Recruiting Hispanics -- and Everybody Else

The Los Angeles Times has weighed in on the subject of efforts to recruit more Hispanics into the federal workforce. One point that struck me in the story: The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, which sponsors government internships, says that recent surveys show that 80 percent of those who graduated after internships were offered full-time federal jobs, and 38 percent accepted. That's a higher percentage than the group expected.

It turns out the problem in recruiting Hispanics is the same as the problem in getting people in general interested in federal work. "I think people know that there's a federal government out there and that they have jobs, but they don't know how to apply for those jobs," says William Gil, HACU's assistant vice president of collegiate programs and federal relations. "That's where the big chasm is. The internships are a way to eliminate that chasm."

Of course, internships can only do so much. What would be even better would be to figure out how not only to publicize these jobs -- and things like USAJOBS have made strides in that area -- but to further streamline the process of applying for a federal position. That's the real sweet spot in recruiting the workforce of tomorrow.