CareerSource Florida

Navigating Uncertainty: Connecting Floridians to Critical Job Resources During COVID-19

Leadership In Action

Overview:

In 2020, COVID-19 delivered an unprecedented shock to global economies, with unemployment skyrocketing from 2.8% in February to 12.9% by April in Florida. As the state’s unemployment rate quadrupled within two months, industries like hospitality, entertainment and food services were particularly hard hit, leaving countless Floridians navigating uncertainty and job loss.

CareerSource Florida, dedicated to connecting employers with skilled talent and providing Floridians with career opportunities, faced an urgent need to respond. Amid the crisis, we rapidly conceptualized and launched the Help is Here campaign to offer timely and much needed support to job seekers and businesses. By leveraging real-time collaboration, we launched the campaign within weeks, addressing the critical needs of an economy in flux.

Strategic Approach:

The Help is Here campaign was rooted in providing immediate, actionable resources for three distinct audiences impacted by COVID-19:

  • Floridians who were laid off or experiencing reduced hours.

  • Businesses closing temporarily or seeing reduced demand.

  • Businesses experiencing a surge in demand and seeking to scale their workforce.

Through owned and paid media channels, the integrated campaign aimed to:

  • Connect job seekers and businesses to resources.

  • Direct Floridians to local CareerSource Florida workforce development boards for customized and local support.

  • Drive job recovery, business continuity and economic recovery through workforce solutions like training grants and apprenticeships.

Key Results:

From April 6 to June 15, 2020, the Help is Here campaign achieved significant results:

  • 589,436 impressions through advertising outreach.

  • 43,136 website clicks to access critical resources.

  • 8,786 conversions, defined as users clicking on outreach links on the Help is Here landing page.

  • 76% social media engagement rate, more than doubling CareerSource Florida’s typical engagement rate.

  • 7,000% increase in Facebook engagement within the first two weeks post-launch.

  • 65 media placements, amplifying campaign visibility.

Individual Contributions:

  • Campaign concepting and brainstorming support

  • Content development and planning

  • Copywriting

  • Creative collaboration

  • Content publishing

  • Community management - including weekend support

  • Data and analytics