public com.google.protobuf.ByteString getDepartmentBytes() {
      java.lang.Object ref = department_;
      if (ref instanceof String) {
        com.google.protobuf.ByteString b =
            com.google.protobuf.ByteString.copyFromUtf8((java.lang.String) ref);
        department_ = b;
        return b;
      } else {
        return (com.google.protobuf.ByteString) ref;
      }
    }
<pre>
The department or functional area within the company with the open
position.

The maximum number of allowed characters is 255.
</pre>

<code>string department = 12;</code>

@return The bytes for department.
java-talent/proto-google-cloud-talent-v4beta1/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/talent/v4beta1/Job.java