Skip to main content

All Job Seekers Matter

There are two sides to the front line workforce development programs. One side is all about assisting job seekers and business customers and the tools and techniques necessary for success. The other side is about the numbers and benchmarks necessary to achieve success. In a perfect world the two would go together and create the perfect mathematical formula for workforce development success. In reality, this may not be true.
 
There are many times that the benchmarks for success rely on the perfect potion for success. All the best ingredients that complement each other must be entered into the pot for the best outcome. As we know in workforce development, many times this is not the case. Sometimes there are too many job seekers without the correct skills and experience for the hiring employers. Other times, the barriers of the job seekers are preventing them from achieving employment. Additionally, the success of providing services to business customers may be dependent upon the larger economic conditions. On top of all of those items, the benchmarks for the program may seem unrealistic. All of the above is out of the control of a workforce development professional.   
Like anything else in life, it is not the condition that matters, but our reaction. How do we deal with the condition that has been presented?  In order to achieve what seems unachievable, it is important to note that every job seeker matters. Even the job seeker with huge challenges should be counted as an important part of the bigger picture. To achieve the huge goals, it is necessary to remember that each and every interaction with a job seeker and a business matters.  
 
Regardless of the barriers to success, as workforce development professionals, we cannot fail to try. When job seekers have huge barriers to employment, we must try harder. When the needs of the businesses we service, does not match with our current service list or the resources that we have on hand, we must try harder. To achieve our goals, even in times of frustration, we must try harder and be creative. Sometimes we must learn from past failures in order to move forward with the most creative solutions, even when the resources are scarce.
 
This week in the United States, we are celebrating Thanksgiving. This comes after a long Presidential election cycle and understanding that we are in a political transition in this country. It is a good time to stop and pause for a moment. Give thanks not only for the usual, but also for all the job seekers that have crossed your path. Give thanks for the opportunity to serve the job seekers and business community. Give thanks for employment and economics. Give thanks for creativity and innovation. Give thanks that all job seekers matter.
~Karen Cirincione
Twitter:@kcirincione

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How do you Birthday?

Another year in my life has passed. It’s time for another birthday. Each year as the day approaches, I take the time to reflect on my past year, my accomplishments, and my goals for the year. My birthday is like my personal New Years’ celebration with another opportunity to have the best year ever.   I am not afraid of a birthday. Age is just a number, but each year is what you make of it. Each year I have seen the sun rise, the rain fall, and the snow melt, I have been given a gift from the universe. Many people do not get to see another birthday. I owe myself the opportunity to set goals and feel proud as I work towards achieving them. Sometimes these goals have been born from unhappy feelings and bad situations, but growth brings wisdom.   In my working life, and especially as a workforce professional, I know some of my growth must be professionally. Having experience working with job seekers looking for jobs, I understand how crucial professional growth is...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Authentic You

Authenticity is not something we think or talk about every day. It is something we all need for ourselves and to truly connect and have meaningful interactions with others. Anyone on the #improve2019 journey is looking to either improve themselves or to be the guiding light for another person on the journey. Without authenticity, the fruits of labor are bitter. They are not satisfying, but meaningless. The fruits grow are wants in the world, but are not what we truly need.   Authenticity starts with the self. It means we are first to be honest with ourselves, good or bad. It means taking a hard look in the mirror and owning our faults. Are we trying too hard or not enough? Are we speaking and not acting? Do our actions match our intentions?   These are the questions we need to ask ourselves and to really ponder. After we have truly done the recognition and have taken the steps we need to improve, we can really look to helping others doing the same.   Auth...
Post a Comment
Read more

Great Questions=Great Answers! The Pieces to the Puzzle are revealed!

Newbies in workforce development sometimes ask me how to work with a customer or how do you know why someone cannot get a job.   The answer is really simple. Ask the right questions, and then listen for the answer.    It’s not a secret. You can’t just look at person or their job seeking documents and just know. You need the person to open his mouth and speak.   You need the narrative.   Why narrative? First, you will get the information to help you help the customer.   That is if you ask the right question.   Secondly, it helps you establish rapport and trust with your customer. Someone is not going to open up if he does not trust you. This is very important.   Remember digging a hole to China as a child.   Quickly you found out that you could not find China with one shovel full of dirt.   The digger must unearth many layers to get to China! A child will quickly find out that he can’t shovel his way to China, but may find neat ...
1 comment
Read more