With a workforce shortage in Maine, here's what some recruiters want employers to know

Even though his players tease him for it, the coach of the University of Maine football team often likes to stress that it’s “a major Division I college program” during interviews and in team meetings.

That’s because the coach, Nick Charlton, wants to build pride and camaraderie among his players, many of whom were recruited to play for the Black Bears despite growing up in warmer southern states and having difficulty with the cold climate.

“You’ve got to sell what your product is,” Charlton said Thursday evening. “To be honest, Maine is a little more isolated than some other places, so we’re going to be with each other all the time. That’s a big selling point. It’s the relationships. It’s the people. It sounds corny, but it’s true.”

Those were among the lessons that emerged during an informal panel discussion on the subject of recruitment which was held at Sea Dog Brewing Co. in Bangor. Beside Charlton were three other people from different backgrounds who also have faced the challenges of recruiting people to fill Maine jobs from inside and outside the state.

Read more: https://bangordailynews.com/2019/05/30/news/bangor/with-maines-workforce-shrinking-heres-what-some-recruiters-want-employers-to-know/