Finding a WSU job not Mission: Impossible

Bob Kesler is on a mission to find you a job. And with new technology, it’s not Mission: Impossible. Kesler is in charge of recruiting WSU staff, student and hourly employees. He operates as the middle man, connecting applicants with potential employers. In fact, Kesler is so busy that he has two titles. As a human resource assistant, senior, for Human Resource Services, he recruits WSU staff. As a job development specialist for HRS, he recruits student and hourly employees. Although Kesler estimates about 80 percent of recruited employees come from outside the WSU system, approximately 20 percent are current WSU employees looking for advancement. With these employees in particular, confidentiality matters arise. However, HRS does not contact internal university employees’ current employers, and these employees are not usually contacted by the potential employer until the interview stage. These steps ensure the greatest amount of confidentiality possible, Kesler said. Kesler’s trusty sidekick is the HRS website, which has a complete listing of current job postings and maintains applicant profiles and applications. To access the website go to www.wsujobs.com. The website has simplified Kesler’s job by allowing him to communicate with applicants and employers entirely online. However, because the site is still so new, Kesler is on hand for those unfamiliar with the process. He spends time educating employers and applicants about how to use the comprehensive service. Applicants range from local to international, and applicant diversity keeps the job interesting, Kesler said. “WSU is a renowned research institution that attracts quality applicants from all over the world,” he said. After 20 years in human resources, Kesler knows a thing or two about how to successfully apply for a job. He recommends that applicants fill out the application form as completely as possible and expand on past job duties so employers know their strengths. “The more information, the better,” he said. “It’s important to list all skills, and it’s OK to brag.” Kesler spends many hours at the computer, reviewing and posting new job opportunities, as well as on the phone, teaching users how to navigate the website. However, every once in a while, he gets to step outside of his office to recruit local off-campus employers to post student and hourly job openings on the website. While Kesler recruits businesses in person in the towns of Pullman, Moscow and Colfax, he also contacts businesses across the state. Community outreach is Kesler’s favorite job task, and he is proud to say that in the past year-and-a-half, the number of statewide off-campus employers to hire student and hourly employees through HRS has tripled. It’s plain to see, Kesler is a recruiter, educator, counselor, community outreach coordinator and marketer. “I get to wear a lot of different hats in my job,” he said. But whatever hat he’s wearing, he’s always working hard to ensure jobs get filled and employees get matched with the right employers. Mission: Complete.