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Hiring resources · South Dakota

South Dakota hiring resources: free help finding applicants

The 5 official South Dakota offices that help employers find qualified people at no cost: the state workforce agency, job bank, veterans employment, vocational rehabilitation and apprenticeship. Every link was checked against the agency’s own site in October 2026. This guide is a free resource from WOTC Plus.

Workforce agency: South Dakota Dept. of Labor and Regulation (DLR)Job bank: SDWORKS
 

Know who you’re calling

Where South Dakota employers can find applicants

Each office below works with a different kind of job seeker. Here is who you may meet through each one, and who to ask for when you call.

What to know in South Dakota: DLR runs its own Veterans’ Services unit, which is usually a faster contact for hiring veterans than the state DVA. A separate Service to the Blind and Visually Impaired agency exists alongside general Rehabilitation Services. No state reentry employment program page was found.

State workforce agency

South Dakota Dept. of Labor and Regulation (DLR)

Job seekers you may meet

  • People between jobs, including the long-term unemployed
  • Laid-off workers retraining through WIOA programs
  • People finishing short-term job training and certifications
  • Career changers and recent graduates

When you call Ask for the business services team at your nearest American Job Center.

State job bank

SDWORKS

Job seekers you may meet

  • People on unemployment who are actively searching for work
  • Job seekers registered with the state job center
  • Candidates case managers are placing from other programs

When you call Create a free employer account and post your openings.

Veterans employment

SD DLR — Veterans’ Services

Job seekers you may meet

  • Recently separated and transitioning service members
  • Veterans with logistics, driving and team-lead experience
  • Veterans with a service-connected disability working with the VA
  • Veterans who have been out of work and want to get back in

When you call Ask the job center for its Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER).

Vocational rehabilitation

SD Division of Rehabilitation Services

Job seekers you may meet

  • Job-ready adults with a physical, sensory or other disability
  • Blind and low-vision candidates through state blind services
  • People returning to work through Ticket to Work
  • Candidates who arrive with a job coach for the first weeks

When you call Ask for the business relations or employer services counselor.

Apprenticeship & youth

SD DLR — Apprenticeship

Job seekers you may meet

  • Young adults in WIOA youth and Job Corps programs
  • Summer youth workers
  • Apprentices who earn while they learn
  • Career changers entering a registered apprenticeship

When you call Ask how to start or join a registered apprenticeship program.

No statewide reentry & second chance page is published for South Dakota. Ask the state workforce agency for the local equivalent.

Before you pick up the phone

How to call a South Dakota agency and get applicants

These offices want employer partners. A five-minute call is usually all it takes to start getting referrals.

  1. 1

    Ask for the employer team

    Use the “when you call” line above. Most offices have a business services or employer relations contact separate from the job-seeker front desk.

  2. 2

    Have your openings ready

    Job titles, pay, schedule, shift times, location, start date, and any license or background requirements.

  3. 3

    Ask what they can do for you

    Candidate referrals, job postings, hiring events, interview space, and training support. Every office is different.

  4. 4

    Get a name and stay in touch

    Ask who your contact will be and how candidates will reach you. Tell them when you hire someone they sent, so they keep sending people.

South Dakota employer questions

Hiring in South Dakota: common questions

Where can employers in South Dakota find job applicants?

Start with South Dakota Dept. of Labor and Regulation (DLR). Its business services team will post your openings, refer pre-screened candidates and can host a hiring event, at no cost. Post your openings on SDWORKS, the state’s public job bank, as well.

Where can employers in South Dakota find veterans to hire?

Start with SD DLR — Veterans’ Services. Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives also work inside the South Dakota Dept. of Labor and Regulation (DLR) job centers and work directly with employers who want to hire veterans.

Where can South Dakota employers find job candidates with disabilities?

SD Division of Rehabilitation Services works with job seekers with disabilities and with the employers who hire them. Counselors refer job-ready candidates and can support them after hire with job coaching, training and help with workplace accommodations.

Does South Dakota have a reentry or second-chance hiring program?

South Dakota doesn’t publish a statewide reentry employment program page. Ask South Dakota Dept. of Labor and Regulation (DLR)’s business services team for local second-chance programs, and use the CareerOneStop reentry program finder for South Dakota. The Federal Bonding Program offers employers a free fidelity bond for justice-involved hires.

Where should I post jobs in South Dakota?

Post on SDWORKS in addition to commercial job boards. Job center staff and case managers search these listings when they place candidates, including the long-term unemployed.

Do South Dakota’s hiring services cost employers anything?

No. The workforce agency, job bank, veterans employment, vocational rehabilitation and apprenticeship offices listed on this page are publicly funded, and their recruiting help is free to employers.

Hiring through one of these programs? WOTC Plus can help with your new hires →