As we continue to see record low unemployment and high job vacancies, it's critical for employers to use every workforce tool available to be successful in finding workers. At our latest Workforce Wednesday discussion, we gave an overview of a few of the statewide services that DEED and our partners in CareerForce offer to employers to help attract, train and retain employees. Afterwards, we heard from a panel of our colleagues and workforce partners who shared recent success stories and advice for employers thinking about using our services.

Can you give us an example of a recent employer success story?

Liz Jennings, Employer Engagement Specialist, DEED CareerForce Division

We recently worked with Union Pacific Railroad, who reached out to us and asked what more they can do to attract workers. We set up a time for their regional recruiters to come to the Twin Cities to host an all-day information session and hiring event at our CareerForce location in Bloomington. Union Pacific conducted on-site interviews and they were really happy with the turnout of job seekers that attended. We were happy to have the additional people come through our doors to learn about employment opportunities at their company as well as our CareerForce services.

Jane Kerntz, Veterans Employment Representative, DEED CareerForce Division

Up here in northern Minnesota, I've had a lot of success connecting with HR representatives working for the mining companies by keeping in constant contact with them. They reach out a couple of times a month with their open positions and I pass those opportunities on to our local veterans and those associated with veterans. We see that success comes from casting a wide net to our contacts on a regular basis.

What do you say to employers who don't think their positions would be a good fit for a person with a disability?

Marci Jasper, Business Consultant, Vocational Rehabilitation Services, DEED

Sometimes when people hear the word disability, there can be a stigma around that word and it might seem like only certain people are able to do certain tasks; the first thing we like to do is go out to the business and provide education through a training so everyone is on the same page around what exactly is a disability. When people realize that one in four people have a disability and they likely already have employees with disabilities, it gets people thinking and opens more doors for us to help them once we've had that initial conversation.

Dacia VanAlstine, Business Services and Employment Program Specialist, State Services for the Blind, DEED

When employers hear State Services for the Blind, they assume we're only working with talent who have zero vision and that's just not true. A lot of people we work with are already employed and they've started to see their vision change as they age and simply need an accommodation to continue to be productive. We like to tell employers that it's actually a lot easier and more cost-effective to give an accommodation to a current employee than it is to have to hire someone new.

Why should employers reach out to their regional Minnesota Association of Workforce Board (MAWB) CareerForce partners?

Jeanna Fortney, MSW, Director, Minnesota Association of Workforce Boards

Since we work with so many businesses, we can help give employers suggestions based on their specific needs. Whether it's talent attraction or retention, employers need to be more creative and think outside of the box with this tight labor market. One place we start is with the job description itself and we ask if there's a more inviting or exciting way for them to attract applicants. We strongly suggest they put salary information on their application, so they aren't wasting the job seeker's or their own time during the hiring process if the salary they plan to offer doesn't meet the job seeker's expectations. We also ask employers if their applicants really need a four-year degree for the position or are they looking for a certain set of skills that someone might have instead of a degree? Whichever CareerForce partner an employer reaches out to, there is no wrong door, because we all work closely together when helping businesses find talent.

View a recording of December's session and other past sessions, plus find related resources you can download and use, on the Workforce Wednesday page on CareerForceMN.com.