Job Seekers Apply to Costco, Opening July 6 in Marlboro

New Jersey's unemployment rate ticked higher by a 0.1 percentage point to 9.4 percent in May, according to figures released June 16 -- slightly higher than the national unemployment rate of 9.1 percent.

That could be a reason why more than 1,000 people flocked to the county's One-Stop Career Center, during a recent two-week period, to interview for jobs offered at a new Costco opening on Route 9, near the intersection of Route 18 and Texas Road.

The application process was overseen by the Monmouth County’s Workforce Investment Board (WIB). 

“Costco is a high-quality company and the county is pleased to help the store access the candidates they needed right here in Monmouth County,” said Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone, liaison to the county’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development and the WIB, said in a statement. “It is a service and a resource that I hope more companies will take advantage of as the economy improves.”

Costco jobs included cashier, forklift driver, maintenance, bakery, meat department, membership, inventory and more. 

An announcement to customers about the new store is here. 

John Gagliano, WIB Chairman, said Costco came to the board, looking for workers. 

“Costco was initially interested in utilizing our office space, which we were happy to accommodate,” said WIB Chairman John Gagliano. “However, when we offered to proactively reach out to our jobseeker database to drive the application process, we really got their attention. We were able to help job seekers find great career opportunities in Monmouth County.”

The Monmouth County WIB and One-Stop Career Centers supplied resources for Costco during the entire hiring process, from providing space for training the Costco staff of interviewers to providing appropriate interviewing candidates. They also are furnishing training tools for the new hires prior to the store’s scheduled opening. 

The Monmouth County WIB is interested in speaking to employers who wish to conduct custom recruitment events at its offices at 145 Wyckoff Rd., Suite 201, Eatontown, NJ 07724. Contact Eileen Higgins, executive director, at 732-683-8850, ext. 2011 for more information.

The Monmouth County One-Stop Career Center also provides assistance to jobseekers and jobholders, including an informative Career-Connect workshop every Wednesday. Contact Lucy Rivera at 732-683-8850, ext. 2111 for more information on these and other jobseeker services.