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
How to Navigate
Here are a few tips to improve your experience with this toolkit:
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
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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.
Attraction
Making an organization appealing to potential candidates through job ads, research, or conversations, without direct interaction.
Highlighted in:
Recruitment
Posting jobs, screening resumes, conducting interviews, and selecting candidates.
Highlighted in:
Onboarding
Providing orientation, training, and support to new hires to help them understand company culture, policies, values, and their roles. Highlighted in:
Retention
Keeping top talent by preventing employee churn, which can indicate employee dissatisfaction and likelihood of leaving. Highlighted in:
Development
Promoting continuous learning and growth by providing opportunities to enhance skills and keep employees engaged, motivated, and productive. Highlighted in:
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.
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