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Benjamin Guth

Meet a Mobilizer who’s gained a new outlook on life

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Intrigued by Mobilize? Thinking about applying but unsure about the program? Mobilize is more than just finding a job, it’s about creating a family of friends and a chapter of great memories. Here’s what one of our Mobilizers has to say about his experiences during his work/travel adventure:

Meet Lagarius Hicks

This Mobilizer is originally from Atlantic City, New Jersey’s resort city on the Atlantic coast. Before joining Mobilize, Lagarius spent five years working as a cook in a high volume culinary environment, but felt unappreciated and longed to advance his skills. That’s when he discovered the Mobilize employment program and traded in his New Jersey roots to work and live in the popular summertime destination of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Lagarius began his Mobilize journey with a placement in Woods Hole, a small New England town located at the southwest corner of Cape Cod. “I was a little nervous the whole way to my placement. I had to take a two hour bus ride from the airport to the place,” says Lagarius.

Although very different to his home city, Lagarius was thankful for the locals that made his transition comfortable. “I like the little town that I am in. There are a lot of locals that make it comfortable.”

Learning on the job

Since arriving in Woods Hole, Lagarius has worked in the kitchen at Quicks Hole Tavern. He’s thrilled that the job has given him an opportunity to try new things in his profession, and has allowed him to hone and expand his culinary knowledge.

After just four months of working at Quicks Hole Tavern, Lagarius is now excited about his chosen career path and the future.

Watch the below short video to learn about Quicks Hole Tavern and the encouraging and supportive work environment they foster that sets employees up for success.

When asked about his favorite parts of the program, Lagarius says that it’s “the ability to travel and not have to worry about finding work.” He’s also thankful for “how accessible all the people at Mobilize have been throughout the placement process.”

           

New experiences and friends – and a first time boat adventure 🙂

After spending a summer with Mobilize, Lagarius says that he’s had a lot new experiences, like going on his first-ever boat ride to Martha’s Vineyard. He’s also had a chance to meet a lot of new people, and most importantly, Lagarius says that he’s gained a new outlook on life.

If you still have any doubts about whether you should apply for Mobilize, Lagarius says, “It’s a great opportunity on so many levels. Just do it.”

Lagarius has decided to stay on with Mobilize for the fall/winter season, and can’t wait to see where he’ll be deployed to next!

Are you ready to Mobilize?

Build skills. Gain experience. Travel across America. Make money – and get FREE housing! With Mobilize, you get seasonal placements where you’ll learn on the job. And you’ll work in incredible locations with lots to do and experience! Get in touch today to find out about our next deployment.

INFOGRAPHIC: My Mobilize experience by the numbers – from Vanessa Montero

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Mobilizer Vanessa Montero headed out to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts for her work/travel adventure this past May. Here’s an infographic snapshot of her experience, by the numbers:

Mobilize America - Vanessa - infographic

Want to work and travel across America for a season or two? There are good jobs to be had in great places with Mobilize. It’s an exciting youth employment adventure that gives young Americans an unforgettable chance to work in and experience different parts of the country.

Get the scoop on cool jobs: Mobilizer Vanessa Montero talks about her experiences with the program in this blog post.

How does it work?

Mobilize is a professional, structured employment program that provides you with full-time, paid work over one to two seasons. You live in each location for a season, working with a different employer each time, and gain valuable work experience in a variety of roles. Positions are mostly in the restaurant, tourism and hospitality sectors, with new industries being added all the time.

Meet a Mobilizer who’s building job skills in Martha’s Vineyard – and having an adventure of a lifetime!

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Love traveling? Want to explore America and get some work experience at the same time? The Mobilize employment program is a great way to do just that. Mobilizer Vanessa Montero headed out to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts for her work/travel adventure this past May. Here’s an account of her experience:

Vanessa: from juggling two jobs to a work/travel adventure with Mobilize

Vanessa hails from Poughkeepsie, a city in the Hudson Valley in New York. While working two jobs, as a secretary and housekeeper, she came across the Mobilize program online, and was excited for the opportunity to both work and travel.

She was initially a bit skeptical about Mobilize, “Before arriving at my placement I was nervous, I didn’t know what to expect,” says Vanessa. “But it has turned out to be more than I imagined, and I’m so thankful for pushing myself to take the steps to be here.”

Since being deployed in the Mobilize program, Vanessa has worked at AA Island Auto Rental in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Not only has she strengthened her customer service skills, and learned to multi-task (she’s a pro at working multiple phone lines), but she’s also had the opportunity to rotate her work days throughout the rental company’s four locations around the island.

Life is never boring

There’s a lot more to Mobilize than just work – it’s also about having an adventure of a lifetime. During her time off work, Vanessa loves to spend time at the beach and explore different hiking trails around the island.

      

   
Vanessa loves taking photos of her Mobilize placement location. These are just a few of the over one thousand photos documenting her adventure so far!

A longtime New England summer colony, Martha’s Vineyard encompasses harbor towns and lighthouses, sandy beaches and farmland. It’s accessible only by boat or air, so it’s quite different from Vanessa’s hometown. Watch Vanessa’s video to see just how beautiful the sandy beaches of Martha’s Vineyards are, from her eyes!

Now with over three months of unforgettable experiences, and over a thousand photos documenting her adventure, Vanessa says that her all-time best experience in the program has been the ability to meet people from all over the world, including her three awesome roommates. “This experience has been a phenomenal one and I’m grateful to have found this opportunity,” she says.

Words of wisdom

When asked the number one piece of advice she would give to prospective Mobilizers, Vanessa says that you “definitely need be optimistic and make the best of your placement because missing out would be a mistake.”

Vanessa plans on continuing her journey with Mobilize and is excited to see where it takes her for the fall/winter deployment!

Are you a Mobilizer in waiting?

If you want to travel across America, build work skills and get paid, Mobilize offers an amazing work adventure that will let you do just that. Plus, your housing cost is included for the season. Get in touch to find out more today!

MV Times (News Article)

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Mobilize offers innovative approach to staffing

Domestic workers offer good alternative to J-1s and H-2Bs.

Mobilize Jobs founder Benjamin Guth was interviewed by Lily Cowper at MV Times.

Read the full article now >

Here are excerpts from the news article published on December 19, 2017. MV Times

Mobilize offers innovative approach to staffing
Leah Jampel talks details with Ben Guth, Mobilize founder and president.

Benjamin Guth, founder of Mobilize, met with owners and representatives of several of the larger Island businesses last week at the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce to discuss an alternative approach to seasonal staffing that doesn’t rely so much on J-1 and H-2B employees.

Mobilize is a Canadian-based recruitment agency piloting a U.S. recruitment campaign on Cape Cod this summer season, and is looking for several businesses on Martha’s Vineyard to get on board for a test run. Several businesses in Provincetown and on Cape Cod have already signed on to collaborate.

“This is a great alternative to J-1 and H-2B workers, because there are no visa regulations,” Mr. Guth said. Along with the hefty paperwork involved, employers were also excited about getting American workers, as they feel they may be more culturally cohesive. “You can teach them competency at their job, but you can’t teach them warmth,” Nancy Gardella of the M.V. Chamber of Commerce, said on issues surrounding hiring J-1s. Others felt America’s youth won’t work as hard as a J-1 or H-2B employee. Mr. Guth’s goal is to recruit motivated youth to work low-level service jobs in a new place. It is advertised as a travel experience. Similar travel-work programs, such as World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF), where volunteers can sign up to work on an organic farm in another country, have been wildly successful among young Americans. As a domestic travel destination, Mr. Guth has chosen Cape Cod and the Islands as an exciting starting point. “That’s why it’s here; this place is enticing,” J.B. Blau, owner of five restaurants on the Vineyard, said. “He’s not starting in Newark.”

Read the full article >

Seasonal staffing strategy #3: Use the right resources

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So you’re looking to recruit motivated workers to staff up your business for the season. You’ve defined your experience and figured out what parts of the country to look in. Now how do you reach the people you want to recruit?

Here’s a quick overview of available resources, with the pros and cons of each option:

Seasonal staffing strategy #3: Use the right resources

Industry job boards

These bring in a steady stream of a variety of applicants. You’ll have a lot of different people applying, many of whom won’t be the right fit. They’ll be overqualified, international, etc. But if you’re willing to take the time to mine through all those applications, you’ll probably find a few diamonds.

Government-funded employment centers or non-profits

You’ll find these places all across the country. But they tend not to attract people you’d want to hire as your all-star line staff – certainly not ones who would be willing to relocate. They CAN be a good source for employees who are new immigrants to the country and live in the local area. But if you’ve already used the center in your home region, there isn’t much point in reaching out to ones in different states.

Recruitment fairs

These happen all the time at high schools, colleges and universities, and big urban centers. But they’re expensive; expect to pay anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars for a day or two. When we attend, we come across more frustrated employers than potential employees. Fairs attract new grads with very specific degrees – they don’t tend to be the best source for entry-level or line people.

SEO employee-targeted marketing

If you’re not doing this already, you’re behind. Your website should have a good representation of your current employee experience – that’s what will sell you to the right candidates. Do some research around the keywords they’re using to find employers like you and include them in your content. Then set up a YouTube channel and get your staff to record their adventures and share those stories everywhere.

Social media

Put your existing staff to work. Get them to enter video contests and photo challenges and share their entries online. This is a virtually cost-free way to increase your brand exposure while reaching everyone in your employees’ social networks. Take a look at our social media channels – you’ll see Mobilizers are consistently sharing their experiences. But remember, you can’t just throw up a Facebook page and check it a couple of times a month. This strategy requires a plan and dedicated employees to manage your social media strategy.

Large job boards

Monster and Workopolis aren’t a good source for entry-level or line-level recruitment, and they are expensive. They may be a good option for national exposure, but if they’re not where your perfect-fit people are hunting, you’re just throwing your money away.

Mobilize

We’re a national work and travel adventure – there’s no one else like us in America. We create an adventure for young workers 18-30*, giving them a unique opportunity to travel across the country, meet multiple employers, gain experience and network nationwide for six months or a full year. They can move on to the next post or stay permanently at their favorite job, and employers get a steady stream of eager employees. The program has been a great success in Canada over the last three years, with 500+ Mobilizers placed in positions across the country – and growing every season!

Figure out where you can get the best bang for your buck, and focus on that. Still not sure? If you’d like some advice on the best recruitment resources for your needs, drop us a line.

Up next!

Summer staffing strategy #4: forget about international recruitment. We will tell you why it’s better to focus on in-country sources. Implementing the tips are likely quicker than securing H-2B and J-1 Visa workers!

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*While the program has been very popular with millennials (typically workers between the ages of 18 and 30) because we help address youth unemployment, Mobilize welcomes anyone of legal working age that meet the following requirements.

Meet James, a Mobilizer who had the adventure of his life

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James Rocheleau - 2 (300)
James Rocheleau, enjoying the sweet life with Mobilize.

This is the story of a 2016 Mobilizer alumni from our sister program up north – Mobilize Jobs Canada. With our initial American deployment coming up soon in May of 2018, we are sharing stories of how Mobilize has impacted the lives of millennials like you.

Meet James! This successful Mobilizer hails from a small town on the east coast.

He studied architecture and welding in school, and before joining Mobilize he worked as a welder-fitter in a shop that specialized in the fabrication of custom parts for the oil and mining industries. It was a steady job, but James wanted more.

“There are many reasons that Mobilize appealed to me, but I’d say the most prominent was the adventure it promised,” he says. “I wanted to experience things that weren’t possible in my small farming community, and get away from my everyday routine. Mobilize promised a chance to force myself out of my comfort zone.”

Learning on the job

James stayed with Mobilize for 3 seasonal placements, gaining valuable experience in the hotel and restaurant industry. His first job was at a steak house that was a part of a hotel in a Rocky Mountain resort town, Banff, Alberta.

“I really hadn’t expected to move across the country to work in a chain restaurant,” he says. “But it turned out to be one of the most enriching work experiences I’ve ever had. I started there as a busser and was gradually cross-trained as a kitchen helper and host.”

His second placement was at a hotel in another Rocky Mountain resort town, Jasper, Alberta, where he got even more customer service experience as a front desk agent. He then worked at the hotel as a night auditor, and had the sole responsibility for office operations for two weeks every month. He gained skills including teamwork, time management and restaurant etiquette.

Here’s a snapshot of his experience:

Infographic - The Mobilize Experience (by the numbers)

Life is never boring

There’s a lot more to Mobilize than just work – it’s also about exploring new parts of your country and connecting with great people. James has seen the beauty of the Rockies, gone to free concerts at the nearby largest city, and made close friends. But one experience stands out in his mind.

“Of all the memories I’ve made over the last ten months, the best was hiking up Cascade Mountain in Banff,” he says. “It’s one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. I’ll never forget how rewarding it was when we finally got to the peak and looked out over the park after seven hours of hiking uphill.”

Amazing people

James says that one of the best parts of the program is the great group of people he has met.

“I’ve never learned so much about other places as I have living in Alberta,” he says. “An Australian taught me what the southern lights are called (aurora australis), I’ve learned bits of Irish from my roommates, and have even been taught to sign my name in sign language. These are truly some of the best people I’ve ever encountered.”

When we asked James whether he would recommend Mobilize to his friends back home, his answer was a resounding “yes.”

“Before joining Mobilize, I didn’t feel like I was getting too far on my own. Now, six months later, I’ve learned an entirely new field. I’ve gained new skills, got three excellent work references, and can now see myself pursuing a career I’d never considered. Plus, I’ve met great people along the way and made memories I’ll always cherish. With Mobilize, waking up every morning feels less like a routine than the start of my next adventure.”

Here are just a few of the adventures James has experienced with new friends:
James Rocheleau - 8 (200) volunteering - James and Mitch (200 h) James Rocheleau -11 (200)
Are you ready to Mobilize?

Build skills. Gain experience. Travel across America. Make money – and get FREE housing! With Mobilize, you get seasonal placements where you’ll learn on the job. And you’ll work in incredible locations with lots to do and experience!

Our first U.S. season deploys in May 2018 – apply now to secure your spot as space is limited in our initial season. Experience your first work/travel adventure with us next summer!

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