Carol Johnson | Southern Indiana Business Report
BEDFORD – Employers who have job openings have a new option for posting employment opportunities in Lawrence County.
Hometown Hiring: Lawrence County, a partnership between the Lawrence County Economic Growth Council and Hometown Hiring, launched April 1.
Dan Bortner, CEO of LCEGC, said filling vacancies was an ongoing challenge for many local employers. An employer survey initiated by the Growth Council left no doubt that there was a need for something better. The survey showed that over 92% of the respondents reported hiring was very difficult. Respondents noted that Indeed and physical advertising were their primary avenues for posting job openings – that was, before Hometown Hiring launched.
“One of our top priorities is helping local companies connect with talented people who want to build their careers right here in our community,” Bortner said. “Hometown Hiring makes it possible for talent to easily discover local jobs from employers they know and trust.”
Hometown Hiring started in 2021 in Dubois County by three Jasper natives who saw a need for a hiring platform that catered to small communities. What sets Hometown Hiring apart from the big job posting sites is its hyper-local focus, ability to get jobs in front of the right people and cost-effectiveness.
Lawrence County is Hometown Hiring’s first expansion into a new county. Co-founder Luke Hochgesang said he’s pleased with the response to the new platform in Lawrence County.
“The first job posted (Office Administrator at Bedford Chamber) received 13 applications from high-quality local candidates in the first day and 35 in the first week,” Hochgesang said.
Hometown Hiring can work with businesses and industries of all sizes. Hochgesang said Jasper Holdings recently used the site to hire a new Chief Information Officer.
“Hometown Hiring was central to our recruitment strategy for our CIO search and allowed us to discover an abundance of local IT talent,” said Jason Kelly, Jasper Holdings CFO.
In the short time the Lawrence County site has been live, multiple jobs have been posted. Bortner said the platform is user-friendly and serves local needs for employers and job seekers.
“We needed something that covers all positions, from the ground level to executive positions and this does that,” Bortner said.
Lawrence County resident Joe Timbrook, who is a certified professional in human resources, is working with Hometown Hiring as a hiring strategist.
“Joe is currently in the process of getting our local employers onboarded, so anyone looking for jobs might see a more limited number of openings right now (25) but that should climb into the 100s,” added Hochgesang, who noted the Dubois County platform currently has more than 240 job listings.
All jobs on Hometown Hiring are verified and applicants receive updates on the status of their application. If job seekers want to be the first to find out about new openings, they’re encouraged to go to https://www.hometownhiring.com/county/lawrence → scroll to the bottom of the page → follow on social media and sign up for the weekly job newsletter
“The website is very easy to navigate and the Hometown Hiring group will assist with marketing,” Bortner said. “It truly is a good partnership.”
Employers who would like more information, can contact Timbrook: [email protected].