Inside the OED

Before I left work today, someone told me not to drink the coffee in the morning. I thought she was warning me that the plumbing problem in the building that took out four toilets this morning was still an issue. But no. My co-workers have been ribbing me about the numbers of hires I've had this month, eleven at last count. I told them that if they wouldn't let me play, I'd pack up my toys and open my own Employment Department. The Vet Rep suggested I do just that . . . in Florida.

This morning at stand-up, which is a quaint little meeting where we stand up (get it) and share the daily news, our supervisor said that starting in July the account reps would be responsible for five hires a month. Next quarter, it would go up to 7, the following quarter up to 10, and so on. Some of the folks in our circle were feeling pretty good cause they've met their quota for June. Others were heard to give a silent inner groan because they could feel the heat. There are mitigating circumstances that will make the new quotas tougher to fill. One co-worker, threatened with exile to Lincoln City, has given his notice for July 15. As far as I can tell, he plans to move up into the woods around Mt Hood and do good things for his terminally ill partner. Another co-worker just accepted a job with the County; her last day at the OED is June 30. And you know my story. Pending the outcome of today's home inspection and word from our new buyer, I've tentatively told the powers that be that July 8 will be my last day. That leaves four full time, permanent staff at OED Newport, two of those are lead workers and another is a part time Vet's Rep. We currently have about 155 jobs listed and those accounts will be divided among the remaining reps after the carnage of resignations.

Of course, our supervisor also talked about spending more time with clients, getting not only hires, but GOOD hires, i.e. people that show up for work and stay on the job longer than a week or two. She talked about more one-on-one service and refusing referrals to folks who have a history of not following through. I'm sure all the reps heard was "more hires + fewer reps = more work." Anyone can do the math.

How fortunate I've been the last 6 weeks to have worked with this crew. Good natured, helpful, competent every one. I'm glad I'm not staying (my number of hires may be a fluke after all), but I'm glad, too, that I've had the opportunity to learn a thing or two and make new friends. This experience has been akin to getting on the "E" ticket attraction at Disney Land (when they still had such a thing). I waited a long time to get a job with the State, and the four minute ride was over way too quick.

The Employment Department received a national award in Philadelphia a few weeks ago. The director flew back east to accept an honor for the iMatch Skills program implemented in April 2004. This electronic registration and job listing program is pretty impressive. I've been amazed at the ease of use and the amount of information found at the click of a mouse. Job seekers can register from home or in the lobby, entering contact information, education, occupations/skills, work history, etc. With the tap of a radio button, the program will match them with jobs in their area based on their skill set. This makes much more sense than just looking at work history because many skills are transferable; you may have been a retail cashier on your last job, for example, but because of your money handling experience, you're qualified to apply as a bank teller. iMatch also allows employers to enter their own job listings and search for applicants. There are varying levels of service, too. An employer may want to see 50 applicants or she may want an account rep to find the five best qualified people to refer. It's an amazing gizmo. One of the guys in the office even found Ted Kulongoski on the system today. We don't think it's the Governor, however, since his only work history was as a self-employed masseuse and he was willing to work for $5/hour.

The system makes for some interesting browsing. Part of my strategy to be the "Employee at the OED for the Shortest Amount of Time with the Most Hires" includes doing file searches for anyone in the office who needs a hand. Today, I was running down applicants for a full time custodial position. I put in the filters I want to use and iMatch gives me a list of registered job seekers who meet the minimum qualifications. I can look at contact information, a resume, tracking notes, previous referrals. Is Sue currently working? Last referral was in May and there's nothing about a hire, so she might be worth a call. How about Diane? Looks like she did housekeeping and janitorial for ten years, but she's recently taken some business classes at the college and her last referral is for a clerk position at the hospital. Chances are she wouldn't be interested in going back to cleaning up after people. And so on. I make up/tell myself stories about job seekers to determine if they're a good match for the job at hand. It's a spicy blend of creative, intuitive logic. Quantity plays a role in hires, too. If I contact 20 people about a job, five might apply. I'm hoping one of those five is hired.

I've enjoyed working the lobby, too. You see all kinds in a State office building, a veritable passing parade of humanity. We're on the bottom floor and SSP is upstairs; they used to be called the welfare office, but have gone through an alphabet of acronyms, now they are the Self Sufficiency Program. We get young and old, well mannered and nasty, clean shaven and filthy who pass through our doors. We hope it's a friendly place. People are greeted and offered assitance. They're given help with resumes and locating references. Sometimes, there are clients who stand out in the crowd. Like the guy who came in with a sauce pan strapped to his head and carrying an American flag on a tree limb. Or the young man who came to the desk for a referral wearing a black T-shirt that said "I'd Rather Be Getting High." I suggested he change before going to the interview. We haven't seen one of our "regulars" recently. She's been referred to so many jobs there's a good chance she was finally hired. Nothing would please us more.

The buyer was here for the home inspection today. We should know whether he wants to go ahead with the sale when we return from our short trip to Florida this weekend. My days at the OED are limited, but it's been a fun ride. Definitely "E" ticket. Definitely.