THE
Quiet Crisis
IN 2023
WHAT GOVERNMENT JOB SEEKERS ACTUALL Y WANT
1 Overview
2 The Public Sector Job Market
3 Insights from Government HR Leaders
3 Leading Cause of Job Openings
4 Difficulty Filling Job Openings
4 Impact of Unfilled Jobs
5 Hard-to-Hire Candidates
6 Popular Sites for Posting Jobs
7 What Government Job Seekers
Actually Want
8 Job Sourcing
9 Job Appeal
10 Preferred Benefits
11 Hiring Processes
13 Job Descriptions
14 Next Steps
LAST YEAR’S QUIET CRISIS REPORT REVEALED THE
SHOCKING REALITY OF PUBLIC SECTOR RECRUITMENT.
Y ou’ve seen it firsthand – employees leaving for the private sector and the growing wave of retirees, resulting in burnout, overtime pay, and reduction in services. But it’s another thing entirely to look at the data and realize these problems won’t go away on their own.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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OVERVIEW
Last year’s report showed a significant increase in job openings, while the number of applicants per job decreased significantly. Over the past year, that trend has continued.
An analysis of 45M+ applications on NEOGOV’s Insight (an applicant tracking system) highlights this troubling trend. In 2022 there was a 20% increase in job openings and a 15% decrease in applicants per job compared to 2021. And data from 2023 doesn’t look any more optimistic. Through Q1 of this year, the number of applicants per job has decreased by another 17% compared to last year.
If we look back to 2019, pre-pandemic numbers
show 53 applicants per job. In Q1 of 2023, it was
24 (a 55% decrease) and that only accounts for
applicants. The number of qualified applicants
would have been even less.
If these problems aren’t going away, what can
you do to adapt and improve recruitment?
We surveyed 140 HR leaders and 850+ job
seekers to find some answers. Keep reading
to get insider data on this quiet crisis, and
discover strategies for competing in an ever-
evolving job market.
Figure 1
Number of Applicants Per Open Job, 2020 - Q1 2023
Source: Applicant data from 45M+ applications in Insight 60%
40%
20%
0 2020 2021 2022 2023
55%
THE NUMBER OF
APPLICANTS PER JOB
HAS DECREASED BY
SINCE 2019
50 34
29 24
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THE
PUBLIC SECTOR
JOB MARKET
The public sector is caught in a cycle of turnover
and burnout. Does this scenario sound familiar?
Employees work harder and longer to
compensate for staff shortages. Over time they
burn out and leave the agency, often earlier
than planned. As employees leave, HR tries to
fill critical roles, but there aren’t enough qualified
applicants to compensate for turnover rates.
This negative cycle has brought the public sector
to where it is today, and it can be summed up
in four words: more openings, less applications.
Public sector job openings reached a new peak
in 2022, reflecting a 78% increase since 2020.
Meanwhile, the number of applications has
remained stagnant (Figure 2).
The negative cycle becomes more apparent
when splitting the data into quartiles. The bottom
25% of job postings only received 3 applications
per open role (Figure 3). Some of these applicants
may not even meet the minimum requirements.
In other words, it’s possible these job postings
didn’t have a single qualified candidate apply.
Quartile data also shows that 50% of jobs
only received 5.5 applications on average.
Meanwhile, the top 25% of jobs received an
average of 70 applications. If your agency is in
the bottom 50% and you want to be in the top
25%, keep reading this report to discover what
you can do differently.
Figure 2
Jobs & Applications Compared to 2020
Source: Applicant data from 45M+ applications in Insight 2020
JOBS APPLICANTS
2021 2022
Figure 3
Average Applications/Job by Quartile,
Q1 2023
Source: Applicant data from 45M+ applications in Insight 3 apps/job
8 apps/job
18 apps/job
70 apps/job
Fewest
Applicants
Most
Applicants
50% OF JOBS GET AN AVERAGE
OF 5.5 APPLICANTS / JOB
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LEADING CAUSE
OF JOB OPENINGS
This downward trend shows no signs of stopping.
In our survey, 54% of HR leaders cited retirement
as the leading cause of job openings. Although
the Silver Tsunami has started, it’s far from over.
By 2030 all baby boomers will be 65+, meaning
we can expect this trend to continue through the
remainder of this decade, at least.
Despite the retirement challenge, voluntary
turnover is the leading cause of recent job
openings, according to 82% of respondents.
What’s causing such high turnover? 67% of
HR professionals say it’s related to pay. Other
contributing factors include remote work options,
competition with other private and public sector
jobs, and career growth opportunities.
Fortunately, employee benefits remain an
advantage for the public sector. Only 7% of
respondents reported benefits as a cause
of voluntary turnover, confirming that these
perks continue to be an attractive component
of government work. As such, they need to be
promoted loud and clear in job postings.
Figure 4
What is driving the increase in recent job
openings at your agency?
Source: NEOGOV survey of public sector HR leaders
60% 80% 100%40%20%0
Voluntary Turnover
Retirement
Lack of
Qualified Candidates
Unable to Fill Previous
Openings ("Hiring Debt")
Increase in Budget
Involuntary Turnover
82%
54%
50%
47%
9%
5%
INSIGHTS FROM GOVERNMENT HR LEADERS
Percent of Respondents
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DIFFICULTY FILLING
JOB OPENINGS
Many public sector HR professionals – 75% –
struggle to find qualified candidates, leaving
jobs unfilled and current staff working harder
and longer. What’s the solution? Certainly not
settling for unqualified candidates. However, as
we’ll see in the job seeker data, it may be worth
reevaluating your requirements. For example,
some candidates may have relevant experience
in the private sector but not government.
IMPACT OF UNFILLED JOBS
Unfilled jobs contribute to the negative cycle
of burnout (78%) and turnover (62%). Other
consequences include low morale, overtime
costs, and project delays. But that may not be
the worst of it.
Staffing shortages have forced 20% of public
sector agencies to reduce services to citizens.
And 50% of respondents admitted the quality
or number of their services has declined. To
address this challenge, HR professionals are
offering overtime, hiring outside contractors, and
modifying hours of operation. But these solutions
only address the symptom, not the root cause.
Figure 5
Are you finding enough qualified
candidates to fill your roles?
Source: NEOGOV survey of public sector HR directors.
No
75%
Ye s
25%
Figure 6
Have recent hiring challenges resulted in
any of the following?
Source: NEOGOV survey of public sector HR leaders
60% 80% 100%40%20%0
Staff Burnout
Increased Overtime
Turnover
Project Delays
Cutbacks in Services
Shared Employees
Additional Training
Shared Services
Other
78%
68%
61%
42%
10%
10%
4%
20%
15%
Percent of Respondents
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HARD-TO-HIRE CANDIDATES
Like last year’s report, law enforcement is once again the hardest area to hire candidates, according to 53% of HR leaders. This isn’t too surprising given the high rates of burnout in law enforcement and the negative media attention over the past few years. To attract these tough-to-hire candidates, HR leaders are trying to increase pay, create flexible work schedules, and reduce job requirements.
Figure 7
What are the top three areas you
have trouble finding qualified candidates?
Source: NEOGOV survey of public sector HR leaders
Percent of Respondents
0% 20% 60%40%
Law Enforcement
Engineering and Planning
Trades
Information Technology
Social Services
Emergency Dispatchers
Finance
Fire Department
Transportation
EMS
53%
33%
30%
26%
19%
16%
16%
12%
9%
3%
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POPULAR SITES FOR POSTING JOBS
To hire qualified candidates, you have to go where they search for jobs.
The vast majority of public sector HR leaders (90%) post their jobs on GovernmentJobs.com, followed by Indeed and LinkedIn. College and state-based job boards were also popular sources. In the following job seeker section, we’ll see where candidates actually go to find jobs.
The public sector job market is stuck in a cycle of turnover and burnout.
Y our agency can break the negative cycle. But it doesn’t start with you.
It starts with understanding job seekers and how to appeal to them.
Figure 8
Which websites do you use to post your jobs?
Source: NEOGOV survey of public sector HR leaders
Percent of Respondents
0% 20% 60% 80% 100%40%
GovernmentJobs.com
Indeed
LinkedIn
College Job Boards
Career Page
State-Based Job Board
ZipRecruiter
USAjobs.gov
CareerBuilder
Monster
Glassdoor
90%
73%
66%
50%
44%
34%
15%
12%
7%
5%
3%
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Attracting top talent starts with understanding what
candidates actually want, providing it, and then promoting it. Based on survey data from 850+ government job
seekers, we’ll help you discern their desires in five areas:
WHAT GOVERNMENT
JOB SEEKERS ACTUALL Y WANT
1. JOB SOURCING
2. JOB APPEAL
3. DESIRED BENEFITS
4. HIRING PROCESSES
5. JOB DESCRIPTIONS
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JOB SOURCING
Over the past three years, we’ve seen a steady decline
in public sector applicants per job. It makes sense
then that 50% of HR leaders cited the lack of qualified candidates as a key hiring challenge (Figure 4).
Candidate sourcing is a solution to this challenge. To
source candidates effectively, you need to know
where government job seekers look for new jobs.
The maxim is simple: go where they go and build a
brand presence there. Figure 9 shows the channels
where job applicants prefer to find new jobs.
As expected, online job boards came in the highest at
60%. Popular government job boards include Indeed.
com, USAjobs.gov, and GovernmentJobs.com. A large
percentage of job seekers also prefer using LinkedIn
and employer career pages when job hunting.
Key Takeaways
HR leaders should invest resources in the channels
that deliver the most return. Read this report for
more tips on candidate sourcing.
• Post your jobs on the leading online job
boards.
• Develop a presence on LinkedIn that highlights
work culture and shares job openings.
• Make your career page easy to navigate and
write content that excites candidates to work
for your agency.
• Reach out to passive candidates – those not
actively searching job boards. With NEOGOV’s
Attract, you can automatically or manually invite
past candidates to apply for new job openings.
Figure 9
Top Sources for Government Job Seekers
Source: June 2023 survey of 850+ job seekers
on GovernmentJobs.com
60% 80%40%20%0
Online
Job Boards
GovernmentJobs.com
LinkedIn
Employer
Career Pages
Social
Connections
Job Fairs
Recruiting
Agency
Industry
Conferences
60%
54%
25%
19%
2%
2%
0%
7%
Percent of Respondents
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Key Takeaways
By promoting the things applicants care about, you can better attract top talent. To do so, start highlighting these factors on your careers page and job descriptions: benefits, job security, meaningful work, work-life balance, and career growth opportunities.
Figure 10
Top Factors for Choosing One Job Over Another
Source: June 2023 survey of 850+ job seekers on GovernmentJobs.com 40%
60%
20%
0%
Benefits Salary Job
Security
Meaningful
Work
Work
Culture
Career
Growth
Remote
Work
Job
Location
Flexible
Work
Percent of Respondents
58%
53%
30%
18%
22%
13%15%
11%
8% 7% 7%
3%
JOB APPEAL
What makes government jobs most appealing to candidates? 53% of HR professionals said competitive salaries, 27% said work-life balance, and 6% listed better benefits as the most important factors. Let’s explore how these results compare to our job seeker survey.
According to 850+ current job seekers on GovernmentJobs.com, “benefits” was the most important factor for choosing one job over another (58%). Salary and job security were also top factors.
These results contradict the assumptions of many HR professionals that salary matters most. Only 6% of HR professionals thought candidates cared most about benefits, but 58% of job seekers listed it as a top deciding factor.
While “work-life balance” wasn’t a specific option in this survey question, several options do fall under the work- life category: remote work, flexible work hours, commuting time, predictable schedules, and family-friendly policies. If you add them up, those responses total 38%, implying that job seekers may care more about work- life balance than HR professionals assume (27%).
Predictable
Schedule
Commute
Time
Family-
Friendly
Policies
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PREFERRED BENEFITS
Government job seekers care most about benefits,
according to 58% of our survey respondents. It’s the
number one factor compelling them to choose one job
over another. But what benefits are most important?
Job seekers have a clear preference for benefits
related to work-life balance. Figure 11 shows they
prefer flexible work hours (42%), remote work
options (39%), and four-day work weeks (32%).
The goal of this survey question was to highlight
less traditional benefits. Understandably, “other”
responses included pensions, health insurance,
retirement plans, and 401k match. Providing these
traditional benefits is table stakes – all public
sector agencies provide them to some degree. But
finding benefits that differentiate your agency
from others will make your jobs more competitive
in the applicant market
Key Takeaways
By providing and promoting benefits that
differentiate your agency from others, your jobs
will become more competitive in the applicant
market. The top three benefits in Figure 8 are
a good place to start. Of course, the stipulation
for each of these is that employees continue to
complete their work on time.
• Flexible work hours: Make your jobs more
about getting work done and less about
working a strict 9–5 schedule. For example,
give employees the freedom to schedule
an appointment during working hours, or
restructure public-facing jobs to make them
more flexible. Split a job into morning and
afternoon shifts, covered by two part-time
workers.
• Remote work: Let employees work remotely
a certain number of days per week (i.e.
Monday and Friday).
• Four-day work weeks: Four day work
weeks have numerous benefits. The idea is
that employees find ways to cut waste and
work more efficiently. Instead of a 4-8 (four
days a week, eight hours a day), you could
also implement 4-10s or 4-9s.
Figure 11
Preferred Benefits in Government Jobs
Source: June 2023 survey of 850+ job seekers
on GovernmentJobs.com
60%40%20%0
Flexible Work Hours
Remote Work Options
Four Day Work Weeks
Extra Vacation Days
Performance Pay
Potential Bonuses
Other
Tuition Reimbursement
42%
39%
32%
22%
10%
13%
9%
14%
Percent of Respondents
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HIRING PROCESSES
The number of applicants per government job has decreased by 52% since 2020. When top talent does enter your hiring pipeline, you need to capitalize on it. This starts with creating a positive candidate experience. Let’s explore three specific areas of the candidate experience – what job seekers prefer when it comes to applications, hiring timelines, and communication.
In our job seeker survey, respondents shared their best and worst experiences applying for public sector jobs.
Here are some of the most informative and helpful responses:
Best Experience Worst Experience
The application was simple and easy to understand.
Lots of communication which is greatly appreciated.
The application process is outdated and the hiring
process takes months (with minimal contact).
Fairness in the hiring process, due to multiple
people being present during an interview.
A single interview and one person determined
the outcome.
I received a notification of receipt of resume and
notification of rejection.
Not hearing back and not hearing the reason for
not getting the job.
The job salary, benefits, and clear minimum
qualifications were clearly outlined.
Long wait times to hear back, to the point of
needing to move on to other opportunities.
The application status on GovernmentJobs.com was
very helpful. Also, the follow up emails for testing
and interview reminders.
The length of time between applying, interview,
paperwork, etc. This is long and only works if you
have another job while waiting.
Being able to use one account and one website
to search and apply for different local government
jobs. I don’t have to re-enter my info for each
application.
Answering a ton of supplemental questions,
particularly about work experience, that has
already been covered in my resume and the work
history sections of online applications.
The government jobs system allowed me to search,
save, apply and track progress of all the jobs I applied for. It shows when the job was posted and when it
expires. Easy way to navigate open positions.
The long delay in responses to applications.
Also, the exactitude with which requirements
were specified. I think it costs you some
great candidates who can't exactly match the
experience but are capable of the work.
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Job seekers desire timely communication – 73%
of respondents preferred a response within
2–4 weeks of submitting an application. This
is perceived as a reasonable amount of time
for HR and hiring managers to review their
application and follow up with next steps. While
only accounting for 10% of responses, “other”
answers ranged from three weeks to “as long as
it takes” (Figure 12).
Based on their positive and negative experiences
applying for jobs, our surveyees shared the
best ways to improve the public sector hiring
process. A whopping 40% desired faster
hiring processes, 17% wanted honest feedback
if not selected, and 16% desired frequent
communication. A lot of “other” responses in
Figure 13 included “all of the above.”
Key Takeaways
Job seekers’ best and worst experiences
revolve around the application process,
level of communication, and hiring timeline.
By improving in these areas, you give every
candidate a positive experience with your
agency, which leads to positive feedback
and a stronger reputation in the applicant
market. Here are five ways to get started:
• Respond to job seekers within 2–4 weeks
of their application submission.
• Provide honest feedback to applicants if
they’re not selected so they can become
a more successful candidate for you in
the future.
• Consider applicants without government
experience if they have private sector
experience in the same field
• Remember talented applicants for future
vacancies if they’re not qualified for the
current job posting.
• Post jobs on GovernmentJobs.com and
other online job boards that simplify the
job search and application process.
Figure 12
Time Willing to Wait for Response After
Submitting an Application
Source: June 2023 survey of 850+ job seekers
on GovernmentJobs.com
Figure 13
Best Ways to Improve Public Sector
Application / Hiring Process
Source: June 2023 survey of 850+ job seekers
on GovernmentJobs.com
40%
40%
60%
60%
20%
20%
0 0
1 Week
2 Weeks
1 Month
Other
Faster Hiring
Processes
Honest Feedback
if Not Chosen
Frequent
Communication
Accurate Job
Descriptions
Visibility in
Application Status
Better Branding
on Career Pages
Other
17%
40%
43%
17%
30%
16%
10%
14%
6%
2%
5%
Percent of Respondents
Percent of Respondents
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JOB DESCRIPTION
Job descriptions are often the first impression of
your agency. If you want qualified candidates to
apply, you need to include the right information.
Many government job descriptions are too long,
overly detailed, and outdated. They are focused
on describing the position, not appealing to the
job seeker.
“THE [JOB] DESCRIPTIONS COVER
EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK
WITHOUT GIVING A GOOD IDEA ON WHAT
AN ACTUAL WORKDAY IS LIKE. EVERY JOB
SEEMS TO REQUIRE DIRECT EXPERIENCE,
EVEN ENTRY LEVEL, WHICH DISCOURAGES
APPLICANTS LOOKING TO SWITCH
INDUSTRIES.”
– JOB SEEKER SURVEY RESPONSE
There are several key elements that make a
description more appealing. 66% of government
applicants said salary and benefits would improve
a job description. An accurate description of
responsibilities and career growth opportunities
were also super important. By including these
elements in your job postings (and others from
Figure 14), candidates will be more likely to apply
to your job.
Key Takeaways
Write your job descriptions with your job seeker
in mind. Do this by leading with the benefits
of working for your organization. Include the
salary range, benefits, work-life balance, and
career growth opportunities.
Job descriptions should showcase your agency
culture, values, and mission, so potential
candidates know how they can contribute and
thrive. Highlighting growth and advancement
opportunities helps candidates imagine their
future with your agency.
Figure 14
Most Appealing Elements of a Job Description
Source: June 2023 survey of 850+ job seekers
on GovernmentJobs.com
80%40% 60%20%0
Salary Range
& Benefits
Accurate Description
of Responsibilities
Career Growth
Opportunities
Work Culture
Information
Agency Mission
& Values
Commitment
to DEI
Other
66%
51%
25%
10%
4%
5%
8%
Percent of Respondents
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The public sector job market is in a cycle of turnover and burnout. Is your agency ready to break the cycle? A good place to start is the key takeaways listed in this report.
HR leaders sometimes assume what government job seekers desire (competitive salaries), but it’s important to understand what candidates actually want (benefits). By providing it and promoting it in your recruitment efforts, you can start attracting and retaining top talent.
NEOGOV’s Insight (applicant tracking system) and Attract (candidate relationship manager) can help you source, attract, and hire qualified candidates more effectively. Designed for public sector HR, these tools save time and resources, helping you accomplish more with less. To learn how NEOGOV’s HR software can help your agency, sign up for a no-obligation consultation today.
NEOGOV serves public sector HR with a comprehensive suite of solutions for recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee development, and more. We are proud to serve the people who serve the people.
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Public Sector Agencies
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People Use NEOGOV
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