Friday, March 26, 1999
Kings Island faces hiring challenge
Jobs offer perks, flexibility
BY AMY HIGGINS
The Cincinnati Enquirer
With it seems almost everyone in Greater Cincinnati who wants a job already working, qualified employees are hard to come by. So imagine having to find more than 6,000 of them.
Paramount's Kings Island goes through the struggle every year as one of Ohio's largest seasonal employers. And this year — with 3.7 percent unemployment heating up recruiting competition — the Warren County amusement park is piling on the perks.
“We offer a unique set of benefits,” said Susan McDonald, area manager of marketing communications and guest services. “Through these benefits, we're really optimistic of meeting our goals this season.”
The traditional perks — such as free park admission and deals on tickets for family and friends — remain. But new benefits this year include:
• $500 toward a car down payment for employees who work at least 250 hours.
• A bonus of 50 cents for every hour worked during the season for employees who stay until the end of the sea son, Oct. 31.
• $50 to an employee who refers a friend 16 to 18 years old, $100 for referrals 19 and older, if the friend stays until the end of season. Anyone who gets a friend into the job is entered in a raffle to win a trip for four to Paramount Studios in Burbank, Calif., and 20 $1,000 gift certificates or cash equivalent.
The benefits package "goes hand in hand with the theme park environment,” Ms. McDonald said. “It's a very nice package. If they like the environment they're working in, it's a great incentive for them on top of that.”
Ms. McDonald would not disclose hourly wages for Kings Island's employees.
University of Cincinnati economist George Vredeveld said anyone trying to hire large numbers now would face challenges, but Kings Island might have an advantage by offering flexible hours.
“For some person who wanted temporary work, it'd be a great job,” Mr. Vredeveld said. “We've found that most people not working don't want to work.”
Ms. McDonald said the benefits seem to be working: The park is ahead of its hiring estimates, mostly because a larger number of employees are returning this year. She declined to give specific hiring numbers, including the numbers of rehires.
She did say that the park targets students, teachers and retirees in its hiring. The bonuses were what employees had told park officials they wanted, she said.
“We face the same challenges everybody else does,” Ms. McDonald said. “These benefits are in response to valuing the employees we have.”
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