By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Last Tuesday, Grand Rapids-based Hope Network held a day-long job fair at DeVos Place with the intent to fill 120 Kent County jobs, 35 of which are new positions. Despite a turnout of over 1,000 job seekers, the company does not expect to fill all the positions with attendees.
“Our intent was to find well qualified and compassionate people,” says Dan Gowdy, marketing director. “Due to the nature of our services there are strict regulations—many positions require background checks and health screenings. We didn’t know on Tuesday whether all the positions would be filled, but will have a good idea once the screening process is done.”
Hope Network provides a continuum of care that involves rehabilitation services for persons with brain and spinal cord injuries, behavior health services for the mentally ill, developmental services for persons with disabilities or socio-economic disadvantages, and comprehensive support services that include transportation, subsidized housing and in-home care.
The company needs to fill a variety of positions: licensed practical nurse, residential instructor, program manager, planning and budget analyst, accounting manager, chauffeur, home coordinator and program instructor. The pay ranges span both hourly and salaried positions, and some positions come with insurance benefits and retirement savings.
“We want people who are qualified and compassionate, but we want someone with a desire to serve others and see them succeed, as well,” Gowdy says. “We need the right fit for the organization. It comes down to integrity, teamwork, and innovation—three of the six key values Hope Network has.”
Hope Network served 13,000 people last year, double the number served a decade ago. The company has 2,100 employees in 170 locations in over 50 Michigan counties.
The company is still accepting resumes for open positions.
Source: Dan Gowdy, Hope Network; Craig Clark, Clark Communications
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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