OpenDoor Resources and I-Meet Team to Target Industry Job Opportunities

Global Community Helps Job Seekers Connect for Work; Emerging Industry Need Changes Recruiting Model

Philadelphia, PA and Orlando, FL (USA) March 1, 2011i-Meet.com, the professional and social network for people who plan meetings and events, announced today a strategic partnership with OpenDoor Resources, an executive recruiting firm specializing in the meetings/events/incentive industry, to help organizations more effectively identify and recruit for professional staffing.

Blending new and traditional search services with an industry-specific job board and i-Meet’s worldwide community of tens of thousands of industry professionals, the partnership provides improved targeting capabilities and an efficient process for bringing needed skills and resources to hiring organizations.  It also represents a new service and advantage for i-Meet members, who now have an emerging, relevant source for work and career development opportunities.

“With business changing so dramatically the last few years, companies need a highly selective solution that meets the changing needs of the marketplace,” said John Stachnik CTP, CTC, chairman of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA).  “Providing better visibility and faster access to talent is crucial.  And, connecting a talented executive recruiting firm like OpenDoor with a fast-growing global community of professionals makes a great deal of sense.” 

Traditional hiring approaches are being evaluated with much more scrutiny.  With global economic challenges and future uncertainty, companies have held off returning to their previous staffing levels.  But business is returning, and the need for qualified talent is a pressing issue for many companies.  i-Meet’s global community has combined with OpenDoor to offer a host of unique staffing solutions.  In addition to more traditional executive recruiting services, they will provide a highly niched Job Board, and resume filtering and candidate screening services.  They will provide new solutions to companies to augment their staffing strategies.

“I like this new direction,” said Steve Widdoss, VP HR at StarCite.  “While there are other job boards, this approach targets our industry and the largest community of industry professionals in the world.   It’s also a source of candidates for both employment and project work, which is growing in importance to match the cyclical nature of most businesses.”

The partnership brings together long-time industry veterans Fritz Lehman (Hello Florida!, OpenDoor Resources) and John Pino (McGettigan Partners, StarCite, i-Meet) who have collaborated on this new model to help both job seekers and hiring managers. 

“We believe the timing is right for this effort,” said John Pino, i-Meet’s Founder and CEO.  “The economic recovery is beginning to demand the need for more qualified talent, and companies are looking to fill this need with intelligent staffing solutions.” 

i-Meet, with over 50,000 members, is the world’s largest community dedicated to people who plan meetings and events.  It’s support for the industry and for planners around the world includes project-based work opportunities, and most recently, its i-Meet Careers Job Board which highlights full and part-time employment opportunities, and the ability for planners to post their anonymous resumes online for potential employers to review with strict compliance to confidentiality.

About OpenDoor ResourcesOpenDoor is an executive recruiting firm in the hospitality industry that specializes in meetings/events/incentives, serving the needs for professional managers and executives for companies who plan meetings, and suppliers to the industry such as hotels and cruise lines, destination management companies and hospitality industry associations.  Visit www.opendoorresources.com for more information.

Created by the Founder of StarCite, www.i-Meet.com is focused on building the industry’s most relevant worldwide online community for the meeting and event industry.  With over 50,000 members from 140 countries around the world, i-Meet brings social and professional networking, web 2.0 tools, industry social media marketing and relationship opportunities to its members and suppliers.

 

For further information, contact:
Chip Stockman  cstockman@i-meet.com

Fritz Lehman   flehman@opendoorresources.com