CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Local governments are putting on a campaign to let people know they, like other industries, are putting out the “We’re Hiring” sign.
The Illinois City/County Management Association is trying to get the word out to people, who might not have considered working for local governments, that there are plenty of opportunities.
“We don’t keep it secret. It’s not about who you know. It’s about finding people with the fire in their belly to serve the community,” Dorothy David, city manager of Champaign and president of the Illinois City/County Management Association, told WBBM Newsradio.
David said job openings range from police, fire and public works to community development and engineering.
Glencoe Village Manager Phil Kiraly agreed, saying that, in his eight years in his position, there’s been a 70% turnover in jobs as his and other communities are hit with waves of retirements, one of which is going on now during the pandemic.
“We are seeing more difficulty particularly in specific trade areas: engineering, for instance, information technology, for instance, but definitely even in things like human resources, parks and recreation, public works,” Kiraly told WBBM Newsradio.
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David said people who work for local governments affect the day-to-day lives of residents. She said she started working for the City of Champaign 27 years ago in community development and worked her way up to the city manager’s job nine years ago.
“The most committed, hard-working people that I’ve encountered in my lifetime are the people who I have worked with in local government,” David siad.
Kiraly said he has loved working for local governments.
“It is a tremendously fulfilling career path and we see that as many of our long term employees retire, that they really take away from them just this tremendous sense of accomplishment,” he said.
The Illinois City/County Management Association has put out a new video to try to attract more people to work for local governments.
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