Bureau of Human Resources HireMe Job Application

by Lesley Mosher, InforME

The Bureau of Human Resources (BHR), in partnership with InforME, has created an online State of Maine job application service, called HireME. The new service, launched in April 2007, allows citizens to create an account with BHR and submit eligible State job applications online. The service can be accessed through the BHR Open Competitive job listing ( http://www.maine.gov/bhr/statejobs/openjobs.shtml ), by clicking on one of the red “apply now” links.

The HireME service offers a wide range of benefits for Maine citizens, including convenience, ease of use and time savings. This service allows users to apply for State of Maine jobs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This availability not only makes applying for jobs more convenient, but also more efficient. HireME stores the applicant’s personal profile and job history information for use with future applications, making it easier to apply for multiple positions. Applicants also can view their history of job applications submitted. In addition, the service meets guidelines for accessibility to the disabled, allowing citizens with vision impairments and other disabilities to apply for state jobs independently.

Applicants using the online service also benefit from significantly faster processing time. Applications submitted through the online service can be turned around and available for agency review within a matter of days, as opposed to weeks with the current manual process.

Not only does this service benefit the public, but also the Bureau of Human Resources. Job applications that are submitted online create huge time savings for the Bureau. BHR employees do not have to manually key applicant information into their tracking system, freeing up a significant amount of staff hours. Having data entered directly into the BHR applicant tracking system also streamlines the application review process.

Since the service was launched on April 11, 2007, over 100 accounts have been created for the online service and using these accounts job seekers have submitted over 160 applications to the Bureau of Human Resources. BHR plans to increase the number of job classes that are eligible for online applications, and will begin public marketing of the service over the summer.