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Some companies expecting surge of applications when unemployment benefits end

Conversion Monster, a Buffalo-based company, has struggled to hire about 100 people. About 75 of them are entry level while the rest require experience or a degree.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — It's a problem persisting for businesses all because of a national labor shortage. 

"On average, I get probably about 100 resumes a week," said Michael Hobson, director of business development and growth at Conversion Monster. "Probably two actually show up for the interview."

Conversion Monster is a company helping realtors respond to leads when they need to sell a home. 

Since the housing market has been so successful, Conversion Monster has grown tremendously during COVID. It also means they need more people to do the job.

"I got about 100 positions available," Hobson said. 

Seventy-five of them are for entry-level sales agents, which pay between $40,000 to $50,000 a year. The rest are not entry level. They include national sales executives or positions in IT, human resources, and marketing.

Even once the extended federal unemployment and extra pandemic benefits end September 5, an economics expert says he doesn't expect the labor market to change much.

That's based on evidence from states who already chose to end the benefits early. 

Long term, it's a different story. 

"In the long run, this could create problems if people are just quickly trying to find any job to get by instead of trying to find a good job they're suited for," said Neel Rao, associate professor of economics at the University at Buffalo.

Meanwhile, Hobson is preparing for a potential surge in applications.

"It's going to be nuts," Hobson said. "Probably about two weeks before that, I would expect people to start applying, start answering and showing up to the interviews."

You can apply to jobs at Conversion Monster on Indeed or by clicking here

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