To aid in the hiring processing, VA has developed an employee screening program. For more than 10 years, VA has held the screens, which are basically open houses, to give potential employees the opportunity speak with various department supervisors and learn about the jobs offered. Two screens are held, the first for Colorado residents and the second for out-of-state applicants. This split approach accomplishes two goals: it gives local residents first chance at available jobs and it facilitates the processing of large numbers of applications.
“The hiring screens are the most effective way to interview and hire all the people we need,” said Lynne Eastom, personnel supervisor for VA and head of the screening program. “So far, they’ve been well received, locally and nationally.”
Last year’s screens drew a record 1,254 job applicants, many of whom came from outside Colorado. Most of these people learned about the screens by word-of-mouth, but VA does place some advertising in magazines and newspapers. One of the most effective methods of advertising, however, is using the growing, informal reciprocal network between ski areas and summer employers such as national parks and resort towns. VA takes advantage of this by sending posters with informational tear-offs to these employers toward the end of the summer. For the first time, VA is also sending representatives to national parks to contact seasonal employees.
“Most of the people attending have heard about the screens through their friends or co-workers,” explained Eastom. “We’re in the notable position of having a huge amount of name recognition and a large alumni workforce. Consequently, we don’t need to advertise too much and the networking helps tremendously.
“Another good source of applicants for us is colleges and universities, particularly in Colorado’s Front Range. A number of our seasonal employees are recent graduates who either haven’t been able to find a job in their chosen field or who are looking to take time off after college.”
Once at the screens, applicants find almost every department in VA represented. After filling out an application, participants choose two departments they are interested in and have initial interviews at the screen. These prove to be informational sessions for both the applicants and VA rather than comprehensive interviews. Depending on these first meetings, follow-up interviews are scheduled later in the week. The time in between is used to check references and application information. It is usually after the second interview that an applicant may be offered a position.
This year for the first time, all current and prospective VA employees will be required to take a drug test. Prospective employees will not be asked to take the test until after they are offered a position with the company and the offer will be conditional upon their passing the test.
“So far, the screen program has been a tremendous success,” according to Eastom. “We average about a 48 percent hire rate from the two screens, which gets us about a quarter of the way to our total hire figures. The rest of the people we hire are either walk-ins at the personnel office or are rehires from the previous year. And, of course, we encourage people who don’t receive job offers from the screen to keep in touch with the personnel office. After all, during the screen, applicants only talk to two departments out of about 15. Not all of them may be hiring, but many of them are.” This year’s local employee screen is scheduled for October 9, while the national screen is set for October 23.
“The screens are the best time to learn about the different opportunities available at Vail and Beaver Creek Resort,” said Eastom. “It’s the perfect chance to ask questions, meet supervisors, and get an idea as to what we’re about.”
