Got Labor Issues? Go to the Source
Got Labor Issues? Go to the Source
“There are numerous untraditional ways to recruit,” explained Will Noonan, Human Resource Manager of Cascade Mfg Co in Cascade, Iowa. “Our recruiting efforts combine various activities in order to cover all bases and bring in a large number of people in a short amount of time.”
Noonan acts as business advisor to the Industrial Technology Department of a local high school, a position that has evolved into “one of the better learning activities for all parties,” he said. He meets with staff, student advisors and other industry professionals to discuss needs and trends, and he introduces students to soft workplace skills like working in teams and business etiquette.
“For the student advisors, it’s an excellent way for them to see firsthand what we would look for in a candidate,” Noonan said. “On our end, by providing our expertise, we have a chance to contribute to the curriculum, meet with students and further strengthen our relationship with the local high school.”
Developing relationships with students at the high school and community college level is standard practice for Cascade. On a local level, they’ve made presentations to a carpentry class for high school juniors and seniors and to a drafting class taught at the local community college. “We want to expose them to our industry and show them the types of jobs that are available to them,” said Mike Noonan, Cascade’s Vice President of Marketing. Over the years, they’ve even reached across state lines to present at high schools and community colleges throughout Iowa as well as in neighboring Wisconsin and Illinois.
“We post our positions internally at the same time we recruit externally,” explained Will. Cascade’s recruitment efforts include advertising entry-level positions on the company website and on local and regional job boards, participating in career fairs, posting openings on the state’s largest job bank, and using SBCA’s workforce development portal for high-level positions that require experience.
Cascade also goes an extra step, using Facebook and LinkedIn to reach out to potential candidates while promoting the company. “We take the extra time to cover all our bases,” said Will. “We don’t leave any stone unturned.”
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