouldn’t be afraid to embrace direct hiring authorities, which can be a valuable tool for expediting the hiring process. Government employers are afforded some leeway in hosting open—continuous—announcements for highly sought after candidates, helping them maintain a competitive edge with industry.
Hiring managers can also streamline the process by setting timelines for interviews and reviewing assessments in addition to maintaining consistent communication with candidates. Even before a need arises, organizations should work on building a talent community through channels such as social media and forecast hiring gaps in the workforce.
CREATE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES
Candidates are always looking for indicators that the work environment will be a good fit for them. Younger generations are especially keen to know what opportunities are available, so communicating what the organization can offer is essential in the hiring process. This is why the Army Director for Acquisition Career Management (DACM) Office is including guidance for this in their civilian support strategy that is currently in development, to support civilian hiring in the acquisition workforce at the enterprise level.
“Regardless of where someone currently works, they may have opportunities all over the world,” said Aaron Hutson, branch chief for strategy and policy at the DACM Office.
Hiring managers can attract workers by emphasizing leadership development opportunities through DACM sponsored programs such as the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service learning and professional development programs and educational opportunities through tuition assistance or student loan repayment programs.
Organizations need to communicate what unique work flexibilities they can offer to potential hires, such as remote work capabilities or flexible work hours. When those flexibilities aren’t available, pivot towards other offerings. For seasoned workers in the acquisition community, the flexible pay scale offered by the DOD Civilian Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project (AcqDemo) could be a huge incentive, while early career employees could enter through Enterprise Civilian Talent Acquisition Programs, such as the Army Fellows program, which offer an array of developmental opportunities.
“Organizations are learning that they have to be adaptive. Now they are saying, ‘If I can’t offer this benefit, what I can offer is something else,’ ” said Maj. Kevin Harris, DACM proponency officer.
MISSION FIRST, PEOPLE ALWAYS
“We take ourselves wherever we go, therefore personal concerns influence professional behaviors and engagements,” said Compton.
Because of this, connectivity through work experiences is vital to attracting candidates. Today’s workforce looks for work environments that prioritize meaningful work and workers’ well-being.
As the most diverse, outspoken generation, Gen Z is particularly concerned with having a sense of belonging and feeling appreciated in the workplace. From the start, hiring managers will need to show the organization is worthy of putting their trust in.
How does a budget officer or human resources specialist support the Soldier in the field? This is the question hiring managers must answer for potential hires. If they can’t make a connection between the daily tasks they’ll be doing and the broader accomplishments of the organization, then the motivation to work isn’t there.
Organizations can communicate that connection by personalizing candidate experiences as much as possible. During the hiring process, remember the following:
- Job postings should be concise, yet compelling and cover how certain tasks contribute to the big picture, possibly linking candidates to career pages or media content that highlight employee experiences or how the organization is fulfilling its mission.
- Focus job descriptions on the candidates’ needs, not just the skills the employer is looking for.
- Getting on the phone or into an interview as soon as possible allows interviewers to demonstrate their own passion for the job, plus helps candidates understand the value of the mission in guiding their objectives.
- Bring awareness to benefits that show a concern for workers’ well-being such as mental health resources, counseling programs and diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI initiatives. Emphasizing how the organization prioritizes the well-being of its employees builds a positive repertoire with the candidate.
CONCLUSION
“Using old recruitment, retention and workforce management methodologies is like trying to force yesterday into tomorrow,” Compton said, adding that employers must innovate in not just technology but all their resources, especially human capital. In this job economy, “how we demonstrate meaningfulness, safety and availability in the workplace will determine the type of employees we have in the roles.”
Part of the effort to innovate is practicing what is preached. Whether it is upholding concepts like work-life balance or fostering connectivity, organizations need to commit to the long-term vision. It’s one thing to hire great workers; it’s another to keep them. As the boomer generation rolls into retirement, it is imperative that government employers not only bring on young talent but keep them in the workforce long after hiring. Improving the hiring process may just be the beginning, nevertheless, it is an important step in the right direction.
For more information on DACM’s civilian programs or acquisition career development opportunities, go to https://asc.army.mil/web/career-development/civilian.
BRIANNA CLAY is an Army Public Affairs Fellow and public affairs specialist at the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center. She holds an M.S. in international affairs from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.A. in international affairs from the University of North Georgia.
