Transcript Slide 1
Working Relationships
Employment and Career Development
through Employer Partnerships
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Part One
Employer Perceptions
of Disability and
Disability Employment
Programs
Richard Luecking
TransCen, Inc.
BEG
PLACE
PRAY
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Session Objectives
• To learn how employers perceive
disability and disability employment
organizations
• To learn what employers want from
employment organizations
• To identify effective marketing
messages to employers
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
What Employers Want
• Relationships that help meet a particular
company need
• Relationships that help meet an
industry-wide need
• Relationships that help meet a
perceived community need that makes
it a good place to do business
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
What Employers Often Get
• Appeals to hire people with disabilities
• Programs asking to hire a narrow
category of job seekers
• Programs of varying quality
• Confused and frustrated!
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
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.
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
The “NOT” Top Ten
10. “Helping people with disabilities
achieve maximum independence.”
9. “Bringing people with disabilities into
the mainstream.”
8. “Hiring people with disabilities makes
good business sense.”
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
The “NOT” Top Ten
7. “The DuPont survey says people with
disabilities are good workers and easy
to supervise.”
6. “We are government funded.”
5. “We are CARF accredited.”
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
The “NOT” Top Ten
4. “Do you job carve? We can help.”
3. “Serving people with barriers to
employment.”
2. “Providing hope and opportunity to
those less fortunate.”
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
The “NOT” Top Ten
1. “We help some people get competitive
employment, and some depart by way
of death.”
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Mistake: “Selling disability”
Company looking for
individual with significant
cognitive impairment
with extensive history of
behavior problems.
Supportive co-workers.
Call for an application.
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Employer Perspectives of
Disability in the Workplace
• MIXED BAG
Employers generally willing to hire, but
– Unaware of resources to help
– Confused about resources
– Feel inexperienced and unprepared
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Employer Perspectives of
Disability in the Workplace
• MIXED BAG
Employers generally express affirmative and
humane views, but
– Often invoke corporate good citizenship as motive
– Views are often more negative toward some
categories of disability than others
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Employer Perspectives of
Disability in the Workplace
• Employers experienced with disability
are typically:
– Very positive about hiring/accommodations
– Willing to exceed legal requirements for
accommodation
– Looking for worker competence and
service quality of agents (not to “do good”)
– Expecting return on investment
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Employers’ View of
Rehab Organizations
• Also a Mixed Bag:
– Naïve, confused, anxious
– Frustrated: resent solicitations, lack of
business awareness, unreliability
– Satisfied: see rehab as important link,
addressing needs, contributing to
company operations
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Main Message
should be about:
Competence
and Quality
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
The Real Top Ten Messages
10. “We represent quality.”
9. “We are here to serve you.”
8. “We will listen.”
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
The Real Top Ten Messages
7. “We match applicants with employer
need.”
6. “Meeting company human resource
needs since____.”
5. “We would like to learn more about
your business
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
The Real Top Ten Messages
4. “Innovative staffing resource.”
3. “Endorsed by ______ (fill in name of
employer)”
2. “We stand behind our service.”
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
The Real Top Ten Messages
1. “We believe in our product.”
(that is, the job seekers we represent
and the way we link these individuals
with employers)
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Next Session
• How to get your foot in the door
• What to do and say when you are inside
employer’s operation
• How to identify opportunities for specific
job seekers
• Introduction to customer service
strategies that “wow” employers
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Contact information
Richard Luecking
TransCen, Inc.
451 Hungerford Drive, Suite 700
Rockville, MD 20850
[email protected]
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc
Working Relationships
Employment and Career Development
through Employer Partnerships
Working Relationships: Employment and Career Development for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Copyright © 2004 by TransCen, Inc