Before asking for a decision from an employer meeting, make certain you are aware of your reason for being there. This will determine the kinds of discussion points you will emphasize. For example, many programs utilize on-site work experience as a way to build career readiness and job exposure in the job seekers they represent. If your purpose is to open doors for work experience opportunities for a variety of job seekers, then you are trying to build an ongoing relationship with the employer that will benefit his or her business by:
- Exposing their workforce and management to non-traditional workers
- Building the business capacity to train and support workers with disabilities
- Investing in their future labor force by providing experience in their business tasks
An offer to develop a partnership in which the business will host job seekers from your agency to tour, job shadow and/or receive vocational training within the business. Â
If your goal is to promote a immediate hiring opportunity, while all the benefits we just listed are still true, you are focusing these on a single candidate, who will offer the employer more specific benefits:
- Pre-screening employees for the employer’s needs
- Providing consultation for job training and support
- Reducing hiring and related costs for filling openings
- Providing no-cost service on task matching and productivity enhancement, including accommodations
An opportunity to set up a hiring interview with a job seeker.
