Chafee announces new system to apply for jobs

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 7/10/14

“Applying for a state job will be as easy as a click of a mouse,” Deborah Dawson, director of human resources, said at an Apply RI press conference yesterday at the Warwick Public …

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Chafee announces new system to apply for jobs

Posted

“Applying for a state job will be as easy as a click of a mouse,” Deborah Dawson, director of human resources, said at an Apply RI press conference yesterday at the Warwick Public Library.

Apply RI, a new online application system, was a “green” initiative by Governor Lincoln Chafee, Human Resources, the Department of Labor and Training as well as the Office of Digital Excellence to streamline the application process for state jobs. Apply RI eliminates the long paper trail and anachronistic process of applying for a job.

Chafee said, “By making it easier to apply, we are getting a greater pool of applicants. This will promote diversity throughout the state’s workforce and help it to reflect the population.”

Chafee, Dawson, director of administration, Richard Licht, Charles Fogarty, the director of Department of Labor and Training, as well as Thom Guertin, the chief digital officer, convened at the library to showcase the new system. All of them mentioned the tremendous teamwork needed to complete the project. Licht had said before Chafee’s administration the different departments were “silos” separated from one another working individually.

Licht said, “The governor wanted people to be working together and he broke down the silos. This is a product of that.”

Dawson agreed saying, “The talent and teamwork exhibited through the state is incredible. I am proud to be apart of that team.”

She then explained how Apply RI would work. After setting up an account, applicants will create a profile, similar to a resume, and a Job Interest Card. The Interest Card has users choose categories for which they would like to receive email notifications for openings. When a job is available in any of the categories chosen, the Apply RI user will be alerted.

Available jobs can be searched by location, keywords or categories. Applicants, after having their account set up, only need to press the apply tab to submit an application.

Besides applicants, the new system is also beneficial to state employers who will be able to screen through applicants based on each profile. Dawson used the example if the job requires a nursing certification, the system will previously eliminate those applicants without one. Managers receive resumes and applications of those most qualified based on accounts.

“Apply RI modernizes our recruitment process,” Dawson said.

Guertin explained that Apply RI is only “Phase 1” of the technologically streamlining processes.

“We have decreased the manual processes and over half of the work effort,” Guertin said. “We are going to build on this successful launch of Apply RI to streamline the state’s on-boarding approach and standardize employee communication. By incorporating modern technology across government, we are able to produce cost saving, resource saving and improve our customer service.”

Fogarty said, “Sometimes as Rhode Islanders we don’t give ourselves enough credit for how great we are. We have a lot of talent right here in our state.”

For more information on Apply RI or to create an account, visit www.Apply.RI.

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