As federal government restructuring continues and hiring freezes create uncertainty, agencies and local governments have a unique opportunity to connect with a growing number of skilled federal employees seeking their next roles. Here are some strategies you can start applying today to set you apart as an employer of choice to federal employees.
Article Highlights:
- Build a Strong Employer Brand
- Offer Security and Stability
- Utilize the Best Platforms
- Focus on Employee Experience and Belonging
- Offer Hybrid and Flexible Work Models
- Let Data Drive Your Recruitment Strategy
- Adopt and Integrate AI to Streamline HR Processes
As anyone in public sector hiring knows, sourcing these candidates isn’t necessarily a simple task. To stand out, agencies need to be more intentional—rethinking how to market open roles, where to source candidates, and what the employee experience should look like from day one. This moment is an unprecedented chance to hire experienced, mission-driven professionals ready to make an impact at the local level.
How can you attract high performing government workers during the federal hiring freeze? Here are the top seven practical strategies.
#1: Build a Strong Employer Brand
To compete for top talent, your organization needs to stand out to federal employees who are considering a career change. Where do you start? With a compelling and authentic employer brand. Federal employees are drawn to meaningful work, stability, and integrity—so your messaging should reflect those values at every touchpoint. Here’s how to position your agency as the ideal next step in their career journey:
- Communicate the mission-driven impact of state and local government work in job descriptions and on career pages
- Use employee testimonials and case studies to build credibility.
- Leverage social media and employer branding campaigns to showcase workplace culture.
- Highlight success stories of former federal employees who transitioned successfully (if you can)
- Make sure branding aligns with the values and motivations of your agency and with public sector professionals.
Want an easier way to showcase your agency and reach the right candidates? With NEOGOV’s Attract, you can promote your brand, tell your agency’s story, and automate outreach across platforms federal job seekers already use – without adding to your workload.
#2: Offer Security and Stability
For many federal employees, long-term job security is one of the biggest draws to public service. As uncertainty grows at the federal level, employers have an opportunity to highlight the continued stability they provide at the state and local level. In job descriptions and during the interview process, focus on these key points to build trust and reassure candidates about staying in the public sector:
- Promote pension plans, tenure-based benefits, and retirement packages that reinforce long-term security.
- Clearly outline job security advantages over private sector roles.
- Call out internal mobility paths and leadership development opportunities to show commitment to career growth.
- Respond to any concerns about budget constraints and layoffs with transparent communication.
#3: Utilize the Best Platforms
Even the most competitive job openings won’t attract the right candidates if no one can find them. To reach federal workers effectively, you have to meet them where they already are—both digitally and professionally. How? Consider these high-impact platforms and tactics:
- List jobs on top job boards frequented by federal employees (GovernmentJobs.com, USAJobs, LinkedIn).
- Partner with professional associations and federal transition programs.
- Optimize postings for visibility in government-focused talent networks.
- Use programmatic advertising and geo-targeting to reach federal employees.
If this seems like a lot, you can save hours on sourcing top-tier candidates by using NEOGOV’s Attract. With this tool, you can automatically find candidates from a network of 2.7M job seekers on GovernmentJobs.com.
#4: Focus on Employee Experience and Belonging
Steady paychecks and job titles are important, but they don’t retain top talent over time. For that, employees need to feel valued, supported, and connected. For federal employees navigating a stressful career change, that sense of belonging can make all the difference. Here's how to create an environment that feels welcoming and understanding from day one:
- Facilitate Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to provide spaces where employees with shared backgrounds or interests can connect, support each other, and voice their perspectives.
- Offer specifically structured onboarding to ease the transition from federal roles.
- Create mentorship programs connecting former federal employees with their peers to build connections early on.
- Prioritize professional development and training opportunities.
#5: Offer Hybrid and Flexible Work Models
Many federal employees have organized their lives around hybrid and remote work—and they’re looking for roles that preserve that flexibility. Offering modern, adaptable work arrangements can be a major competitive advantage for state and local agencies. Here’s how to make flexibility a part of your hiring strategy:
- Call out remote, hybrid, or flexible options clearly in your job postings—don’t bury the details.
- Offer alternative schedules (compressed workweeks, flex hours) to attract top talent.
- Equip teams with the right collaboration tools to ensure remote or hybrid workers feel supported and productive.
- Emphasize your agency’s openness to work-life balance, and how it supports employee well-being and retention.
#6: Let Data Drive Your Recruitment Strategy
To attract the right talent in a shifting landscape, guesswork won’t be enough. State and local governments can—and should—use real-time data and predictive analytics to understand what’s working, where gaps exist, and how to refine their hiring strategies to outpace trends. The following tactics can help guide smart, future-focused decisions:
- Leverage workforce analytics to identify sourcing trends and talent gaps.
- Track job posting performance and update language, titles, or benefits based on engagement trends.
- Use AI-driven applicant tracking systems (ATS) to streamline hiring.
- Implement pulse surveys and feedback tools to gauge employee needs.
Where can you access recruitment analytics for your agency? If you have NEOGOV’s Attract, they’re built in. You’ll see reporting and ROI results tied to candidates from start-to-finish, so you can measure the impact of different recruitment initiatives. Then you can use this data to inform future decisions and recruiting efforts.
#7: Adopt and Integrate AI to Streamline HR Processes
Artificial intelligence isn’t just for the private sector—it’s quickly becoming a game-changer for public agencies looking to modernize their recruitment efforts.For organizations trying to do more with less and attract tech-savvy federal candidates, AI can streamline processes and improve the candidate experience. Here are some ways to integrate it effectively:
- Automate candidate sourcing and resume screening for efficiency.
- Use chatbots to provide instant responses to common job inquiries.
- Implement AI-powered matching tools to connect federal employees with best-fit roles.
- Analyze hiring trends to refine recruitment strategies continuously.
Adopting AI doesn’t mean replacing the human side of hiring. It means empowering your team to focus on what matters most: building relationships, creating a great candidate experience, and hiring the right people faster.
Final Thoughts
As more federal employees explore opportunities outside of the federal government, state and local agencies have a unique opportunity to tap into a growing talent pool and source qualified candidates for hard-to-fill roles.The most effective way to do this is by broadening your sourcing strategy and proactively connecting with candidates through targeted outreach, smart recruitment marketing, and the use of modern tools and data-driven platforms.Once you find that qualified candidates are connecting with your job postings, your agency can motivate them to apply by offering stability, flexibility, and mission-driven work where they know their efforts will matter.
While this is a challenging time for many in the public sector, it’s also a prime opportunity for agencies to connect with experienced professionals who are ready to make an impact and grow their careers in a mission-driven, supportive environment.
Get candidates’ attention. Hire for hard-to-fill roles.
NEOGOV’s Attract helps your agency stand out by simplifying outreach, enhancing your employer brand, and connecting you with qualified candidates faster. Spend less time managing job postings—and more time hiring the right people for the roles that matter most.
Attract top talent, and make your next hire your best hire. Learn more about NEOGOV Attract.
