Government Agency Recruits Via the Source Code of Its Web Page

By Alexis C. Madrigal

The Consumer Financial Protection is looking for a few good technology and design fellows to help them out. Where might they find ideal candidates? Perhaps in the pool of people who go to their website AND want to see the code behind the page. So, they inserted an advertisement for their fellowship program into the source for the site. This is, effectively, a hidden ad targeted only at the kind of nerds who "view source." Very clever.*

Check it out:

The ad says:

Hey! If you're viewing this, you should probably come work with us as a CFPB Design + Technology Fellow. Applications are now open for visual design, UX, frontend, and backend development! We <3 Python, Wordpress, and Adobe CS but we're open to using any set of tools or languages to get great things done. After orientation in DC, you can work from anywhere. Applications are closing soon.

Learn more and apply at:
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/jobs/design-technology-fellows/
Also, you can see more of our code at https://github.com/cfpb

* Yes, we are aware that the CFPB is not the first nor the only organization ever to make this move. But do you really expect this sort of move out of your government?

Via @rossk (who happens to work at the CFPB and may be responsible for this ad)

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/07/government-agency-recruits-via-the-source-code-of-its-web-page/259605/