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Recruiters At UM Say They're Looking For Talent And Ready To Hire

Recruiters At UM Say They're Looking For Talent And Ready To Hire
flickr user Neetal Parekh (CC-BY-NC-2)
Recruiters At UM Say They're Looking For Talent And Ready To Hire

Recruiters representing over 70 employers from across the region visited the University of Montana this week. They were interviewing students for jobs and internships. According to Steve Arveschoug of Big Sky Economic Development, there’s no shortage of good jobs available right now in the Billings area."We have significant opportunities in healthcare, in financial services, all three of our refineries have needs for not only summer work, but turn-around work and engineers and other things," Arveschoug says. "We’re a vibrant, diverse economy, and we’re looking for talent."

Arveschoug represents a Yellowstone County group called BillingsWorks. That’s an initiative to bolster the local workforce. He says that in Yellowstone County alone over the over next decade:

"We’re going to retire 24,000 workers. Then we’ll have job growth of about 8,500 additional positions to fill over that same decade. So, we have economic growth but we also have retirement."

That’s 32,500 jobs expected to open up in the Billings area over the next ten years. Arveschoug says Montana companies need skilled workers and are aggressively competing for them.

"Every employer is looking at how can I make my workplace more employable? How can I attract young, bright talent? What do we need to do culturally, financially? Things like time-off and all those kinds of elements that make up a workplace," says Arveschoug. "I think all of our employers are re-evaluating that almost on a daily, weekly basis."

UM Senior Philomena Lloyd is an example of that ‘bright, young talent’ that Arveschoug is talking about. Lloyd is a chemistry major with a double minor in math and physics. She wants to be an analyst in either the environmental or health care fields.

"It’s been a little hard finding jobs mostly because there aren’t many state and federal jobs available right now," says Lloyd. "Those are most of the positions available in my field. I have gotten a few interviews so far, so I’m not too worried."

At least one national financial services representative is impressed with the caliber of students he’s interviewed.

"Hi, I’m Mitch Everts. I’m a recruitment specialist with Northwestern Mutual. I think we generally see outstanding young students come out of the University of Montana."

Everts thinks he knows why UM has such a quality pool of potential recruits in Missoula.

"Because Missoula’s such a wonderful place to live it attracts professors who are incredibly talented and have been good mentors for the young students coming out of the school," says Everts.

But another recruiter was a little more reserved about the students he’s met.

"So far, it’s been slow. Students have been pretty great, but not a lot of business majors though; a lot of liberal arts majors," says Andrew Holm.

He’s a Denver-based sales manager for DISH Network. Holm is scouring regional campuses for students interested in summer sales positions.

"We go door-to-door. We knock on doors," says Holm. "It is very, very hard work, and a lot of people can’t do it."

The turnover rate is really high. Door-to-door sales is grinding work, and Holm says few college students stick around long enough to advance very far.

Andrew Holm: These days students want the perfect job, and they won’t settle for anything else.

Edward O'Brien: Not so willing to work up from the ground floor?

AH: Exactly. I think there’s a huge demand in our industry – sales – where there’s a huge demand for hungry, ambitious young people.

EB: Does DISH then have to sweeten the pot to attract quality recruits?

AH: Absolutely.

According to Holm that means paid vacations or signing bonuses ranging from $500 to $1000. He adds a talented, persistent college-age sales representative can earn upward of $28,000 for four months of summer work.

University of Montana student Catherine Roland seems to be looking for something a little more low key than door-to-door sales. She’s worked in the high-pressure food industry and says it didn’t suit her very well.

"Because it causes a lot of anxiety," Roland says. "People are really, really needy. I worked at a café, and during the summertime it would get really, really busy. That caused me a lot of stress. I’m trying to look for something a little less stressful."

Roland, a UM freshman has plenty of time to figure out a career that best suits her skills and temperament, but for now her needs are simple:

"Lookin’ for a job that pays good and is close to campus."
 

Edward O’Brien first landed at Montana Public Radio three decades ago as a news intern while attending the UM School of Journalism. He covers a wide range of stories from around the state.
edward.obrien@umt.edu.  
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