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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 75 FA C T BO O K / D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N M A I N E WO R K F O R C E helping employers to talk about not only what they off er employees during the workday, but what it means for employees to live here. e reason people love to work in Maine is because they get to live in Maine." For new grads, says Wildes, employers would be wise to point out Maine's Opportunity Maine Tax Credit, which reimburses student loan payments for college graduates from any college in the country, after 2015, who live and work in Maine. It should be noted that, prior to 2015, the credit covered only students who graduated from a Maine school. "So an employer can say, for example, we'll pay you X to be a computer programmer in Yarmouth. We understand you have a better off er of Y in New Jersey. But not only is our quality of life better, you'll save money. at's a solid fi nancial benefi t." Avoid the 'Maine discount' e emphasis on Maine having a lower cost of liv- ing is an important selling point that goes beyond quality of life. Ed McKersie, president of Pro Search Inc. in Portland, cautions against overreliance on the enticement of lifestyle. Many employers, he says, have tilted away from "the Maine discount" — the idea that lower pay in Maine is acceptable because of higher quality of life. "When I started ProSearch in 1994, they'd say, 'We're looking for someone, but we can only pay X,'" McKersie says. "And they knew it was lower than Boston or wherever, but they'd sell quality of life. Now employers realize there's a war being waged for talent and they can't have compensation get in the way of attracting folks." McKersie identifi es retention as an employer's fi rst goal. "Employers have fi gured out that they're not competing with each other locally; they're competing with demographic issues, competing with folks out- side of Maine," says McKersie. "So employers have fi gured out that retention is the best strategy. ey're doing a better job of talent management, making sure people are happy and not going to leave." Along those lines, McKersie says, employers are smarter these days about identifying their employ- ment "brand" for further recruitment. "So it's not about, 'Can somebody do the job?' but 'Will they fi t into the organization?' so there are no false starts and there's lower turnover," McKersie says. What does that look like in practice? "I think they're doing a better job of interviewing people for fi t. at translates to the questions people ask when they interview candidates — more time around, 'What kind of environment fi ts you best?' ey're just much more conscious of personality traits." Employers are mining the talent market in new ways — proactively rather than reactively, says McKersie. " ey anticipate their business needs as the business grows, and track the talent pool," he says. "Five years ago, if they knew they'd need to hire someone in three to six months, they'd put it off . Now, employers are pushing their hiring managers to look at what the company's long-term needs will be. at pushes the recruiters, and the recruiters are identify- ing potential talent much earlier, whether it's through résumé databases or LinkedIn or what-have-you. Large employers have their own résumé database and are much better about staying in touch with people. Even if they don't have a current opportunity for that person, they're engaging them, so when they do have an opportunity, they're already in touch." Offer fl exible packages Flexible recruitment packages, beyond wage and ben- efi ts, are also important, says Lisa Beeler, a recruiter at KMA Human Resources Consulting LLC in Falmouth, which works mainly with companies of 250 employees or less. When it comes to packages, KMA clients are demonstrating fl exibility, she says. "It depends on what's most important for appli- cants," says Beeler. "Sometimes it's about opportunities for growth, sometimes it's about the cultural experience within the company. Sometimes it's some fi nancial aspect, although I see that less and less. It's more about opportunities for growth, additional training and devel- opment, and a better cultural experience. If an applicant is interested in growth and training, our clients are open to having them develop that as it relates to the jobs. at might be attending seminars or training ses- sions. It's better for the company in the long run." Beeler fi nds bigger pay is a recruitment tool in some cases, but not always. Instead, many compa- nies off er a sign-on bonus or moving compensation, and they'll pay for the applicant's visit to Maine. " ey'll pay for the hotel and good restaurant meals, to make their experience in Maine as enjoy- able as possible," Beeler says. Strategies like that have been successful, Beeler says. "I don't think there's been a situation where a candidate came for an interview and then decided not to take the job," she says. Consider remote options More employers are off ering telecommuting as an option. "Remote work is increasingly moving from being a benefi t to being a standard off ering," says Wildes. "Employees expect that, when they move from elsewhere in the country, because it's a stan- dard practice now." But remote work in Boston, he says, isn't the same as remote work in Maine — a point that employers need to sell. "When you're in Boston, what's you're quality of life? It's the same in your apartment as it is in the offi ce," says Wildes. "In Maine, you can live in paradise, and still have connections with the outside world. So employ- ers say, pick and choose where you live [in Maine], as long as you have internet access and can come to the offi ce once a week. at's a compelling case." e dreams and desires of millennials are top-of- mind for many employers, says McKersie. " ey're aware that millennials are interested in working remotely and fl exibly," McKersie says. "Employers are also conscious of community engagement. e millennial generation is involved in community service and wants to know what employers are doing around that. ey want time off to volunteer. So community engagement is becoming part of the employer's brand." L S, Mainebiz staff writer, can be reached at @ . and @MREI Progressive • Creative • Forward Thinking • Resourceful Progressive • Creative • Forward Thinking • Resourceful Progressive • Creative • Forward Thinking • Resourceful Come See Why Brewer Means Business. Your Business. BREWERMAINE.GOV/BIZ Contact D'arcy Main-Boyington Economic Development Director dmain-boyington@brewermaine.gov | 207-989-7500 Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew Five years ago, if they knew they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in they'd need to hire someone in three to six months, they'd put it off. Now, employers are pushing their hiring managers to look at what the company's long-term needs will be. — Ed McKersie Pro Search Inc.

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