Government's Big Recruiting Problem

I met last week with about 25 students from Cornell University who took part in the school's annual Summer in Washington program. Part of the work is to meet in a class setting every week to discuss the impact of the Internet on politics, business and the arts. Many work as interns at federal agencies.

We discussed transparency and federal agencies' use of the Internet, including their websites. The assignment that night was to create a congressional website that would encourage the public to participate more in policy making. The ideas were creative, and the discussion about how technology was influencing government a good one. I was struck by how well informed the students were, how well they articulated their ideas, and how innovative and workable their approaches were.

This was the problem: When I asked how many of them would consider working for the federal government after they graduated, even for a little while, no one raised their hand. They explained they wouldn't work for government because it reacted too slowly and didn't seem to want to pursue new ideas. One student said he saw a manager who had been in government for years roll her eyes after another young intern offered an idea. That doesn't inspire people.

This underscores findings published in the Net Generation report, which the federal CIO Council issued in June under leadership from Defense Department Deputy Chief Information Officer Dave Wennergren. If government is going to attract younger workers, according to the report, it's going to have to become less bureaucratic -- including willing to help shape young workers' new ideas -- or it's going to find itself with many vacant positions. That can only further hurt government performance.

I found this meeting particularly deflating. These students were bright, had lots of energy and good ideas. They were, in one word, impressive. They are exactly the kind of talent agencies need now. But government lost every one of them this summer.