Lisa Jordan

As some of you may know, getting older offers some unique "learning opportunities" both personally and professionally. It's often easier to look back at what once was instead of embracing the future and looking forward. I've had my fair share of "learning opportunities" over the past few years.

In today's economy, stress levels are on the rise and have been remaining constant. A survey done by ComPsych Corporation, the world's largest provider of employee assistance programs, found that 71% of workers said it would be difficult to meet their financial obligations if their paycheck was delayed one week!

Eight quick tips to showing your value to employers: Nurture, under promise and over deliver, focus, keep up to date, introduce new services, clarify, and building relationships.

In today's job market, being able to connect on a more personal level with your employers is an absolute must if you're workforce development professional. With unemployment rates in double-digits across the country, the competition for jobs is steep. Like job seekers, "business as usual" isn't going to garner you the connections you need to make nor the outcomes you need to achieve. Some Do's and Don'ts to establishing relationships.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit, or WOTC, is a tool that has been around for a number of years, and although it may be set to expire, it's one you should definitely consider adding to your toolbox!

The Federal Bonding Program is another excellent resource you can use to add "value" when working with your employers. The program was established by the Department of Labor as an employer "job- hire incentive that guaranteed the job honesty of at-risk job seekers."

With the sheer volume of people many workforce development agencies are seeing, group orientations are an efficient and time-saving way to reach and serve the maximum number of customers. There will be plenty of opportunities to provide more personal services as you get to know your customers over time. At the onset, your primary goal is to educate your customers on the purpose of a workforce development agency, including what it can do for them and the process for accessing available services

An important strategy when working with individuals who were previously incarcerated is ensuring that each job the person applies for, even if it's entry level, is suitable and holds some type of meaning for them. A suitable job is one a person can perform, even with their criminal history. A meaningful job is one that takes a person's skills, abilities, interests, and long term goals into consideration. It's not a job a person is placed in just for "placement sake."

As you prepare a job seeker who has been previously incarcerated for employment, taking a "business as usual" approach won't yield the results you're looking for. It probably won't even come close. There are many factors to consider, including addressing the various pre- employment needs a person may present with.

Assembling the appropriate team is going to be vital to your success and the success of your participants. The types of partners you pursue will be dependent on where you're located and the relationships you've already built. It will also be dependent on who you're serving (e.g. individuals released from prison, youth offenders, etc.), the common issues these individuals have when released from prison/jail, and a variety of other factors. Take the time to determine the gaps in service and focu