Steve Gibbs
Steve Gibbs, owner of the Art Spirit Gallery in Coeur d’Alene, needed a gallery assistant to be part of his team. It was the first time he needed to advertise for this position since previous hires were found by networking with members of the local artists’ community.
The position requirements were specific: someone design oriented and social media savvy, but what Steve really needed was a good ‘people’ person. A good communicator, friendly, confident, honest and good-natured – personality traits typically determined during an interview.
Steve’s dilemma was his hectic work schedule, his travel agenda and the time he needed to prepare for a new show. He contacted the Kootenai County Department of Labor Office and worked with workforce consultant Vicki Kunz who organized his job description into a job listing and emailed it to Steve for approval.
The position was listed for two weeks on the Idaho Department of Labor website and on Craigslist. Vicki gathered the resumes and cover letters, reviewed them and picked the top 10 for interviews. She gave Steve all of the submissions with notes indicating qualifications and other pertinent information. With more than 35 applicants, Vicki’s personalized service saved Steve hours.
The Spirit Art Gallery in Coeur d’Alene
Darla Kuhman
Steve conducted first and second interviews before choosing Darla Kuhman. Today Darla is a successful member of Steve’s art gallery team.
“(Vicki’s) assistance saved me an incredible amount of time,” Steve said. “The notes with comments on the submissions really helped.”
He found the right hire just in time before his busiest season, summer.
The Department of Labor can help you with your employee recruitment, too.
— Vicki Kunz, workforce consultant