Why We Serve: Joe Giordano
By: U.S. Digital Service
Tags: Engineering, Interview, Product Management, Civictech, Government

Why We Serve: Joe Giordano

In this series you’ll hear stories from USDSers and learn why they decided to join, why they stay, and how their work is making an impact for all Americans. U.S. Digital Service Follow Nov 24, 2020 · 4 min read

Joe Giordano (he/ him), Technical Recruiter @ USDS HQ. Previously Kforce. From Gainesville, FL.

What’s your background?

After college I found myself working as a technical recruiter, and instantly fell in love with the opportunity to make a living by building relationships and working with people to optimize their career paths. Recruiting is a profession that not many necessarily set out to follow, but it’s a great way to make an impact on people’s lives and is a very rewarding job. I worked for nearly four years at two recruiting agencies before joining USDS.

What inspired you to join USDS?

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t have any intention of ever leaving my previous job. But when a former colleague, now the USDS Director of Talent, reached out to me in early 2019, I was intrigued by this idea of a government agency that worked to improve various services that have such a huge impact on so many millions of lives across the United States. When I was told that the background and skillset I had in recruiting could be a part of that, I was hooked! It seemed like the perfect ability for my skillset to contribute to something that had a positive impact on the “greater good.”

I was intrigued by this idea of a government agency that worked to improve various services that have such a huge impact on so many millions of lives across the United States.

How does your work or the work of USDS make an impact?

I’m not an engineer, I can’t write a line of code. Nor am I a designer, or product manager, or any of the various types of people that USDS empowers to deliver better services for the American people through technology and design. But, I am the person who can find those people. I can introduce this great agency to them, and shepherd them through the interviews and onboarding process. In that way, the work I do can have an indirect impact on nearly every project in the USDS portfolio by ensuring that qualified people are available to perform this work.

What has been your biggest challenge?

I’ve been overseeing our Design Community’s hiring pipeline since we reopened it back in September after a brief pause. Prior to this, I had very little experience recruiting for and working with people coming from a background in user experience, product/service design, content strategy and the various other archetypes that make up that community. It was initially tough to articulate properly to people how their background might support our projects! But I quickly found out that one of the greatest things about USDS is the people, and the designers here in particular were incredibly supportive and took the time to help me understand not only their work, but how to be a more supportive recruiter and a better guide for the people interviewing and applying through that design pipeline.

What do you want to do after USDS?

I’d love to find a way to continue supporting organizations that have some kind of net benefit to the world. Whether it’s a government agency, or a non-profit, or a company with a focus on improving people’s lives.

What will you miss most about USDS when you leave?

It’s a bit cliché, but the people. USDS is a group of dynamic individuals united around a common goal and shared mission. It’s a privilege to work every day with so many incredibly talented and giving people.