GA Dept. of Economic Development
Advancing a statewide mission during uncertain times
SUCCESS STORY
To keep the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) fully staffed at the beginning of a pandemic, Director of Account Management Steve Hearn had to make a hire quickly, inexpensively, and remotely. He turned to LinkedIn Jobs, and within a month he’d extended an offer to a talented local candidate who matched his exact requirements.
< 1 month
Time from job posting to new hire
< $200
Spent to discover and hire the most qualified candidate
WHAT MAKES GDEcD UNIQUE?
Attracting a new world of business
“Our team helps tell the world why Georgia is the best state to consider when you’re planning to expand or relocate your business. We find all the unique nuggets that make our home state attractive to innovative, forward-thinking businesses.”
Steve Hearn
Director of Account Management, Georgia Dept. of Economic Development
THE CHALLENGE
Growing a team on lockdown
Within a week of Hearn accepting his new role at the GDEcD in March 2020, the team was sent home on quarantine orders, and Hearn’s direct report gave notice. Faced with a sea of job boards to source from and a limited time frame to fill the role, Hearn also needed a way to screen hundreds of applications for must-have agency experience — without letting a single candidate get lost in the shuffle.
THE SOLUTION
A modest experiment becomes a roaring success.
Hearn found his current role quickly and easily on the LinkedIn network, so he invested a modest budget into LinkedIn Jobs to see if the hiring process would be as efficient. Hearn was able to specify the agency experience that was critical to the role. A ranking tool helped him sort incoming candidates so he could immediately reach out to the three most qualified. With automated messaging, he let applicants know that their resumes hadn't fallen into a void. Hearn could also customize responses to standout candidates, whether they were moving forward or not. His experiment with LinkedIn Jobs was slated to last only a week, but he ultimately relied on the platform to make his hire.
Main products used:
THE RESULTS
More candidates with relevant experience
LinkedIn Jobs ranked incoming candidates based on requirements set by Hearn, so the most qualified people showed up first.
Measurable results on a tight budget
Hearn spent less than $200 to discover the strongest candidate, and he could easily track the daily returns on his spend.
Open roles filled fast
The hiring process took less than a month, from posting the job to extending the offer.
There’s a noticeable difference in caliber between LinkedIn Jobs and other job boards. You just turn it on and it works. We’re excited to advance our business and our mission on the LinkedIn platform.”
Steve Hearn
Director of Account Management, Georgia Dept. of Economic Development
ABOUT THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Georgia Department of Economic Development is the state’s sales and marketing arm. It serves as the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, aligning workforce education and training with in-demand jobs, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a destination for the arts and a location for film, music and digital entertainment projects. In addition, it is responsible for planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.
INDUSTRY
Economic development
NO. OF EMPLOYEES
200+
HEADQUARTERS
Atlanta,
Georgia, USA
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