0203 CareerBuilder

The first economic slump of this century has sent hiring managers searching for smart alternatives to sifting through hundreds of resumes to fill just one vacant job. As mass layoffs force the U.S. unemployment rate to climb to a staggering 5.7 percent (the highest recorded rate since August of 1995), the number of skilled candidates flooding the job market is somewhat overwhelming for employers challenged with putting the right candidate in the right position. Click here for more information on how CareerBuilder can help you find the right candidates for your open positions.

Allfirst Financial Inc. knows firsthand the painstaking process of finding that perfect fit. The Baltimore, Md., company offers the full range of financial services from banking, trust, investment and insurance to retail, business and commercial customers. With more than 6,000 full-time and part-time employees, approximately 1,500 annual hires and as many as 25 positions open at any time, Allfirst needed a recruiting solution that would provide targeted exposure for available jobs without the hassles of excessive job posting.

Allfirst vice president Steve Wood is in charge of making all technical hires for the company. On average, he receives up to 500 resumes each day and is responsible for selecting candidates to fill positions ranging from entry level to senior management.

Mr. Wood’s recent search for a high-level, managing systems software engineer, for example, leveraged CareerBuilder’s ability to reach specific job candidates. Immediately after posting a position for a senior technical support manager on CareerBuilder, Mr. Wood received the resume of a candidate who matched the desired job profile. The employee reviewed the posting on CareerBuilder, submitted his resume to Allfirst and was hired a short time later.

CareerBuilder helps Mr. Wood find the candidates he wants by putting his job openings in front of the best audiences. Last year, of the 117 positions Mr. Wood filled for Allfirst, 31 percent of the new hires were recruited directly through CareerBuilder.

“CareerBuilder narrows the playing field for us,” said Mr. Wood. “If I’m going to sort through a stack of resumes, I want to know they’re of qualified candidates. CareerBuilder allows us to target specific applicants who meet the demands of the vacant positions.”

CareerBuilder, through its online and print partners, enables employers such as Mr. Wood to reach, each month, more than 26 million of the most qualified professionals in the job market. In addition, employers have access to 3 million active resumes.

In the recruiting industry, CareerBuilder has extensive local reach. CareerBuilder partners with media giants Tribune and Knight Ridder, allowing employers to put job postings – online and in print – in front of people living in the nation’s top metropolitan areas. CareerBuilder’s newspaper partners include The Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, The Miami Herald, The San Jose Mercury News, The Philadelphia Inquirer and many others.

“Allfirst focuses its business on the Mid-Atlantic region and does not traditionally seek out candidates who would be forced to relocate. CareerBuilder has an excellent tool for finding qualified job seekers at the local level,” said Mr. Wood. “We have also had great success hiring employees by simply searching through the CareerBuilder resume database. From senior managers to interns, this service helps us focus on the candidates who meet our requirements.”

Furthermore, CareerBuilder unites some of the most respected names in the recruitment industry. With the acquisitions of Headhunter.net in 2001 and CareerPath in 2000, CareerBuilder continues to strengthen its quality online recruiting and career services. Job seekers now have access to more than 350,000 continuously updated vacant positions, representing more than 25,000 of the top employers in virtually every industry and field.

CareerBuilder’s resources simplify the recruiting process by targeting skilled candidates through its considerable reach. Its integrated recruiting solution can save companies thousands of dollars annually. With CareerBuilder’s help, Mr. Wood was able to save Allfirst a considerable amount in recruitment fees last year.

“We are certainly more than pleased with the results we have seen from CareerBuilder’s online recruiting services,” said Wood. “CareerBuilder makes the recruiting process fast, fluid and flexible to Allfirst’s hiring needs. I have been able to fill vacant positions with confidence that I am choosing from a pool of highly qualified candidates and reassurance that I am using my resources wisely.”

Click here to request more information about CareerBuilder. Or, to speak to one of our recruiting specialists immediately, please call 888-670-8326.

As a freelance writer and former journalist, Liza Mooney has written several editorial pieces for human resources and marketing publications, with a particular focus on the online recruiting industry. Her work has also appeared in Human Capital, American Marketing Association and STORES magazines.