Ashton Carter’s recruitment push: ‘Give us a try’

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter urged innovators Thursday to just give a job at the Defense Department a try, knowing that they can return to the civilian sector after, as part of a new push to recruit the best cyber and tech staff.

“That’s what we’re trying to do, ask people to give us a try, even if just for a time,” Mr. Carter said in a speech at Stanford University as part of a trip to Silicon Valley. “Be a part of something bigger than yourself, something that really matters.”

Mr. Carter is touting his trip to Silicon Valley — the first by a defense secretary in almost 20 years — as a start to rebuilding a partnership between the Defense Department and private technology companies in an effort to share best practices, innovative thinking and top-notch people.

In his speech, he focused more on recruitment of the best talent to work on a single project and then leave versus retaining those employees throughout the length of a career.

Mr. Carter said the government needs to offer employees — especially younger workers in the cyber field — more choice, movement and flexibility in their career.

“People don’t want to be tied down. Kids don’t want to get into something for their entire career,’ he said. “We have to be part of that or we’re not going to be a part of the generation that’s going to make us successful in the future.”

Mr. Carter previously said he’d like to give military rank for experience in the civilian realm to draw in mid-career cyber professionals who may be interested in a military career but aren’t willing to start as an E-1 or O-1.

Mr. Carter acknowledged that a wall had been built up between the private technological community and the Defense Department and said he’s working to “drill holes” in that wall to allow people to come to the government for a couple years or for a particular project and then go back.

“We need to make that more permeable, otherwise we’re not consistent with the ways people are thinking about their careers these days, particularly scientific people. They want to be challenged,” he said.

Despite that, he thinks innovators will be hooked on government work once they realize how “exciting and deeply important” it is to play a role in defending the security of the country.

“We’re never going to be able to pay the way the private sector does, but the mission is compelling,” he said. “I’m confident that the mission by itself will do the trick.”