Have you seen more co-workers on television, in social media campaigns, or working at local job fairs lately? If so, it’s not a coincidence. 
 
City workers are helping to spread the word that the City is a great place to work! 
 
The messaging comes on the heels of a national workforce shortage.  Many attribute employment struggles to the “great resignation”, people who transitioned to new careers in the midst of the pandemic, and/or lagging wages.
 
As you likely know, the City of Knoxville did a sweeping compensation study and on July 1, 2022 adjusted employee salaries to help the City retain and attract top talent.
 
At the same time, departments are ramping up efforts to reach new prospects.
 
Job fairs, social media campaigns, and first-person video stories are helping to attract talent.  In fact, several departments are already seeing a noticeable increase in the number of qualified applicants submitting resumes.
 
“It is great to see some progress,” said Mayor Indya Kincannon. “We can all play an even bigger role in filling positions, by sharing flyers about job fairs, amplifying social media posts, and talking about our own positive stories in our everyday lives. Word of mouth is our most powerful tool.” 




The recent Public Service video campaign is a great example of thinking outside-the-box. At the time of publication, 10 new Public Service employees were being processed!
 
“While it is too early for a thorough progress report, we are already seeing some positive signs,” Human Resources Director Kelly Drummond said. “I think by the end of next spring, we will see some significant change and fewer vacancies across the board.”
 
Public Service, KAT, and KPD are being lauded for increasing recruiting efforts.  Both Public Service and KAT held job fairs last month.  KPD and Public Service participated in video campaigns. And, KPD has just launched its third lateral recruit academy of the year.




The increased efforts are also grabbing the attention of local media. WBIR-TV noticed one of the Public Service videos and interviewed Krystal Brown about the City’s Second Chance program. 




Thank you to everyone who keeps sharing their personal stories and for making Knoxville a great place to work and call home!