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  As long as we keep hiring retired military in all vacancies and, particularly, leaderhip positions, we will not grow and develop a younger civilian force. The younger civilians feel there is no career progression into higher positions.

  Betty Posted July 15, 2008 1:48 PM
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  I have to agree with Judith-- I know plenty of college students and recent grads who apply for internships and jobs in government but few are hired or ever receive a response. These are high-energy people and great students who could make excellent employees. They lack "sufficient" experience to land a government job, but how do you get experience? By getting hired! Agencies are missing out on valuable human capital.

  Rachel www.transitionsingov.org Posted July 15, 2008 10:33 AM
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  One of the areas that many Federal Agencies continue to lag behind on is recruiting a diverse workforce. The business case for diversity has already been made and proven effective. Look at the top 50 companies to work for and you will find that they paid attention to diversity. When the Feds can create an environment of acceptance and inclusion, and value the diversity of ideas, you will have no problem recruiting the best and the brightest of all generations, cultures, etc. For those of you who still think diversity is code for race, ignore this comment--you still don't get it.

  LaJuana Caldwell Posted July 15, 2008 10:25 AM
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  I personally know several people who would love to work for the Government, but when they find out about the drawn out process of application and selection, they forget about it. Consider the forms, procedures, and time involved. Smart young people don't wait around for six months to get a $25,000 per year job.

  Snuffy Smith Posted July 11, 2008 3:07 AM
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  I recently came to the Federal Government as a veteran with 13 years in the USAF. One of the biggest problems I have encountered is a lack of governmental organizations to train effectively and promote encourage growth of individuals who are not long time governmental employees. I am currently a student in Industrial Engineering Technology with an AS in Engineering Technology. My field in the AF was as an Engineering Assistant, however, at my current agency they would not allow me to compete for a GS-7 position. I recently received a job offer from another agency that qualified me appropriately for GS-7 with promotion potential to GS-11. The disparity among organizations for qualifying candidates needs some work. Only then can you attract the best and the brightest to the Government Sector.

  Earline Shaw Posted July 10, 2008 11:59 AM
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  I like the approach of Mr. Ledlinger. His ideas are all plausible to me. I would also throw in the idea of growing our future employees by having our organizations adopt schools or districts; publishing and expanding internships with organizations. The best recruiters to Government service may likely be those who already are in service. Why not provide 1 preference point for those who receive an endorsement from an agency head or something along this line to stimulate those in government to promote service by making their recommendation count.

  Ultimately, something will have to be done about the so called pay for performance systems which are breading so much discontent. Sceptic and detractor aside, good ideas and an honest personnel system will be needed to encourage those that will, to embark on a life of public service. They will need, good mentors, good supervisors, and colleagues of good will, good morale and belief in their service. We do not need all of the best nor all of the brightest. The uniformed services are always looking "for a few good men.. and women." Then they train them. So in government, we should seek our good men and women and then train them. To often that part is ignored. Rather train them, we bring them in and then drown them in work task before they can adequately swim. If we want high performing organizations then why not train the people and staff the organizations to fit the need. Anyway, Mr. Leidinger's ideas are a good start point in my opinion...

  I vote for the whole list.....

  will Posted July 9, 2008 7:00 PM
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  Pay "B" scale wages get "B" scale employees. It is just that simple.

  Retired Air Traffic Controller Posted July 9, 2008 6:33 PM
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  Who publishes this rubbish?? Since when is there a problem recruiting for the Fed Gov? They are standing in line waiting to come aboard. Fed service appeals to those who are risk adverse, want 9-5 job, zero creativity and given a book/manual to make decisions with. The taxpayers are the ones that take issue with the gov't and unless/until NSPS is gov't wide the public's perception won't change

  Dan ketter Posted July 9, 2008 4:33 PM
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  More derivative, superficial platitudes. The problems are far deeper and more complex than these kinds of simplistic solutions suggest. Quality candidates - young and not so young - are smarter than this; it's not about marketing, it's about the product. Unless and until we get serious about reforming the Federal workplace, recruitment will remain a challenge.

  Skepticus Posted July 9, 2008 1:11 PM
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  Why does it have to be just private or public? Why not structure public-sector work and the attitude toward it so that there's a natural expectation that there will be multiple transitions between public and private-sector employment over the course of an employee's lifetime?

  One possibility might be to structure civil-service employment so that it can't begin before age 30, it can run a maximum of 25 years, and can have no more than 10 years at one sitting, with a minimum 5-year break between sittings. There are a bazillion other possibilities, but anything that causes a natural circulation between the two sectors is a good thing.

  Part of this is that the nation has collectively forgotten that we are CITIZENS, and not just CONSUMERS. CITIZENS understand the need to contribute to something other than just the personal pocketbook, and that service to the public at large is honorable, and that the public deserves the best possible work output. CONSUMERS make fun of all that, and are only concerned with maximizing what comes in the pay envelope while minimizing the sweat to get there.

  arclight_arclight Posted July 9, 2008 12:31 PM
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  You forgot the most important ingredient to attractive top-quality talent: Kill the fiasco known as NSPS!

  David Posted July 9, 2008 12:04 PM
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  Recruiting isn't always the problem. I know of one young lady who has applied for 8 or 10 Federal jobs, and because she is young with little experience (three years), even with a 3.64 gpa, she can't get an interview. The whole system is antiquated, and puts so much emphasis on experience, that young folks can't get their foot in the door of most agencies. Instead, we end up with 40 somethings who don't have new ideas and a lot of energy.

  The baby boomers are the ones getting the jobs, at least in our agency. Of the last 10 new hires I am aware of, only one was under 35, and she was already in government service before coming to our agency. This is not looking at "long-term workforce needs" unless you are limiting long term to ten years.

  Judith Deane Posted July 9, 2008 7:24 AM