Brooklyn, NY – Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) met today with vice-presidents, branch managers, personal bankers, and human resources personnel from nearly a dozen banks based in Boro Park, and secured commitments from them to conduct better outreach efforts to alert the community about vacancies and training opportunities. Astoria Federal Savings, Bank of America, Chase, Citibank, Dime, HSBC, Sovereign Bank, and TD Bank are just some of the institutions which were represented.
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This meeting was the culmination of a month-long survey of 22 local banks in Boro Park conducted by Hikind’s staff, which revealed that the Orthodox Jewish community is underrepresented in the existing workforce of local banks. Hikind’s staff had also surveyed a dozen local banks located in Chinatown and half-dozen banks in Bedford Stuyvesant and Crown Heights as a means of comparison. Surveyors found that more than a dozen banks serving the Boro Park community had not made a concerted effort to recruit, train or hire local people, which was not the case in the other neighborhoods.
“We want to work with you to put more people in the community to work at your banks,” Hikind said in his introductory remarks. “We have been successful in putting 67 people back to work as a result of a job fair we recently held with the Orthodox Union.”
Hikind noted the overwhelming presence of banks in Boro Park, particularly along 13th Avenue, and remarked, “Your banks do very well in our community – which is great – we give you a lot of business. . . but it’s important to give back to the community as well.” Hikind also stressed that Boro Park is home to some of the “best and brightest” individuals who would prove to be a great asset to these banks.
Managers responded that although they post vacancies online, few, if any people from the community actually apply. Hikind explained that the internet is not widely used in the community, and suggested banks should advertise in Jewish and Yiddish publications instead.
Mr. Zisha Novoseller, Executive Director of the Emergency Parnossa Initiative (EPI), also brought greetings at the meeting, and highlighted EPI’s ongoing efforts to find people suitable employment. In addressing those assembled, Novoseller said, “My organization will work with your recruiters to ensure that we send you candidates who have already been interviewed and vetted by us, so you don’t have to sift through hundreds of résumés. You know the people we send you will be appropriate.”
Those who are interested in being considered for positions at local banks should e-mail a résumé and cover letter to [email protected].
Assemblyman Hikind was interviewed today by radio show host Zev Brenner. the interview will be aired tonight.
“Managers responded that although they post vacancies online, few, if any people from the community actually apply. Hikind explained that the internet is not widely used in the community, and suggested banks should advertise in Jewish and Yiddish publications instead.”
Azoy…the banks should try to recruit tellers and loan managers who “don’t use the internet” and instead post their vacancies in the yiddish newpapers. What a joke. If someone cannot use a computer or isn’t familiar with the internet and search functions, why would any bank manager in their right mind want such an employee? Maybe Hikind should focus on getting the his constituents to become more computer literate and develop internet skills and other basic job skills .
As far as Astoria Bank on 13 & 53 I have a simple step for them!
CLOSE THE BRANCH!
it’s a waist of electric, Gas,
There is only 4 employees (including Manager, Tellers, Investment dept. Customer service) in a 4,000 sqft.Bank!
If you try to go there on Friday try to get in line from 10 in the morning so you can be out by 2:59 PM when they close
An average deposit to the teller takes approx. 15-20 min. and they only focus on making sure that you know they have a great offer for life insurance…..
Don’t ask my why I still have a account there
What does surfing the Internet have to do with computer skills or knowledge of finance? Anonymous betrays a prejudice, methinks.
Now the ball is in our court to apply for the jobs, let’s see how many actually do.
I got a job through EPI, they saved my life!! Kudos to them and much Hatzlacha on this new endeavor.. Zisha Novoseller a pumping heart for Klal Yisroel – the recruiters are exceptionally dedicated and smart..
Dear Mr. Hikind
Please make sure that the yiddishe stores ,supermarkets and local business hire yidden before we go to the banks…I bank at Citibank on 54th and 13th and they have great customer service,never a line to make a deposit and 6 working ATM machines .
Once those jobs will open watch who will sit behind those bullet proof windows….
I’m sorry to say, but if you have “do not use the Internet”, you will probably not get hired. No employer wants somebody who is going to be a “problem” for them.
If you can’t even see clearly enough to go to a library to learn basic skills and search for a job in the PRIMARY way that jobs are advertised, you are going to be an issue for your employer.
As an IT Director, I can tell you that if a candidate told me that they don’t use the Internet, I would absolutely not hire them. Moderate-to-advanced computer skills is a requirement for almost every job in our organization. Someone who REFUSES to use the Internet would just not be a good fit.
Our children today are for the most part uneducated beyond a 9th grade level. Yeshivos teach the bare minimum the state will let them get away with… not what is best for the kids. I must be honest… I wouldn’t hire most of the yidden I know because they are just not qualified to do anything in my department. At best they could work on the maintenance staff starting at a minimum wage.
You can’t imagine, as an educated person, how much that failure of my generation to properly educate our kids deeply saddens me.