The Art of Connecting with Employers

Janet EstervigEmployment Initiatives

Department of Health Services

Jess SilerBusiness Service Consultant

Department of Vocational Rehabilitation

Janet Estervig brings 30 years of experience as a job placement specialist and Jess Siler, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Business Service Consultant, shares his expertise working in business for over 30 years.

Learn how to calibrate your approach to the initial meeting with Human Resource managers.

Bring your marketing materials and receive feedback from the experts.

Receive tools to research the labor market, complete business mapping of your communities and develop a strategic plan.

Job development is both an art and a science. Using a business approach, you can

make meaningful, long-term connections that meet the needs of both employers and

job seekers. 

Thought for the day:

“When you always do what you have always done - you always get what

you have always gotten.”Socrates

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Research “87% of the American public would prefer

to give their business to companies that hire people with disabilities” University of Massachusetts Survey,  Journal

of Vocational Rehabilitation 2005.

“92% of the American public view companies that hire people with disabilities more favorably than those that do not.” University of Massachusetts Survey,  Journal

of Vocational Rehabilitation 2005.

Community Mapping

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Inventory Your Business Community

Wisconsin Labor Market Information: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/newsrelease

s/lmi_release_dates.htm

Information by County: http://worknet.wisconsin.gov/worknet/

Job Market:https://jobcenterofwisconsin.com/default.aspxhttp://www.monster.com/

Labor Market – Local Chambers

Local Chamber of Commerce: http://www.titletown.org/

Local Resources: http://www.jobsingreenbay.com/

MissionTo strengthen member businesses through enhancing economic and workforce development, resulting in improved quality of life in our community and region.

N.E.W. Plastics Corp. was named the recipient of the 2014 Excellence in Business Award by Advance, the economic development branch of the Greater Green Bay Chamber, at the Chamber’s annual dinner tonight.

…the founding of the Greater Green Bay Chamber's CEO and CFO Roundtables and, NEW, Sole Proprietor Roundtables. CEO and CFO Roundtables provide top level executives a formal way through which to share unique issues they face, as well as share best business practices with their peers, all in a confidential environment.

Connections What are you doing now to connect with

businesses in your communities? When are you successful? Break down the reason for that success.

Recruitment, Retention, Results brochure: http://

dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/publications/dvr/pdf/dvr_17249_p.pdf

Determine where the jobs will be now and in the next 5 years in your communities.

What businesses are expanding and which are laying off or plan to leave?

What industry is growing? What training will people with disabilities

need to meet the labor market growth?

Wisconsin Labor Market Future

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2015

Price

Dane

Clark

Polk

Grant

Vilas

Iron

Bayfield

Sawyer

Rusk

Oneida

Marathon

Sauk

Douglas

Forest

Iowa

Dunn

Taylor

Marinette

Rock

Oconto

Wood

Dodge

Barron

Lincoln

Monroe

Jackson

Ashland

Burnett

Vernon

Juneau

Chippewa

Portage

Shawano

Adams

Buffalo

Langlade

Green

Pierce

St Croix

Washburn

Waupaca

Columbia

Brown

Lafayette

RichlandCrawford

Waushara

Eau Claire

Fond du Lac

Jefferson

Walworth

Outagamie

Florence

Waukesha

Door

Racine

Kenosha

Trempealeau

ManitowocWinnebago Calumet

La CrosseMarquette

Sheboygan

Pepin

Washington

Green Lake

Kewaunee

Menominee

Ozaukee

Milwaukee

Source: Wisconsin Department of Administration, Demographic Services Center, Vintage 2013 Population Projections

Legend

WI County Boundaries

Yr2015

17.2% - 20%

20.1% - 25%

25.1% - 30%

30.1% - 40%

40.1% - 51%

Percent of Projected Population Ages 60+

2020

Price

Dane

Clark

Polk

Grant

Vilas

Iron

Bayfield

Sawyer

Rusk

Oneida

Marathon

Sauk

Douglas

Forest

Iowa

Dunn

Taylor

Marinette

Rock

Oconto

Wood

Dodge

Barron

Lincoln

Monroe

Jackson

Ashland

Burnett

Vernon

Juneau

Chippewa

Portage

Shawano

Adams

Buffalo

Langlade

Green

Pierce

St Croix

Washburn

Waupaca

Columbia

Brown

Lafayette

RichlandCrawford

Waushara

Eau Claire

Fond du Lac

Jefferson

Walworth

Outagamie

Florence

Waukesha

Door

Racine

Kenosha

Trempealeau

ManitowocWinnebago Calumet

La CrosseMarquette

Sheboygan

Pepin

Washington

Green Lake

Kewaunee

Menominee

Ozaukee

Milwaukee

Source: Wisconsin Department of Administration, Demographic Services Center, Vintage 2013 Population Projections

Legend

WI County Boundaries

Yr2015

17.2% - 20%

20.1% - 25%

25.1% - 30%

30.1% - 40%

40.1% - 51%

Percent of Projected Population Ages 60+

2025

Percent of Projected Population Ages 60+

Source: Wisconsin Department of Administration, Demographic Services Center, Vintage 2013 Population Projections

Legend

WI County Boundaries

Yr2015

17.2% - 20%

20.1% - 25%

25.1% - 30%

30.1% - 40%

40.1% - 51%

Price

Dane

Clark

Polk

Grant

Vilas

Iron

Bayfield

Sawyer

Rusk

Oneida

Marathon

Sauk

Douglas

Forest

Iowa

Dunn

Taylor

Marinette

Rock

Oconto

Wood

Dodge

Barron

Lincoln

Monroe

Jackson

Ashland

Burnett

Vernon

Juneau

Chippewa

Portage

Shawano

Adams

Buffalo

Langlade

Green

Pierce

St Croix

Washburn

Waupaca

Columbia

Brown

Lafayette

RichlandCrawford

Waushara

Eau Claire

Fond du Lac

Jefferson

Walworth

Outagamie

Florence

Waukesha

Door

Racine

Kenosha

Trempealeau

ManitowocWinnebago Calumet

La CrosseMarquette

Sheboygan

Pepin

Washington

Green Lake

Kewaunee

Menominee

Ozaukee

Milwaukee

Top Job Growth in Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s direct-care workforce totals nearly 90,000 workers and is larger than any

other occupational grouping in Wi Occupation Openings due to growth: 1. Registered Nurses 10,600 2. Home Health Aides 7,900 3. Personal Care Aides 7,400 4. Food Prep, Serving & Fast Food Workers 7,300 5. Customer Service Reps 6,000 6. Nursing Aides, Orderlies, & Attendants 5,100

This Fact Sheet was supported by a Wisconsin State Health Care Workforce Development Planning Grant. State Facts is a series of short issue briefs and fact sheets on the regional status of the direct-care workforce. For more information about PHI and to access other PHI publications see www.PHInational.org

Marketing your Business

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1. How is your organization “Branded” in your community?2. If they hear the name of your company, what comes to mind

for the business owner in your community?3. What does your advertisements, brochures, marketing

materials and website portray as a company? 4. Would another business want to connect to your company or

receive services from your company?5. What message does your marketing give the community?6. Who are you targeting with your marketing materials?

Potential consumers of the service, donors or business owners and managers?

Marketing Learn about marketing your

“product” using both sales and business knowledge and skills to successfully connect with the employer and its employees.

Learn the appropriate vocabulary spoken by that business or Human Resource personnel

Marketing

Examine your marketing materials used in business contacts and answer these questions:

1. Is the target market of your company’s materials effectively delivering your message?

2. Do your materials explain your company’s purpose and the benefits to the employer?

3. What must be included in the content of your materials to appeal to the business community?

Business Proposals

What are the business needs?

How can you meet those needs with qualified candidates?

What added value can you bring to the employer?

What can the employee bring to the business to enhance productivity and overall business profitability?

Are you marketing skills and successful outcomes of the candidate?

Review their business website to match their mission with diversifying their workforce.

Business Proposals

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PowerPoint Presentations

Request an opportunity to bring together individuals from the company or Department and prepare a short 10 minute PowerPoint presentation with 5 minutes of question and answer.

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Employee traits employers want…

1. Reliability/dependability

2. Availability/flexibility

3. Productivity/Quality productivity/quality requirements

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Lean Engineering Defined in Human Resources as reviewing

all job descriptions within the organization and determine if the correct job is being assigned to the correct position for the most efficient outcomes.

Is the employee currently completing job tasks within the business match the skills and compensation for those tasks?

Can efficiencies be found within each Department or across Departments to consolidate job duties?

Customized Employment

is defined as a set of activities that result in a negotiated relationship between employers and job seekers that focuses on business needs and specific productivity and not defined by an existing job title.

What Employers Want from Employment Service Providers

Know the company Know the job requirements Know the applicants’ abilities Know the business/market needs Make frequent contact Follow up and respond quickly Educate the employer Business expects: Timeliness, Action, Quick

Decisions = Quality Customer Service!

Owens, L.A., Hafner, D., & Estervig, J. (2010)

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ECOLOGICAL INVENTORY Environment

location of the work site or potential work area. Such as an Office Building, Wendy's, Warehouse, etc.”

Sub-Environment An area within the environment that has a separate unique function.

Such as bathroom, copy area, dining room, loading dock, etc.

Activities The specific events that occur in the given sub-environment. Such

as cleaning the bathroom, making copies, cleaning tables, unloading truck, etc.

Tasks Includes the specific steps necessary to engage in the activity. This

list of tasks should be very general. Such as open copier, place original face down on glass, close cover, select number of copies, press start, remove original, remove copies.

Environmental Conditions

Indicate the general conditions such as noise, lighting, pace, physical space, accessibility, rest room location and break time options.

Job Developer Hints

1. Research Growth Trends2. Look for Emerging Industries3. Increase Networking

Opportunities4. Capitalize on benefits to business5. Inquire about paid Internships

that may be funded through DVR6. Use technology with video

resumes

7. Form partnerships with other organizations to share leads

8. Use business and non-human service terminology

9. Have ready answers to why the business should work with your company to fill their job openings

Job Developer Hints

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Business Advisory Group

The Business Advisory Group provides a job seeker and those who support them with inside information regarding career choices.

They can provide their expertise and knowledge regarding educational requirements, physical requirements of specific jobs, and job descriptions that could be redefined for a given field.

The group offers the support team information about careers that they have no previous experience in or do not know the skills necessary to be successful in this field.

Employment

The most difficult challenge of working with people with barriers to employment is bringing people to view those barriers differently, shifting their focus from a person’s limitations to their gifts and possibilities.

Example is Google hiring people on the autism spectrum.

Job Fairs offer an opportunity to talk to businesses about your labor pool availability and skills.

This program connects to the business community through a unique and trademarked job training program for high school student’s last year of school.

15 sites Fall of 2015 11 Hospitals Distribution Center, Insurance, Zoo, Hotel

and Conference Center Interns must have an intellectual disability

and need long term support.

PROJECT SEARCH

What Next?

When matching jobs with the employee with a disability, consider the best work environment that will lead to success.

Network within the business community to find the right person within each company to present your client as a potential employee.

Bring together people who know the individual with a disability to share job leads, business knowledge, contacts.

What Next? Map out your communities. Track all contacts with each business

using a database. Include alerts on your calendar for re-contacts.

Look at this as a “sales” job, you are selling a concept, offering qualified candidates, helping the business diversify their workforce and facilitating the business to reach out to all members of their community.

Business Service ConsultantJess Siler, DVR

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