Customized Employment:

It Works!

Marketing Maxim:

It is more effective to find out what customers need and want and match it to what you have to offer… …than it is to get them to buy what you are selling.

Main Message should be about:

• CONTRIBUTION!

• COMPETENCE!

• QUALITY!

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Effective Messages

“We are here to serve you.” “Meeting company human resource needs since____.” “We would like to learn more about your business TransCen,Inc.

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Effective Messages

“Innovative staffing resource.” “We believe in our product.” (that is, the job seekers we represent and the way we link these individuals with employers) TransCen,Inc.

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People become unemployed for a number of reasons.

Different reasons require different approaches and services.

People with significant barriers to employment can’t take a job “off the rack”.

We must tailor the process TransCen,Inc.

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Job developers must: • Find employment opportunities that match a job seeker’s interests, skills and personality • Develop positions that will maximize abilities and minimize disabilities • Have an in-depth understanding of both the job seeker and how a business works • Offer employers something they value TransCen,Inc.

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Rule 1 Everyone is “Job Ready” • Believe in your job seeker • No prerequisites • Work with current skills • Look for positions based on interests and hobbies • Find a position that maximizes abilities and minimizes disabilities TransCen,Inc.

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Rule 2

The glass is always half

FULL TransCen,Inc.

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Rule 3 No “Job Stuffing”

Getting Started The first step of job development

Help Wanted Company looking for individual with a history of mental illness and drug use. Extensive history of hospitalization required. Aggressive behaviors preferred. Delusional behavior OK. Supportive co-workers. Call today for an application.

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Step 1: Get to Know Your Job Seeker • Develop a P ositive P rofile Remember: You can’t sell what a person can’t do • The 3 p ’s – Personality – Preferences – Previous experiences TransCen,Inc.

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Job seeker: KIP

What the file said: • Institutionalized for 15 years • Aggressive behavior • No functional academic skills What we said: • Physical guy • Great smile • Hard worker, good coordination • Sorting and matching • Loves the outdoors TransCen,Inc.

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Customized Employment

is a two-way street.

Step 2: Get to Know Employers

Establish Relationships

• Spend time with employers, what makes them unique?

– How do they operate?

– Who does what?

– What’s not getting done?

– What’s the culture/mission?

• Can you help?

• Sustain relationship/Pitch TransCen,Inc.

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Third Step: The Pitch

Sell applicant’s skills and throw from the employer’s perspective

Employers Want to Know:

• Why do you want to work here?

– Employee’s interest, motivation • What can you do for my company?

The business benefits are: • Spend less money • Make more money • Improve efficiency/productivity • Improve customer relations TransCen,Inc.

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The Selling Toolkit

• Coverletter • Resume • Potential task lists

Potential Tasklists

• Get the employer thinking • Based on employer’s needs and job seeker’s skills • Use employer’s jargon and organizational terms • Put most important tasks (dept.) first – Who are you meeting with?

• Be specific-no general terms TransCen,Inc.

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Developing Task Lists To develop a task list: • Tour the company (or a similar business) • Read current job descriptions • Look at how the company is organized • Find someone in the industry to provide information and proof list TransCen,Inc.

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Negotiating Tips • Show interest in employer issues/concerns • Present potential solution(s) and benefit (something the employer will value) • Present candidate TransCen,Inc.

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CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT

Case Studies

Sarah’s Profile

What her file said: • “Chatters” constantly • Poor coordination and motor skills • Lazy and slow • Poor functional use of language What we said: • Very social, initiates interactions • Likes desk jobs • Able to answer clearly worded questions • Reads • Loves music and magazines TransCen,Inc.

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Borders Books and Music

Staffing issues and concerns

: Must pull staff off sales floor to: 1) strip magazines and pulp fiction 2) process CD’s 3) sticker bargain books and new releases 4) “Top 10”changes weekly, sells quickly TransCen,Inc.

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Processing Clerk, Borders

Works for Borders: • stripping magazines • putting CD’s in sensors • Stickering and restocking “Top 10” TransCen,Inc.

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Tryn’s Profile

What her file said: • Just completed high school • Limited retail and clerical experience while in school • 4 th grade reading level • 3 rd grade math skills What we said: • Loves theater, takes voice lessons • Participated in Youth Theater • Dreams of being a actress • Uses computer to e mail friends and surf the internet TransCen,Inc.

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American Conservatory Theater

Staffing issues and concerns:

• Seasonal fluctuations • Nonprofit (perpetually broke) • Small departments • Used temps for admin. needs • No ushers for matinees • Costume shop getting busier – no system in place to monitor rental

Administrative Assistant, ACT • Floats between departments seasonally • Collates new hire info packets and files employee information • Processes marketing mailings and enters new subscriber donor information into databases • Photocopies and binds scripts for Conservatory • Enters customer satisfaction survey results • Processes costume rental invoices • Ushers for matinee shows TransCen,Inc.

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Robert’s Profile

What his file said: • Has Cerebral Palsy • Uses a wheelchair, limited use of left side • No paid employment limited work history • Trouble with visual tracking • Possible LD What we say: • Degree in Journalism • Some computer skills, knows MS office • Loves music and comic books, literature, the internet, • Summer jobs doing “data entry” and answering phones TransCen,Inc.

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Viz Communications

Staffing issues and concerns:

No one to routinely handle contest entries High turn-over in Reviewers and Copy Editors positions Subscriptions and Circulation departments need additional hands after new releases TransCen,Inc.

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Robert works for Viz Communications • Opens and “judges” contests entries • Supports Circulations and Subscription sending out pre release information, post-release data entry • Writes and copy edits reviews TransCen,Inc.

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Benefits of Negotiations

Employers • Save money • Make money • Work faster/more efficiently Employees • Skills and characteristics matched to career goal • Competence on display • Wages • Peers with like interests TransCen,Inc.

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Things to Remember • Even if an ad isn’t posted there may be opportunities • Employers are always looking for enthusiastic, motivated employees who are willing to learn.

• Change is constant and job descriptions are wishlists - they are not written in stone.

• Employers are looking for value/a bang for their buck/solutions to staffing issues TransCen,Inc.

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Be Creative

To find employment opportunities look outside of the box

Customized Employment Works!

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Other resources:

• www.onestopinfo.com

• Luecking, Fabian & Tilson (2004). Working Relationships: Creating Career Opportunities for Job Seekers with Disabilities through Employer Partnerships. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

• www.transcen.org

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For more information, contact:

Richard Luecking TransCen,Inc.

451 Hungerford Ave.

Suite 700 Rockville, MD 20850 (301)424-2002 [email protected]

www.transcen.org

Sara Murphy WorkLink Program 785 Market Street, Suite 670 San Francisco, CA 94103 (415)979-9520 [email protected]

www.transcen.org/worklink TransCen,Inc.

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