Pandemic drives 90 new hires at Lewiston info management company
Courtesy / OpenText
Lewiston’s OpenText, formerly Carbonite, is recruiting for 90 positions in the midst of the pandemic.
OpenText Corp., formerly Carbonite Inc., is hiring for 90 open positions in Lewiston and is busy recruiting amid the pandemic.
OpenText (TSX, Nasdaq: OTEX), an information management company headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, acquired Carbonite last December and has been growing its customer service operation in Lewiston, the company said.
The open positions are in technical support.
Open Text offers security software that combats phishing schemes, which have been on the rise during the pandemic. Sites prey especially on new users such as seniors who may be trying video conferencing tools for the first time or employees who have recently moved to remote work and could be vulnerable to ransomware or phishing attacks.
New malicious cyberactivity is using the coronavirus as a lure, Ryan Hill, senior director of public relations, told Mainebiz. The “bait” includes key words that refer to things like testing requirements or results, which people are likely to click on.
“The methods that scammers are using to do business are shifting,” said Rob Frost, vice president of customer support who leads the Lewiston team of 130 employees. “They’re leveraging the latest environment.”
Social distancing
Since the acquisition, OpenText has broadened the scope of its Lewiston location to include back-office support work, and sales and development.
For the 90 open positions, the company is looking for candidates who have communication skills and an aptitude to learn, but not necessarily with an existing technical background or experience.
A multiweek training program includes certified trainers who lead classes that include hands-on experiences such as mock customer calls. Training is provided for various requirements, such as product knowledge and troubleshooting.
The Lewiston location is currently at 18-24 Mollison Way, but the firm is looking elsewhere in Lewiston for space that’s larger and more efficient, Frost said. Details on a new location were not available. However, he said, the space would allow employees to return to the office with social distancing rules.
“We’ll likely have a blend of in-office and remote work,” Frost said.
Remote onboarding
At the start of the pandemic, the company moved from office to remote operations immediately. Recruiting and training will now be conducted remotely until it’s safe to reopen offices.
“We’re in a very good position to be flexible and ensure we’re returning back to safe working conditions,” Frost said.
The company is recruiting through methods such as job postings and internal referrals.
“We have folks who have been with the organization many years,” he said. “One way we most successfully recruit is through internal referrals, so we’re constantly leveraging that. And we have great recruiters who are attending virtual job fairs and working with the Department of Labor and with other groups in Maine to help get them into our interview process.”
In addition to benefits and compensation that starts at $15 per hour, the company tends to promote from within.
“A person coming in can find advanced opportunity,” Frost said. “We’re a place to launch a career.”
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