Preparing for Summer with ProSearch

As we begin to enjoy the warmer weather, sunshine, and longer days, President and Founder of ProSearch, Ed McKersie shares thoughts on the current job Maine job market and the importance of temporary and contract staffing for upcoming and recent college graduates.

Demand for our staffing and recruiting services remains strong as we head into the early summer months. Our Recruiting team has numerous search assignments going on around the state of Maine, confirming what employers everywhere are seeing, locating top talent is a challenge. Pre-COVID, we all know the unemployment rate was historically low. Today, candidates have indicated to us that they are less likely to make a career move during the uncertain future of remote work vs. being required to head back to an office full time. Many employers continue to push off dates of when they are requiring employees to come back full time and some of our clients are indicating that most employees will be given the permanent option to work in a hybrid model or a blended remote/in-office setup. This lack of clarity for each employee means that many would-be job seekers are staying put until there is a certainty at their current employer. This opportunity to work remotely has also made the Maine employment market even more dynamic with job seekers getting recruited by employers throughout the country who have indicated they can stay in Maine and work remotely full time.

Our Temporary and IT Contracts teams are as busy as they have ever been, and we have added to our teams to handle the extra activity. We have had many conversations with current college students and upcoming graduates about the value of temporary or project assignments. Many of you know how passionate I am about how internships can build your resume during your college years. With many internship programs still on hold or greatly scaled down due to COVID, we have seen an influx of college students looking for meaningful summer employment throughout Maine. Whether it’s a summer-long project at one employer or a series of shorter assignments giving them exposure to several of our clients, these are well-paying opportunities to gain experience, exposure to hiring managers, and a professional reference. Recent college graduates often connect with us together their foot in the door with Maine’s best employers. Many jobs that start out as temporary lead to full-time employment, and several of our clients use this to screen this talent pool. By partnering with us, job seekers leverage our relationship and credibility with these employers to get that first job with their employer of choice.

In summary, it’s a great time to be looking for a job in Maine.

Let’s get to Work!