As I arranage the furniture in my new home, I can’t help but look back over the past 2 years spent posting on The Recruiting Front Lines on Blogger.  For most of that time, I spent a great deal of my effort managing our marketing and education events for the sites of JobsInTheUS.  During that time, we launched sites for AL, MS, and LA, and in 2008 attended more than 250 events across 7 states. Through this activity, we keep our feet on the ground and our fingers on the pulse of the employment markets we serve.  Personally, it was an amazing opportunity to learn first hand the fears and hopes of job seekers, and the frustrations and successes of employers.  We were able to establish ourselves as the number one recruitment resource in our markets, and had the best connection with our local markets in the industry.  I’m very proud of what we accomplished, and excited as we continue to deepen our relationships with employers, job seekers, and educational institutions.

In my new capacity, I am now focused much more on surveying the internet employment advertising market, developing strategic partnerships, and building new revenue streams for our sites.  This is another evolution of my work with JobsInTheUS, though I continue to be grounded in the education and outreach programs.  Recently, I agreed to become a monthly columnist for the New Hampshire Business Review, writing a regular article on the labor market for employers, and I continue to work on the board of the Granite State HR Conference.  This year, I have also been working hard at building our company’s curriculum of HR-focused content, developing 4 webinar programs that have been accredited by HRCI, and wrapping up 2 more.

As my company works to broaden our reach and increase our value to both job seekers and employers, we will continue to focus on building real, relevant, and timely programs.  Our focus will remain unchanged, as we work to help job seekers find and land their next great job, and help employers attract the very best candidates for every position, every time.

That being said, through this blog, I will be sharing not only my experiences related to the front lines of the labor market, but also my activity as I work with new partners, develop new programs, and build new and lasting relationships with strategic partners.  I hope to write compelling content that will provide both advice and best practices, and a unique perspective of the employment market.

Thanks for taking a look, please come back often and share this address with friends!

We’re now working with CareerTV to provide video advice for job seekers- check out the video below:

Why would you want to keep a two billion dollar industry a secret? I hope the answer is that no one would want to, but that sometimes these things happen. The aerospace and aviation industry represents a two billion dollar piece of the Vermont economy, and employs thousands of Vermont residents…who knew.

Part of my job as Director of Business Development with JobsInTheUS is to identify and develop strategic partnerships with key organizations to support our state-specific recruitment resources for employers and job seekers. The vast majority of hires that any company makes over the course of a year is from a local candidate. That is, businesses will only pay relocation costs for a very, very small percentage of hires made. With our business model focused on the local market, these partnerships are one way to ensure we’re promoting great businesses to job seekers across the states we serve.

Recently, we reached out to the Vermont State Chamber of Commerce to find out if there would be an opportunity for a strategic partnership. Thanks in large part to the vision and drive of Chris Carrigan, VP of Business Development for chamber, we have created a powerful and engaging relationship to support specific industry sectors across Vermont. One of these is the newly formed Vermont Aerospace and Aviation Association. Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie developed this organization in partnership with the chamber with a mission to help build awareness of the amazing business and employment opportunities that Vermont has to offer. Dubie was raised outside of Burlington, earned is BS in Mechanical Engineering at UVM, was a fighter pilot in the Air Guard, and worked for Goodrich Aerospace in Vergennes, VT. Clearly, this is the right man with the right perspective to move this mission forward.

JobsInVT came in to the picture to support the workforce development side of this mission, and to provide the exposure for the great employment opportunities in this growing sector in the state. A customized job portal has been created for the VAAA, giving job seekers access to the job openings available within their membership. At the open house on June 18, I was asked to speak to the membership, and was slotted just after the general manager of Goodrich and the chief engineer from Sikorsky- not bad company. I felt compelled to drive home the importance of self promotion within the industry to help build awareness of the great businesses across the state. While most people are aware of Goodrich and Sikorsky, who know much about Aviatron, Mansfield Helifight, or Vibration Solutions? These are just a few of the high paying, dependable, forward thinking employers based in VT who support international aviation and aerospace giants.

Like the national economy, regional economies are dependant upon confidence in the market place. I urged these businesses to be bold in their self promotion, vocal in their small successes, and active in their community. I’ve spoken with numerous lifelong Vermont residents who had no idea how large or how viable this sector was in their state. A state that has deftly built a reputation as a dairy capital of the world, as a maple syrup mecca, and as a land of lush mountains for recreation. Through our work with the Vermont Aerospace and Aviation Association and the VT Chamber, we hope to help build the awareness of this sector, and promote the excellent high-paying, future-oriented careers that are a key to Vermont’s future.

The hospitality industry has historically seen one of the highest turnover rates of any industry. While a large part of this is due to the seasonality of many businesses, a lack of attention to the hiring process is also a major factor. The hard truth is that this turnover affects your bottom line- whether through cost of running job ads, overtime paid to cover the missing staff, or lost revenue caused by diminished quality. This last issue, quality, is perhaps the most important of all. From front desk, wait staff, and bellhops, to banquet managers, sales managers, and spa staff, every interaction your employees have with a customer or guest affects their view of your quality, and therefore your value. High turnover can sour your employee engagement company wide.

An employee’s attitude can have the single biggest affect on a patron’s decision to return or to recommend your business to others. Because of that, making good hiring decisions- employees who fit into your culture and care about your business- is a critical factor of your success. And it’s a factor that most often gets the least attention. The fact of the matter is that you really CAN make better hires with just a little effort and focus on specific details. Here are some very basic tips to help you make better hires for every position in your business:

1. Identify and Define Your Unique Workplace Culture. Are your staff all business, or are they like a family? Do your employees really appreciate any specific benefits or perks that are unique to you? Do you always try to hire from within? Are you a group of perfectionists? Do you have a competitive workplace, or are you supportive of each other?
2. Communicate Your Culture In Your Job Ads. Remember, every new hire will have to work within your current staff. Retention of new hires is directly impacted by how comfortable they feel in your workplace. To attract a better fit, include copy about your culture and work environment so that you’ll attract people who want to be part of your company, and aren’t just looking for a job.
3. Engage Candidates During the Interview. When interviewing candidates, paint a very vivid and real picture of your culture and your expectations. Clearly relate how this person’s position fits into the business, and the importance of having the right person in that role. Provide a brief history of the business- the good, the bad, and the ugly- to build the candidates understanding of who you are.
4. Focus on Soft Skills! It is much easier to identify hard skills than soft skills. Many hiring manager fall into the trap of hiring by matching hard skills to the needs of the job. That is, when hiring a dishwasher, the focus is on dishwashing or Hobart experience; when hiring a banquet coordinator, the emphasis has been on event experience. You will have greater success in your hiring by focusing on soft skills and fit. If you can hire people that are motivated to work for you, and will fit into your culture, training them on your processes is easy. Trying to train someone who has the right hard skills to fit into your culture and care about your business is much more difficult.

Using an online recruitment resource provides you with two major benefits over a sign in your window or print advertising. First, it delivers your message to a much larger audience of people who are actively searching for jobs in your area and industry. Second, you have much more space to write up your job ad to attract better candidates, and unlike print, there’s no additional cost for larger ads or more color. In fact, it really is up to you to raise the bar for candidates. Set your expectations higher, and promote why the best available talent should work for you.

Dealing with careless, thoughtless, or unmotivated employees is a headache. Thankfully, this is a headache that you have the power to heal. While it may not seem so, there ARE great candidates out there who will become your next great employees. Make an effort to attract a higher quality, and make that headache a thing of the past!

That’s the view from the Recruiting Front Lines.

jason

JobsInVT.com Partners With the Vermont Chamber of Commerce
Vermont’s #1 Recruitment Resource Forms Strategic Partnership With State’s Largest Chamber of Commerce, Offering High Growth Industry Portals, Discounts and Webinars to Members

BURLINGTON, VT–(MARKET WIRE)–Apr 30, 2009 — JobsInVT.com, Vermont’s leading recruitment resource, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, giving the 1,300 member companies access to the best employment advertising resource in the state at a significant discount, plus high growth industry portal links to key industry sectors.

“In partnership with JobsInVT.com, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce is promoting jobs that exist in the high-growth sectors of Vermont’s economy. As we look ahead, it will be important to grow and promote those sectors that will create the jobs of tomorrow,” said Chris Carrigan, VP Business Development, Vermont Chamber of Commerce. “The tailored job portals with JobsInVT.com will help to accomplish this.”

Vermont Chamber of Commerce members will have access to JobsInVT’s monthly employment snapshots and industry leading online seminars on recruiting and employment branding.

“Local partnerships are key to our business as we continue to connect great Vermont businesses with the best local candidates,” said JobsInVT’s Director of Business Development, Jason C. Blais. “The Vermont Chamber is leading the way in promoting business opportunities within the state, and this will be a natural and mutually beneficial relationship.”

The strategic partnership was developed under the JiVT Connects program, building local partnerships to reinforce JobsInVT’s connection with Vermont’s employment market. For more information about this program, please contact Jason C. Blais, at jblais@jobsinvt.com, or toll free at 877-374-1088 ext 2069.

JobsInVT.com, launched in 2002, hosts 160,000 unique visits monthly, generating more than 800,000 page views every month, and provides job seekers with access to more Vermont based career opportunities than any other resource.
Contact:

Contact:
Steve Dodge
Director of Marketing and Sales
JobsInVT.com
Email Contact
877-374-1274

First, a word of thanks to the MaineHR Cafe for giving me this great idea. You can see the MaineHR Cafe elevator pitch by clicking here. As I read that recently, I was reminded that it’s important to routinely share the motivation, purpose, and hopes associated with a blog to let help new visitors and subscribers understand the intended perspective.

Here’s a go at why I write the Recruiting Front Lines, and why you might care to read it or subscribe:

For than a decade I have have worked in marketing, sales, and advertising for media companies. In January of 2004, I joined JobsInTheUS.com, the umbrella of state-specific recruitment resources which now includes the leading resources (most job postings, events, and in-state traffic) in ME, NH, VT, and RI, along with growing presence in AL, CT, LA, MA, MS, NY, and PA.

Starting in 2005, I was charged with building and managing a field marketing program that was focused on reinforcing our local focus by engaging job seekers and employers in the community. Through this activity, we have presented workshops at career centers and colleges, developed HRCI-accredited seminars and webinars for employers, promoted our brand at festivals, trade shows, and job fairs across our markets. Last year alone, we exhibited at more than 250 events in New England and the Gulf Coast.

While I captured a significant amount of market data for use in our sales and marketing, I had no outlet to share the qualitative information I was getting from front line managers, HR admins, job seekers, career counselors, and business owners. I started the Recruiting Front Lines as a way to record and share the stories, news, and trends that I was hearing first hand from both seekers and employers.

Over the past year, I have become much more involved in the HR community, and have found myself building a focus on employment branding, social media for HR, staffing management, and other recruiting/hr focused issues. I still attend many events, and continue to broaden my awareness and knowledge of the labor market from those most closely and directly affected by it every day.

Okay, so I’ve never been one to be pithy or short on words. I hope this provides a good view of why I write and why I do what I do. Please feel free to visit often or subscribe to my feeds. If you know of someone who would be interested in following along, please share the link.

Best Regards,

Jason

Just getting out ahead of the curve a bit on this one. My firm will be releasing the following press release shortly. Amazingly, while job seeker traffic is at record highs, there has also been growth in online job postings for two consecutive months

New England’s #1 Recruitment Resource shows record growth in monthly traffic and job postings.

Westbrook, ME. April, 3 2009— For 10 years the JobsinTheUS.com (JiUS) network of state specific, online recruitment resources has helped hundreds of thousands of local jobseekers find the best local jobs. With its latest trend numbers just released, New England’s recruiting experts are beginning to see some very positive signs.

With the largest applicant pool in years, and jobseekers aggressively looking for the best local employment opportunities, the JiUS network recorded nearly 1.8 million visits in March. This represents a 13% growth over February 2009 and, is one of the single largest months in the company’s history.

Job losses may still be on the rise but local employers posted nearly 8,000 open positions on the JiUS network in March. This marks a 10% increase over February and is the second consecutive month of growth in this very important statistic.

“We only allow job postings from legitimate, in-state employers, so the increase in postings is truly reflective of the increase in actual employment opportunities.” said Jason C. Blais, Director of Business Development.

He added, “What this tells us is that the confidence among employers is growing. For the past few months, many businesses were holding their breath. Two consecutive months of growth in online postings indicates that employers are beginning to collectively exhale and get back to the business of doing business”

Blais advises businesses regularly on the importance of staying out in front of jobseekers.

“During this transition, businesses that have operated conscientiously and have remained focused on their brand will have a significant advantage in attracting top talent. In fact, from the job seekers perspective, companies that are hiring during this transition period must be doing something right.” He said.

JiUS has been operating state specific job internet sites since 1999 and remains at the forefront of the industry through innovation, solid sales, distinguished marketing techniques and there-when-you-need-us customer service.

The JiUS network of state specific resources includes JobsinME.com, JobsinNH.com, JobsinVT.com and JobsinRI.com

Contact:

Steve Dodge,

Director of Marketing and Sales

JobsintheUS.com

207-591-6259

sdodge@jobsintheus.com

A few weeks back, my company agreed to a proposal I put forth to offer free job hunting workshops on-site at companies that are forced to lay people off this year. We’ve been offering this content at state agencies and college career centers across New England for almost 5 years now.

With the economy affecting so many businesses, we thought it would be a good opportunity to do good, and offer assistance to those in need. Additionally, we’ve seen a real lack of quality, informed, and up-to-date information being provided by other programs. Of course, there’s no doubt it provides our business with good PR and an opportunity to stay visible despite a sluggish job market.

Within the first couple days of sending out the offer to businesses, I received nearly two dozen requests for more information. To date, we now have 4 on-site workshops scheduled in the next couple weeks. Today, I presented the first at a local insurance company. This company had decided to close it’s Maine site, to consolidate operations on the west coast. As a result, around 100 experienced insurance employees are now looking for new work… and there just aren’t so many insurance jobs to be had. So what now?

I am very grateful for the opportunity to utilize my skills in an effort to help people find success during such a difficult transition. There seemed to be good enthusiasm, considering the circumstances, and a general attitude of moving forward. I spoke to three groups, totaling around 75 employees, and most were considering seeking out completely new opportunities in new areas. One of the keys to my presentation is to establish a good rapport with the group, and do my best to steer them toward being open to new opportunities. When faced with such a disruptive force as a layoff, it can be terribly difficult to remain positive and open to opportunities. But, of course, without a good frame of mind, it’s difficult to move forward.

I go out of my way to reinforce that the first step to finding a great new job is self analysis. From my experience and perspective, I believe that success in the job hunt is related to the amount of time and effort put in to identifying exactly what you want and focusing your search on the best potential career matches, based on core values, mission, vision, and skills required. While some people advise that it’s best to send out 50 resumes a week every week, I try to steer people toward narrowing down their search, and customizing their effort for each company they apply to. In fact, I advised that no one should ever send out the exact same version of their resume twice!

The idea that hr professionals and recruiters are focused more than ever on fit and culture can be news to job seekers. I spend a great deal of time during the workshop to beat folks over the head with this idea. As a hiring manager, I want to know that you want to be part of my company, and that you’ll be a good fit. Fit leads to retention, reducing turnover costs, and increasing productivity and profitability over the long term. With that understanding, it’s vital that you seek out opportunities that you believe will be a good fit between the core values, mission, and vision of you and the company you’re seeking employment with.

Overall, I believe it was a very good day, and hope that some piece of information I shared today will help these good people as they head out on their next exciting adventure.

Set sail even though your friends stay in harbour. Know the route, know the soundness of your ship and the favour of the day
-Miyamoto Musashi, A Book Of Five Rings.

I’m happy to report that here at JobsInTheUS, we are moving in the right direction…. at least, I think so. I recently accepted a new role, or a slightly modified version of my previous roles, as the Director of Business Development. -that’s not why I think we’re moving in the right direction, though, of course, promoting me is the sign of a very intelligent business ;0).

In this new capacity, I’ll be focusing on developing our brand and identifying new revenue streams. While many in our industry have taken the easy step for short term revenue gain- charging job seekers in some fashion or another-, we have remained focused on our long term prosperity and stability.

(Believe it or not, my writing this is truly just a strange coincidence of timing with the philosophy and message put forth by President Obama in his Address to Congress, which is really just sound business practice.)

We believe that counsel, confidence, and content are the most important things we can give to both job seekers and employers right now, and that through those efforts, we will maintain and grow our brand loyalty and remain the premier recruiting resource in the markets we serve.

My new role is one example of how we’re backing up our brand promise with actual business practices. I have been a member of SHRM for 5 years now, am an active member of the Greater Monadnock SHRM chapter that meets in Keene, NH, and the HR Management Association of Central Massachusetts, and currently sit on the board for the Granite State HR Conference as the Information Management Chair. Over the past 4 years I have written and delivered numerous HR Certified internet recruiting seminars to employers in person across New England and New York, and via webinar to HR professionals across North America and Europe. During the past couple years, my focus has been on our Outreach and Education programs, providing PR, Marketing, and Sales support to our company, through experiential campaigns. These include exhibition at over 200 career oriented events in 2008, participation in B2B expos, and partnership development with trade associations and chambers of commerce. In addition, through this program, we presented dozens of Internet Job Hunting workshops directly to groups of job seekers through college career centers and state agencies.

As a company, my appointment as the Dir. of Business Development shows our commitment to growing our business through increased connection to our local markets, as opposed to selling more meaningless content on our web space or merely finding ways to capture revenue from job seekers. We have thoughtfully determined that our long term value and stability is based squarely on our ability to provide the best service to our customers, both employers and job seekers, and continue to establish our presence as thought-leaders in the world of recruiting and staffing management.

While we will continue to grow our base, developing our platform to connect the best in-state candidates with real in-state job opportunities, we will also expand to offer greater support to both job seekers and employers. Since 2004, we have hosted more real, in-state jobs in Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire than any other resource available, generating real content that attracts large numbers of the local job seekers. We have also successfully launched new markets in NY, CT, PA, LA, MS, and AL.

I’m proud of the brand loyalty and integrity we’ve established, but am even more proud of our continued decision to build on our success in thoughtful and valuable ways. I recently attended an HR meeting presented by the Central RI Chamber of Commerce which we sponsored. One of our long standing clients went out of her way to share with me that while they’ll be cutting many of their recruitment advertising methods, they will continue to use JobsInRI. She continued to explain that they realize the best value from our site, and that the support that we give through our participation in the community and the expertise given by our Recruitment Specialists is unparalleled.

We take the responsibility of providing value to the employers that advertise with us very seriously- and will continue to develop the counsel, confidence, and content we provide to help businesses make great hires. We also take great care in our engagement with the job seekers who rely on our service to find career opportunities, and will continue to develop the counsel, confidence, and content they need to find their next great career.

Because of this dedication to provide value, knowledge, and positive experiences in our markets, we believe the future is bright.

Set sail even though your friends stay in harbour. Know the route, know the soundness of your ship and the favour of the day.

Thanks to all of those who have utilized our resource over the years. We hope we can continue to meet your expectations and provide you with valuable counsel, confidence, and content.

Best Regards,

Jason C. Blais