Barriers To Employment: A Criminal Record « CBS Pittsburgh

Barriers To Employment: A Criminal Record « CBS Pittsburgh

Gunpowder & Gasoline: What Workforce Pros Can Learn From The Joker

There is a wonderful scene in 2008’s The Dark Knight that takes place right after The Joker has stolen all of the money from Gotham’s gangsters. Standing in front of a mountain of cash…with the gangsters’ accountant atop…The Joker has a confrontation with The Chechen, one of the mobsters from whom The Joker has stolen money. During the confrontation, and just as The Joker has the Chechen killed and burns all of the cash, The Joker summarizes his very existence. In doing so, he provides some interesting insight and thought process that every workforce professional should adopt. He is quoted as saying,

I like dynamite, and gunpowder... And gasoline! Do you know what all of these things have in common? They're cheap…

This town deserves a better class of criminal, and I’m gonna give it to them…

It’s not about the money…everything burns…

What do a maniacal character’s quotes have to do with workforce development? Everything.

Lesson One: Gunpowder and Gasoline

The Joker has mastered the art of doing more with less. Workforce Development Professionals…and social workers in general for that matter…constantly complain about a lack of resources. There will always be a lack of resources! Workforce Pros need to accept this and move on. Instead of making excuses for under-performance or job difficulty, workforce professionals need to make better use of the resources that are available.

First, almost every employer in the country is trying to fill positions. Talking with these employers and making referrals costs nothing but time. Workforce Pros will say they do not have the time, but employment for clients is the very reason workforce programs exist. Make time. Scrap the unnecessary classroom activities that rarely lead to employment and instead start visiting employers. Learn about their business, career paths, training opportunities, benefits, etc. Bring this information back to your clients. People enroll in a workforce development program hoping it will help them get a job. So, help them get a job. This core duty that Workforce Pros are charged with costs absolutely nothing, yet most workforce programs have little or no connection with local employers.

Second, technology is free and available everywhere. Use it! Take some time to learn about LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc., and help your job seekers understand how to use these tools for networking purposes. The majority of the nation’s job market is hidden from public classifieds, but hidden job vacancies can be discovered through networking with online contacts, attending virtual job fairs or signing up for free newsletters. Simply go to Twitter, create an account and pick 100 companies to follow. The Workforce Pro who does this today will have dozens of job leads tomorrow.

If The Joker can turn Gotham City upside down with a few kegs of gunpowder and a couple barrels of gasoline, Workforce Pros can turn their program success upside down simply by using free resources to generate more career opportunities.

Lesson Two: This Town Deserves a Better Class of Criminal

Too many job seekers have ‘checked out’ of the job search process, and the lack of service provided at employment centers is largely to blame. Various reports and studies indicate that about 5% of job seekers having secured employment did so utilizing resources provided at a local or state-run employment center. That is a miserable number considering the great many people who have sought services or have been referred to an employment center since 2008. Yet, employment centers will report job placement rates as high as 60% and 70%. One center in Pittsburgh, PA recently reported a 100% job placement rate! Career Services Departments at proprietary schools have gotten into a lot of trouble with the government for the reporting of similar data. So, why the disparities? Basically, because most employment centers lie about their numbers. In many cases, the service provided does not reflect the outcomes reported. This practice has become way too common in workforce development, and it needs to change. It is criminal to provide less-than-stellar service and report effectual results.

When the criminals in Gotham City became too boring, The Joker arrived to “introduce a little anarchy.” Workforce Pros do not have to blow up a city, but they need to introduce a little anarchy to the industry. It is time to challenge the status quo. Workforce Professionals can do this through a series of simple steps that will at first seem quite radical, but ultimately will prove beneficial to clients.

Step 1 – Decrease Service Hours to Just a Few Hours per Week

What? Really? Yes. Run a two-hour Job Club one day each week. Follow that with a two to three hour job application workshop. Reserve an hour or two per week for employer and/or service provider presentations during which time job seekers can learn soft skills and learn about opportunities. Once direct service time is reduced to six or so hours each week, reserve the rest of your time to get out, network, and generate information from which your clients will benefit. Think about it: How many hours are wasted when Workforce Pros sit around waiting for ‘no show’ appointments anyway?

Step 2 – Work Evenings and Weekends

Oh, the horror! The Joker does not stop wreaking havoc at 5 PM when it’s punch-out time because he knows there are plenty more hours in the day to get things done. There is one simple reason why Workforce Pros have to put in extra hours in order to be successful: You cannot job develop during the day because business owners, recruiters, etc. work during the day! If a Workforce Pro is cold calling a business at 2:00 PM, that Pro is not only networking improperly but also interrupting somebody else’s workday – go meet them at a more convenient time.

Job seekers, especially those who are desperate and lack resources, deserve better service from One-Stops, Neighborhood Employment Centers and the like. There are many great employment programs across the country, but unfortunately there are too many not making the grade. Workforce Pros, given the nature of their work and agency contributions, could revolutionize their industry. Job seekers would be better served, and agencies could proudly report factual data related to services rendered.

Lesson Three: It’s Not About the Money

Unfortunately, the world of social service has turned into a combat arena where non-profits and government funded agencies battle over scraps in order to survive. The industry preaches collaboration, yet true collaborative efforts are the exception instead of the norm. The non-profit world has turned into a cutthroat, competitive environment in which some agencies, like Gotham’s criminals, have managed to ‘scratch out a small profit’, but that profit does not translate into program improvement. This is why agencies cook-the-books or misguide students upon enrollment. Funding determines a program’s success, and the numbers dictate the amount of funding a program receives. Just like corporate America, the giant-sized agencies continue to profit while smaller, often more impactful agencies, struggle to survive. It is a model that will eventually burn.

Proprietary schools learned this lesson the hard way in 2014. The only thing Congress and The White House agreed on in the past eight years is that schools will no longer get away with misrepresentation to potential students or clients. Corinthian Colleges, ITT Tech Schools, EDMC and others have had to change their business models in order to survive; hopefully, these changes will lead to better service for students and clients. This level of scrutiny is bound to visit non-profits and government agencies. For too long, there has been a lack of accountability in workforce development and social services. Agencies that want to survive and are truly committed to serving communities will have to change the way they do business. Workforce Professionals are in a prime position to lead the way. Often, a job developer or career counselor serves as an agency’s point-of-contact to the business community. Workforce Pros can lead the way by building collaborations, sharing resources with other agencies and establishing relationships with corporations that may be inclined to support a social cause or mission. It’s not about money; it’s about service. Still, the reality is that every agency needs to generate funds. That’s not a Workforce Professional’s job though Workforce Pros can contribute by demonstrating results.

It is Harvey Dent, Gotham’s DA, who has one of the movie’s most memorable quotes:

The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming.

Harvey has the hope, but The Joker (despite what he says in the movie) has an actual plan. It may seem crazy to follow the blueprint of a madman, but the truth is that The Joker’s antics provide pure, practical steps that workforce programs can follow in order to better serve job seekers. According to Dent and The Dark Knight himself, “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” Workforce Development has become its own worst enemy…its own villain. It is time to introduce a little anarchy in order to better serve job seekers and to better survive. Be a hero, Workforce Pros; get out on that limb and take a risk. You, your agency and your clients will be thankful that you did. And who knows, like The Joker, you might even have a little fun.

Welcome to Career Talk

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Career Talk Employers–Now Hiring! « CBS Pittsburgh

Career Talk Employers–Now Hiring! « CBS Pittsburgh

Why Can’t You Find a Job?

In the 1960s, psychologist H.R. Sheppard led a study wherein people were asked how they had gotten their jobs. The results: 66% of the job leads had come from friends, relatives and acquaintances. Few of the job leads came through traditional job search methods as only 2% came from private employment agencies, 8% from state employment agencies, and only 5% from Help Wanted ads. Comparatively, recent Department of Labor reports indicate that approximately 66% of job seekers find their job through a word-of-mouth referral while just 5% from Help Wanted ads.  Surprisingly, just 1% of jobs are found as a result of online job boards.  In short, little has changed in 50+ years. 

 

This data contradicts tradition job search methods, but it all really makes sense when closely analyzed.  Most job seekers, these days, turn first to the Internet for their job search; the second most popular method remains the Help Wanted ads from newspapers and related periodicals.  The competition is fierce.  Help Wanted ads, be they from the Internet or newspaper, generate thousands of responses from job seekers.  If a local cable company runs an ad Now Hiring Customer Service Representatives, that cable company is likely to receive over 1000 resumes.  The individual applicant has very little chance of just getting an interview due to the sheer volume of applications.  Plus, only about 10% of employers advertise jobs through Help Wanted ads.  The greatest majority of job seekers end up applying to the smallest percentage of employers. 

 

Successful job seekers understand two things: 1.) Job seekers must uncover what is known as The Hidden Job Market; 2.) Job seekers must network to generate employment opportunities.

 

The majority of the nation’s job market is a Hidden Job Market.  Political candidates will often refer to small businesses as the nation’s job creators, and it is true.  Small to mid-sized businesses are hiring every day.  These same businesses, however, do not have the resources for traditional Held Wanted advertisements.  First, there is a great cost associated with print advertisement, so most small businesses will not even consider a newspaper Held Wanted ad.  Second, many small businesses do not have an HR department or recruiters, so the ability to respond to a great number of applicants is unrealistic.  These companies still need to hire.  Some will put a Now Hiring sign in their front window.  Most will end up hiring someone they already know or someone who is referred by a trusted colleague.

 

It is imperative that job seekers uncover these opportunities.  There are two methods that seem to work for job seekers. Door-to-door is a great way to generate leads and uncover information.  This requires a lot of footwork, but often pays dividends for those job seekers who are willing to pound the pavement.  More often, job seekers uncover opportunities by meeting with and talking with the people they already know.  Friends, relatives, neighbors and other personal contacts are an excellent starting point.  Successful job seekers also network with those people they do business with – teachers, former colleagues, customers and the like.  Many job seekers will take advantage of opportunistic networking moments such as an opportunity to discuss work at a party, meeting or other event.  Those who are most likely to uncover the next great job are those who are proactive in their networking efforts.

 

There are plenty of networking outlets for those who are not sure where to begin.  The Department of Labor currently reports the existence of more than 10,000 Job Clubs in The United States.  Job Clubs are weekly meetings wherein job seekers share leads, learn from guest speakers and support one another during the job search process.  Social Media also provides outlets to connect with former co-workers, friends and others who may know about new employment opportunities.  At a minimum, job seekers can sign up for a free LinkedIn account, create a profile on LinkedIn and begin to connect with colleagues who may know about a job that would otherwise go unadvertised.

 

Nobody looking for a job should totally abandon the Internet or the local newspaper, but job seekers should consider these as sources of information.  Sitting behind a computer and filling out online job applications often leaves job seekers frustrated, waiting for a call or interview.  Successful job seekers take every lead and discuss those leads with their network in the hope of generating a contact or word-of-mouth referral.  The data does not lie.  And, remember, the closed mouth does not get fed.  Job seekers need to let people know when they are looking for a job; otherwise, how would anyone know to help?

Marcellus Shale is Not a Person

In June of 2012 I wrote an article titled, “Marcellus Shale: The Urban Disconnect.” That article documented the fact that many inner-city job seekers know very little about the energy sector and specifically know very little about the Marcellus Shale Industry. Two and a half years later, has much changed?

I recently met a young lady who told me that she works for Consol Energy. I asked what she did at Consol, and she told me that she sells concessions. “You sell concessions for Consol?” I asked. “Yes,” she replied, “during Penguins games and concerts.” I asked, “Do you work for Consol Energy or do you work at the Consol Energy Center?” She clarified that she worked at the Consol Energy Center, but explained to me that she did not understand the difference between working for Consol Energy and working at the Consol Energy Center. I used this as an opportunity to ask her, and the rest of my class, if they knew what Consol Energy is or does? The entire group told me that Consol Energy owns the arena.

This turned into a productive discussion about the energy sector in general. All of my students in this particular group are young, inner-city residents seeking employment. We talked about opportunities within the energy sector. We discussed ‘Green Jobs.’ When the topic of Marcellus Shale came up, one student, a young African-American woman from Pittsburgh’s North Side, asked, “Who is Marcellus Shale?” This took me back to 2012 when I ran an employment center that was located in a low-income neighborhood just northwest of Downtown Pittsburgh. We had a bulletin board where we posted jobs in the Marcellus Shale Industry, and our staff often spoke to local high school students about career opportunities within this sector. In my June of 2012 article I wrote,

Last week I spoke to a high school class in a Pittsburgh urban neighborhood. Out of forty students, none had heard of Range Resources, Halliburton or ConocoPhillips...all leading players in the natural gas industry. When I asked what Consol Energy does, they told me that Consol Energy owns the arena in which the Pittsburgh Penguins play. Prior to that presentation, I met a young man who asked me, "Who is Marcellus Shale?" Earlier in the month, I attended a shale-related career fair; I did not see one young African-American male in attendance.

One might say that little has changed in 2 ½ years. I would argue that much has. For example, energy sector recruiters have deployed a new strategy aimed at recruiting from their competitors. One of my previous clients has worked on a fracking crew for approximately 5 years. In that time, he has worked for three different companies because competitors have consistently offered him more money to ‘switch teams.’ Shale Industry representatives have engaged in media, web and advocacy campaigns designed to attract new talent to the industry, but mostly these campaigns target consumers who are already informed and/or working in the industry. The community colleges have launched vocational skills training programs designed to prepare new workers for the industry, but these seem to be most successful in rural communities. Finally, industry representatives have also formed focus groups and planning committees in the hope of establishing new talent pipelines. All the while, an untapped, uninformed labor pool awaits an opportunity.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Education is a critical component in preparing a new workforce for opportunities in the energy sector. Chevron has recently partnered with a consortium of regional economic development organizations to form the Appalachia Partnership Initiative with a mission to get rural students in the region STEM-ready. This is a fantastic program that will help expose young people to opportunities in the industry, and it is the type of initiative that needs to be replicated in inner-city schools.

Career Days, job fairs and workshops held in urban schools and neighborhoods will also increase awareness and industry visibility. In addition, energy sector recruiters should look to unlikely places for talent. For example, the US Probation & Pretrial Services Office of Western Pennsylvania supervises over 800 men and women seeking employment. Granted, these job seekers face a criminal record as a barrier to employment, but these same job seekers represent a small percentage of approximately 2 million American workers who have been trained and have multiple years of experience in the fields of welding, construction, green technologies, electronics and land remediation. Imagine the social impact if the industry made a concentrated effort to engage this untapped labor pool as opposed to turning them away because of past criminal convictions.

The point is that the Shale Industry, and even the energy sector as a whole, has a real opportunity to engage and educate new workers in 2015 simply through replication of existing initiatives. If STEM education, vocational training and awareness programs could be aimed at students and workers from urban areas, the industry would be sure to experience growth in talent pipelines. Sure. There are hurdles and barriers to overcome. But, imagine the economic and social benefits that would come along with tapping into the existing untapped labor pool. Less crime…more tax payers and home owners…a recruiting challenge overcome.