Bloom’s new office brings 500 positions

The Bloom Marketing Group’s recently opened telecenter in Bloomington will create about 500 new jobs. \n“To see a national company that could do this anywhere choose Bloomington, Ind., is great,” said Ron Walker, president of the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation.\nBloom is responsible for making calls to senior citizens to inform them of Medicare advantage plans, a new resource for local senior citizens, said Brooke Ivey, account manager for Bloom Marketing Group. \nThe telecenter is located three miles from the IU campus, at 1801 S. Liberty Drive on Bloomington’s west side, in the old Teletron building.\nThe company moved there with its current staff Aug. 27. However, the current number of employees working at the telecenter will not suffice, especially since the upcoming open enrollment period for Medicare begins in November. \nWalker said that as a community sees a loss of manufacturing jobs, a flux of service jobs such as these make up for the loss. \n“We will work hard to keep them here,” Walker said. He said they will do this by providing employment training grants and other incentives.\nDanise Alano, the director of economic development at the mayor’s office, said she’s happy to see a national group with local ties settle in Bloomington.\n“Its always great to have a local company expanding,” Alano said. “We are always seeking to encourage good quality jobs (in Bloomington).” \nThe job positions available are in the sales and service areas of the company. The jobs may be ideal for students because they offer flexibility, Ivey said, and because they can lead to a career. \n“I think it’s a great place to work if you’re a student because we have a wide variety of hours available,” Ivey said. “It’s a great place to start off and build a career.” \nHeather Donovan, who works with the Area 10 Agency on Aging, a non-profit organization that offers a variety of services to the elderly, said expanding the telecenter will be helpful for seniors. \n“I think (the new telecenter) could be (a good resource) as long as it’s user friendly, because a lot of the mailings (senior citizens) get about Medicare are very, very confusing and these people just don’t understand,” she said. \nPart-time and full-time positions are currently available. Basic employment requirements include a high school degree and good communication skills. \nScheduling is flexible-day and evening shifts are available. Pay ranges between $12 and $18 per hour based on position. Bonuses, benefits, career paths and training are available for prospective employees. \n A job open house will occur Sept. 12-13 at Bloom Marketing Group’s new location. For directions and other information, call 961-2535.