People who visit the St. Joseph Chamber’s websites often have a common problem – getting the attention of prospective employers when they’re looking for a new job.
That’s why uncommonlife.info – which gives local companies a chance to showcase the area to prospective hires while also serving as a clearinghouse for people who want to know more about the town – has expanded its Job Center section to help people post their resume and find job search advice.
“It’s hard to navigate finding a job these days, online job hunting can be frustrating,” said Kristie Arthur, director of workforce development at the Chamber. “When visiting our job center, you’ll find opportunities from large and small employers as well as job hunting tips and other resources.”
The site also provides a place for job seekers to post a resume for employers to have quick access to those looking for a new role in the community.
The resume board gives a central location for HR departments to go to look for employees, as well as a place job-seekers can publicize their abilities. The Chamber will also go the extra mile to help people find jobs if they’re aware of a good fit.
“We can often times connect employers and job seekers by matching skills to job descriptions,” Arthur said.
Businesses rely on the Chamber to help them show prospective employees, such as relocating executives, all the St. Joseph area has to offer. For example, the Chamber has provided seminars to HR leaders in the area to make them aware of the Uncommon Life website, videos and other information that can help them explore St. Joseph online.
“We’re trying to make it easy for HR executives and recruiters to sell St. Joseph,” she said.
Local companies’ recruiting efforts are supported by social media marketing to people who might want to live and work in St. Joseph.
The marketing consists of advertisements on Facebook, Google and direct In-Mail on LinkedIn. The ads are targeted to people mostly in the Midwest, believed to be people who are more likely to consider moving to the area.
The area’s best selling points are “affordable housing, a friendly community, a small-town feel with a lot of amenities,” she said. Also, the Kansas City metro area is nearby and the airport is even closer.
If executives are used to coming from major metropolitan areas, Arthur discusses the advantages of a smaller area, while people relocating from more sparsely populated states look at St. Joseph as a larger community. Also, many who relocate to the area are retirees, who want to obtain a new home at a reasonable price.
The Chamber connects newcomers “so they can get embedded in the community, give them opportunities to volunteer and talk about some hidden gems, such as our park system, that they might not have run across.”
Top 10 Employers
Company Product/Service Employees
Mosaic Life Care Health Services 3,762
Triumph Foods Food Processing 2,900
St. Joseph School District Education 1,853
139th Airlift Wing, MO Air National Guard Government 1,663
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Pharmaceuticals 1,070
Walmart Retail 740
City of St. Joseph Government 698
Tyson Foods Food Processing 670
American Family Insurance Insurance 631
Missouri Western State University Education 579