Hiring managers should be agency brand ambassadors, says official

Federal managers should take charge of hiring new talent into government through formal recruiting activities while acting as brand ambassadors for their agency, according to a federal specialist.

Managers are most knowledgeable about an agency's mission, staffing needs and performance goals, said Carmen Andujar, manager of the Recruitment Policy and Outreach Office at the Office of Personnel Management, during a presentation on Tuesday at the Federal Managers Association's annual convention. Employees responsible for agency hiring needs should focus on recruiting at every opportunity, she added.

"You chose to be a manager," Andujar told convention attendees. "This is your responsibility. You should be out there recruiting."

Managers can play a formal role in bringing in new talent by learning to recruit and hire qualified candidates; setting clear goals and expectations for the hiring process; and collaborating with human resources staff, as well as current interns and recent graduates, on strategies for reaching potential applicants, according to Andujar. More informal responsibilities include promoting the agency's mission to university communities, conducting outreach and taking a personal approach with candidates. It's important to have the right person with a clear message out there recruiting, she said.

Hiring managers also are responsible for maintaining good communication with human resources personnel and should establish an agreement that spells out roles, responsibilities and timelines, Andujar said, noting HR staff also can assist in assessing agency hiring needs.

To help managers adapt to new hiring processes, OPM is providing a number of online resources. For example, managers can access a reform-focused section of the Office of Management and Budget's MAX website, a collaborative federal network, as well as "bite-size" training presentations, such as two-minute modules on specific hiring topics. Information also is available on OPM's hiring reform website and through USAJobsRecruit, an online community for agencies to showcase best practices, share marketing and outreach strategies, and post hiring events.

Hiring managers ultimately are responsible for recruiting and hiring qualified candidates and supporting their transition to government service, Andujar said.

"For me as a manager, the most important thing is the quality of candidates," she said. "Otherwise, you're just wasting your time."