Cheyenne Mountain Resort named a best place to work

Cheyenne Mountain Resort on Colorado Springs' southwest side has been named one of the "Best Companies to Work for in Colorado" for 2008. The resort is one of 15 companies in Colorado that made the list this year in the large companies category -- 250 employees or more. The award was made by Best Companies to Work for in Colorado, a collaborative effort whose partners include the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Colorado State Council; six local SHRM chapters; Jobing.com; Colorado Biz Magazine; and the Best Companies Group. Cheyenne Mountain Resort was the lone hotel among 2008 winners. “We believe
that when you treat each and every person on the staff as a valued member of a team, who has an important role to play and is rewarded for hard work and achievements, then not only are you going to have employees who are happier but more loyal and effective,” said Laura Neumann, vice president and general manager of Cheyenne Mountain Resort. The Best Companies honors were based on a survey that examined participating employers' policies, practices and demographics and solicited comments from randomly selected employees. More information on Best Companies to Work for in Colorado: http://www.coshrm.org/. The Cheyenne Mountain Resort covers 217 acres and includes 316 rooms and suites, 40,000 square feet of meeting and event space, a golf course, five swimming pools and 18 tennis courts, among other amenities.

CarMax draws hundreds of applicants

CarMaxThe Auto Superstore will open its Colorado Springs store June 5 at 4011 Tutt Blvd., near Security Service Field.
This will be the 96th store in the CarMax Inc. chain and the first in Colorado for the 15-year-old publicly traded company.
“This is a growing community — it’s the right size for us — and with this addition we’ll be continuous from coast to coast,” said Craig Meeks, general manager of the new store, who most recently ran a CarMax in Albuquerque, N.M.
A six-week job recruiting session to fill 85 openings drew 900 applicants, he said, adding that many were attracted to CarMax’s listing on Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.”

Teen job fair participants weigh in

Pikes Peak Workforce Center hosted a job fair for teens March 7, and 900 to 1,000 youth attended, said Jeanne Cotter, spokeswoman for the employment service in Colorado Springs.

Several teens who blogged about their experiences on a Gazette-hosted blog, however, had no luck securing jobs from companies at the fair.

Names of those who reigstered will be placed on file to be referrred for jobs from other employers who announce openings in the next few months, Cotter said.

New resource helps small businesses create inclusion

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce released on Nov. 1 "Small Business Basics: How Small Businesses Can Create Fair Workplaces for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Employees."

The first-of-its-kind resource helps small businesses provide equal benefits, employment protection and an inclusive work environment for all employees.

To download the guide, go to http://www.hrc.org/about_us/small-business.asp.

Springs a hotbed for security-cleared jobs

Colorado Springs ranks as the nation’s 14th best location for those with security clearance to find a job, according to a recent study by ClearanceJobs.com.
The Des Moines, Iowa-based company cited the large collection of military bases as well as defense and aerospace contractors operating in the Springs area and creating a “positive employment picture, particularly for security-cleared personnel.”
Springs-area defense workers regularly report wages well above the national average for security-cleared candidates, the site said. Those salaries averaged $69,834 in the site’s March survey.
McLean-Arlington, Va., captured the top ranking in the site’s study, joining nine other Virginia cities among the top 20 locations. Aurora> was the only other Colorado city listed, ranking 12th.
ClearanceJobs.com is owned by New York-based Dice Holdings Inc., which provides online recruiting, job fairs and career development services to professionals in technology, engineering, investment banking, accounting and finance.
For more information, go to http://www.clearancejobs.com/news.php?articleID=34

Annual Teller County job fair

Save March 22 on your calendar. That's the date of the seventh annual Teller County Job Fair.

Held from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Ute Pass Cultural Center, 220 W. South Ave. in Woodland Park, the fair will offer opportunities to meet with prospective employers.

A free workshop, "You Have 2 Minutes -- Be Memorable," also will be held from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Event sponsors are the Pikes Peak Workforce Center and the Pikes Peak Courier View, a weekly newspaper.

Call 689-3584, ext. 121, or 491-5075 for more information.