Department of Labor Launches Maine JobLink Bookmark and Share

July 6, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 6, 2016
MEDIA CONTACT: Julie Rabinowitz, 207-621-5009

New job match system provides improved services and more jobs

AUGUSTA?The Maine Department of Labor?s Bureau of Employment Services and its CareerCenter network has launched the new Maine JobLink, the replacement system to the Maine Job Bank, the state?s federally required, job-matching system. Employers and job seekers can explore the new system at maine.gov/joblink .

The public-facing Maine JobLink connects people looking for jobs, including unemployment claimants, with employers seeking workers. Federally funded state workforce-training programs, such as those offered through the Maine Department of Labor and its partners, are required to provide this service. Maine JobLink also serves as the Department?s and its partners? case-management system for those enrolled in publicly funded training programs.

A consortium of more than one dozen state workforce agencies, called the America?s Job Link Alliance (AJLA), has developed the JobLink software.

?By sharing the costs and management of these systems, states provide services at lower cost and at a better value for the taxpayer,? stated Governor Paul R. LePage. ?Improving our services and being more efficient are priorities for my administration. The Department of Labor is helping our businesses be more competitive and our workers obtain good career jobs.?

?We are focused on connecting workers with good jobs and increasing the skills of our workforce,? stated Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette. ?As we address our shrinking workforce, this new system will not only connect workers and employers, but will also assist Maine employers in recruiting nationally through the connection to the National Labor Exchange and help job seekers explore their career options, including training that will grow their skills and bring value to our economy.?

The system upgrade increased the number jobs available on Maine JobLink by 30 percent; the Maine Job Bank averaged about 9,500 open positions the week it was taken off line. Maine Joblink posts the real-time number of positions on its website, which has remained above 13,500 since going live on July 5, 2016.

?We are proud of the year-long collaboration that has brought about this upgrade,? stated Commissioner Paquette. ?Our staff and workforce system partners have worked closely with the Office of Information Technology and the AJLA team to make this change as smooth as possible for employers, jobseekers and unemployment claimants. I thank everyone who contributed to this effort.?

The Maine JobLink provides many new and improved features for both job seekers and employers, including: job spidering through Indeed.com and a connection to the National Labor Exchange (NLX); automated job matching with skill gap analysis; streamlined resume and job order builders; ability to use from mobile devices; improved veterans' priority of service notifications; customizable career planning maps, called career lattices, showing job progression opportunities within and across different industries or sectors; automated notification of job and resume matches by email or text message, support for more than 60 languages using Google Translate; a training provider search; and career information system including real-time labor market information reports, such as high growth occupations, best paying occupations, and labor surplus and shortages. Users can build a resume from scratch or upload an existing resume from any computer or mobile device with internet access.

In addition, employers can access wage information and information on license and credentials relevant to the job order occupation; store, edit, and choose from multiple job location and contact information entries in their address book. Job postings may be sent to NLX with a single click during job posting creation. All job postings received from the NLX automatically generate a return receipt to support full tracking for the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), important for federal contractors.

AJLA?s partnership with Indeed.com provides subscribing states with access to millions of high-quality jobs across the nation and the world. Indeed.com jobs display the basic job posting information with a link directing the job seeker back to the original source.

Formed in 2001, AJLA is a consortium of publicly funded workforce agencies. Member organizations work together to produce cutting-edge information technology and provide superior customer service that drives the economy by connecting employers and job seekers, and maximizes the return on investments for customers. More information about AJLA is available at http://ajla.net/about.html .

Maine CareerCenters are an equal opportunity provider. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

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