Hear first-hand success stories from NORTHFORCE employers and candidates
NORTHFORCE EMPLOYERS
Can’t tell you how great the experience was working through NORTHFORCE to find our candidate. The resumes I received were more qualified than the resumes I received from Indeed. I posted the position on both sites the same day, within 15 minutes apart. Within 15 minutes of posting on your site, I received two resumes. That same day, I received a list of 14 candidates and resumes from you. THAT was IMPRESSIVE!! Impressive enough, that the next morning, I removed my posting from Indeed!
Your list allowed me to be more selective and not feel desperate to get the position filled. I’m happy to report a NORTHFORCE candidate was selected for the position! And all of this happened in less than two weeks!!
Every person I can tell our story to, I have told. There’s a difference when it comes to working with a service like yours that provides regional, personal touches that you can’t get on a bigger job search engine. You were the first stop for me. Next time, NORTHFORCE will be my only stop.
—Karen Pionk, Hermantown Chamber of Commerce
NORTHFORCE provided Aitkin County Growth all of the resources and information necessary to conduct a very successful recruitment process. Ian was able to create a position announcement and place this information on the various social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn that NORTHFORCE has at its disposal. This was a very seamless process from beginning to end and Aitkin Growth saw a significant number of applicants that were identified through this job posting process by NORTHFORCE.
—Michael Hagen, Aitkin Growth
We had been looking for the right person to fill a mechanic position and just hadn’t had any luck. Stephanie met with us and took the time to learn about our company and our hiring needs. About a month after our initial posting on northforce.org we received an application from and hired Matthew Peterson, a U.S. Air Force veteran and perfect fit for our shop.
—Elizabeth Draskovich, Ellefson Off Highway
Read Ellefson’s story here
I just wanted to say thank you for your help with the Administrative Assistant position at Visit Duluth. We received exceptionally qualified candidates with the skills and experience required. We’ve hired our new staff from the pool of candidates NORTHFORCE provided. Your professional assistance made this an outstanding process. Thank you!
—Jill Crow, Visit Duluth
NORTHFORCE is a terrific tool for local employers like the Great Lakes Aquarium. I especially like how NORTHFORCE tracks and shows us how many views each of our job openings receives in real time. As a nonprofit, it is incredibly helpful to have this free, local resource to post and promote our openings.
—Jay Walker, Great Lakes Aquarium
NORTHFORCE personally provided talent that was a great match for our position and organization. They know our community and they know us.
—Lindsey Growette Stingle, National Bank of Commerce
NORTHFORCE CANDIDATES
Before I was in the position I am now, I was working two part-time jobs and it was financially unrealistic for me to stay in Duluth. On my own, I was struggling to find meaningful job opportunities that would allow me to be financially stable. I was faced with the dilemma a lot of Millennials go through: get a third part-time job, or move back home. I absolutely love living in this area, and the thought of having to move home was dreadful.
Thanks to NORTHFORCE I was able to find a full-time job with an organization I love, in the area I love.
—Katie Johanson, Minnesota Public Radio
Read Katie’s story here
Hartley and I simply would not have connected if it wasn’t for the team at NORTHFORCE. They connected us. We didn’t even connect through a listing online. Those personal connections are often what makes the difference and NORTHFORCE took the extra step to make it happen.
If I hadn’t found the position I would have likely been forced to move away since my previous industry doesn’t exist here in Northern Minnesota. NORTHFORCE allowed my children and I to enjoy the tremendous quality of life benefits Duluth has to offer without having to sacrifice opportunity.
—Michael Latterell, Hartley Nature Center
Read Michael’s story here
I attained my current position after using NORTHFORCE. As a twenty-something recent college graduate, I thought there were few to no opportunities for gainful employment outside of moving to the Twin Cities. Upon creating a profile, I was able to perform a search for careers that interested me. I like how NORTHFORCE’s search options allow you to narrow your choices based on hours, region, and the category of industry. I’m proud to say that I have finally attained a full-time, permanent position in Duluth thanks to NORTHFORCE.org!
—Rob Hedburg, Visit Duluth
Read Rob’s story here
I have been commuting for the past year to work in the Twin Cities. I was very skeptical that I would be able to find any career locally in Duluth that would challenge me to grow, make use of my passions for people, business, and creativity, and also pay a fair wage for my skill set.
My experience finding a job through NORTHFORCE was surprisingly simple. Although I have been contacted by recruiters through larger websites, it was impersonal. And, sending out a resume to a large corporation without a contact or experience of their culture is not something I desired. With NORTHFORCE, I heard back from an actual person the same day!
—Krissy Johnson, NORTHFORCE
Read Krissy’s story here
I had been looking for a new job for a couple of years, applying at various places around Duluth, but having no luck. I heard about NORTHFORCE and submitted my resume and in a couple of months I had an interview with a company I’d never heard of and would never have applied to. I got the job and it couldn’t have been easier — they came to me based on my NORTHFORCE profile. The benefits and pay are better than what I was earning before and I’m very happy where I am. There’s now way I would have this job without NORTHFORCE.
—Meg, BendTec
Until I found NORTHFORCE through the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency at the Career Center in Virginia, Minnesota, I was getting no responses from MnWorks or Indeed. Once I was on the NORTHFORCE site I began to get real leads for jobs relevant to me. Employers began to contact me for interviews. I received a sound and valuable job offer within weeks of signing on to NORTHFORCE … I must say that I would use NORTHFORCE’s services again, but hoping that I will have a long career at Mesabi Range College!
—Anna Wald, Mesabi Range College
Read Anna’s story here
NORTHFORCE helped me find the job I never expected to find in a field I never thought I’d work in. But I love it. I love working with the horses, the people I work with are amazingly positive and supportive, and I get to be away from a desk … Without the variety of NORTHFORCE’s job offerings and well-organized search engine, I don’t know if I’d be where I am today. I’m truly grateful to them as a resource, and I highly recommend using them to tackle the job hunt.
—Siri Boyd, Spring Hill Farm
Read Siri’s story here
NORTHFORCE was an incredible support to me while seeking a change after nearly 15 years with the same employer. With assistance in perfecting my resume, creating an elevator pitch, and connecting with employers, NORTHFORCE gave me the boost I needed to find a job I knew I could grow with for the remainder of my career.
—Hannah Grunzke, City of Duluth Workforce Development
While on the job hunt, what was quickly apparent is that the major common job search sites are filled with a lot of ‘junk’ postings that are generic nationwide postings. NORTHFORCE was the complete opposite with quality jobs that were locally based. Overall, a polished professional job search experience.
—Ben Fornear, University of Minnesota Duluth
Keep up the great work with the site! It’s a great resource for people. Who knew there were so many great opportunities in the Twin Ports?!
—Yahya Rushdie, NORTHFORCE Candidate
I’m really happy with what NORTHFORCE offers. The more diverse opportunities available from lesser known companies, the more helpful it is. My frustration with other websites is that they get a lot of low paying or non professional positions in the mix, so you have to sift through a lot of jobs to get to the good ones. NORTHFORCE always has good opportunities listed from companies I don’t see advertising in other places.
—NORTHFORCE Candidate
Thank you for all the help and advice you have given me over the last couple of months. It has helped me greatly. I have accepted the Accounting Technician position that you connected me with. My first day is already scheduled! I’m excited for this great opportunity and new chapter in my life.
—NORTHFORCE Candidate
I really liked the email I just got today about a job posting that is relevant to my skills! I would have never found this opportunity in a regular job search, but I love that it totally fits what I am passionate about! I plan to apply.
—NORTHFORCE Candidate
Working with the NORTHFORCE team to receive customized job matches completely changed my perception of the difficult job search. I found the perfect career to build a life here in the Northland.
—NORTHFORCE Candidate
