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commitments is one direct means of reducing delays in

EEO recruitment.

Sound manpower planning is another element that is
The absence of sound approaches to

often neglected.

forecasting manpower needs results in panic recruitment

drives, thus making balanced staffing even more diffi

cult to attain.

The selection of recruiters is a key factor in the

total recruitment context.

Recruiters and others who

represent the Federal Service on college campuses must be able to successfully communicate with, and relate to, college students. Black recruiters are effective in making student contacts at predominantly black colleges. Similarly, Spanish-American recruiters are an asset in working on campuses with significant Spanish-American enrollments and women are effective representatives in visits to women's colleges.

Recruiters must be able to,

and willing to, take time to engage in dialogue or "rap

sessions" with students on matters of interest to them.

Also, the recruiters must be well qualified, well informed, sincere, and enthusiastic about their work.

The Federal Service must take advantage of the

total resources that are available in the community

and all sources of information that bear on the supply

of candidates in local labor markets.

[blocks in formation]

Of the seven administrations studied, only one, the

Bureau of Labor Statistics, has positive recruitment programs for minorities.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics

currently has three minority recruitment programs:

College Recruitment Program

This program began in FY '71. Ten black colleges having economics, statistics, and computer science majors are scheduled for

visits in both the spring and the fall. This recruitment is done by members of a voluntary

1/positive recruitment involves going out to recruit

with definite job offers. It is usually used after reviewing an office minority staffing pattern, i.e., if an office lacks a minority to meet its staffing plan, then positive recruitment is used to find a qualified minority. Positive recruitment is not just an attempt to find qualified minorities, nor is it an "after the fact" recruitment effort (after the position is posted) like the Vacancy Clearance System but is a definite commitment to hire a minority.

Ad Hoc Committee consisting of interested

black and nonblack professionals.

Prior to

their spring and fall visits, they send

introductory letters and Departmental recruit

ment materials to the target campuses. The

Dallas Regional Office has a college recruitment program aimed at four colleges having predominantly Spanish-surnamed American students

and one college having a heavy concentration of

American Indians.

The fall recruitment visit is to encourage

qualified students to obtain Civil Service

eligibility. The spring recruitment visit consists of positive recruitment for available

slots in BLS for economists, statisticians,

computer programmers.

Student Research Program

and

This is an experimental program which begar in September 1970 in Washington and December 1970 in the Dallas region. In this program

local college students work in BLS offices on

specific projects for college credit only.

Visiting Professor Program

The program started in the National Office in September 1966. Professors from predominantly minority colleges or universities spend one week in Washington becoming acquainted with the organization, working atmosphere, and vocational needs of BLS. They then return to their campuses to encourage their qualified students to work in BLS. Since a period of time has been required for the program to gain acceptance and credibility on the campuses, only thirty professors have visited BLS between September 1966 and December 1970.

Further,

there has been only a limited number of hires and referrals. However, it has encouraged a few predominantly minority colleges and uni

versities to build up their economics and

statistics departments.

None of the Administrations studied have positive

recruitment programs geared specifically toward women and

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