What a year 2021 was for The Job Post! It began in the midst of the COVID epidemic with only essential workers actually working on site and everyone else either on furlough or working remotely. It ended up for us in a whirlwind frenzy as we continued to process applications and match the right people to the right jobs. Here is a more detailed summary of our year:
COVID continued to cause havoc in the working world in much of 2021
- Employees were hesitant to come to work and employers did all they could to make work a safe place.
- Unemployment benefits were extended several times, and the government added more funds to the normal unemployment. This was desperately needed for some families, while for others it made it more inviting to stay on unemployment than to go back to work.
- Much of our hiring process changed from in-person to remote: applications, interviews, and even hiring itself.
We welcomed two new key employees
In April, Brian Spyke began working officially for Guiding Light as Director of Finance and Administration but ended up filling in as Director at The Job Post until a replacement was found. Brian grabbed the reins and learned about both The Job Post and digital marketing with fervor. He continues his involvement at both Guiding Light and The Job Post in his finance and administration role.
In August, April Harrell began working as Director of Talent Placement for The Job Post. She hit the ground running here, making decisions that more than tripled the number of applicants at a time they were in short supply. Now she’s implementing contests and incentives to continue attracting good workers. We’re so happy to have April on board and look forward to what she’ll bring next year!
Ensuring Brian and April learned the ropes and kept our applicants, employees, and employers well taken care of during this tumultuous year was none other than yours truly, Jeremy Hasty. As Talent Placement Specialist at The Job Post, nearly every candidate and employee knows me and I work very hard to earn their trust. Hopefully, I’ve succeeded in doing that!
Our office was relocated back to Guiding Light where we originally began
While The Job Post’s Hall St. office served its purpose when the Guiding Light building was housing homeless, COVID-infected individuals, that need has passed. During our time there, we also noticed that the distance from our roots on Division was a deterrent when attracting more job applicants. The decision was unanimous that we move back into the same offices as Guiding Light, so in September we did just that. It’s great to be back!
New features for job applicants and employers
- Our website continues to expand, thanks to our marketing team. A new section was added that lists our job openings and allows filters based on shift, experience level, lifting requirements, and more.
- Submitting job applications online is streamlined, faster, and more automated now. The get hired form was updated to ask only the most important questions–but no more.
- A JobAlert email was implemented to alert applicants about the latest job posts. This is normally sent on the first Tuesday of the month but if we have any particularly hot opportunities, we’ll send them out sooner. Be sure to sign up for JobAlerts to receive the emails if you’re not on the list already.
- We implemented a new requirement that employers pay a liveable wage of at least $15 per hour. With the cost of living increasing and our applicants working to make ends meet, they deserve a wage they can live on.
- A new FAQ web page was created. This answers questions most frequently asked by employers that are considering The Job Post to help with their staffing needs.
- Sign-on bonuses from $250 to $1,000 were implemented for many jobs.
- A particularly moving employee case study documents Jennifer Frazer’s experience with a felony, how The Job Post helped her secure the job she really wanted, and her journey toward recovery.
We are so very grateful for another year of living out our mission to put people back to work, remove barriers that prevent them from getting a job, and attribute our proceeds to Guiding Light to sustain their programs. How blessed we are!
