A Melbourne based call center is looking to hire 100-150 workers in the next few weeks, promising average wages and sales commissions totaling $12 to $20 an hour.

The plans by Harp Marketing Services in the Sarno Business Complex, is one of the few pieces of good news on the employment front, as companies – nationally and locally – have pared work forces because of the recession and the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Brevard County has a sizable number of people employed at call centers and, like Harp, those companies have hired more workers in the past five months. Last September, Excell Agent Services said it was hiring about 200 directory-assistance agents. At the same time Dial America Marketing, also in the Sarno Business Complex, said at was hiring about 20 sales representatives for part-time jobs.

Harp needs workers to take inbound calls and sell about 15 health, and lifestyle products, like vitamin and diet supplements and what are known as sexual enhancers, such as “herbal Viagra.” Customers typically first hear about the products through nationwide radio and television advertisements. Then they call the center to learn more about the products being sold and how to buy them.

Workers, who earn minimum wage-$5.15 an hour- plus commission at Harp, must successfully complete a week long training session before they are hired.

“It’s a relaxed atmosphere.” Said Margie Chin-Sang, who recently started working at the center after quitting her job as a department-store sales woman. “There, I was standing. Here, I’m sitting.”

It also beats calling people on the telephone, trying to sell them magazine subscriptions, which is what Arzsa Graham of Palm Bay was doing prior to Harp.

“This is much easier,” Graham said.

Harp now has about 100 employees, and Marc Gurney, one of Harp’s four owners, said he hopes to find the additional workers quickly.

“The first of the year is also the best time for the industry,” Gurney said. “People are dealing with weight loss after the holidays and fixing them up.”

Gurney and three other businessmen-Bill Donald, Aiden Reddin, and David Staples- formed Harp Marketing Services-after purchasing DMI/Beacon Marketing about four months ago. Harp then won new contracts, necessitating the need for additional sales agents.

“We’ve been very aggressive about getting new clients,” Gurney said.
Gurney said the average employee earns $12 to $20 an hour, but that is based on commissions for sales. The company said it offers medical benefits packages after 60 days to all employees who maintain a minimum of 32 hours a week or more.

The center takes calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which Jane Riley, the company’s human-resources manager, said allows for more employee flexibility in developing a work schedule.

New jobs for Brevard are a welcome relief after months of layoff announcements from various area companies because of a national economic recession.

On Thursday, the Milan Institute, a Santa Monica, California based economic think tank that conducted a study of 315 cities, said Brevard could lose 1,940 jobs- or slightly less than 1 percent of the areas work force- this year.

In November, the county’s unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in Brevard County and 6.8 percent in Indian River County. December rates for Florida counties will be released Thursday.

Mike Anderson, associate director of the Brevard Job Link, said the jobs are welcome.