6 tips for government agencies hiring diverse students, recent grads for early career security jobs

Government agencies should prioritize hiring diverse students and recent graduates for security jobs to strengthen their teams with a wide range of perspectives and experiences. The complexity of modern security challenges demands innovative solutions that often emerge from diverse thinking. By recruiting individuals from various backgrounds, agencies can tap into a wealth of ideas that might otherwise go unnoticed, enhancing their ability to address complex threats. Diversity in the workforce fosters creativity and helps break down echo chambers, leading to more robust and effective strategies in safeguarding national security.

Moreover, hiring diverse students and recent graduates is a long-term investment in the future of the security sector. These individuals bring fresh perspectives and are often more adept at navigating the rapidly evolving technological landscape. They are the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of security policies and practices. By giving them opportunities to grow within the field, government agencies promote inclusivity while ensuring that their teams are well-equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow.

We’ve gathered key strategies from six top HR professionals and senior managers:

• Host Social Media Takeovers
• Tailor Inclusive Application Processes
• Launch Outreach and Mentorship Programs
• Invest in College Recruitment Strategies
• Practice Transparent Communication
• Adapt Messaging to Reflect Candidate Values

Host Social Media Takeovers

I have found that social media takeovers by diverse employees are very effective in bringing real-time results. This strategy involves allowing diverse employees to take over the organization’s social media accounts for a day or a week to share their daily work, career advice, and experiences. This showcases the diversity within the organization and provides an authentic and relatable view of what it’s like to work in security roles. It allows potential candidates to see themselves represented and welcomed within the agency, which can be a major factor in their decision to apply.

You see, social media platforms such as LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram are powerful tools for reaching a wide audience, especially among the younger generation. This strategy also allows for direct engagement with potential candidates through comments and questions on social media posts. This personal interaction can further showcase the agency’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity and build a sense of community among current and future employees.

I strongly believe that utilizing social media takeovers by diverse employees can attract a diverse pool of early-career candidates to security roles. It increases visibility and awareness of the agency’s commitment to diversity, but also humanizes the organization and creates a sense of connection and inclusion for potential candidates. If you’re looking to diversify your workforce and attract talented individuals from all backgrounds, I highly recommend implementing this strategy in your recruitment efforts.

Daniel Cook, HR / Marketing Executive, Mullen and Mullen

Tailor Inclusive Application Processes

Attracting diverse, early-career candidates to security roles can be a real challenge for a government agency. From our experience, I would recommend creating a very tailored application process that focuses on diversity and inclusiveness. We’re intentionally focusing on diversity from the start. We made sure our website, jobs page, and job advertisements reflect our commitment to diversity, and it has made a huge difference. We’ve seen a steady increase in female and diverse applicants, which is a real achievement considering we’re mostly looking for software developers.

But we don’t stop there—we pair new team members with mentors who share their experience and also help them settle in the area if new employees have to move to Hanover to start working for us. Having someone who is always available and responsive is incredibly powerful, and it helps build both confidence and skills.

We’ve also found that creating an inclusive environment is key to retaining diverse talent. For a government agency, this could mean ensuring that diversity is front and center in all recruitment materials and making sure interview panels are diverse too. This shows candidates that the agency is serious about inclusion, not just talking about it. All in all, this is a very solid strategy to better attract diverse candidates.

Hanna Bozakov, Press Officer, Tuta Mail

Launch Outreach and Mentorship Programs

One effective strategy for a government agency aiming to attract diverse, early-career candidates to security roles is to implement a comprehensive outreach and mentorship program targeting underrepresented communities and educational institutions.

This strategy involves establishing partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), women’s colleges, and other diverse educational institutions. The agency should actively participate in career fairs, host informational sessions, and offer guest lectures at these institutions to raise awareness about security career opportunities in government.

Additionally, the program should include a structured mentorship component, pairing current agency professionals from diverse backgrounds with students and recent graduates. This mentorship initiative can provide guidance, support, and insider perspectives on government security careers, helping to demystify the field and make it more accessible to a broader range of candidates.

To further enhance the program’s effectiveness, the agency should offer paid internships or co-op experiences specifically designed for underrepresented early-career individuals. These opportunities would provide hands-on experience in government security roles, allowing participants to gain valuable skills and insights while building professional networks.

The agency should also leverage digital platforms and social media to showcase diverse employee stories and career paths within the organization. This approach can help potential candidates envision themselves in these roles and understand the various career trajectories available.

Furthermore, the agency should review and revise its recruitment processes to eliminate potential biases and ensure that job descriptions and requirements are inclusive and appealing to a diverse candidate pool. This may include emphasizing transferable skills and potential over specific security-related experience, which early-career candidates may lack.

By implementing this multifaceted strategy, the government agency can create a pipeline of diverse, early-career talent for security roles, fostering a more inclusive and representative workforce that brings varied perspectives and experiences to critical security functions.

Gabriel McCuller, Owner, Sua Sponte Security

Invest in College Recruitment Strategies

Recruitment is no longer about posting a job and waiting for the floodgates to open. Recruitment is now a strategy game more than ever, and it starts long before stepping into a career fair or posting a job on a college job board. Recruitment at the college level is a return on the investment you make over the longer term. Recruitment is done in the classroom, and it’s done year-round. College recruitment is conducted best when partnered with professors and career counselors. If students don’t know your name before you post the job or enter the career fair, you’ll be just another name.

Forrest Holloman, Senior Human Resources Manager

Practice Transparent Communication

A strategy I highly recommend for a government agency seeking to attract diverse, early-career candidates to security roles is transparency. Candidates deserve honesty—after all, they’re adults planning their futures. Building a relationship based on real, open conversations is crucial.

Both you and the candidates are searching for the right fit. Be upfront about the steps in your interview process so they aren’t left in the dark. Surprisingly, candidates often appreciate knowing where they stand, even when the news isn’t positive.

If they need to wait for an interim clearance, explain what that means. If they ask for a timeline and you don’t have one, be honest about it. It’s better to provide the truth than to leave them guessing. If there’s something they can do to strengthen their candidacy, share that with them. This way, they can make informed decisions about how to proceed.

Eli Buckler, Recruiting Specialist

Adapt Messaging to Reflect Candidate Values

From my experience recruiting for security roles in the U.S. Navy, I’ve found one effective strategy is to adapt agency messaging to reflect the values and career aspirations of diverse early-career candidates. Show them how they can make a real and tangible impact in security roles, which often seem opaque and abstract from the outside. 

Additionally, showcase successful diverse personnel already in security roles, creating relatability and presenting a clear path toward growth and development. For example, during my service in the Navy, I noticed a significant increase in diverse applicants when we incorporated stories of diverse officers into our recruitment campaigns. 

Finally, create partnerships with universities and minority-focused professional organizations—presenting at their events or workshops can open direct communication paths with these sought-after candidates. By aligning your agency’s mission with the prospective candidate’s personal goals, you can attract more diverse early-career applicants.

Dev Chandra, Chief Executive Optimizer, The Process Hacker