Tennessee Voices, Episode 61: Jeff Bates, managing partner of TA Staffing and Talntly
The Tennessee Voices videocast brings readers conversations with authors of insightful and compelling guest columns.
David Plazas- David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee.
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the job market and created record unemployment and unemployment benefits requests.
Several employers are still hiring, but they may not always be aware of who the best job candidates are.
Jeff Bates, managing partner of Nashville-based TA Staffing and Talntly, recently wrote a guest column urging state leaders to update the Jobs4TN website to allow employers to connect directly with talented people who are collecting benefits due to the coronavirus. Right now, it is incumbent upon the job seeker to reach out to the employer; so, it is a one-way street.
Creating a more efficient employment pathway is especially critical now since the $600 federal supplement to the state's maximum $275 weekly unemployment compensation stops at the end of July.
Bates also talked about how the job interview and job skills have changed in this era of working from home and video conference calls.
His company also records video interviews of job seekers that can be shared with multiple employers. That way, companies are not relying on a resume alone and job seekers do not have to repeat their elevator pitches and employment history multiple times.
The pandemic has been challenging for him and his family due to disruptions in the school year and summer camp plans, but Bates told me they are learning to take deep breaths and focus on what's important in life.
Op-Ed by Jeff Bates:Tennessee's unemployment system must improve for both job seeker and employer
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The Tennessee Voices videocast is a 20-minute program that invites leaders, thinkers and innovators who have written guest columns for a USA TODAY Network - Tennessee publication to share their insights and wisdom with me and our viewers.
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David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network - Tennessee and an editorial board member of The Tennessean. Tweet to him at @davidplazas.