HireME - Online Job Application

By Lesley McCaw, InforME

The State of Maine, Bureau of Human Resources Online Job Application service, HireME, has received national recognition from the National Electronic Commerce Coordinating Council (eC3) . The HireME service, which launched in April 2007, was selected as one of five outstanding e-government services chosen by the eC3 committee to receive an annual Excellence Award in 2008.

The eC3 Excellence Awards were designed to recognize innovative e-government programs that have produced measurable results in improving government services. The award was given in the Innovative use of the Web in Government Management Practices category. The HireME service was chosen as a winner in this category, because it demonstrates how technology can enable collaborative management and a new work environment to attract top young talent.

HireME 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 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 can also view a 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.

Not only does the online service make it easier for users to apply, but it also creates efficiencies for the agency. State of Maine CIO, Richard Thompson talks about some of the benefits provided by the HireME service with this statement ; “ Online services continue to help the State of Maine operate effectively, and HireME is no exception. Over the past year and a half the service has helped the Bureau of Human Resources realize significant time savings and contain costs while improving services for State managers and applicants."

To view this and other State of Maine eGovernment services, visit http://www.maine.gov and click on the online services link.