Greater Oshawa Chamber Adopts Robust Online Job-Matching Platform To Address Unemployment, Particularly Among Youth

April 2, 2015 – In a bid to help job seekers find meaningful employment and give local businesses access to the talent they need, the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce is mounting an ambitious campaign to register job candidates and local employers with Magnet, a new network powered by cutting-edge job-matching technology.

The Magnet network promises to radically change the way Durham Region job seekers find meaningful employment and how local businesses source talent to meet their skills requirements.

Job hunters register by filling out a profile and are immediately provided with specific job postings that match their skills, qualifications and job preferences. The system is designed to have job opportunities chase candidates. This means that every time a suitable new job is posted, qualified candidates are automatically notified.

A unique feature is that every candidate’s identity is shielded until they decide to communicate with a potential employer about a job posting. The platform also gives job seekers the flexibility to use multimedia to more effectively market themselves to employers.

For local small- to medium-sized businesses, the Magnet network provides a fast, cost-effective and easy-to-use channel to post a job and tap into the supply of qualified talent that they need. After an employer posts a job, the cutting-edge technology provides the company with a pre-screened list of top candidates who meet the specified skills requirements and have expressed an interest in the position. The system also lowers search costs and allows companies to remain connected to qualified candidates even if they are not currently hiring.

Magnet was developed by Ryerson University, in partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), which represents about 60,000 employers and two million jobs, as a unified and coordinated response to pressing unemployment and underemployment issues.

Many of OCC’s 160 member chambers are now rolling out Magnet to job seekers and employers right across the province.

“When it comes to finding good jobs and sourcing the right talent quickly, Magnet is a game changer,” says Bob Malcolmson, CEO & General Manager of the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce. “No job seeker or business in need of talent can afford to be without the competitive advantage that Magnet offers. Small-and-medium size companies who use this revolutionary networking platform, for example, will now be able to compete with companies with much larger talent acquisition and human resource budgets.”

Durham Region job seekers, local college and university students seeking full or part-time employment and businesses can learn more and register free of charge by visiting oshawachamber.magnet.today.

“Magnet is about connecting jobs to people and helping communities strengthen their economies,” says Mark Patterson, Executive Director, Magnet. “The work of Chambers of Commerce across Ontario to raise awareness and encourage both job candidates and employers to sign up provides a beacon of hope to those individuals and communities struggling with unemployment and underemployment.”

What’s different about Magnet is that it provides both job candidates and employers with a one-stop, supply/demand job hub to connect the right candidate to the right job – quickly, accurately, and efficiently.