WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Forest Service recently attended the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences annual conference to virtually recruit highly skilled, diverse candidates into a variety of jobs.

MANRRS is a national society that welcomes members of all racial and ethnic groups and provides opportunities to minorities in agricultural and related science fields. The organization acts as a springboard for entry into and advancement in careers where many professionals are otherwise lost in the sheer number of applicants or lack the established connections of mainstream candidates.

In April, the Strategic Recruitment & Hiring branch of Human Resources Management, in partnership with Region 8 recruiters, collectively advertised developmental position vacancies for natural resources specialists, civil engineers, realty specialists, budget analysts, administrative assistants and forestry technicians in an effort to increase the depth and diversity of applicant pools.

“The MANRRS conference was a great opportunity for the Forest Service to fill a variety of positions with top talent,” said Kelly De Hoyos, national recruiter for the Forest Service. “This year, the conference was virtual and attendees had a lot of great sessions and booths to visit, including ours! Our booth offered a space to connect with Forest Service recruiters, as well as many helpful resources.”

Recruiting in a virtual space presents both challenges and opportunities, requiring vital collaboration between Forest Service national hiring and recruitment teams, regional recruiters and MANRRS leadership. National recruiters conducted a series of comprehensive webinars that covered the basics of federal resume writing and how to apply on USAJOBS. On-demand educational workshops about the agency were also recorded and accessible throughout the conference. Additionally, a diverse team of Forest Service employees staffed a networking lounge and virtual career fair as part of the conference schedule.

“MANRRS is an amazing organization,” said Sylvia Staples, recruiter for Region 8. “I have been able to recruit top diverse candidates and network with other young minority professionals like myself.”

To learn more about upcoming job vacancies and hiring events, please visit our jobs webpage.