Hire360
Hire360 is a nonprofit organization. Learn more at https://hire360chicago.com/
Introductory Conversations and Assessment
How organizations conduct initial needs assessment with employers, introduce workforce development in general as well as their own organization’s programs, and gauge whether an employer could benefit from workforce development programs.
Learning About Employers' Needs
- When onboarding an employer, Industry Representatives review an initial presentation that provides an overview of the opportunities that partnership offers.
- When contractors need to communicate their hiring needs, they are able to do so through formal channels or via text message.
- Hire360 offers an online job order tool that captures critical project requirements and information about the contracting firm. This includes verifying union card needs, specialized skill sets, and whether the position offers a sponsorship opportunity. Additionally, the tool gathers details on project timelines and residency requirements.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Introducing Your Organization
- Initial conversations with employers prioritize solving immediate business challenges rather than focusing solely on Hire360’s social mission.
- Hire360 presents itself as an extension of a contractor’s HR team. Hire360 provides talent sourcing services at no cost, identifying qualified candidates and connecting the employer to incentives that reduce expenses and offset training costs.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Evaluating Employer Suitability
- Hire360’s goal is to help provide opportunities for the unionized construction community. The organization seeks to partner with any unionized subcontractor looking to expand its workforce.
- Because Hire360 focuses exclusively on the unionized construction sector, the organization does not need to manually screen for job quality. Every opportunity comes with pre-negotiated wages, comprehensive benefits, and more.
- If a firm is non-unionized, through the contractor scaling-up program, Hire360 can assist the firm in the process of becoming unionized.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Establishing Employer Relationships
Ways that organizations follow up or otherwise build relationships with potential employer partners. How do organizations keep employers’ interest and stay top of mind, despite how busy they may be?
Following Up via Phone and/or Email
- The team persistently follows up with employers to document the results of each referral and ensure the status of every candidate is captured. After submitting candidates for a job order, team members maintain consistent contact via phone and/or email to confirm hiring decisions. All decisions are documented in Salesforce.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Employer Visits to Service Provider Locations
- Site visits are offered to employers who work with Hire360 regularly. This is done to create multiple opportunities for candidates to engage with employers. Contractors are invited on-site to teach classes or speak with candidates about industry expectations.
- Employers are frequently invited to participate in hiring events or hiring preparation events, such as mock interview sessions for specialized trades. An initiative with the elevator constructors, for example, involved elevator firms helping candidates refine their interview skills.
- Hire360 has an active mentoring program that allows employers to build relationships with apprentices. These connections are particularly vital in trades like carpentry or labor, where workers may switch sites frequently and benefit from having established connections with multiple contractors.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Service Provider Visits to Employer Workplace
- Team members occasionally visit job site trailers to conduct in-person meetings with contractors. These visits are used to review project milestones and discuss real-time progress toward meeting workforce requirements.
- Site visits offer an opportunity to connect current job seekers with individuals who have already been successfully placed.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Job Fairs and Hiring Events
- Rather than hosting or attending general hiring events, the organization prioritizes job fairs that are tied to specific projects with clear hiring timeframes.
- Hire360 collaborates with employers to co-host or sponsor custom hiring events that are tailored to a project or initiative.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Metrics and Financial Factors
How organizations collect and share information about expected outcomes and potential financial rewards and incentives.
Sharing Metrics and Return on Investment with Employers
- Hire360 utilizes Salesforce to maintain detailed records of all candidate referrals and outcomes.
- For larger projects, Hire360 provides reporting on the total number of referrals, their hiring status, and relevant candidate demographics.
- The organization tracks and shares placement metrics. In the previous year, Hire360 documented 303 successful placements.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Gathering Data to Track Employer Metrics
- Hire360 utilizes Salesforce to document all interactions with employers and job seekers. The system has been customized to meet the organization’s needs.
- Custom reports can be provided to employers that include details on project updates and hiring data.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Organizational Level Considerations
How organizations are set up to build partnerships with employers, and how they leverage relationships with other organizations for better outcomes.
Organizational Structure, Resourcing, and Staffing
- Workforce development activities are led by the Director of Workforce Development, who oversees a team of three Industry Representatives. This team serves as the primary group that connects employers with candidates for available employment opportunities in the construction industry.
- Complementing the workforce team, the Business Development team focuses on helping contractors scale and grow with supply firms.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Collaborating with Other Organizations
- Hire360 collaborates with many organizations to fulfill its mission:
- Hire360 collaborates with the Chicago Federation of Workforce and Community Initiative to complete the paperwork that is associated with the incentives that employers receive. Both organizations are co-located, allowing for rapid information exchange and a dedicated team that works to ease the administrative burden on contractors.
- To maximize the reach of new projects, Hire360 frequently hosts joint events with contractor assistance agencies, such as Black Contractors United, Black Contractors Owners & Executives, Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA), and Unidos. These events often focus on positioning MWBEs for major contracts.
- Through a privately raised Barrier Reduction Fund, Hire360 provides financial support for new apprentices, regardless of whether they were originally recruited by Hire360 or a partner organization. This funding helps cover the cost of tools, boots, and other essential equipment, ensuring that financial hurdles do not prevent qualified community members from entering the trades.
- Hire360 actively pursues joint grant applications with partner organizations. This can be challenging as many organizations have their own interests, however Hire360 works diligently to find overlap and connections within the ecosystem, as there are many opportunities to build long-term strategies.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Challenges
Common challenges and how organizations typically respond to them.
Ensuring Compliance with Progammatic and Funding Requirements
- The Hire360 teams work with employers/contractors closely to ensure that they are compliant with all contractual requirements. The organization assists employers in managing the high volume of administrative data required to maintain compliance. This includes the collection and submission of certified payroll records, residency verification, and income documentation, as well as the detailed demographic reporting necessary to demonstrate adherence to social and economic workforce targets.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Handling Objections from Employers
- A primary objection from contractors is the high level of administrative complexity caused by overlapping and often conflicting workforce goals across different government levels. The high variability between state, city, and federal requirements creates a disjointed environment that makes long term workforce planning difficult for employers. Having workforce requirements may be a good strategy to get a person or firm exposed to the industry, but more can be done to create an environment that fosters long-term retention and sustainable career growth.
- One strategy that Hire360 uses to create long term gains in the industry is by supporting the growth of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises. These firms are often more likely to hire and retain talent from within their own communities. By providing access to working capital and the social capital necessary to break into established project networks, Hire360 helps these firms scale and succeed. Over time, these companies become long-term hiring partners that consistently pull from the local talent pipeline.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
Handling Challenges
- A major challenge in construction is that contractors are often overwhelmed by dozens of different workforce organizations all vying for the same opportunities. This fragmented approach leads to contractors feeling fatigued by the process and becoming less likely to engage because the support system feels disorganized and repetitive.
- Hire360 addresses this by utilizing a centralized job order tool. Instead of a contractor managing multiple relationships, they work through Hire360, which then broadcasts the needs to a wide network of community partners. This ensures that contractors get access to a wider pool of qualified candidates without the administrative burden of fielding replies from multiple organizations.
- While Hire360’s job order tool is one solution, the challenge of provider organizations operating in silos and inundating contractors remains.
This content is based on interviews or email correspondence with Jay Rowell in 2026. This content has been approved by the organization in 2026
