Cultivating Relationships with Business: Part I

1. Cultivating Relationships with Business: Part I Laura Owens Dedra Hafner Janet Estervig

2. JDN-WI • Website Review for Job Developer’s Network Forum • Purpose of Website and Posting Questions • Questions and Answers • http://www.jobdevelopers.net/wisconsin

3. Review Discovery Process • Describe what techniques you used in developing your Portfolio and Assessments. • What did you find most successful? • What did you find challenging? • How can we make “challenging” turn into successful?

4. Outcomes for next two sessions • Understand the expectations of the “job developer” • Be able to identify models of job development and how to use each • Be able to explain your service/product • Understand the target markets • Think in terms of business versus human service

5. Thought for these two sessions… Decisions are based not on what is true, but on what is perceived to be true.

6. Job Development: Three Part Process 1. Start with the consumer and their employment plan • Pull out information from assessment & put into a format that will begin the job development process • Review the DVR IPE (Individualized Plan for Employment) to determine if it matches your plan 2. Develop a Job Development Plan 3. Work with business community to identify their needs

7. Utilizing Assessment Information in Job Development • Different Tools • DVR Employment & Support Plan • Individualized employment plan • Job Development plan All are important ways of narrowing down assessment information into manageable pieces of information to begin job development.

8. JOB DEVELOPMENT PLANName of Supported Employee_______________ Date Plan Written ________

9. 5 minute Activity • Using the Assessment or Portfolio that you have completed, complete the forms to narrow down the information and develop a flow for job development

10. Motivation • Action is made up of motivation – the willingness to act and skills – the ability to act • Motivation is the key to all employment • May be motivated to do something, but not work • We cannot motivate someone to work…

11. Motivation/ability belong to client • Access/credibility belong to employer (how much employer believes individual can do job)

12. Group & Plan • Group 1: Has ability, skills and access, credibility • Group 2: Motivated and has ability but barriers prevent access to employment (employers perception of barriers) • Group 3: Motivated with limited ability; no access/credibility • Group 4: De-motivated - need “motivational development”

14. Book Readings • Discussion of Punched In and Nickel and Dimed • What workplace cultures were identified in these two books? • How did the personality characteristics of the individual match the workplace culture? Were there areas to avoid? If so how?

15. Workplace Culture • Achievement Culture • How goal oriented is the business/department? • On a scale of 1 to 10, how achievement-oriented is the work environment?(Ten being daily goals and check-ins, one being attitude and teamwork is more important than numbers) • Flexibility • How laid back or easy going is the business/department? • How important are procedures? • How makes decisions? • Is variation encouraged? • On a scale of 1 to 10, how flexible is the work environment?(Ten being “anything goes” and 1 being “HB means hamburger, no exceptions”)

16. Workplace Culture (cont) • Fun at work • How is fun incorporated on the job? • How do employees relate to one another? • On a scale of 1 to 10, how fun is the work environment? (With pie-hitting being a 10 and awkward knock-knock jokes a 1?) • Employee Value • Do they pay minimum wage? • "Minimum wage means that we would pay you less if we could, but it's against the law!" How’s that for valuing employees? (Chris Rock) • Is input encouraged? How? • On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you value employees? (Ten being full benefits, competitive wages, and encouragement and implementation of input; one being no plaques for you!)

17. Workplace Culture (cont) • Individualism vs Collectivism • Does the business value independence or teamwork? • How much do your employees rely on one another? • Do they stick to assigned tasks? • Are staff encouraged to express themselves or do policies and procedures guide the work? • On a scale of 1 to 10, how much does your workplace value teamwork? (Ten being everyone pitching in on every task with no assigned job titles, one being each person sticking to an area of expertise and focusing on their own list of duties)

18. Workplace Culture (cont) • Implementation • Does the company practice what it preaches? • Things sometimes get lost in translation • Don’t we have Aloha Shirt Day every month? That proves how fun we are. Don’t we have banners promoting our commitment to teamwork? We’re a teamwork-oriented place! • Examples: “My company says it values employee feedback, but any time one of us makes a suggestion, we’re shot down. The people in charge have a ‘we know best’ attitude that makes it impossible to suggest changes.” “The managers stress teamwork, but won’t pitch in themselves when the going gets tough.” “I was yelled at for trying something my own way, but when I was hired they told me they encourage innovative thought.”

19. Matching Workplace culture for Jeremy • After accident, used profanity all the time • On many behavior plans to stop swearing • Not “job ready” due to swearing • Found job where it was okay to swear

20. Selling Supported Employment • Where do we fail? • If it was a “widget”, how would you sell it? • Selling a concept that individuals with disabilities can be an asset to their business is more difficult than selling a product • We really can’t sell people with disabilities, but we can sell our services!

21. Thinking Outside the Box Paid Employer Support Typical Models of Supported Employment Place & Fade Approach OR On-Site Staff Approach Self-Employment Business Directed Services Job Sharing Outsourcing Cooperative Shared Supervision Mentoring

22. Models of Job Development • Need to know WHEN to use certain approaches • Need to know WHY you use certain approaches

23. Professional Approach “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me to discuss my proposal.”

24. Casual Approach “I’m helping out a friend”

25. Representing an Employment Agency “An untapped pool of labor”

26. Civic Pride “Do it for the community”

27. Affirmative Action “Achieving the goals in your affirmative action plan.”

28. Competitive Edge “Jumping on the bandwagon” Good Public Relations

29. What is Job Development Really? Job development can best be described as identifying, recruiting and maintaining relationships with businesses and other organizations that will result in viable integrated employment opportunities for our candidates

30. Begin with Developing Relationships “The most important thing service providers can do is develop relationships with employers. If you come to me with a person looking for work I had better know you already. If there is no personal relationship it is doomed to fail.” - Russell Gnant, President Spectrum Digital Services

31. Job Development is like Dating • Go to where employers are • Develop trusting relationships • Understand their needs • Follow-up (forever)

32. All things being equal, people do business with, and refer business to, people they know, like and trust

33. Curse of Jargon JARGON

34. Understanding Relationship Dynamics • Networking is job one! • It's YOU They Buy • Creating understanding & uncover needs • Effective questioning (not third degree!) • Dealing with disagreement • Steering not pushing

35. Shift your focus… Traditional • Sees limited job market • Hears “We do nothave any jobs open” • Identifies jobs through existing positions Relationship Building • Sees job possibilities everywhere • Hears “We do not have any jobs open NOW” • Creates job opportunities through proposals & relationships

36. Employers say… They are neutral about hiring people with disabilities; the only contact they have is with you! Start wrong direction – let me tell you about our services First meeting – build relationship & trust The majority would go to their business organization for employment related information

37. How most jobs are found 66%-85% of all jobs are found through personal connections 15%-34% are found through random methods Newspaper ads Internet Sending out resumes

38. Activity Write down all the names of people you know (1 minute) In groups of 5-6, go introduce yourself and your “ideal” job Choose one person from your group who will be the job seeker (based on ideal job identified) Each person will go through their lists of people they know and check off who could help this job seeker

40. Networking • Standard Referral • Existing Customers • “Nesting” System • “Centers of Influence” • Membership in business organizations • Local chamber of commerce • Local SHRM • Other

41. 30 second commercial You are on an elevator riding to the 50th floor. Someone asks what you do for a living. You have 30 seconds to explain your business. Write a 30 second explanation of your business.

42. How Not to Network Lesson 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2odtqcZRKc0&feature=related

43. Universal Hiring Rule An employer will hire any applicant as long as s/he believes it will bring more profit than cost to their business

44. Changing our perspective Our perspective is colored by our assumptions Employers are looking for employees with “soft skills” We emphasize performance skills

45. What employers want • Employers are looking for employees with “soft skills” • Time management • Proper attire • Good hygiene • Active listening • Good work ethic • Getting along with others/teamwork • Being flexible • Honesty/integrity • Responsibility • etc.

46. Employee traits employers want… Reliability/dependability – will they show up to work & work Availability/flexibility – can they work when needed Productivity/Quality – will they meet the minimum productivity/quality requirements

47. The Job Match • Finding jobs is • matching employer needs to candidate • detective work – finding opportunity and building solutions • Few jobs are described with terms that reflect our candidates • Look for needs to match not jobs to match

48. Marketing Exchange Theory “In a voluntary exchange or transaction, the exchange or transaction will only take place if all parties to the exchange perceive that the benefits of the exchange outweigh the costs of that exchange.” Exchanges are motivated by needs

50. Features versus Benefits • Features describe the product or service • Benefits explain what the user gains form the features People buy only benefits. Nobody buys features.