About this Toolkit

The materials in this toolkit serve as a starting point and should be customized to fit the unique needs of your organization.

Who the Talent Toolkit Is For

This Toolkit is for leaders and hiring managers at all levels of U.S. governments who are looking to attract and nurture a team of (typically) mid to senior level researchers, designers, product managers, and software engineers. Its goal is to provide best practices and resources to help government organizations hire and retain top tech talent, including those joining from outside government.

Video Walkthrough

Click here to watch the video with chapter quick links and the full transcript

How to Navigate

Here are a few tips to improve your experience with this toolkit:

Tip	Details
Navigation	Use the sidebar on the left of each page to access different sections of the toolkit.
Overviews	Each section has an overview page that includes a definition of the topic, who's generally involved in that work, and what's covered in the section.
Search	Utilize the search bar to quickly find specific information or keywords.
Interactive Elements	Look for links and embedded tools to access additional content and to download copies of resources.
Light/Dark Mode	Use this toggle at the bottom of each page to switch between modes.
Feedback	Use the Was this helpful? feature on the bottom of each page to leave us feedback.
Contact	If you have questions or need further assistance, navigate to the Contact section for ways to reach out.

Our Approach to Talent Engagement

Talent engagement is more than just hiring. It encompasses the overall process and strategy behind building and developing effective teams and organizations. The stages of the employee life cycle, a widely accepted framework in the HR industry, are the underlying principles upon which this Toolkit was built.

The information below details how the Talent Toolkit aligns with the various stages of the employee life cycle.

The stages that an employee experiences during their time with an organization

Attraction

Making an organization appealing to potential candidates through job ads, research, or conversations, without direct interaction.

Highlighted in:

• Employer Brand and Post, Source, and Amplify

Recruitment

Posting jobs, screening resumes, conducting interviews, and selecting candidates.

Highlighted in:

• Evaluate Applications, Interview and Select Candidates for Hire, and Close and Offer Process

Onboarding

Providing orientation, training, and support to new hires to help them understand company culture, policies, values, and their roles. Highlighted in:

• Impact of Onboarding and How to Welcome New Hires

Retention

Keeping top talent by preventing employee churn, which can indicate employee dissatisfaction and likelihood of leaving. Highlighted in:

• Assessing Your Organization's Culture and Impact on Talent Strategy

Development

Promoting continuous learning and growth by providing opportunities to enhance skills and keep employees engaged, motivated, and productive. Highlighted in:

• Return on Learning and Development Investments and Infusing L&D within Your Org

Offboarding

Supporting employees as they leave by resignation, termination, or retirement to minimize negative impact and gather valuable feedback.

• This topic is not specifically featured in the Toolkit but may be added at a later date

Advocacy

This encompasses everything employees do and say, from social media posts to real-life conversations, representing what it's like to work for your company.

• This topic is not specifically featured in the Toolkit but can be positively impacted by having an effective approach to Talent, as laid out in the Toolkit

Content development

This field guide was born from a combination of US Digital Response's experiences supporting digital transformation teams across U.S. federal, state, and city governments and generally recognized best practices for creating optimal employee experiences for digital talent. Content was developed in collaboration with Verge Talent Partners, who have deep experience in hiring, recruiting, human resources, operations, and strategy.