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TRANSCRIPT
Contents INTRODUCTION
1. Welcome to the Job Broker Self-directed Learning Guide! 4
1.1 Introduction 4
1.2 Who is this Guide for? 4
1.3 The Job Broker Occupational Profile 5
1.4 So what exactly is a Job Broker? 6
1.5 Why Broker? 10
1.6 Who has designed this Guide? 12
1.7 Why is a Self-directed Learning Guide necessary for Job Brokers? 12
2. Using the Self-directed Learning Guide 15
2.1 The Five Elements of the Guide 15
2.2 The Chapters and the Learning Objectives 16
2.3 Narratives, Exercises and Feedback 20
2.4 An initial check – where do you stand? 23
CHAPTER 1 – CURRENT EU LABOUR MARKET CONTEXT AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
What is this chapter about? 34
Learning objectives 35
1.1 Describe current labour market trends and needs and conduct conversations with job-seekers accordingly 38
1.2 Identify relevant sources of information (labour market trends, training and employment support schemes, employment opportunities, labour law) and select relevant information working with job-seekers 48
1.3 Describe networking techniques and use them to build up long-term relationships with employers and possible cooperation partners and/or funding bodies for support measures for job-seekers. 55
1.4 Describe relevant public policies and priorities in relation to funding and organisation of Job Brokering services. 65
1.5 Understand the interface between the employer, job-seeker and funder of job brokerage services. Illustrate possible role conflicts and demonstrate the means to overcome them. 78
1.6 Specify and explain the use of Job Brokering services for key employers, employer associations, sector bodies or industry specialists. 86
1.7 Conclusion and further reading 96
CHAPTER 2 – WORKING EFFECTIVELY WITH EMPLOYERS
What is this Chapter about? 101
Learning Objectives 101
2.1 Select and apply recruiting methods (direct, indirect, third party methods) to reach out to potential candidates 104
2.2 Describe occupational profiles and list corresponding occupational requirements 115
2.3 Design, conduct and participate in networking events and activities to create strong links to employers 122
2.4 Utilize existing support schemes to generate maximum benefit for employers 129
2.5 Develop job profiles in cooperation with employers and match them with personal profiles of potential job candidates 137
2.6 Demonstrate the ability to deliver, monitor and evaluate employer satisfaction as a means of continuous service quality improvement 144
2.7 Progress Assessment - Learning Need Analysis 154
2.8 Further Reading: resources and webography 156
CHAPTER 3 – WORKING WITH JOB-SEEKERS
What is this chapter about? 1633
Learning objectives 1655
3.1 Specify and demonstrate the empowerment approach 167
3.2 Describe and differentiate methods for profiling and assessment of job-seekers and choose methods appropriate for specific contexts and/or job-seekers 175
3.3 & 3.4Outline different coaching techniques and use them to optimally support job-seekers in finding a job and apply appropriate communication techniques across settings, purposes, and target groups 183
3.5 Develop an action plan in cooperation with the job-seeker 201
3.6 Explain sources of conflicts with and de-motivation of job-seekers and apply appropriate conflict management and motivation techniques 206
3.7 Identify specific and specialist job-seeker support needs that are a barrier to a successful job placement (psychological, debt, housing, welfare) and referring them for relevant expert or detailed support 213
3.8 Progress Assessment – Learning Needs Analysis 222
3.9 Conclusion and further reading 2233
CHAPTER 4 - TAKING A JOB-SEEKER FOCUSED APPROACH (CASE MANAGEMENT)
What is this chapter about? 227
Learning Objectives 228
4.1 A Job-seeker-focused Approach – The processes of Job Brokering services 230
4.2 Identify providers of related support services (e.g. debt management, training providers) and refer job-seekers according to their needs 239
4.3 Categorize different target groups of job-seekers/employers and their specific needs 243
4.4 Develop effective procedures, protocols and standards for all phases of the brokering process including follow-up activities after the initial placement 249
4.5 Utilize relationships to stakeholders and especially other job broker in providers in order to concentrate organisational resources and to develop Job Brokering services that best serve the needs of specific target groups 265
4.6 Self-evaluate and reflect about the own professional practice as a mean for continuing professional development and psycho hygiene 270
4.7 Progress Assessment - Learning Need Analysis 272
4.8 Conclusion and further reading 274
Self-directedLearningGuideIntroduction
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1. WELCOMETOTHEJOBBROKERSELF-DIRECTEDLEARNINGGUIDE!.........................4
1.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................4
1.2 WhoisthisGuidefor?...............................................................................................4
1.3 TheJobBrokerOccupationalProfile.........................................................................5
1.4 SowhatexactlyisaJobBroker?................................................................................6
1.5 WhyBroker?............................................................................................................10
1.6 WhohasdesignedthisGuide?................................................................................12
1.7 WhyisaSelf-directedLearningGuidenecessaryforJobBrokers?.........................12
2. USINGTHESELF-DIRECTEDLEARNINGGUIDE.........................................................15
2.1 TheFiveElementsoftheGuide...............................................................................15
2.2 TheChaptersandtheLearningObjectives..............................................................16
2.3 Narratives,ExercisesandFeedback........................................................................20
2.4 Aninitialcheck–wheredoyoustand?...................................................................23
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1.¡BIENVENIDOALAGUÍAAUTÓNOMADEAPRENDIZAJEDEJOBBROKER!
1.1 Introducción
LaGuíaAutónomadeAprendizajedeJobBrokerhasidodiseñadaparaayudarleadesarrollar
susconocimientosysushabilidadesenrelaciónconelpuestode«jobbroker».Asegúresedeleer
primero las dospartes del capítulode introducción, puestoqueexplican la guía y cómo todo
encaja.
1.2 ¿Paraquiénesestaguía?
La Guía autónoma de Aprendizaje tiene como objetivo respaldar a los profesionales con, al
menos,dosañosdeexperienciaayudandoalossolicitantesdeempleoya losempleadores.Si
tienemenosexperiencia,puedequenoestéfamiliarizadoconpartedelcontenidoypuedeque
notengalaexperienciasuficienteparapodercubrirtodoslosejercicios.
Enestaguía,hablamosdelperfillaboraldel«jobbroker»eidentificamoslas«áreasprincipales»
de una profesión que está emergiendo y cambiando de maneras diversas en los diferentes
países,enfuncióndelamaneraenquelosserviciospúblicosdeempleoydeFPseorganizan,y
delafinanciaciónquereciben.
Siestaguíaesparausted,estátrabajando,dealgunaforma,consolicitantesdeempleoycon
empleadores, explorando maneras mediante las que reunirlos. Puede que sea un job broker
experimentado,opuedequesupuesto implique funcionesdel jobbroker,mientrasqueotras
partespuedenresultarlemenosfamiliares.Puedequedescubraquedesempeñatareaspropias
de un job broker en su trabajo; puede que tenga mucha experiencia y que, he hecho, esté
cualificadoenalgunasáreas,peroquenotengaexperienciaenotras,osí.Tambiénpuedeser
que tenga algo de experiencia en ciertas áreas del trabajo, pero que todavía tenga algo que
aprenderenmuchasotrasoentodasellas.
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Hablaremosmás sobreelpapeldel jobbrokermásadelanteeneste capítulo.Mientras tanto,
una de las cuestiones que sabemos que surgen cuando emerge una nueva profesión, son las
diferentes respuestas de los mercados laborales. Algunos países europeos tienen menos
regulaciónenloqueaprofesionesserefiereydejanqueelmercadopermitalaaparicióndelas
mismas. En otros países, los trabajos se regulan mucho más: las nuevas profesiones han de
definirse y regularse, y sedeben tener licencias. Sinembargo, amedidaqueemergennuevas
profesiones, sepueden requerir ciertos tiposdehabilidadesy competencias, y combinaciones
de habilidades y competencias que no habían estado presentes en el mismo trabajo. No
obstante, a menudo, puede darse el caso de que las personas con dichas profesiones se
encuentren con que no hay una formación amedida para el tipo de papel que ahora deben
desempeñar.
Laguía sehadiseñadode talmaneraque respalde suautodesarrolloa travésdelenfoquede
«aprendizaje abierto»,medianteel quepuede trabajar con la guía y los ejercicios a su ritmo,
concentrándose en aquellas partes de las quemás puede aprender y, también, «saltándose»
aquellasquecreequeconocebien.
Porlotanto,cadacapítulocomienzaconunAnálisisdeNecesidadesdeAprendizaje(untipode
AnálisisdelasNecesidadesdeFormación)paraayudarleaidentificaraquellasáreasdesulabor
quepuedemejorarespecialmentesiusaestaguía.
El propósito de la Guía Autónoma de Aprendizaje Job Broker es darle la oportunidad de
autoevaluar su nivel actual, y las habilidades y conocimientos en relación con la labor de job
broker,operfilocupacional,comolohemosidentificado.
1.3 Elperfilocupacionaldeljobbroker
EstaguíahasidodiseñadapararespaldarelPerfilOcupacionalylosEstándaresdeJobBroker.
Esta laboresacordecon losniveles5 y6delMarcoEuropeodeCualificaciones (EQF), loque
significa que usted debería estar trabajando a nivel profesional. Puede encontrar el Perfil
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Ocupacional y los Estándares de Job Broker aquí: http://www.projectsgallery.eu/job-
broker/occupational-profile/
El Perfil Ocupacional y los Estándares del Job Broker fueron diseñados siguiendo un extenso
programadeinvestigaciónbasadoenelanálisisdelasnecesidadesparaidentificarlosdiversos
contextosen losquesedaelpapeldel jobbrokerenunaseriedepaísesde laUE.Duranteel
análisis de las necesidades también se entrevistó a job brokers para realizar un perfil más
preciso. También se estudiaron los requisitos, incluidas las competencias, del personal que
trabaja en los distintos entornos en los que los programas públicos se han organizado para
«mediar» entre las necesidades de los solicitantes de empleo y las de los empleadores, y se
registraron una serie de casos prácticos que ilustraban el tipo de formación que ofertan los
proveedoresdeformaciónprofesionalylasorganizacionesdeapoyoalempleo.
Esta guía no se centra en los «principiantes» que nunca han trabajado con solicitantes de
empleo,asíquedamosporhechoquetieneexperienciaenestaárea.Sinembargo,puedeque
algunoselementosdelaguíaleresultenvaliososcomopartedeunaintroducciónmásampliaa
su trabajo, si ha comenzado recientemente, o como parte inicial del programa de desarrollo
profesionalquepuedequeestéemprendiendo.
1.¿Quéesexactamenteun«jobbroker»?
Normalmente,un jobbroker trabajacon lasempresas localesy lossolicitantesdeempleoque
estén en el paro para reunirlos. En concreto, trabaja con las empresas para identificar sus
requisitos (de contratación), y enlazan estas oportunidades con los solicitantes de empleo
locales,queestán,amenudo,cursandooacabandounprogramadeformaciónprofesional(FP)
oqueparticipanenalgúntipodeprogramadeapoyoalempleo.
Elpapelprofesionaldeljobbrokeryelserviciode«jobbrokerage»sonrelativamenterecientes.
Eljobbrokeragepuededarsedemuchasformasyesampliamentedescritocomounserviciode
enlacedelosdesempleadososolicitantesdeempleoconlasvacantesactuales.Noobstante,va
másalládeese«enlace»,puestrabajaactivamenteparaqueesosenlacesseanlosadecuados.
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Normalmente, los jobbrokers trabajancon lasempresas localespara identificar sus requisitos
(de contratación) y enlazan estas oportunidades con personas de la zona, que estarán
registradosenelServiciodeJobBrokerage,ytrabajanconlasdospartes(yconcualquierotra
parte interesada pertinente, como los servicios de apoyo de los proveedores de FP) para
establecerymantenercolocacioneslaborales.
Asimplevistapuedeparecerquehayalgunassimilitudesentreeltrabajorealizadopor los job
brokers y los servicios ofrecidos por las agencias privadas de empleo, que son agencias
especialistasquetrabajanconlasempresasparacubrirsusvacantes.Sinembargo,lasagencias
privadas de empleo operan con un servicio de contratación disponible para las personas
«preparadasparaeltrabajo»,esdecir,aquellasqueyatienenlashabilidades,lascualificaciones
y la experiencia laboral pertinentes. Estas agencias operan generalmente solo por razones
comerciales,esdecir,cobranunatasaalaempresaempleadoraoalossolicitantesdeempleo,o
a ambos. Además, no solo trabajan con desempleados, sino que muchas de las personas
registradasyaestántrabajandoybuscanmejorarsusituaciónlaboral.
Losjobbrokerstrabajanconpersonasqueestánbuscandotrabajoperoque,dealgunamanera,
no están necesariamente «preparadas para el trabajo» y, en consecuencia, necesitan apoyo
específico. Por lo tanto, una de las diferencias es que el papel del job broker se da
específicamenteenprogramasdefinanciaciónpúblicaparaapoyaralossolicitantesdeempleo,
comolosserviciospúblicosdeempleonacionales,losprogramasdelFondoSocialEuropeo(ESF)
osimilares.Lafinanciaciónconfondospúblicosdelosserviciosdeljobbrokeresunadistinción
importanteporque,adiferenciadelosservicioscomercialesdelasagenciasprivadasdeempleo,
eldineropúblicoseinviertenormalmenteenprogramasqueapoyanalossolicitantesdeempleo
abordando los problemas estructurales de los mercados laborales. Esta inversión puede
obedeceramuchasrazones,como,porejemplo:
• Los solicitantes en los que se centran los job brokers se enfrentan a determinados
obstáculos a la hora de conseguir un trabajo debido a su situación de desempleo y
necesitaninformación,asesoramientoyorientación(IAG)paraconseguiruntrabajo.
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• Algunos de los solicitantes de empleo llevan mucho tiempo en el paro y necesitan
asistenciaparticular:onuevaformaciónolaactualizacióndesushabilidadesmediantela
FP,restablecersuconfianza,ayudacon lashabilidadesparaencontrartrabajo(comola
elaboración del CVo lamejora de las habilidades de comunicación, de presentación y
preparaciónparalasentrevistas,etc).
• Tambiénpuedeque los solicitantesdeempleo tengan características específicas yque
necesitenapoyoparaencontrartrabajo.Porejemplo,puedentenerdiscapacidades,ser
de comunidades minoritarias o inmigrantes, ser cuidadores o mujeres que vuelven al
mercado laboral tras encargarse de responsabilidades familiares que les impedían
trabajar;despedidosdeunsectorquenotienenhabilidadestransferibles,oserjóvenes
quenohantrabajadonunca.
Por lo tanto, las personas que se encuentren a símismas, de unamanera u otra, trabajando
comojobbrokerspuedenhacerloendiversosentornos.Ladeljobbrokeresunalaborcadavez
másreconocida,yelcontextoenelqueoperavaríamuchoentodaEuropa.Enconsecuencia,es
difícildefinirunperfilocupacionalcomún.Eljobbrokerpuedetenerpuntosencomúnconotras
profesionescomo ladeorientador laboral, trabajadorsocial, trabajadordeagenciaprivadade
empleoyespecialistaenrecursoshumanos.
Aveces,elpersonaldeFPtienequedesempeñarelpapeldejobbrokerparaencontrartrabajoa
sus estudiantes, pero no se ha formado para hacerlo. Los profesionales que desempeñan
algunasotodaslasfuncionesdeljobbrokerpuedenser,entreotros:
• Consejerosdelosserviciospúblicosdeempleo
• Asesoreslaborales
• Orientadoresprofesionales
• Trabajadoresdeserviciosdeinformación,asesoramientoyorientación
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• Psicólogoslaborales
• Organizadoresdeformaciones
• Formadores de FP, personal de apoyo en las organizaciones de FP y compañeros
responsablesdeayudaralosestudiantes(desempleados)aencontrartrabajo.
• Personal de «cuidado posterior» (es decir, que continúa apoyando a los estudiantes
desempleadoscuandoacabaelprograma)
• Responsables de las colocaciones laborales – que organizan «pruebas» o experiencias
laborales para solicitantes de empleo que estén desempleados o estudiantes de los
programasdeFP.
• Trabajadoresjóvenes
• Trabajadoresderehabilitación
¿Encajasutrabajoconalgunodelosanteriores?
Lacapacidadparatrabajarconéxitocomojobbrokerpuedeimplicarsaber«unpocodetodo»,
como recursos humanos y contratación, legislación laboral, el mercado laboral local y tener
conocimientossobreel sector.Puederequerirhabilidadesdepublicidadyventas; igualdadde
oportunidades, diversidad y gestión de proyectos; garantía de calidad y salud y seguridad; y
adquirir nuevas habilidades que incluyen la negociación eficaz, las habilidades de entrevista,
comunicación, gestión del tiempo y desarrollo de las descripciones laborales y las
especificacionespersonales.
Elpapeldeljobbrokerescadavezmásimportanteenelcontextoactualdedesempleomasivo
entodaEuropaydebidoalacrecientepresiónsobreelmercadolaboral,quehacequealaFP,a
los programas de empleo público y a los programas públicos de «vuelta al trabajo» les sea
mucho más difícil colocar a los solicitantes de empleo en puestos de trabajo sostenibles.
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Trabajarcomo jobbrokerpuedeimplicartrabajarconsistemasdegestióndeinformaciónyde
resolucióndeproblemas,combinarlaempatíayelentendimientodelsolicitantedeempleocon
lacapacidaddeestablecerrelacionescreíblesysosteniblesconlasempresasylosnegocios.Esto
significaque los recursosy los serviciosque tienencomoobjetivoayudara los solicitantesde
empleotienenqueevolucionarycambiar,paraestarmuchomáspersonalizadosycubrirasílas
necesidadesdel empleador si sonefectivas. Para sereficaz, el jobbroker necesita conoceren
profundidad las necesidades de cada empleador y tener información detallada sobre los
sectores comerciales e industriales pertinentes. De todas formas, si cualquier cosa de lo
anteriormentedescritoesrelevanteparaeltrabajoquerealizaoqueesperarealizar,entonces
estaguíaesparausted.
1.5 ¿Porqué«broker»?
PuestoquehemosestadotrabajandoconjuntamenteenelproyectoJobBroker,hemossabido
quealgunaspersonasleatribuyenconnotacionesnegativasalapalabra«broker».Paraalgunos,
lapalabra«broker»recuerdaal«stockbroker»(corredordebolsa)queenglobaideascomoWall
Street, especulación y comportamiento irresponsable por parte del mercado bursátil, lo que
llevóalsufrimientodemillonesdepersonascomoresultadodelacrisisfinanciera.
Sinembargo,nuestraideanopodríaestarmásalejadadeeso.Eninglés,porelejemplo,elverbo
«broker» simplemente significa «mediar o negociar» (un acuerdo) 1. Un «insurance broker»
(corredordeseguros),enteoría,trabajaconelclienteparaencontrarelmejorseguroposible,
queencajeconlasnecesidadesdelclienteyselespagaunacomisiónsielclienteestásatisfecho
y contrata el seguro. El término «honest broker» (intermediario honesto) es incluso más
evocador:serefiereaunapersonaofunciónquepretendeayudaralaspersonasaresolveruna
disputa o a llegar a un acuerdo hablando con todas las partes implicadas y averiguando qué
quieren sin favorecer a ninguna de las partes. Para ser un honest broker tiene que haber
confianza,dehecho,es imposiblequeseconsidereaunapersonahonestbrokeranoserque
todaslaspartesconlasquetrataconfíenenella.
1 Oxford English Dictionary
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Asíquemuchasdeestasideassetransfierenalconceptodejobbroker,quetrabajaennombre
delsolicitantedeempleoparaobtenerunbuenresultado(yaseaentrarenelmercadolaboralo
volveraél)enelcontextodeunprogramadelmercadolaboralfinanciadoconfondospúblicos.
Parapoderteneréxito,eljobbrokernecesitaráganarseelrespetoylaconfianzadelsolicitante
de empleo. Tendrá que entender sus necesidades y ser capaz de realizar una evaluación
profesionaldelamejormaneradeapoyaryaconsejarparaobtenerunbuenresultado.
Almismotiempo,eljobbrokertendráqueganarseelrespetoylaconfianzadelasotraspartes,
enconcreto,delaquecontrata,esdecir,losempleadores.Elempleadortendráquesentirqueel
jobbrokersehamolestadoencomprendersusnecesidadesyquenomalgastarásutiempocon
candidatos que no son adecuados para las vacantes. Es más probable que el empleador
desarrolle una relación duradera y con éxito con el job broker (lo que dará lugar a más
oportunidades para más solicitantes de empleo), si los job brokers muestran interés por el
progresodelsolicitantetraslacolocaciónlaboralinicialysiguenactuandocomopuntodeunión
sisurgendudasodificultades.
Porúltimo,hayotraspartescon lasquepuedequeel jobbrokerdebaestablecerunarelación
activaparaobtenerresultadospositivos.Porejemplo,sieljobbrokeresasignadoauninstituto
o a una organización de FP que forma a personas desempleadas, puede que deba hablar
directamente con los profesores para entender bien las habilidades que se desarrollan y las
necesidades de los estudiantes. También puede que el job broker deba recurrir a agencias
especialistas, como organizaciones que proporcionan apoyo lingüístico, o al apoyo de un
especialista (por ejemplo, gestión de deudas, asesores financieros, ayuda psicológica) para
complementarsuspropiashabilidadesysuexperiencia.
Porlotanto,serjobbrokerpuedesuponerunreto.Comprender,organizar,negociar,comunicar,
a vecesescucharyempatizar, a vecesanimarypersuadir.Verá, apartirde lasactividadesde
estaguía,queel trabajode jobbrokercubremuchascuestionesyaptitudes.Enconsecuencia,
requiereconocimientosyhabilidadesenunaampliavariedaddeámbitosqueimplicantrabajar
eficazmenteconpersonasmuydiferentes.
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1.6 ¿Quiénhadiseñadoestaguía?
Estaguíahasidodiseñadacomopartedeunproyectoeuropeodecolaboracióntransnacional
llamado«DesarrollodeCompetenciasyAprendizajeparalosJobBrokersenlaUE».Elobjetivo
de este programa de Eramus+ es desarrollar, diseñar y validar una serie de desarrollos
relacionadosconlaFPparaapoyaralrecientementesurgidoperfilocupacionaldeljobbrokeren
Europa.Esco-financiadoporelprogramaErasmus+delaUniónEuropea,concretamentebajoel
proyecto«AcciónClave2AsociaciónEstratégica(FormaciónProfesional),nºdereferencia2015-
1-UK01-KA202-013713.
LosproyectosdeAsociaciónEstratégicaenlaFPdeEramus+sonfinanciadosparadesarrollary
transferirnuevassolucionesaniveltransnacional,atravésdelacolaboracióndeorganizaciones
dediferentespaíses.Enel casode JobBroker,organizacionesdeReinoUnido,Grecia,Chipre,
Italia, Alemania, Islandia y España están trabajando conjuntamente. Todos los socios tienen
experienciaenlaFP,serviciosparasolicitantesdeempleoyformacióndepersonaldocente.
Puede encontrarmás información acerca de las organizaciones socias en el siguiente enlace:
http://www.projectsgallery.eu/job-broker/coordinator-and-partners/.
1.7 ¿Porquéesnecesariaunaguíaautónomadeaprendizajeparalosjobbrokers?
Talycomohemosdestacadoantes,elpapelocupacionalemergentedeljobbrokerenEuropase
daenmuchosydiferentescontextosorganizativos(formaciónprofesionalyserviciospúblicosde
empleo). Aunque algunas de las competencias de la profesión se pueden encontrar en otras
profesiones relacionadas, no hay una formación reconocida ni un programa de aprendizaje
acreditadoquecubralaampliagamadecompetenciasyloscontextosespecíficosenlosquevan
atrabajarmuchosde los jobbrokers,esdecir,mediandodirectamenteentre losempleadores,
los solicitantes de empleo y los proveedores (FP y programas de empleo) en los mercados
laborales.
Estaguíahasidodiseñadademaneraquesirvadeapoyoalosjobbrokersparaqueidentifiquen
ydefinansuspropiasnecesidadesdedesarrolloyaquellasáreasquepretendendesarrollar.El
papel del job broker emerge a medida que se producen cambios en la provisión pública de
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servicios a los desempleados en toda Europa, pero, dado que la amplia combinación de
habilidades, conocimientos y competencias que se requieren para realizar el trabajo está
creando una nueva «profesión», actualmente no hay una «formación» reconocida o
«cualificación»aniveleuropeoquecubraesteámbito.
Nos gustaría cambiar esto.Mientras tanto, como parte delmismo proyecto que ha diseñado
esta guía, los socios ya han desarrollado, probado y publicado un Programa Curricular, que
contiene una serie de módulos y material de aprendizaje, diseñados para respaldar la
consecucióndelosobjetivosdeaprendizajeque,asuvez,sehanalineadoconlosrequisitosdel
perfilocupacionaldeljobbroker.
Elprogramacurricularestádiseñadoparaquelosjobbrokerslousendemaneraflexible,conun
aprendizajeabiertoyen«sesionesdeacción-aprendizaje»,enlosquelosgruposdejobbrokers
existentes, los aspirantes y otros profesionales que cumplen uno o más aspectos del perfil
puedan trabajar conjuntamente en los ejercicios de aprendizaje para desarrollar sus
conocimientosyhabilidades.
A largo plazo, las organizaciones en la asociación Job Broker se comprometen a poner en
prácticaloaprendidoapartirdeldesarrollodelCurrículo,yelaboraryprobarlosmaterialesde
aprendizajeparaestudiarcómosepuedevalidarycertificarelmismo.Enúltimainstancia,esto
darábeneficios,como lagarantíadeque lossolicitantesdeempleorecibanapoyodeprimera
clase de profesionales cualificados, consejeros especialistas que tendrán conocimientos
independientes,evaluadosyactualesde laprácticayde lasoportunidadesde trabajoen red.
Dichosbeneficiosayudaríanaatraerapersonalaltamentecualificadoyquedichopersonal se
quedeenestaprofesiónemergente.
PuedeobtenermásinformaciónacercadeldesarrollodelcurrículoJobBroker,ymantenerseal
día con nuestros planes de crear nuevas calificaciones y certificaciones para los job brokers a
nivel europeo uniéndose a nuestra red y accediendo a nuestra página web:
http://www.projectsgallery.eu/job-broker.
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Sinembargo,sabemosquehaymuchosprofesionalesenEuropaquetrabajancomojobbrokers
demaneraaislada,yquenopuedenbeneficiarsedelaorganizacióndecursosdeformaciónque
sebasenennuestroProgramaCurricularoparticiparenuna«sesióndeacción-aprendizaje»con
compañeros. En otras palabras, está desempeñando un trabajo exigente, pero en lo que se
refiere al desarrollo profesional específico, está solo. Por lo tanto, hemos diseñado estaGuía
AutónomadeAprendizajecomorecurso«autónomo»paraquelousesinnecesidaddeungrupo
detrabajoodeparticiparenunprogramaocursoestructuradodeaprendizaje.
Comprendemosquealgunaspersonasestaránmuycualificadasenalgunosaspectosotendrán
muchaexperienciaenciertasáreasdirectamenterelacionadasconestepapel,peropuedeque
les falten conocimientos o experiencia en otras. De esta manera, la guía está diseñada para
«centrarseenelaprendiz»yseadaptaparacubrir lasnecesidadesindividuales,enfuncióndel
puntodepartidadecadajobbroker.
A continuación, exponemos algunos de los beneficios que puede tener el aplicar la Guía
AutónomadeAprendizajeenrelaciónconelpapeldeljobbroker:
Suorganizaciónobtiene Usted
• Personalcualificado,loquesuponeun
activoparalaorganización
• Tenermáscompetencias
• Unamayorproductividad • Tenermásconfianzaensupapeldebrokerage
• Unaventajacompetitiva • Desarrollarconocimientosespecíficos
• Estándaresdetrabajomásaltos • Concienciasobrelasnecesidadesdedesarrollo
• Desarrollar habilidades que le ayuden en su
progresolaboral
• Intercambiar conocimientos y experiencias con
otros
• Serpartedeunaredemergentede jobbrokers
en tu propia localidad y (a largo plazo) en
Europa
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Enestecontexto,losempleadoreslocales,lossolicitantesdeempleoylasorganizacionesdeFP
sebeneficiantodosdeladisponibilidaddeunaGuíaAutónomadeAprendizajeparajobbrokers.
2. USODELAGUÍA
2.1 Loscincoelementosdelaguía
Hemosdiseñadoestaguíaparaque sea fácilusarlademaneraautónoma.Simplemente léala,
haga los ejercicios y reflexione sobreel feedback. En las siguientespáginas, descubriráque la
guíaestácompuestaporcincoelementos:
• Capítulos– cadacapítulodefineunáreadeconocimiento,habilidadesycompetencias
relevantesparaserunjobbroker.
• Objetivosdeaprendizaje–cadacapítuloincluyeunconjuntodeobjetivosdeaprendizaje
paraesaárea.
• AnálisisdelasNecesidadesdeAprendizaje(LNA)–medianteelquepuederealizaruna
autoevaluaciónenrelaciónconlosobjetivosdeaprendizaje,paraverenquépuntoestá,
yleaconsejamosquealfinaldelcapítulovuelvaalanálisispararepetirlaautoevaluación,
unaveztrabajadoelcapítulo.
• Informaciónyejercicios–laguíaproporcionainformaciónpertinenteparaquelaleay
despuéslepidequerealiceunejercicioparacomprobarquéhaentendido.
• Feedback – a cada ejercicio le seguirá una sección de feedback para que se tenga en
cuenta.
La cantidad de tiempo que necesite para la guía dependerá de usted. Por ejemplo, cuando
realicelosLNA,puedequedecidacentrarseenciertasáreasysaltarseotras.Sinembargo,por
normageneral,estimamosque,sileetodalainformación,completatodoslosejerciciosyrevisa
completamenteel feedbackdecadaejercicio,completarcadamódulo le llevaráentre25y40
horas.
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2.2 Loscapítulosylosobjetivosdeaprendizaje
Los capítulos de la guía están diseñados para que los job brokers sean capaces de adquirir e
identificar todos los conocimientos, habilidades y competencias que son importantes para
realizarunbuentrabajocomojobbroker.Loscapítuloscubrencuatroáreas:
Capítulo1–Contextoactualdelmercadolaboraleuropeoyoportunidadeslaborales
Eljobbrokertrabajaenelpuntodecontactoentreelempleador,elsolicitantedetrabajoylos
requisitosdelaspolíticas,losprogramasylafinanciaciónespecíficasdelmercadolaboral.Porlo
tanto,estecapítuloponeencontextoelpapeldeljobbrokerenEuropayexploraalgunasdelas
cuestionesytendenciasactualesenestaárea.
Los organismos públicos de financiación pueden ser locales (autoridades
locales/ayuntamientos), regionalesoagenciasdelgobiernocentral, incluidoelServicioPúblico
deEmpleo (PES).Cadaunodeellos tienesuspropios requisitos sobrecuál (los solicitantesde
empleo)debeserelpúblicoobjetivo,cómosedebenproporcionarlosserviciosyquéactividad
es considerada «elegible». Muchos tienen incluso diferentes definiciones de lo que es un
trabajo.Una tendencia emergentees el creciente interéspor lasmedidas relacionadas conel
rendimiento en lo referente al progreso laboral y la sostenibilidad, conforme a la cual los
serviciossoncontratadosatravésdeunprocesode«pagomedianteresultados».Cumplircon
las obligaciones y los requisitos contractuales para dar lugar a los pagos es, por lo tanto,
fundamentalparalasagenciasylosproveedoresdejobbrokerage.
Objetivosdeaprendizaje
1.1Describirlastendenciasylasnecesidadesactualesdelmercadolaboralymantener
conversacionesconlossolicitantesdeempleoenconsonancia.
1.2Identificarfuentesrelevantesdeinformación(tendenciasdelmercadolaboral,planesde
apoyoalaformaciónyalempleo,oportunidadeslaborales,legislaciónlaboral)yseleccionarla
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informaciónpertinenteparatrabajarconlossolicitantesdeempleo.
1.3Describirtécnicasdetrabajoenredyusarlasparaconstruirrelacionesduraderasconlos
empleadores,conposiblessociosparalacooperaciónyorganismosdefinanciaciónpara
desarrollarmedidasdeapoyoalossolicitantesdeempleo.
1.4Describirlaspolíticasyprioridadespúblicaspertinentesenrelaciónconlafinanciaciónyla
organizacióndeserviciosdejobbrokering.
1.5Entenderelpuntodeencuentroentreelempleador,elsolicitantedeempleoylos
organismosdefinanciacióndelosserviciosdejobbrokering.
1.6Especificaryexplicarlautilidaddelosserviciosdejobbrokeringparalosempleadores,las
asociacionesdeempleadores,organismosdelsectoryespecialistasdelsector.
Capítulo2–Trabajardemaneraeficazconlosempleadores
En el segundo capítulo de la guía, analizamos el trabajo con aquellos que dan trabajo a los
solicitantes de empleo, los empleadores. Las áreas que se abordan incluyen: publicitar los
solicitantes de empleo ante los empleadores, emplear el feedback de los empleadores para
mejorarel servicio,aconsejara losempleadoresen lacontrataciónyel«apoyoenel trabajo»
paralosreciéncontratados.
Losproveedoreseficacesdejobbrokeragedebensermuyproactivosalahoradeentenderlas
necesidadesdelosempleadores.Eltrabajodirectoconlosempleadoresincluye,engeneral, la
búsqueda de vacantes, la planificación de los recursos humanos, el análisis detallado de las
funcionesydelasespecificacionespersonales,asignarlasvacantesalossolicitantesdeempleo,
hacerunacribade losparticipantes,ayudaren lasentrevistasyponeraprueba.Por lo tanto,
buscamossabercómoestablecerymantenerbuenasrelacionesconlosempleadoresyqueestos
estén satisfechos, así como tener en cuenta los incentivos de financiación pública para los
empleadores.
Objetivosdeaprendizaje
2.1Seleccionaryaplicarmétodosdecontratación(directos,indirectos,terceraspersonas)para
poderllegaralosposiblescandidatos.
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2.2Describirlosperfilesocupacionalesyhacerunalistadeloscorrespondientesrequisitos
ocupacionales.
2.3Diseñar,llevaracaboyparticipareneventosdetrabajoenredyenactividadesparacrear
vínculosfuertesconlosempleadores.
2.4Utilizarlosesquemasdeapoyoexistentesparalograrelmáximobeneficioposibleparalos
empleadores.
2.5Desarrollarperfileslaboralesencooperaciónconlosempleadoresyrelacionarlosconlos
perfilespersonalesdelosposiblescandidatos.
2.6Demostrarlacapacidaddeconseguir,controlaryevaluarlasatisfaccióndelempleadorcomo
medioparalacontinuamejoradelacalidaddelservicio.
Capítulo3–Trabajarconlossolicitantesdeempleo
Nocabedudadequeunade lasprincipales funcionesdel jobbrokeres trabajardirectamente
con losdesempleadosparaayudarles a identificar y a abordar losobstáculosque les impiden
accederaltrabajoyteneroportunidadeslaborales.Lossolicitantesdeempleonecesitanmucho
apoyoanivelesdiferentesdecomplejidadyestánendistintosnivelesenloqueapreparación
paraeltrabajoserefiere.Laspersonasdesempleadaspuedensercomplejasypuedequeeljob
broker encuentremuchos obstáculos a la hora de introducirles en el mercado laboral, como
problemasdesalud,adiciones,deudasoviviendaprecaria.
Por lotanto,estecapítulocubre lanecesidaddedar información,consejoyorientacióny,a la
vez, comprender la importancia de capacitar a los solicitantes de empleo para que se hagan
responsables de sus vidas. También busca averiguar cómo prepararles para trabajar, cómo
asignarles las vacantes y utilizar herramientas TIC para ello, cómo mantenerles motivados y
cómoapoyarlesparaasegurarresultadossostenibles.Laevaluacióninicialdelasnecesidadesy
losplanesdeacción son fundamentalesparaesteproceso,quedebería seruna identificación
sistemáticadetodaslasnecesidadesdelsolicitantedeempleo,incluidaslashabilidadesbásicas,
las habilidades profesionales e interpersonales como la confianza y la autoestima, que
generalmentevaloranmucholosempleadores.
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Objetivosdeaprendizaje
3.1Especificaryprobarelenfoquedeempoderamiento.
3.2Describirdiferentestécnicasdeorientaciónyusarlasparaapoyardemaneraóptimaalos
solicitantesdeempleoaencontrartrabajo(realizacióndesolicitudes,preparaciónparalas
entrevistas).
3.3Describirydiferenciarlosmétodosparaelaborarperfilesyevaluaralossolicitantesde
empleo,yelegirlosmétodosapropiadosparacontextososolicitantesdeempleoespecíficos.
3.4Explicarlasfuentesdeconflictoydeladesmotivacióndelossolicitantesdeempleoy
aplicarlastécnicasdegestiónymotivaciónapropiadas.
3.5Identificarlasnecesidadesdeapoyoespecíficasquesuponenunobstáculoparalos
solicitantesdeempleoalahoradeconseguirunacolocaciónlaboral(problemaspsicológicos,
deudas,vivienda,bienestar)yderivarlesalexpertopertinente.
3.6Desarrollarunplandeacciónencooperaciónconelsolicitantedeempleo.
3.7Aplicarlastécnicasdecomunicaciónadecuadasenfuncióndelentorno,lospropósitosy
losgruposobjetivo.
Capítulo4–Adoptarunenfoquecentradoenelsolicitantedeempleo(gestióndecasos)
Porúltimo,unaspectoimportantedeltrabajodeljobbrokeresadoptarunenfoquecentradoen
elsolicitantedeempleo,queincluyatodoslosaspectosdelagestióndeproyectos.Dadoqueel
jobbrokertienequecombinarmúltiplestareasycolaborarconmúltiplespartesinteresadas,y,a
menudo, tienequecumplir conplazos,estecapítulo leproporcionará laorientaciónnecesaria
para saber cómo planificar y priorizar el trabajo, categorizar los grupos objetivo, reflexionar
sobrecómomejorareltrabajo,promovereltrabajoenequipo,ymuchomás.
Objetivosdeaprendizaje
4.1Explicarelenfoqueparalagestióndecasosyorganizarlosprocesosdejobbrokeringen
consonancia.
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4.2Identificaralosproveedoresdelosserviciosdeapoyorelacionados(porejemplo,gestiónde
deudas,proveedoresdeformación,etc.)yderivaralossolicitantesdeempleoenfuncióndesus
necesidades.
4.3Categorizarlosdiferentesgruposobjetivotantodesolicitantesdeempleo,comode
empleadoresysusnecesidadesespecíficas.
4.4Desarrollarprocedimientos,protocolosyestándareseficacesparatodaslasfasesdel
procesodebrokering,incluidaslasactividadesdeseguimientotraslacolocacióninicial.
4.5Utilizarlasrelacionesconlaspartesinteresadasy,concretamente,conotrosproveedoresde
jobbrokeringparaconcentrarlasfuentesorganizativasydesarrollarlosserviciosdejob
brokeringquemejorcubranlasnecesidadesdelosgruposobjetivoespecíficos.
4.6Autoevaluaryreflexionarsobrelaprácticaprofesionalpropiaparacontribuiralcontinuo
desarrolloprofesionalyalbienestarpsicológico.
2.3 Información,ejerciciosyfeedback
Estaguíaautónomahasidodiseñadaparaayudarleaidentificarydesarrollarlosconocimientos,
las habilidades y las técnicas relevantes para su trabajo como job broker, y para que pueda
comprender mejor la situación laboral del job brokering. Contiene cocimientos previos
importantesyejerciciosquelepermitiránmejorarsushabilidadescomojobbrokerendiversas
situaciones.
Todos estos capítulos incluyen ejemplos, caso prácticos y actividades de aprendizaje que le
ayudaránatrabajary,cuandocorresponda,acomprendermejorlosconceptosrelacionadoscon
laprofesióndejobbroker.Unavezhayaterminadolaguía,deberátenerunaideacompletadel
perfil de la profesión, sus diversos aspectos y cómo trabajar como job broker con éxito. Las
actividades y el feedback están estructurados de manera que le permitan centrarse en las
situaciones reales y los retos a los que probablemente va a hacer frente, y que proporcione
solucionesyplanesparasucontinuodesarrollo.
EnestaGuíaAutónomadeAprendizajeencontrarámaterialdeaprendizajequehemosdiseñado
para apoyarle. Elmaterial de aprendizaje ha sido diseñadopara promover la auto reflexión y
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animarle a explorar, investigar y revisar. Contiene tareas, ejercicios y reflexiones. También
sugiereciertasáreasparainvestigaryparaencontrarreferencias.
CadacapítuloempiezaconunaEvaluacióndeNecesidadesdeAprendizaje.Elpropósitodeesta
autoevaluacióninicialesayudarleaidentificarelpuntohastaelquetienequedesarrollaráreas
específicas en relación con el perfil ocupacional del job broker y los objetivos de aprendizaje
propuestoselcapítulo.
Trabaje en ello atentamente y piense detenidamente en ello, puede que le sorprenda la
cantidaddecosasquecreequeya sabe,asíqueserá interesanteverquéopinaunavezhaya
terminadoelcapítulo.
Alolargodelcapítuloencontrarálassiguientesactividades:
CASO PRÁCTICO – de personas, servicios o situaciones. A los
casos prácticos les sigue, normalmente, una serie de ejercicios
paraqueloscompleteconsusobservacionessobreelcaso.
EJEMPLO–alahoradedebatirconceptosocuestiones,aveces
nohaymejormaneradeilustrarlascosasquedandounejemplo.
TAREA – Ahora toca trabajar. Cuando vea este símbolo,
significará quedebe realizar una tarea, normalmente en forma
deredacción
INVESTIGACIÓN–selepediráquerealicesupropiainvestigación
sobreuntema.
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RESOLUCIÓN DE PROBLEMAS– le presentamos un reto. ¿Es
capazdedarconlasolución?
LISTAS–aquíseencontraráunalistaenlaqueselepediráque
decidaquéaplicaroquedescribalospuntosfuertesodébilesu
otrascaracterísticasqueseaplicanaesospuntosdelalista.
Lealaguíadetenidamenteysigalas instruccionescadavezqueselepidarealizarunejercicio.
Losejercicioshan sidodiseñadosde talmaneraque sepresuponequeesustedun«aprendiz
autónomo»,esdecir,quenoformapartedeningúncurso,aunqueenalgunaocasiónpuedeque
se le pida ponerse en contacto con alguien para completar el ejercicio. Dado que realiza los
ejercicios demanera autónoma, una vez que lo haya hecho encontrará esto al final de cada
ejercicio:
Encadacaso,trascompletarunadelasactividadesexpuestasanteriormente,laguíaresumirá
ciertospuntosdelfeedbackparaquelostengaencuenta.Normalmente,elfeedbackno«está
bienomal»,sinoqueestádiseñadoparaanimarleareflexionarsobrecómoharespondidoel
ejercicio.
Cada capítulo concluye con laEvaluacióndeNecesidadesdeAprendizaje. La ideaesquevea
hasta qué punto le ha ayudado el capítulo a abordar cualquiera de las necesidades de
aprendizaje que había identificado previamente. También puede darle la oportunidad de
reflexionar sobre sí su evaluación inicial era correcta o si sobrevaloró o infravaloró sus
conocimientosyexperiencias.
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Porúltimo, tengaencuentaqueelmaterialdeaprendizajenopretendeserunsustitutopara
llevar a cabo el trabajo de job broker con los solicitantes de empleo reales. Sin embargo,
esperamosquelesirvadeayudayquecomplementeymejoresuexperienciapráctica.
2.4 Verificacióninicial–¿enquépuntoseencuentra?
EmpecemoshaciendounaautoevaluaciónrápidaconelPerfilOcupacionalylosEstándaresdel
Job Broker. Se ha hecho referencia a ello anteriormente en el capítulo y, a modo de
recordatorio, puede encontrarlo aquí: http://www.projectsgallery.eu/job-broker/occupational-
profile/
Lea el perfil y tenga en cuenta todos sus aspectos. ¿Le resultan familiares los diferentes
elementos?¿Algunasáreassonnuevasyotrasno?Paraabordarestodemaneramáscientífica,
empecemoshaciendounAnálisisdeNecesidadesdeAprendizajedetallado(similaralAnálisisde
NecesidadesdeFormacióoTNA).
Enlasiguientetablaencontraráenlacolumnadelaizquierdacadaunadelasáreasprincipales
deactividadquesedefinenenelperfil.Reflexionesobreellasdeunaenuna,e indíqueseasí
mismoenlacolumnadeladerechahastaquépuntocreequedebedesarrollarcadaárea.Estole
dará un «resumen» de cómo ve su propio nivel en cuanto a conocimientos, habilidades y
experienciaencadacaso.
PerfilocupacionalyestándaresdeJobBroker
–Áreasdeactividad
¿Hacefalta
desarrollarlomás?
Sí Quizás No
COMUNICACIÓNEFECTIVA • Conocimientossobrecomunicaciónescrita,oralya
travésdelasTICparasimplificaryclarificartodalacomunicaciónconlossolicitantesdeempleoylosempleadores.
• Conocimientosenelcampodelosrecursoshumanosparasercapazdeayudaralossolicitantesdeempleodemaneraprofesional.
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PerfilocupacionalyestándaresdeJobBroker
–Áreasdeactividad
¿Hacefalta
desarrollarlomás?
Sí Quizás No
• Conocimientossobreelmercadolaboral;cómoevaluarlasituaciónactualyfuturaparaayudaralosempleadoresacontrataryformaralossolicitantesdeempleoenloscamposadecuados.
• Conocimientossobreorientaciónparaayudaralossolicitantesamejorar,desarrollar,adquirirnuevashabilidades,lograreléxitopersonalyconseguirsusobjetivos.
• Habilidadesparalasentrevistas,escuchaactiva,conversacióninspiradorayresolucióndeproblemas.
• Habilidadesdecomunicacióncondiferentesnacionales,diferentesmentalidadesydiferentesreligionesparaevitarlosprejuicios.
• Habilidadescomercialesparapoderconvenceralossolicitantesdeempleoyalosempleadoresparabuscaroportunidadesenelmercadolaboralenrangomásamplio.
• Habilidadesparainterpretarlasexpresionesfacialesyellenguajecorporalparacomprendermejorlosmensajesrealesdelossolicitantesdeempleoydelosempleadores.
• Manejarlasemocionesdelossolicitantesdeempleo,encaminándolesasíhacialadireccióndeseadaparaconseguirlosobjetivosdeseados.
• Teneriniciativayestarorganizadotrabajandoenunespectroampliodesolicitantesdeempleoyempleadores.
COMPROMISO • Conocimientossobrepolíticasdepublicidadytécnicas
detrabajoenred.
• Identificarlainformaciónsobreelmercadolaboralactualenloqueserefiereatendenciasynecesidades
• Conocimientossobrelaformaciónylosplanesdeapoyoalempleo,incentivosparalasprácticasyotrosprogramasdeapoyo.
• Tenerconocimientossobrevariosmétodosdecontratación(directos,indirectos,terceraspersonas)parallegaralosposiblescandidatosyponerseen
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PerfilocupacionalyestándaresdeJobBroker
–Áreasdeactividad
¿Hacefalta
desarrollarlomás?
Sí Quizás No
contactotantoconlossolicitantesdeempleocomoconlosempleadores.
• Tenerconocimientossobrecontrataciónyelprocesodeselección.
• Describirlalegislaciónlaboralbásicaylosprerrequisitos.
• Diseñar,organizaryparticipareneventosdetrabajoenredyactividadesquetengancomoobjetivoeldesarrollodevínculosfuertesparalossolicitantesdeempleo(solicitantes–empleadores).
• Diseñaraccionesparaimplicaralosempleadoresendiferentesactividadesparaaumentarlaefectividaddelaentradaenelmercadolaboral.
• Combinarlasnecesidadesdelossolicitantesdeempleoconlosplanesdeapoyoexistentestantoparalossolicitantesdeempleocomoparalosempleadores.
• Aplicarvariosmétodosdecontrataciónparacombinarlasnecesidadesdelosempleadoresconlosperfilesdelossolicitantesdeempleo.
• Identificarnuevasoportunidadescomercialesyconvertirlasenpuestosvacantesdemaneraeficaz,enfuncióndelasnecesidadesdecontrataciónylasexpectativasdelosempleadores.
• Controlarlosprocesosdeempleoqueconectanalossolicitantesdeempleoconlosposiblesempleadores.
• Instruiralosempleadoresenlacomprensiónycombinacióndesusnecesidadesdecontratación.
GESTIÓNDECUENTAS • Seleccionar–Conocimientossobrecómoseleccionarla
informaciónimportantesobrelossolicitantesdeempleoyelmercadolaboral.
• Resumir–Tenerconocimientossobrecómoresumirtodoslosconocimientosylainformación.
• Entrevistar–Realizarunaentrevistaalossolicitantesyalosempleadores.
• Apoyar–Tenerconocimientosparaapoyardeformaóptimaalossolicitantesdeempleoyalosempleadores.
• Evaluar–Conocimientossobrecómoevaluarlasnecesidadesdelossolicitantesdeempleoylosempleadores.
• Estimar–Conocimientossobrecómoevaluarlasituacióndelmercadolaboralylaposicióndelsolicitantede
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PerfilocupacionalyestándaresdeJobBroker
–Áreasdeactividad
¿Hacefalta
desarrollarlomás?
Sí Quizás No
empleo.
• Evaluar–Evaluarlascaracterísticasylasnecesidadespersonales(elaboracióndeperfiles).
• Equilibrar–Equilibrarlasnecesidadesdelossolicitantesdeempleo(solicitantesdeempleoyempleadores)escogiendolarutadefinanciaciónatentamenteparaasegurarquelasobligacionescontractualesnolesllevanapuestosqueapenasconocen.
• Comparar–Compararelpotencialdecadasolicitantedeempleoconlosdeseosyexpectativasdelosempleadores.
• Recomendar–Recomendaralossolicitantesdeempleopropuestaspersonalizadasparalacolocaciónlaboralcorrecta.
• Apoyar–Respaldarlasexpectativasylasnecesidades(solicitantesyempleadores)enlaidentificacióndelasmejoressolucionesparalacontratación.
• Proponer–Proponeralossolicitantesdeempleolospasosadecuadosparalaplanificacióndeacciones(gestióndelainformación),lasmejoresmedidasparaavanzarhaciaeltrabajoyeltrabajocorrecto.
• Organizar–Lacapacidaddeorganizarse,organizareltrabajo,todoloquelossolicitantesdeempleoylosempleadoresnecesitanparaunacolocaciónlaboraladecuada.
• Solucionar–Encontrarlasmejoressolucionesposibles(solicitantesdeempleoyempleadores).
ORIENTAZIÓNYTUTORIZACIÓN • Conocimientosycomprensiónsobreasesoramiento
laboralpersonal
• Conocimientosycomprensióndelacomunicaciónenloqueserefierealacomunicacióndeinstrucciones,proporcionarfeedbackyescucharparacomprender.
• Conocimientosyconcienciadelamejoradelrendimientodelusuariomedianteelestablecimientodeobjetivosderendimiento,trabajandoenlareflexión(aclaracióndedichosobjetivos,mejoramediantelarecompensa,lidiarconelfracasoatravésdelamotivaciónyevaluacióndelospuntosfuertesydelosdébiles).
GuíaAutónomadeAprendizajeIntroducción
27|P á g i n a
PerfilocupacionalyestándaresdeJobBroker
–Áreasdeactividad
¿Hacefalta
desarrollarlomás?
Sí Quizás No
• Conocimientosycomprensióndelasrelacionesenloqueserefierealaempatíaparacrearconfianza,motivaralosusuarios,trabajarconsusproblemaspersonalesyhacerfrentealassituacionesdifícilesdelamaneracorrecta.
• Comprendercomogestionarrespondiendoapeticionesespecíficasdelosusuariosyrealizarunseguimiento.
• Proporcionarorientación,feedbackyguiarparaasegurarunbuenrendimiento.
• Establecerydejarclaroslosobjetivosconelusuario.
• Desarrollarunplanparacumplirconlastareasylasresponsabilidades.
• Asegurarsedequelosmiembrostienenunadefiniciónclaraycomprendensupapelysusresponsabilidades.
• Alinearlasexpectativasconlosmiembros.
• Promoverelfeedbackparalamejora.
• Motivaralossolicitantesdeempleoparaqueestablezcanobjetivosdefinidos.
• Empatía–Bluetooth/inteligenciaemocionaltantoconlossolicitantesdeempleocomoconlosempleadoresparaalinearsusobjetivosylograrlos.
TRABAJOENCOLABORACIÓN • Losprogramasyserviciosdeapoyoexistentesparalos
solicitantesdeempleo,asícomolosplanesdefinanciaciónparaapoyaralossolicitantesdeempleo.
• Lossectorescomercialesoempleadoresespecíficosquedanoportunidadeslaboralesalossolicitantesdeempleo(condiscapacidad).
• Otrosproveedoresdeserviciosdejobbrokeringenlaregión(compararlosserviciosofertados).
• Categorizardiferentesgruposobjetivo(solicitantesdeempleoyempleadores)ysusnecesidadesespecíficas.
• Distinguirlasdiferentespartesinteresadas(solicitantesdeempleo,empresas,proveedoresdeserviciosdejobbrokering,institucionesdeFP,organismospúblicosdefinanciación)ysusfundamentos.
• Identificaragruposobjetivoespecíficos,aposiblessociosparalacooperaciónyalacompetencia,asícomonichosenelmercadolaboral.
• Establecerrelacionesalargoplazoconposiblessocios
GuíaAutónomadeAprendizajeIntroducción
28|P á g i n a
PerfilocupacionalyestándaresdeJobBroker
–Áreasdeactividad
¿Hacefalta
desarrollarlomás?
Sí Quizás No
paralacooperaciónyconorganismosdefinanciaciónparadesarrollarmedidasdeapoyoalossolicitantesdeempleo.
• Utilizarlasrelacionesconotrosproveedoresdejobbrokering,organismosdefinanciación,etc.paraidentificarlasbrechasenlaprovisióndelserviciosdejobbrokeringparalossolicitantesdeempleo(condiscapacidad)ygruposespecíficosdesolicitantesdeempleo.
• Discutirconotrosproveedoresdejobbrokeringlosgruposobjetivoespecíficosdesolicitantesdeempleoydeempleadoresenlosquedeberíanconcentrarselosdiferentesserviciosyparaadaptarlosserviciosdelapropiaorganizaciónparaoptimizarlosparacubrirnecesidadesespecíficasollegaradeterminadosgruposobjetivo.
• Desarrollar conjuntamente procesos de comunicación,procedimientosdetrabajoyestándarescomobaseparaunserviciodejobbrokeringdecalidad.
• Serelresponsabledeestablecerrelacionesalargoplazoydecooperarconotrosproveedoresdejobbrokering,empresasyproveedoresdemedidasdeapoyoalossolicitantesdeempleo,institucionesdeFP,organismospúblicosdefinanciación,etc.
• Serelresponsabledeutilizarlasrelacionesconotraspartesinteresadasy,concretamente,conotrosproveedoresdejobbrokeringparaconcentrarlosrecursosorganizativosydesarrollarlosserviciosdejobbrokeringquemejorcubranlasnecesidadesdelosgruposobjetivoespecíficos.
PROFESIONALIDAD • Explicarquésignificalaconductaprofesional.
• Enumerarlosposiblesvaloresprofesionales(porejemplo,responsabilidad,integridad,confidencialidad,etc.).
• Recordaryexplicarprincipiosytécnicasavanzadasdeatenciónalcliente(porejemplo,escuchaactivayempatía).
• Enumerarlastécnicasparaconstruirlaconfianzaenunomismoparaunmayoréxitoeneltrabajocomojobbroker.
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29|P á g i n a
PerfilocupacionalyestándaresdeJobBroker
–Áreasdeactividad
¿Hacefalta
desarrollarlomás?
Sí Quizás No
• Describireltonodevozyellenguajecorporalquedeberíausarseencasodeconflicto.
• Definirlaculturadelugardetrabajoyenumerarsuscaracterísticas.Explicarporquéesimportanteserconscientedelaculturadellugardetrabajocuandosetrabajacomojobbroker.
• Enumerarlosprincipiosfundamentalesdelagestióndeltiempo.
• Describirlosprincipiosdeuntrabajoenequipoeficaz(porejemplo,elequipocomoentidad,valoraracadamiembro,papelesclaros,objetivosgrupales,comunicacióneficiente,iniciativasyrecompensas,trabajoenequipocomoprocesodeaprendizaje,etc.).
• Establecercriteriosparalaautoevaluación.
• Aplicarprincipiosytécnicasavanzadasdecuidadodelcliente,comolaescuchaactivaylaempatíaparaasegurarlasatisfaccióndelcliente.
• Evaluarlasexpectativasdelclienteusandodiversasherramientasytécnicas.
• Comunicarseyrealizartransaccionescomercialesdentrodelosmarcoséticos.
• Aplicarconéxitolosprincipiosderesolucióndeconflictospararesolverproblemasconlosempleadoresylosclientes.
• Identificarlasposiblessolucionesparaproblemasconempleadoresyconlosclientesyaplicarlastécnicasdetomadedecisionesparaevaluarlasopcionesparadarconlamejorsolución.
• Emplearlosprincipiosdecolaboraciónparalograrlosmejoresresultadosposiblesparalosempleadoresyparalosclientes.
• Planeareldíaparaasegurarquesecumplentodoslosplazos.
• Autoevaluarsebasándoseenloscriteriosdeautoevaluaciónydecidirmejorar.
• Demostrartenercompromisoorganizativotantoalosempleadorescomoalosclientes.
• Probarquesetienelacapacidaddelograrlasatisfaccióndelclienteycontrolarlayavaluarlacomomediodeconstantemejoradelacalidaddelserviciodeatenciónalcliente.
• Apreciarlaimportanciayprobarquesetieneconciencia
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30|P á g i n a
PerfilocupacionalyestándaresdeJobBroker
–Áreasdeactividad
¿Hacefalta
desarrollarlomás?
Sí Quizás No
sobrelaculturadellugardetrabajo.
¿Qué leparece?¿Puede identificar lasáreasdelperfilen lasquemáshaprofundizado?¿Cree
quedeberíadesarrollarmásalgunadeellas?Lerecomendamosquevuelvaaestacomprobación
inicial cuandohaya completado la guía y revise sus respuestas. La experiencianosdemuestra
quepuedequeenelprocesodetrabajodelmaterialdeaprendizajelosjobbrokerssobrevaloren
oinfravalorensusconocimientosendiferentesáreas.
Cada uno de los capítulos que sigue a esta introducción tiene su propia Evaluación de
Necesidades de Aprendizaje, que está estructurada de manera diferente. En ella, tendrá la
oportunidadderealizarunaevaluacióndeacuerdoconelcapítuloenelqueestéypuntuarse,y,
cuandohayacompletadoelcapítulo,deberávolveralaevaluaciónyrealizarladenuevoparaver
si puede identificar en qué han progresado sus habilidades, sus conocimientos y su
comprensión.Estossonloscapítulos:
Capítulo1–Contextodelmercadolaboraleuropeoactualyoportunidadeslaborales
Capítulo2–Trabajardemaneraeficienteconlosempleadores
Capítulo3–Trabajarconlossolicitantesdeempleo
Capítulo4–Adoptarunenfoquecentradoenelsolicitantedeempleo(gestióndecasos)
¡Bien!–¡Yaestápreparado!
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Chapter1
CurrentEULabourMarketContextandEmployment
Opportunities
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Contents
Whatisthischapterabout?...............................................................................................34
Learningobjectives............................................................................................................35
1.1Describecurrentlabourmarkettrendsandneedsandconductconversationswithjob-seekersaccordingly.......................................................................................................38
1.2Identifyrelevantsourcesofinformation(labourmarkettrends,trainingandemploymentsupportschemes,employmentopportunities,labourlaw)andselectrelevantinformationworkingwithjob-seekers..................................................................48
1.3Describenetworkingtechniquesandusethemtobuilduplong-termrelationshipswithemployersandpossiblecooperationpartnersand/orfundingbodiesforsupportmeasuresforjob-seekers.....................................................................55
1.4DescriberelevantpublicpoliciesandprioritiesinrelationtofundingandorganisationofJobBrokeringservices................................................................................65
1.5Understandtheinterfacebetweentheemployer,job-seekerandfunderofjobbrokerageservices.Illustratepossibleroleconflictsanddemonstratethemeanstoovercomethem...........................................................................................78
1.6SpecifyandexplaintheuseofJobBrokeringservicesforkeyemployers,employerassociations,sectorbodiesorindustryspecialists..............................................................86
1.7Conclusionandfurtherreading.....................................................................................96
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Whatisthischapterabout?
The Job Broker role operates at the interface between the employer, the job-seeker and the
requirementsofspecificpublic labourmarketpolicy,programmesandfunding.Thereforethis
ChapterputstheroleoftheJobBrokerinitsEuropeancontextandexploressomeofthecurrent
issuesandtrendsinthisarea.
Public funding bodies can be local (local authorities/municipalities), regional and central
government agencies, including the Public Employment Services (PES). Each funder has their
own requirements about who (the job-seekers) must be targeted, how services should be
deliveredandwhatisdeemed’eligibleactivity’.Manyevenhavedifferentdefinitionsofwhata
job is.Anemergingtrend is the increasedfocusonperformancerelatedmeasures intermsof
jobprogressionandsustainability,wherebytheservicesarecommissionedthroughaprocessof
‘PaymentsbyResults’.Meetingcontractualobligationsandrequirementstotriggerpaymentsis
thereforevitalforJobBrokerageagencies/providers.
So,JobBrokersdonotexistinavacuum!Workingwithjob-seekersandemployerstobrokerjob
solutions takes place in local labour markets and knowing where the jobs are – and just as
importantly, knowingwhere to look for sources of help – is an importantweapon in the Job
Broker’sarmoury.Aswellasbeingabletolocatespecificemployersandtheirvacancies,being
abletoidentifywhatishappeningtothejobsmarketcanbeveryuseful:whichjobsectorsare
ontheup?Whichjobsectorsareindecline?Whatdoindustryspecialistsorresearchstudies
sayaboutwhatemployersarelookingforthesedaysfromnewemployeesandjobentrants?Do
someemployers,orgroupsofemployers,have specificprogrammes tohelpgiveunemployed
job-seekers a chance?Are thereanyparticular rulesor employment laws thatwill specifically
affectnewjobentrants?
Furthermore, itcanbevital tobuildupyourknowledgeofschemesandprogrammesthatare
availabletoassistjob-seekerswithimprovingtheirskillsandqualifications,inordertoimprove
theirchancesinthelabourmarket.Publicly-fundedschemescomeinallshapesandsizes,and
willoftenhavespecificeligibilityrules.Forinstance,somewillonlybeopentothosethathave
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been unemployed for a certain period of time (e.g. long-term unemployed); others may be
aimedatcertainagegroups,or targetedtoassistparticularcommunities;somemayoffer the
change to obtain relevant vocational qualifications, or be aimed at jobs in particular sectors
(suchasI.T.orthehospitalitysector).Theremaybesomeschemesthatofferthechancetobe
paidwhilelearning‘inwork’,whileotheroptionsmaybemoreCollege-basedorpart-time.
Yourabilitytoidentifyandunderstandasmuchofthiskindofinformationaspossiblewillmean
thattheservicethatyouprovideasaJobBrokerwillbemoreholistic.AsaJobBroker,youmay
alsofindthatyourperformanceisassessedbythosethatemployyou–particularlyiftheyhave
targets to deliver or are under some pressure to achieve results. This kind of pressure is
becomingincreasinglywidespreadinpublicly-fundedemploymentandtrainingprovision.
Learningobjectives
In order to address the above, therefore, this Chapter has the following specific learning
objectives:
1.1Describecurrentlabourmarkettrendsandneedsandconductconversationswithjob-
seekersaccordingly.
1.2Identifyrelevantsourcesofinformation(labourmarkettrends,trainingandemployment
supportschemes,employmentopportunities,labourlaw)andselectrelevantinformation
workingwithjob-seekers.
1.3Describenetworkingtechniquesandusethemtobuilduplong-termrelationshipswith
employersandpossiblecooperationpartnersand/orfundingbodiesforsupportmeasuresfor
job-seekers.
1.4Describerelevantpublicpoliciesandprioritiesinrelationtothefundingandorganisation
ofjob-brokeringservices.
1.5Understandtheinterfacebetweentheemployer,job-seekerandfunderofJobBrokering
services.Illustratepossibleroleconflictsanddemonstratethemeanstoovercomethem.
1.6SpecifyandexplaintheuseofJobBrokeringservicesforkeyemployers,employer
associations,sectorbodiesorindustryspecialists.
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Beforewe lookat thisarea indetail, let’sbeginwitha self-appraisalofyourknowledge, skills
andunderstandinginthisareawiththeLearningNeedsAssessmenttablebelow.
Usingascalewhere1=poor (developmentfullyneeded),5= fair/satisfactory(development
partiallyneeded)and10=excellent(nodevelopmentneeded).Considereachrequirementin
turn,andestimateyour‘level’ineachcase:so,towhatextentcanyou…?
Jobrequirement Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Identifyissuesthatarisefromusingknowledgeofthe
trendsinthelabourmarket,intermsof(a)identifying
growingareasofskillsshortagesandjobvacanciesand
(b)seekingto‘match’thejob-seeker(s)tothesetrends
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describecompetencesorqualitiesthatcanbe
developedrelativelyquicklyinjob-seekersinorderto
respondtopotentiallybeneficiallabourmarkettrends
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifytheissuesthatthejob-seekersmayfacewhen
consideringworkopportunitiesthatarenotlocaland
workwiththemtoassessiftheseopportunitiesare
realisticorpracticalforthem.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Specifytheresourcesthatyouneedtoprepareforwork
withthejob-seeker(s)inordertoidentifyrelevant
vocationaleducationandtrainingproviders/schemes
andpublicemploymentprogrammes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Recognisethedifferenttypesofprovisionand
programmesthatarerelevanttoallofthejob-seekers,
anddistinguishwiththosewhichtargetspecificneeds
andspecificgroups.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifythesourcesofguidanceandinformationthat
canbemadeavailabletoemployersandindustry
associationstosupportthemintakingonunemployed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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job-seekerstofillvacancies
Explainthemaintechniquesto(a)brokeremployment
betweenunemployedjob-seekersandemployers(b)
stayintouchwithbothpartiestosupportthe
sustainabilityofthearrangement.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifythemainindicatorsthatareusedtomeasure
theimpactandeffectivenessofyourservice(including
any’paymentbyresults’arrangements).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifyatleast3mainpublicpoliciesthataffectJob
Brokerageservicesinyourcountryanddescribethe
waysthattheyaffectyourwork.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describethe“paymentbyresults”system(i.e.could
youlistatleast3‘results’aJobBrokermightbe
expectedtoachieve.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Compare3positiveand3negativeaspectsofpayment
byresults
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Distinguishtheexpectationsof:
A)anemployerb)employeec)funders
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describehowyouwouldinvolvejob-seekersand
employersforthebenefitofallpartiesinvolvedina
publicfundedprogramme
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describe3typicalconflictsthataJobBrokermayhave
todealwithinordertoachieveasatisfyingoutcomefor
allpartiesinvolved
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Preparea20’presentationtoaprospectiveemployerin
ordertosellyourbrokerageservicetothem
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
ListofalltheservicesthataJobBrokermayoffertoan
employer,comparinghowtheseservicesareprovided
now,andwhyJobBrokerageisabettersolution
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifythechallengesthatyouthinkmostprobablya 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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JobBrokerwillfacewhenhavingtoexplaintheuseof
brokeringservicestokeyemployers,employer
associations,sectorbodiesorindustryspecialists.
Inthesectionsbelow,wewillprovideyouwithsomenarrativeandaskyoutocompleteasetof
exercises.Eachonehasfeedback–makeanoteofyourresponsesandyourthoughtsaboutthe
feedback–sinceattheendoftheChapterwewillaskyoutoreturntothisNeedsAnalysistosee
ifanyofyourresponseshavechanged.
1.1Describecurrentlabourmarkettrendsandneedsandconductconversationswith
job-seekersaccordingly.
Someonemaysaythatitis“statingtheobvious”whenadvocatingthattheabilitytobeeffective
as a Job Broker is partly determined by the overall state of the economy and levels of
unemployment. Lifewould certainly be easier if thereweremore than enough full-time and
part-timejobstogoaroundforeveryone,irrespectiveoftheircircumstances,qualificationsand
skills! However, if thosedayseverexisted, theyare longgonenow. Unemployment levels in
somepartsoftheEUhavebeenpersistentlyhighandthesituationdeterioratedfurtherwiththe
adventoftheglobalfinancialcrisisin2008.
However, despite this situation, there are also reports of skills shortages –where employers
cannotfindthepeoplethattheyneedtodothe jobsthattheyhave. Thereasonsforthisare
complex–sometimesthese‘skillshortages’areduetoreasonsoflowpay,oranti-socialhours,
andtheycanalsobeevidenceofpoorplanningintheapproachtoskillstrainingprovisionand
economicforecasting.
Nonetheless,thereareoftenjobsandopportunitiestobefoundifsomeofthesebarrierscanbe
overcome,andallpartiesareflexible,adaptableandcreativeintheirapproach.
Inordertoinvestigatewhatthesituationis‘ontheground’andtoinformthenextstepsofthe
project,in2016eachoftheJobBrokerpartnersundertookaresearchstudyintheirown
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country.Thiswasacomprehensiveexerciseandaconsiderableamountofdetailwasgathered
and analysed. You can find the results of this analysis of the website of the project
http://www.projectsgallery.eu/job-broker
ACTIVITY1.1.1
Considertheresultssetoutintheanalysisonthewebsitelinkabove.Whatisthe
unemploymentsituationinyourcountry?HowdoesitcomparetootherpartsofEurope?
Whyistheresuchdifference?
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Canyoufindthe10mostpopularvacanciesinyourcountry?InotherpartsofEurope?
Nowcanyoualsofindthemostpopulareducationalpathwaysforeachofthosevacancies?
Aretheeducational(qualification)requirementsthesameforeachvacancyineachcountry–
orarethereanydifferences?
Iftherearedifferences,howcouldyouhelpjob-seekerstoaddressthem?
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This exercise is intended to help Job Brokers to use their knowledge in order to gain amore
holistic approach of the overall educational and employment situation both in their own
countries and in other parts of Europe. The information needed to do this can be found in
relevantwebsitesoftheEuropeanCommission,forinstance
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Unemployment_statistics
Internationalinformationisalsoavailableonthesiteofseveraleconomicblogsande-zines:for
instanceForbeswww.forbes.com,ortheInternationalLabourOrganisation(ILO)www.ilo.org.
Bycomparingthedifferenceintheunemploymentrates,youcanunderstandhowthedifferent
economic,educational,socialsituationsareaffectingthelabourmarketandthereforeimpacting
upon the job-seeker. Researching both the popular vacancies and the education and training
requirements to meet them will help you to identify whether there is an incompatibility
betweentheeducationrequirementsandthevacanciesonoffer.Thisisactuallyasituationthat
variesconsiderablyamongcountries,andifyoulookabitdeeperyoumayidentifythoseskills
thatmaybetransferableamongstdisciplinesandasaresultcomeupwithaplanofhowyoucan
addressthesedifferences.
For example: In Greece acquiring and a University Degree in Economics science is very
prestigiousandthereforesought-after.However,aneconomicsgraduatehasaverytheoretical
knowledge of several disciplines. They have the professional entitlement to work as
accountants,but theymaynothave the capability; aneconomistmaypossess the theoretical
knowledge of accounting but lack enough practice hours. Therefore they may not have as
thorough knowledge as a graduate of a University of Applied science – which may not be
traditionallyseenasbeingasprestigious-butwithaccountingbeingaverypopularvacancyat
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themoment,aJobBrokercouldofferseveralchoicesforaneconomisttoentertheaccountancy
job market, such as vocational training courses, non-formal adult education or internships,
whichwillhelp themtoget their footon theaccounting ladder,withhaving theprestigeofa
Universitydegree.
TransferableSkills-Whenseekingemploymentandafterhavingfollowedaspecificeducation
and employment route, someonewho finds themselves out ofworkmay think that a lack of
relevant, industry-specificexperiencewillstopthemfromgettinga job-butthis isnotalways
thecase.Whetherajob-seekerwouldliketochangecareer–orisperhapsforcedtoconsidera
change;whethertheyhaverecentlygraduated,orarelookingfortheirfirstjob,andarenervous
abouthowtheirskillswillmatchtotherequirementsofthecurrentjobmarket,theJobBroker
hasamotivatingroletohelpthemtounderstandthatoneofthekeyattributesthatisfoughtby
employersis‘potential’.
Itisvital,therefore,thattheycanidentifytheirownpotentialbydemonstratingthetransferable
skills that theyhavedevelopedalready.Employersareoften looking forabilitiesandqualities
that they recognise to be present in themost effective employees. These soft skills, such as
beingabletocommunicateeffectivelyinavarietyofsituations,showinginitiative,creativityand
integrity,andhavingagoodworkattitude,arevaluableacrossallindustries.
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ACTIVITY1.1.2
Fromyourexperience,canyouidentifyfivetypicalcompetencesthataretransferableorcan
quicklybedevelopedamongstyourjob-seekers?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Wereyouabletoidentifyfive?Canyouthinkofanymore?
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When completing this activity, of course youmayhavehad a specific groupof job-seekers in
mind.However,thecommonfeaturesofthegroupmaynothavetodowiththecompetences
andskillsperse.Theymaybe,forexample,youngunemployedpeopleonavocationaleducation
programme,ortheymayhavehighereducationdegrees.Agoodwaytostartistofindoutthe
skillsthatthosepeoplewithdifferenteducationalbackgroundshaveincommonandhowthose
skills were developed. They may have acquired them through previous employment,
school,apprenticeships,internships, formal and informal training,hobbies,and volunteer
experiences.
The PrincetonUniversity career service suggests that those skills fall under the categories of:
interpersonalskills,organisationskills, leadershipskillsandcommunicationskills.This listdoes
notincludethe‘hard’ortechnicalskillsthatarespecifictoaveryparticularjob.Whilesomeof
these acquired skills can also be transferable, “soft skills” are widely transferable between
occupations;ahairdresserandasalespersonare twoexamplesofwherepeoplecanusetheir
good“peopleskills”.
Theimportanceofthesekindofskillsandtheknowledgeandaptitudesthatcomewiththemis
setoutin,forinstance,theEuropeanReferenceFramework(ERF)forLifelongLearning.TheERF
sets out eight key competences that are all considered important, because eachof them can
contributetohavingasuccessful lifeinourmodern,knowledge-basedsociety.Theseeightkey
competencesare:
1. Communicationinthemothertongue
2. Communicationinforeignlanguages
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3. Mathematicalcompetenceandbasiccompetencesinscienceandtechnology
4. Digitalcompetence
5. Learningtolearn
6. Socialandciviccompetences
7. Senseofinitiativeandentrepreneurship
8. Culturalawarenessandexpression
YoucanfindthewholeERFhere:https://www.erasmusplus.org.uk/file/272/download . TheERF
wascreatedasareferenceframeworkforcountriestousewhendesigningorrevisingtheir
educationandtrainingsystems.Youshouldthereforebeabletoseethesecompetences
expressedinsomewayinyourownsystemfortrainingandeducation.
Movingforemployment-Alotofpeoplearemigrating,andalotmorearethinkingaboutit,in
ordertofindemployment.Migrationtofindworkisaveryoldphenomenonandhasbeenwith
usformanyforcenturiesnow.Nowadays,thereisincreasinglyaglobaljobmarketandbothsoft
andhardskillscanbetransferrableinjobsinthesameordifferentsectors,indifferent
countries.TheEuropeanUnionwantstomakethisprocesseasier–attheveryleastitwantsto
removebarrierstoit–andisconstantlytryingtoalignqualificationsthroughoutEuropewith
toolsasECVETandECTS,withalignmentofdegreesobtainedindifferentcountriesaroundthe
globe,throughtheuseofNARICoffices,aswellasthefreemovementofEUcitizensin
employmentpositionsthroughouttheEU.
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ACTIVITY1.1.3
Youhaveajob-seekerthathe/sheareunemployedforquitesometime.Theyareatthepoint
ofconsideringmigratinginordertofindemployment.Whatwouldyouadvisethemtodo?
Howwouldyouguidethemtotakeadecisionthatisbothpracticalandrealisticforthem?
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Afterconsideringtheoptionswithyourjob-seeker,youmaybothhavereachedtheconclusion
thatrelocatingtoanothercountryforemploymentisanoptionfilledwithpotentialbutalsofull
of uncertainties. Your job-seeker is likely to ask questions, just some of which may include
“Would I be able to copewith the new language?What are the job prospects? How is the
money? What about the social and health systems?How easy is it to be accepted in a new
society?WillIbeabletocreateagoodnetworkthere?WhataretheimplicationsifItakemy
family?”
A good tool that can provide a starting point to help them is EURES
https://ec.europa.eu/eures/public/homepage . The job-seeker,with the Job Brokers help, can
findextensiveinformationonhowtoworkandliveinanothercountryinEurope.Furthermore
thereareseveral forumsandsitesthataJobBrokercanutilizewherethosethathavealready
migratedprovideadvicetothosewhomayfollowthem,concerningworkingandlivinginother
countries.Someexamplesinclude:
https://www.expatica.com/;
http://www.expatforum.com/;
https://www.iamexpat.nl/
Discussingwithpeoplethatarealreadyexperiencinglivingandworkingabroadisagreatwayto
find out more about the ‘pro’s and con’s’ and whether it is something that job-seekers are
willingtodoorevenlookingforwardtodoing.
Itisimportantforjob-seekerstounderstandthattheymightfacedifficultiesbutthereisalways
helpavailableandthatthereisalwaystheoptiontochangetheirminds.
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1.2Identifyrelevantsourcesofinformation(labourmarkettrends,trainingand
employmentsupportschemes,employmentopportunities,labourlaw)andselect
relevantinformationworkingwithjob-seekers
Career choice is developed as a result of one’s surroundings, family, friends, circumstances,
personal beliefs, motivation and other considerations. All these factors are elements that
influence a career path and employment opportunities. Therefore those concepts are seldom
simplya‘straightline’.Goalsthatcanseemclearatthebeginningofaconsiderationcanbecome
ambiguousandnewonesconstantlydevelop.Againandagainanindividualhastomakechoices.
The nature of the labour market forces people in this position more than before. Lifetime
employmentisnolongerthenorm.Thishastobefullytakenintoaccountincareercounselling
andguidance.TheJobBrokerneedstobeawareofeachjob-seeker’ssituationinordertohelp
themaccordinglybyprovidingtailoredadviceandspecificandindividualstepsoftheindividual
job-seeker.
ACTIVITY1.2.1
Shorifulisajob-seekerinBelgium*.Shoriful,whoisinherearly50s,wasborninBangladesh.
She studieduntil shewas 15 and left schoolwith somequalifications. She came toBrussels
withherhusbandin1975.Shehasfivechildrenwithagesrangingfromearly20stolate30s.
Oneofherchildrenhas learningdisabilitiesandneedsconstantcare.Shehasspenthertime
raising the children and caring for her son. The care of the children took all of the time of
Shoriful and she did not have time to study in Belgium. She took the occasional work
opportunities fromtimetotimeasacleaner,babysitter,andpersonalassistant.All the jobs
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were acquired in the local community through the contacts. Shoriful has participated in
languageclassesbutnotconsistentlyandhassomeproblemswiththeFrenchlanguage.Sheis
activeinlocalwomen’s’organizationsandworksasavolunteerfornewlyarrivedimmigrants
at her local community centre. Through municipality and different projects Shoriful has
developed her French language skills, computer skills and gained some work experience
throughvolunteering.Nowshehasdecidedtogetaprofessioninordertoachievehergoalof
findingemployment.
Task:
WriteareportoranActionPlanwithall the informationthatwillhelpyoufacilitateShoriful
into achieving her goals. Which are the relevant vocational education and training
providers/schemesandpublicemploymentprogrammesthatyoucoulduseinordertosupport
yourjob-seekertoaddressherlackofknowledge,skillsorcompetencestotakeadvantageof
labourmarkettrends?
*YoumaychangeBelgiumtowhicheverrelevantcountry.
Inordertofacilitatethepreparationofthereportyouneedtoanswerthefollowingquestions
(basedontheavailableinformation):
Bearinmindthattheremaybeadifferencebetweengoalsofthejob-seekerandthegoalsthata
JobBrokerwouldformulate.Thisinvolvessomeconsiderationofthemanagementof
expectations,particularlyinrelationtowhatmaybeunrealisticgoalsonthesideofthejob-
seekerandhowaJobBrokercoulddealwithit.
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1. WhatkindofgoalscouldaJobBrokerpropose,basedonhis/herexpertiseand
experience?
Accordingtoyourexpertiseandsituationyoumayconsiderthefollowing:
2. Aretheobjectivesbetweenthejob-seekerandtheJobBrokerlikelytobesimilar?
Whatarethedifferences?
3. Whattypeofrelevantactivitiesmayexisttosupportthejob-seekeratthisstage?
4. Whatdoesthejob-seekerneedtodotosetupandselfmonitoranactionplanto
achievetheobjectives?
5. Doesthejob-seekerneedtailor-madesupportfromthenetwork?
It is important to keep inmind that given the situation of the job-seeker (current education,
employment, volunteerwork) and the availability of VET providers, certification schemes and
public employment programs the job-seeker and the Job Broker will manage to formulate a
realistic goal acceptable bybothparties. If notwe should revisit thedifferencebetween the
goalandtheoverallobjectiveandfindwhatismissingtoclosethegap.
Differentprogrammesfordifferentpeople-Setagainstthecontextofhighunemployment
acrossEurope,particularlyinthesouth,–butalsoinacontextwheretherearesignsofrecovery
andevenskillsshortagesandunfilledvacancies,theroleoftheeffective‘JobBroker’isemerging
asakeyplayerinvocationaleducationandtraining(VET)provision–aprofessional,workingina
varietyofcontexts(PublicEmploymentServices,JobCounselling,VETorganisations)identifying
andmatchinglearnersonpubliclyfundedVETandemploymentprogrammesintosustainedjob
opportunities.
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ACTIVITY1.2.2
DescribethedifferenttypesofVETprovisionandVETprogrammesinyourcountrythatare
relevanttoallofyourjob-seekersandwhichtargetspecificneedsandspecificgroups.
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Itisimportanttounderstandhowyourjob-seekersmayconsistofjob-seekersthatsharequitea
lotoftheircharacteristicsandneeds-butalsotheyhavespecificneedsandmaybelongtoother
subgroups.
Forexampleagroupofyounguniversitygraduates,whichmayalsobepeoplewithdisabilities,
immigrants,minorities,singlemothersetc.Thismeanstheyhavedifferentneeds,anditmaybe
thattheycantakeadvantageofdifferentpublicly-fundedprogrammesthathavebeenorganised
orfundedtosupportthemintermsofpromotingtheiremploymentandeducation.Thus,allof
themcouldtakeadvantageofaprogrammethathasbeendesignedandfundedtohelpyoung
graduatestobecomeentrepreneurs-butonlythesinglemotherscouldtakeadvantageofaVET
programmedesignedtohelpyoungmotherstodeveloptheirnetwork.
Aftercompletingthisassignmentyoucouldusetheresultstocategorisethosepertargetgroup
andupdate your information according to newpublic fundedprogrammes, VET programmes,
qualification and certification schemes and other provision. Furthermore it would be really
interesting to see how you may be able to combine each of these in order to get the best
outcomeofeachjob-seeker.
Asa JobBrokeroperating ina specificenvironment it isunderstandable thatyouwillbe,and
become evenmore, experienced in specific groups thus, having categorized the programmes
accordinglywillhelpyousavetimeinthefuture,timethatcanbeusedinotheraspectsofyour
occupation.
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ACTIVITY1.2.3
MakealistofthefivegroupsthatyouaremostexperiencedasaJobBrokerinassistingand
withthefivegroupsthatyouareleastexperiencedinhelping.
Mostexperienced
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Leastexperienced
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Whydoyouthinktheaboveisthecase?
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Makealistoftheapproachesthatyouconsidertobeuniversalandthosethatmayneedto
differaccordingtogroupsandcircumstances.
Universal
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Different
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Pleasedescribewhythisisthecase:
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After completing this exercise you will have given some structured consideration to
understandingyourjob-seekersandhowyouareabletohelpeachgroup.
Thereareseveralwaysthatyoumayusethisinformation:Ontheonehandyoumaydecideto
concentrateandspecialisemoreonthegroupsthatyouaremorefamiliarwith,especiallyifyou
feel that this is an outcome of the current situation in your country, and that those are the
groupsthatyouwillbedealingmostlyfortheyearstocome.
However, youmay recognise some groups that you are least experiencedwith, but they are
salient in your country and itwouldbe smart toput somemoreeffort inorder to gainmore
experienceabouttheirneedsandsituation.Inthatwayyoucouldgetbroadenyourexperience
aswellasthatofyourjob-seekersandasaresult,havebetterresultsasaJobBroker.
1.3Describenetworkingtechniquesandusethemtobuilduplong-termrelationships
withemployersandpossiblecooperationpartnersand/orfundingbodiesforsupport
measuresforjob-seekers.
AcommonchallengeforJobBrokersisobtainingandkeepinganetworkofpotentialemployers
andworkplacestheycanmatchwithjob-seekers.Someagenciesmaykeeptrackofthestateof
theregionallabourmarket,whileothersmaynot.Butevenifthiskindofinformationisavailable
atforinstancetheregionallabouroffice,theJobBrokermayhavestillbeableto“translate”that
information for their own use, in a way that can also benefit and help develop the entire
networkofserviceproviders.
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Finding updated and relevant information concerning the requirements of the labourmarket
and finding the specific employersmight be difficult, asmany sectors are rapidly changing in
accordance to employment policies, technology developments and up and downscaling of
businessesandorganizations.TheJobBrokersneedtohavealotofinformationathandinorder
tobeabletouseknowledgeandinformationforthedevelopmentofanindividualactionplan
fortheirjob-seekers.Thisshouldconsiderwhatpositionstheemployerscanofferyouthtohelp
themprogress,whilealsobebasedonthecoach’sknowledgeaboutthecompetenceandskills
levelofthejob-seeker.
One way of getting information first-hand is through having direct relations with the labour
market; in the sameway that the Job Brokers need to know their job-seekers, theywill also
benefit greatly if they knowhow toobtain information about the labourmarket, andhow to
communicateefficientlywithemployers.Thefollowingsectionwillprovideanoutline inorder
for Job Brokers to be able to become aware ofwhat information they do have aswell as to
challengethemtobecreativeaboutotherwaysoffindinginformation.
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ACTIVITY1.3.1
Doyouknowthesourcesofinformationandguidancethatcanbemadeavailabletoemployers
inordertosupportthenintakingoninexperiencedjob-seekerstofillvacancies.Specifybelow.
Atyourconvenience,approachacolleagueandopenadiscussiononyourfindings?Trytofind
outwhethertheyagreeoriftheyaddsomething?
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A lot of employers, especially when it comes to SMEs, probably won’t have an in-house
recruitmentofficer,arenotawareoftheadvantagesofhiringyoungpeople.TheJobBrokermay
takeadvantageofthatinordertohelpboththeemployersfindtherightpersonforthejoband
job-seekertofindanappropriateplacement.So,apartfromtheinfothatcouldapplytoallkinds
ofcandidategroups(CVs,educationalbackground,professionalbackground,skills,competences
etc.),theJobBrokermaymakeavailableinformationthathavetodospecificallywiththegroup
thattheywouldliketopromote.
Forexamplethattherearesomepublicfundedprogrammesthataresubsidisingtheemployerin
order to hire inexperienced unemployed job-seekers or interns, with not a lot of experience
couldbeeasieralignedtothecultureofthecompany,astheyarenotbiasedbytheirprevious
job.
HoweverasaJobBrokeryouhavealwaystocombinewhatisbestforbothemployersandjob-
seekersanduseyourresourcesandnetworktoachievethebestpossibleoutcomes!Developing
anetworkwithcommittedemployers,willhelpthelocalnetworktocreatecreativesolutionsto
developworkexperience, training, jobandcareerorientation,voluntaryworketc. forthe job-
seekersandthushelpthemtoadvanceintheircareerpath.Anessentialpartofbuildinglonger
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lastingrelationsinnetworksisbymakingsurethatrelevantandnecessaryinformationiseasily
accessibletoall,andisupdated,andthatcommunicationisfacilitatedbetweenthosewhoneed
it.Allofthoseinvolvedshouldhaveanequalpossibilitytoraiseissuesandbeheard.Moreover,
dependingon theemployers’motivation forbeing in thenetworkof employer contacts, they
mighthavedifferentneedsforwhattheywantoutofsuchanetwork.Somemighthavecapacity
tobe“actively”involved,whileothersmightnothavesuchcapacityatall.
It is thus important for the Job Brokers to maintain good relationships with the employer
networkandmakesuretheycanfindcommonground,whereallcanbenefit.Onetypicaldriving
motivation for an employer to become part of a network of employers in a job placement
programis“socialresponsibility”.Thisistheideathatbusinessesshouldbalanceprofit-making
activitieswith activities that benefit society; it involves developing businesseswith a positive
relationshiptothesocietyinwhichtheyoperate.
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ACTIVITY1.3.2
Make a list of five different techniques that you could think of keeping in touch with the
employers in your network and maintaining the contacts in order to have a sustainable
relationship.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Nowthatyouknowhowtomaintainyournetworklistfivedifferenttechniquesthatyoumay
useinordertobrokeremploymentbetweenunemployedjob-seekersandemployers.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Depending on the nature of the employer network, employers (individually and in larger
networks)canbeinvolvedinseveralways.
Forinstance–herearesomeexamples:
• through ‘Memoranda of Understanding –where local Job Brokering organisations and
local employers sign a commitmentonhow theywillwork together for thebenefit of
job-seekers
• newsletterswithinformationonactivities,updatesand“bestpracticestories”
• Throughscheduled (annual/bi-annual)meetingswhereemployersandother interested
stakeholderscanupdateeachother(e.g.policychanges,resultsachievedetc.)aswellas
createaforumwheretheycannetworkamongsteachother,seewhatothersaredoing
andshareexperiences.
FurthermoreitisimportantasaJobBrokertohavespecifictechniquesthatyoumayturnatany
timeinordertobrokeremployment.Incontinuancesomeonecoulduseacombinationofthese
techniquesinordertocomeupwithatailormadesolutionforeachsituation.
Somepopulartechniquesthatyoumaybeusing–oryoumayliketoconsider-are:
• The Recruitment Cycle https://www.topechelon.com/blog/placement-process/what-is-
full-cycle-recruiting/
• Public speaking–atworkshops,events, conferencesor informalgatherings - toattract
bothjob-seekersandEmployers
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• Acquiredatabasesfromothercompanies,whenpossible.
• Useonlineavailabledatabases/socialmediasuchasLinkedIn
• Postjobadvertisements
• Searchforemployeereferrals
• Administerpre-employmenttests
• Meetwithnewpotential job-seekers and conduct interviews to seewhat is needed in
yourarea
• Findvariouswaystopresentyoursuccessfuloutcomes
• Takepartintheselectionprocess,assistingtheemployers
Ofcourse,thefinaloutcomewouldbeaccordingtoyourjob-seekers’needsandacombination
ofvarioustechniques.
Indicatorstomeasureeffectiveness-Jobbrokerage,asanyotheroccupation,needstomeasure
itseffectivenessbyspecific indicators.Those indicatorsmaybequalitativeorquantitativeand
be set against ametric standard that the JobBroker is using formeasuring his/herwork and
according to thequalityplan that is inplace,orcouldbepredefinedbyapublicprocurement
that the Job Broker has undertaken as a subcontractor and is implementing on behalf of the
state.
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ACTIVITY1.3.3
Howawareareyouofthekindofperformancemeasuresthatmaybeusedbyapublicbody
thatisfunding,commissioningormonitoringJobBrokerageservices?
What kind of success criteria (i.e. how to measure if the service is performing) can you
identify?
Whydoyouthinkthesecriteria/measureshavebeenchosen?
Nowyouhavereflectedonthatquestion,canyouthinkofmore?
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For completing this exercise you might have come across a public procurement about job
placement,careertraining,VEToradulteducationguidanceandprovision,networkdeveloping
andfacilitating,etc.orevenacombinationofthose.Eachprocurementopportunityand/oreach
contractwillforeseedifferentmetricsindicators–inotherwords,howtheeffectivenessofthe
services is to be assessed andwhat kind of performancemeasures and results are expected.
Someofwhichmaybe:
ü Recruitment of Participants (in terms of total numbers, length of employment,
background,age,gender–oracombination)
ü InitialAssessmentofParticipants(undertakingaspecificassessmentoftheirneeds)
ü Participationinalearningorjob-seekingprogramme(howmanytakepart,andforhow
long)
ü Completionofthelearningprogramme(howmanyofthosethatstartedcompletedtheir
programme)
ü Participationinanaccreditationprocedure(forinstance,howmanywhocompletedthe
programmeundertooksomeformoffinalassessmentorexaminationortest?)
ü Accreditationachievement(…andhowmanyofthemweresuccessful?)
ü Achievement of a job start / initial placement (how many of those who started the
programmewentontostartajob?)
ü Jobretention(howlongdidtheystayemployede.g.for6,12oreven24months?)
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1.4Describerelevantpublicpoliciesandprioritiesinrelationtofundingand
organisationofJobBrokeringservices.
WhatdoyouknowabouthowyourJobBrokerageserviceisfunded?Doyouthinkyouneedto
know? In some cases, the way that services are funded is a matter of open and public
knowledge. Inothercases,contractsandgrantagreementsareconfidential,andyoumaynot
knowhowyourworkisfundedevenifyouwantedtoknow!
Ononelevel,itisnotnecessarytoknowthedetailsofhowyourJobBrokerageserviceisfunded
inordertodoyourjob.However,allpublicfundingrequiresaccountabilityonsomelevel,and
thewayyourservice is fundedmayshapetheprioritiesofyourorganisation,oreventheway
thatyouaremeanttodeliveryourservice.
Research undertaken by the Job Broker Erasmus+ partners highlighted not only that the Job
Brokerroleexists indifferentforms inmanyEUcountriesbutalsothattheemergingworldof
‘paymentbyresults’(increasinglycommoninpublicprogrammes),ischangingthefocusofthis
roledramatically.Inthelastactivityandthefeedback,weprovidedanindicationofthekindof
‘results’ that provide these measures. This is particularly marked in the UK, where ‘output’
fundingiscommon–insomecircumstanceswith100%ofthepublicfundscontingentuponthe
supported/unemployed learnersecuringandretaininga job. This trend in the ‘system’ isalso
beginningtoappearinsomedifferentwaysinothercountriesforcingVETprovidersto‘re-think’
traditional approaches – as funding is no longer granted only for the running of courses, but
increasinglyrequiressuccessfuljobentryandjobretention.
This factor,alongwithothers,means it isno longerenoughto just trainpeopleupor ‘match’
candidatestojobs:VETprovidersarehavingtodeployresourcesindifferentways,toworkmore
closelywithemployersto‘broker’-andevensustainthejoboutcomeafterithasbeenachieved.
AsaEuropeanErasmus+project,JobBrokerhasbeendevelopedtoaddressanumberofareas
ofconcerntoEuropeanpolicy.
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Forinstance,the‘BrugesCommuniqué’(2010)callsonEUmemberstatestoimprovethelabour
market relevance of VET; to make it more outcome-orientated; and to develop a 'common
language' bridging education, training and the world of work. Furthermore, one of the key
objectivesoftheEuropeanUnion’sstrategicframeworkforEuropeancooperationinEducation
andTraining(ET2020)includesacallforactionsthatcontributetowardsimprovingthequality,
efficiencyandrelevance(attractiveness)ofVETtotheneedsofthelabourmarket.TheEurope
2020strategycalls for jobs for75%of thepopulationaged20-64tobe inwork.Thechanging
world of work is also highlighted in the European Commission’s ‘New Skills for New Jobs’
initiative.
Jobbrokering,andmatchingskillstolabourmarketneeds,isinitselfoneofthenewtypesofjob
that is emerging. In previous times, people left school and undertook VET programs for a
specifictypeofjoborsector–andwouldoftenworkinthatsector-orthatjobeven–forthe
rest of their lives. For many, this has become a thing of the past, and there has been an
increasingrecognitionthatpeoplehave,orneedtodevelop,manydifferentskillsforthelabour
market. These are often referred to as ‘transferable skills’ andmuch of current EU policy is
aimed at calling onpublic employment services policies in themember states to identify and
supportthedevelopmentoftransferableskillsforthemodernworldofwork.
GiventhesenewpolicycontextsandchangesinVETpolicies,theJobBrokerprojectisaimingto
makeitsowncontributiontothesepolicies.BydevelopingaJobBrokerCurriculumProgramme,
theintentionistoraiseknowledgeandskillsthatwillhelpVETproviders intheEUtoincrease
their success rate in securing sustainable jobs for their learners (the job-seekers). However,
there are many challenges for how the Job Broker role is to be developed, trained for, and
ultimately validated and accredited – not least that there is such a difference in the labour
marketsituationineachmemberstateandnotwogovernmentsoperatethesamepoliciesand
programmes.
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ACTIVITY1.4.1 Identifyat least3mainpublicpolicies thataffect JobBrokerageservicesinyourcountryanddescribethewaysthattheyaffectyourwork.
WrittenAssignment
Identifythreemainpublicpoliciesconcernedwithsupportingjob-seekers inyourcountry(for
instance, different kind of wage subsidy schemes; vocational training; active labour market
measuresofvariouskinds).
Howdoeseachoftheseimpactonhowyoudeliveryourserviceandyourfunding?Howdoyou
takethisintoaccountwhenworkingwithyourjob-seekers?
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Sonowyoucanclearlyseethathowyourbrokerageserviceisfundedcanaffecthowyoudeliver
the service to your job-seekers. Youmayhave very specificmonthly targets anddeadlines to
meetforoutcomes;somepeoplewillfindthismotivatingandotherwillfinditasourceofstress!
In some instances, the JobBroker isnot just simplygetting the job-seeker intowork,butalso
looking to offer on-going in-work support to ensure that the job-seekers’ sustain their
employmentoveragivenperiodoftime.Itisfairtosaythatthishasaddedanotherelementto
the Job Broker role for some theywill need to up-skill to take on these new responsibilities.
Indeed,insomecountries(e.g.theUK)where‘paymentbyresults’hasbecomecommonplace,
thishasaffectedtheverywaythatpublicemploymentandevenvocationaleducationprovision
isorganised. Toput it simply, ifyouarepaid forcertainresults, thenthat iswhatwillbe the
priorityforhowyourserviceisorganised.Thiscanhaveveryprofoundeffects,notonlyonhow
yourorganisationdecidestomanageitswork,butinparticularhowyouprioritiseyourtime.
Additionally,thereisevidencetoshowthatofferingearlysupportforanyissuesarisingbetween
theemployeeandtheemployercanmeanthedifferencebetweensomeonenotjuststayingin
workbutimprovingtheirsituationtoincreasehoursorpaysuccessfully.Indeed,ifsomeofthe
funding isonlypaidby thepublic sectorafteraperiodof time in the job, then thisplacesan
incentiveontheprovidertoprovide ‘aftercare’support– i.e. information,advice,counselling
and‘brokering’aftertheinitialjobplacement.Thiscanbearadicaldepartureforthosewhoare
usedtothe ideathattheirworkwiththejob-seekerhasendedoncethejob-seekerhasfound
work–unless,ofcourse,theybecomeunemployedagainandreturntothemasajob-seeker!
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TheexamplebelowisbaseduponthetermsofacontractthatwasissuedbyaUKpublicbody
thatcommissionsVETprovisiontoaVETprovider.Thecontractwasaimedatunemployedjob-
seekersaged18–30yearsofage.
Thecontractwastosupportupto500job-seekersandoperatedfor24months.Thepayment
scheduleinthecontractwasasfollows:
Milestone/Result Amount€Maximum
numbers
Participantundertakesinitialassessmentonprogramme 100 500
Beginsnon-accreditedlearningprogramme 50 200
Beginsaccreditedlearningprogramme/VETcourse 75 200
Completionofnon-accreditedlearningprogramme 150 150
Completionofaccreditedlearningprogramme/VETcourse 50 200
AttainmentofvocationalqualificationatLevel2 250 400
Achievementofjobstart 150 400
Sustainedjob–4weeks 250 300
Sustainedjob–6months 750 250
Sustainedjob–12months 750 250
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ACTIVITY1.4.2
ReadthefollowingcaseaboutJupiterTrainingandthenanswerthequestions.
Jupiter Training has just received their new contract as per the payments by results example
above. They have six Job Brokers who normally work quite intensively with job-seekers who
oftenhaveamultiplesupportneeds,inadditiontoneedingtofindajob.
Theirpreviouscontractshadallowedmorefreedomandtimeinhowtheycouldworktosupport
the job-seekers, theyalsoassistedwithother issuesby referring to specialist support services
whererequired.Thismeantthattheyprovidedaholisticserviceforeachperson,whowasthen
moreabletofocusmorefullyontheirjobsearch.
ThenewcontractmeantthattheJobBrokershadtothinkmuchmoreabouttheamountoftime
theyspentwitheachperson,howmanysessionstheycouldprovideandhowquicklytheyhadto
progressthemtoeitherworkorsomeformoftrainingactivitytoachieveanoutcomeandget
paid.
AlloftheJobBrokersweregivenmonthlytargetstoworktowardswhichaddedanewelement
ofpressuretotheirjobroles.
1. What issues do you think that the Job Brokers might encounter in delivering this new
contract?
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2.HowmightthisimpactonJupiterTrainingasabusiness-andwhatcouldbetheoutcome?
3.Canyounameatleast5outcomesthattheJobBrokerswillbeexpectedtoachieveaccording
tothescheduleintheexample?
4.Howmightthisimpactontheservicebeingofferedtojob-seekers?
5.CanyouseeanychangesthatJupitertrainingmightneedtomaketotheirservicesinlightof
thenewcontract?
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Asyoucanseeformthecasestudyandtheexampleadaptingtothepaymentsbyresultsmodel
canbringnewchallengesforallconcerned,thatarebothpositiveandnegative.
Forsomelargerproviderstheymayfinditeasiertoadapttothismodelasnotalltheirdelivery
willbebasedsolelyononesourceoffunding.Similarly,theymaybeofferingmultipleprovision
thathasdifferentcontractrequirementsoradditionalsourcesofincome.
Smaller or more specialist providers may find that if they cannot achieve the number of
outcomeswhenexpectedthattheirincomecouldbeseverelyaffected-whichcouldimpacton
the entire service provision, including the number of staff employed and the level of salaries
paid.Inotherwords,jobsandservicescouldbeatrisk.
Theotherobviousissueisthatsomejob-seekersaremucheasiertogetintoworkthanothers,
and thismay affectwho Jupiter Trainingdecides toprioritise for their services. In the above
model, therewouldbeno incentivetotakeon job-seekerswithmultiplebarriers. Inpractice,
however,oftenthistypeofschedulepays‘supplements’forthosethathavemoreneeds–for
instanceforthosewithoutqualifications,orthosethathavebeenoutofworkforlonger.
Butitisnotallbadnewsbecauseitcanalsomeanthatstaffgettolearnnewskillsandwaysof
workingtoadapttheirdelivery,theymaybemotivatedbyhavingtoachievetargetseachmonth
andrisetothechallenge.
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ACTIVITY1.4.3
Given the payment by results situation compare the threemore salient positive versus the
threemostsalientnegativeaspectsthatcouldarise
Threepositivepoints:
1.
2.
3.
Threenegativepoints:
1.
2.
3.
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Lookingatthepaymentbyresultsschedulegiven,youcanseethata‘result’canbewhenajob-
seekerstartstheprogramme,orsomeotherformofmilestone–suchasthenbeingreferredon
toandstartingatrainingprogramme.
However, itcanbeseenthatby far the largest fundingamounts inthisexamplearebasedon
resultsthatare ‘end-loaded’– i.e. theycomeafteractivityhastakenplace–suchasgettinga
qualification at the end of the course, or staying in a job after the initial job placement is
secured.
More generally, some studies have suggested that running payment by results in job seeking
contractscanhavesomeadvantages,including:
• Everythingisclear–itcanhelphavingtofocusonspecificresultsandtargets
• Flexibility–howsomethingisdone,orwhatisdone,islessimportantthanhoweffective
itis
• Efficiencyandreward–providersarepaidonwhattheyachieve,orthe‘outputs’oftheir
service,ratherthanwhattheyspend,orthe‘inputs’.Iftheyareefficient,theycanmake
surpluses from the funding, which can be used in flexible ways or to reinvest in the
service.
However, some studies have suggested a number of disadvantages with payment by results
schemesinpublicemploymentprogrammes.Thesecaninclude:
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• Financial risks for providers – it can be difficult to predict with any certainty how
‘successful’ any programme can be and therefore theremay not be any guarantee of
coveringcostswithpayments.Inotherwords,providerscanlosemoney!
• Waitingfortheresultpaymenttobeachieved,andthenclaimedandverifiedcancause
cash-flowchallengesforproviders,anditcanalsorequiresignificantfinancialandhuman
resourcesinvestmentbothpre-contractandduringthecontractbeforebeingpaid.
• “Cherry picking” – where providers are reluctant to take on job-seekers with more
complexproblems,forfearofitbeingharderto‘getaresult’andthereforeappeartoget
poorer results (i.e. lower job placement rates) – or not get paid. This can lead to
‘parking’and ‘creaming’–wheresuch job-seekersaresetasideorneglected (parking),
whileotherswhomaybeeasier to ‘geta result’ are focusedupon,asproviders target
‘easier’job-seekersforattention(‘creaming’–i.e.‘takingthecream’).
• Forcing providers to concentrate on getting specific results to get paid can discourage
innovationandtryingsomethingdifferentordifferenttoseeifitsucceeds.
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ACTIVITY1.4.4
Find out how the Job Brokerage service you work for is funded: you may need to speak
managers,yourcolleaguesandevenyourjob-seekerstoanswerthefollowingquestions:
1. Howmanyjob-seekersareyouexpectedtosignupoverthedurationofthecontract?
2. Whatareyourtargetsforjobandtrainingoutcomes?
3. Areyouexpectedtomeetdeadlines,whatarethese?
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4. Howareyoumeasuredagainstthoseoutcomes?
5. Whataretheconsequencesofnotmeetingyourtargets?
6. Have you experienced any issues with this style of delivery, how have you overcome
these?
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Yourresearchmayhaveuncoveredsomethingsthatyouwerenotawareofaboutyourfunding
situationandhowthatimpactsonhowandwhyyoudoyourroleinsuchaway.Beingawareof
this informationmay assist you to do a better jobor performyour role in a differentway to
ensure that youmeet the needs of your job-seekers, your employers and your business. You
may even have realised that there is a more effective or efficient way of approaching your
servicedelivery.
Perhapsyoucouldbringthisupatyournextteammeeting?Whoknows, itcouldmake it less
stressful,morecosteffectiveandinterestingforeveryone!
Perhaps you could show the results/outcome of this in any Job Broker forum in which you
participate,asitcouldbeotherJobBrokersmightbeabletobenefitfromyourexperience?)
1.5Understandtheinterfacebetweentheemployer,job-seekerandfunderofJob
Brokerageservices.Illustratepossibleroleconflictsanddemonstratethemeansto
overcomethem.
Anypartnershipworkorrole,whichinvolvesasubstantialamountofcollaborativeworkwitha
numberofdifferentpartners,couldalsohavevariousconflictsarising.
ManyJobBrokerswillalsoperformsotheractivitieswithjob-seekers–someofferinganelement
ofemployabilitysupportlikeinterviewtechniquesor1-1/groupguidancesessionsorsupportfor
otherissues.
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Togetthejobdonetheywilloftenhavetoworkwithawiderangeofotherprofessionalswho
willallhavedifferentdeadlinesandpriorities,e.g.
• Employersofdifferentsizes
• Healthworkers
• Socialworkers
• Stafffrombenefitsagency
Theserviceyouworkformayalsobedeliveringaspartofapartnership,whereyouwillprovide
theJobBrokerageandsupportbutanotherproviderperhapsfurthereducationorVET,willoffer
short non accredited courses or longer accredited courses to up-skill the jobseekers in
preparation for work. There may also be other “referral partners” who are there to offer
specialistinterventionsthatmayberequiredi.e.counsellingortherapy.
Alloftheseorganisationswillcomewithdifferent“agendas”,whichwillmeandifferentpriorities
intermsofwhattheyseeasthemostimportantpartoftheworktobedone.FortheJobBroker
it will be the progressing the job-seeker into a training opportunity or job as seamlessly as
possible.Butthiscancauseconflictandwillneedcarefulhandlingandcommunicationbetween
allpartiestoensurethatanyissuesaredealtwithprofessionallyandswiftlytoavoiddisruption
totheserviceprovided.
TheJobBrokerwillhavearangeofinternalandexternalcustomerstokeephappyanditisoften
acareful“jugglingact”toensurethatthisisdoneeffectively.
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ACTIVITY1.5.1Categorizetheexpectationsthatthe3differentgroups,employersandjob-seekersandfundersmayhave,asseenfromtheJobBrokerperspective.
Job-seekerexpectations Employerexpectations Funderexpectations
1
1 1
2
2 2
3
3 3
4
4 4
5
5 5
6
6 6
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Canyounowsee that theprioritiesof thesedifferentgroupscouldbeasourceofconflict in
yourwork?Youmightwanttothinkabouthowyouovercometheseiftheydoarise,arethere
any things in place in the organisation that you work for e.g. steering group meetings,
partnershipmeetings,teammeetings,wherethingscouldbeopenlydiscussedandagreed?
Ultimately,itwillbedowntoyouandyourskillsasaJobBrokertoresolveasmuchofthisas
possiblewitheachpartyasandwhenorifitarises.
However,ifyoufeelthatthereareissuesthatareoutofyourlimitations,areasofexpertiseor
authoritythenyoushouldreferthistoyourmanagerortheteamleader,sothatyoucanget
guidancefromthem.
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ACTIVITY1.5.2
Choose one public funded programme for Job Brokerage services and describe how you
wouldinvolvejob-seekers,andemployersforthebenefitofallpartiesinvolved.
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Whatdidyoudiscover?
HasitmadeyouthinkdifferentlyabouthowyouareworkinginyourownJobBrokerage?You
might have realised that someof the ideas that youhavedescribed could be applied to the
brokeragewhereyoucurrentlywork.
Clearlytherearebenefitstoinvolvingservicesusers,inthiscasejob-seekers,evenatthemost
basic level – to gain valuable feedback and insight in to their individual experiences of the
servicedelivery.Theirviewsandexperiencescanassistyouinfuturedesignanddeliveryofthe
services.
Cold you also have job-seekerswho sit on the board? Perhaps this could be away of them
paying something back after using the service or you could reimburse them for their time?
What about thembecoming “mentors” to your current job-seekers or coming back to share
theirtipsonwhatmakesasuccessfuljobsearchaspartofaworkshop?
Similarly,employerscouldassistwithdesigningdeliveryofservices infactbringingemployers
into deliver specific themed workshops or take part in mock interviews makes the whole
experienceforthejobseekermore“real”.Therearemanywaysyoucandiversifythedelivery
andcontentofyouremployabilitysessions.
Perhaps you can share your ideas on the Job Broker forum and see what other ideas Job
Brokershavecomeupwith?
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ACTIVITY1.5.3
Fromthecasestudybelow,canyoufind3probableconflictsthattheJobBrokermayhaveto
dealwithinordertoachieveasatisfyingoutcomeforallpartiesinvolved?
Describehowyouwoulddealwiththeseissues.
YouhavebeenworkingasaJobBrokerfor3yearsandhaverecentlyjoinedJupiterTraining
asoneoftheJobBrokersontheirteamofsixpeople.
Yourjob-seekerscomefromarangeofbackgroundswithvaryingdegreesofskills, levelof
qualificationsandjobreadiness.Theyoftenpresentwithotherissues,whichwillaffecttheir
ability to focuson their jobsearch.Mostof the job-seekershavebeenoutofwork forat
least12monthsandareaccessingbenefitssotheywanttosecureemploymentassoonas
possible.Oftentheydonotknowwhattheywanttodotheyjustneedajob!
The employers who you work with offer a range of opportunities but some are very
specialist, requiringspecialist trainingor sometimesdegree levelqualifications.Employers
donotpaythebrokeragefortheirservicesbutoftengetquitefrustratedthattheyarenot
getting theright typeofcandidates for thevacancies theyhave.Asa JobBroker thisalso
impactsonyouachievingyourtargetstodeadline–howwillyouresolvetheseissuesforall
concernedandwhatarethepossibleconflicts?
Writeyouranswersdownonaseparatesheet.
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Asyouwill knowfromcompleting thisexerciseandalso thinkingaboutyourownday today
work,conflictswillariseandtheyarenotalwayseasytoresolveanditwilloftentakepatience,
problem-solvingskillsanddiplomacytomakesurethatallpartiesgettheirdesiredoutcome.
TheJobBrokerroleisaboutmanagingeveryone’sexpectations–thejob-seekerneedshelpto
finda job, additionally theymay requireother support for issues thatweall experience,but
somefindthattheycannotresolvethemwithoutthesupportofotherprofessionals;allofthis
canbeverystressful.Theemployerneedstofillajobvacancyusuallyasquicklyaspossible,but
withthebestavailablecandidate,theydonothavetimetowaste,becausetimeasweallknow,
ismoney!
Equally, as a Job Broker you will have deadlines and targets to meet not getting the right
candidateswiththerightskillsorhavingtodealwithanirateemployercantakeupyourtime
andkeepyoufromfocusingonthejobathand.
If you find this area of your work difficult, it may be worth seeing if there are any courses
offeredlocallytoenhanceyourskillsaroundassertivenessanddealingwithdifficultsituations.
OryoucouldtryspeakingtotheotherJobBrokersinyourteam/organisationorlocalnetwork
toseeiftheyhavehadsimilarproblems–howdidtheyovercomethem?
PerhapsyoucoulduseanonlineJobbrokerforumandsee ifanyoneontherecouldgiveyou
somesupport?
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1.6SpecifyandexplaintheuseofJobBrokeringservicesforkeyemployers,employer
associations,sectorbodiesorindustryspecialists.
It is perhaps stating the obvious that your ability to be effective as a Job Broker is partly
determined by the overall state of the economy and levels of unemployment. Life would
certainlybeeasierifthereweremorethanenoughfull-timeandpart-timejobstogoaroundfor
everyone, irrespectiveof theircircumstances,qualificationsandskills! However, if thosedays
everexisted,theyarelonggonenow.UnemploymentlevelsinsomepartsoftheEUhavebeen
persistentlyhighand thesituationdeteriorated furtherwith theadventof theglobal financial
crisisin2008.
Partofyour role,asa JobBrokerwillalsobeaboutconvincingemployers to subscribe touse
yourbrokerageservicessothatyouhaveenoughvacanciestooffertoarangeofcandidatesina
rangeofsectors.Youmayneedtothinkaboutthe“pitch”youmaketoprospectiveemployers
andthinkaboutwhytheymightbuyintoit,ratherthanuseanotherformofrecruiter.
Oneofthereasonssomeemployerswillbeattractedtousingyourserviceisthatoftenfunded
Job Brokerage programs are free of charge, whereas a more commercially-run recruiter will
chargeafeewhentheysuccessfullyplacesomeone.
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ACTIVITY1.6.1
YouhaveanappointmentwithamajoremployerandyouhavetoexplaintothemwhataJob
Broker does. Employers are often very busy andhavemanypressures that compete for their
attention. In this case, theemployerhas set aside just 20minutes for you. In that time, you
havetoexplainwhatyoudoasaJobBrokerandhowitcanbeofbenefittotheemployer.
Haveyouheardofthe“elevator‘pitch’??”Intheworldofmarketing,thisisanideawhereyou
have someone’sattention for thedurationofoneelevator ride. In that time,howdoyouget
acrossyouroffer?Whatisyour"uniquesellingpoint-USP"?”
Planoutyour‘pitch’totheemployer:–rememberyouhavejust20minutestomakeanimpact!
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How did you find this? If you are still unsure about how to approach it, perhaps you could
practiseononeofyourcolleagues?Theymaybeabletogiveyousomeusefultips.
Rememberhowyoupitchyourservicestoanemployermightvarydependingonwhatyouthink
theirexpectationsareintermsoflevelofservice,frequencyofuseandotherfactors.Obviously,
youwanttomakeagood impressionbutyoudon’twanttomisleadtheminanywayorover-
promise,whichcouldleadtodisappointment.
Unlikeacommercialrecruiterwhereoftencandidatessignuptousetheirservices,thetypeof
job-seeker that you will be dealing with is unlikely to be fully “job ready” and will require
anythingfromafewweekstoseveralmonthsofpreparationbeforeyouareabletosubmitthem
forasuitable jobrole. Berealisticwithyouremployers,andbeopenaboutthestrengthsand
limitationsofyourvariouscandidatestothem.
Oneof themost powerful influencerswith employers is evidence that youhave alreadybeen
abletosecuresuccessfulplacementsfromjob-seekersforotheremployers.
Thisareacanbeaverydifferentskilltothetypethatareoftenbuiltupincounsellingprofessions
and it isalwaysgood to shareexperiencesandapproacheswithothers ina JobBroker forum.
Sharingyourexperienceofhowyougotonwithyourpitchesorpresentations toanemployer
canhelpothersavoidanypitfalls–whereasotherssharingwithyoucanhelpyoutoavoidthem
aswell!
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ACTIVITY1.6.2
WhatservicesmightaJobBrokeroffertoanemployer?Writeyourlisthere:
Who else might also be providing these services to employers, how will you convince the
employerthattheJobBrokerageserviceisthebetteroptionfortheirbusinessneeds?Canyou
writealistof‘ProsandCons’?
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For some of the employers who contact your Job Brokerage your services will fulfil all their
needs,butforothersitmaynotproveadequateastheymayhaveahighvolumeofrecruitment
needs with very specific requirements. They may be better placed contacting a commercial
recruiterwhospecializesinacertaintypeofrecruitmentandoftenathighvolumestoo.
Maintainingagoodrelationshipwithyouremployerswillmeanthatyouwillneedtorecognize
whatyourlimitationsareasabrokerageandknowwhentoreferthemonorrecommendother
services. Surely, it’s better not to waste their time trying to do something that you’re not
equippedtodoordonothavetheexpertisetodoeffectivelyorwithinthetimescalerequired.
PerhapsthismighthighlightsometrainingopportunitiesforyouandotherJobBrokers?
As previously highlighted the fact that your services are provided free of charge will be
attractive to employers. However, this could also cast some doubt in theirminds about the
quality of your service and how it compares to a paid recruitment service; youmay have to
workhardtoconvincethemandearntheirbusinessandrespectwhenplacingcandidates.
Sometimes working with smaller employers can work better for you and them, as their
demandsintermsofrecruitmentwillbelowerinnumbersandperhapslessfrequent.Butthat
doesn’tmeantosaythatyoushouldn’tapproachthelargeremployersifyouhavethecapacity
tofulfiltheirrecruitmentneeds;someofthiswillbedependentonthesizeofyourbrokerage.
CanyoushareyourresultsofthisexerciseontheJobBrokerforumwithotherJobBrokers?You
might want to ask how they have overcome any objections from employers to assist you
if/whenthishappens.
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ACTIVITY1.6.3
Writtenassignment:IdentifythechallengesthatyouthinkmostprobablyaJobBrokerwillface
whenhavingtoexplaintheuseofbrokeringservicestokeyemployers,employerassociations,
sectorbodiesorindustryspecialists.
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Whenyouaretryingtosellanyservicethenyouwillnodoubtcomeacrossmanyobjections,you
mayalreadyhaveexperiencedthisaspartofyourwork.
Buttherearealsootherchallenges,someemployerswillbesuspiciousofsomethingthatfreeto
use,theymightthinkthatyourservicewillbeinferiortothosewhereyouhavetopayafreeto
theagency.Theymaybeputtingyoutothetesttoseeifyoucanactuallydeliver,soifthisis
yourfirsttomewitthisemployeritisimportanttogetitright-astheymaynotcomebacka
secondtime!
Theymayalsohavedoubtsaboutthecalibreofyourcandidatesbecausetheyarenotworking
andmaynothaveeverworkedorbeenoutofworkforsometime.Ifyoudonotgiveagood
impressionabouttheorganisationyouworkforthentheymaydoubtyourknowledgeandskills
asaJobBroker.
Theemployermayhaveatightdeadlinefortheirrecruitmentandmaywanttoknowhowsoon
youcansendthemsomeviablecandidateCVs.Youmightnothaveanyoneonyourcurrent
caseloadwhofitsthespecification–sowhatwillyoudo?
Yourdeadlinesandtimelinesmightbeverydifferenttoalargecorporateemployer.
Ofcoursetheotherthingthatissometimesoutofyourcontrolwhendealingwithemployers
andjob-seekersisthatasmuchasyoucanbriefthejob-seekersyouhavenocontroloverwhat
actuallymighthappenonthedayofaninterview!Willtheybelate,notshowupatall,come
acrossliketheyhavenotdoneanypreparation?Allyoucandoispreparethemadequately,
hopeforthebest–andthenmakesureyoufollowup.
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Sometimesanemployermightnotseektoappointanyofyourcandidates,don’tassumethat
thisisyourfaultorthatofthejob-seeker.Sometimesduringtherecruitmentprocessemployers
changetheirmindaboutwho,andwhat,theywantorjustdecidenottorecruitatall!Tryto
ensurethatifyourcandidatesareunsuccessfulthenyougetasmuchfeedbackaspossibleabout
why.Someemployersarereluctanttodothistoanydegreebutifyoudon’tknowyouhaveno
ideawhattoworkonwiththejob-seekerfortheirnextinterview.Makesureyouseekfeedback
fromthecandidatestooabouttheirexperienceoftheinterview,assometimestheywilloffera
verydifferentperspectivetotheemployerone!
Theemployeroffersyourcandidatetherole-buttheydon’twantit!Ifthishappens,haveade-
briefingwithyourcandidateimmediatelytofindoutwhathappenedattheinterview.Thisisa
difficultone,asthecandidatemayhaveheardsomethingattheinterviewthatturnedthemoff
ofthejob,butyouwillneedtoinvestigateandfindoutwhattheissueis.Coulditbeasimple
misunderstanding-orsomethingmoresinister?
ProgressAssessment–LearningNeedAnalysis
AndnowthatyouhavecompletedtheactivitiesandexercisesinthisChapterandreviewedall
theFeedback,let’sreturntotheLearningNeedsAssessmentthatyoucompletedatthestartof
theChapter.
Inthetablebelow,repeattheself-appraisalofyourknowledge,skillsandunderstandinginthis
area.Asbefore,considertherequirementandestimateyour‘level’ineachcase.
Hereisaquickreminderofthescale:Usingascalewhere1=poor(developmentfullyneeded),
5=fair/satisfactory(developmentpartiallyneeded)and10=excellent(nodevelopment
needed)
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Jobrequirement Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Identifyissuesthatarisefromusingknowledgeofthe
trendsinthelabourmarket,intermsof(a)identifying
growingareasofskillsshortagesandjobvacanciesand
(b)seekingto‘match’thejob-seeker(s)tothesetrends
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describecompetencesorqualitiesthatcanbe
developedrelativelyquicklyinjob-seekersinorderto
respondtopotentiallybeneficiallabourmarkettrends
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifytheissuesthatthejob-seekersmayfacewhen
consideringworkopportunitiesthatarenotlocaland
workwiththemtoassessiftheseopportunitiesare
realisticorpracticalforthem.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Specifytheresourcesthatyouneedtoprepareforwork
withthejob-seeker(s)inordertoidentifyrelevant
vocationaleducationandtrainingproviders/schemes
andpublicemploymentprogrammes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Recognisethedifferenttypesofprovisionand
programmesthatarerelevanttoallofthejob-seekers,
anddistinguishwiththosewhichtargetspecificneeds
andspecificgroups.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifythesourcesofguidanceandinformationthat
canbemadeavailabletoemployersandindustry
associationstosupportthemintakingonunemployed
job-seekerstofillvacancies
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Explainthemaintechniquesto(a)brokeremployment
betweenunemployedjob-seekersandemployers(b)
stayintouchwithbothpartiestosupportthe
sustainabilityofthearrangement.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifythemainindicatorsthatareusedtomeasure
theimpactandeffectivenessofyourservice(including
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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any’paymentbyresults’arrangements).
Identifyatleast3mainpublicpoliciesthataffectJob
Brokerageservicesinyourcountryanddescribethe
waysthattheyaffectyourwork.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describethe“paymentbyresults”system(i.e.could
youlistatleast3‘results’aJobBrokermightbe
expectedtoachieve.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Compare3positiveand3negativeaspectsofpayment
byresults
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Distinguishtheexpectationsof:
A)anemployerb)employeec)funders
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describehowyouwouldinvolvejob-seekersand
employersforthebenefitofallpartiesinvolvedina
publicfundedprogramme
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describe3typicalconflictsthataJobBrokermayhave
todealwithinordertoachieveasatisfyingoutcomefor
allpartiesinvolved
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Preparea20’presentationtoaprospectiveemployerin
ordertosellyourbrokerageservicetothem
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
ListofalltheservicesthataJobBrokermayoffertoan
employer,comparinghowtheseservicesareprovided
now,andwhyJobBrokerageisabettersolution
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifythechallengesthatyouthinkmostprobablya
JobBrokerwillfacewhenhavingtoexplaintheuseof
brokeringservicestokeyemployers,employer
associations,sectorbodiesorindustryspecialists.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Now,compareyourtwosetsofscores–thoseyoudid‘before’andthoseyoudidafterworking
throughthispartoftheGuide.Whatareyourmainconclusions?
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Wouldyousaythat,basedonhavingusedthematerialinthisChapter,youunder-estimatedor
over-estimateyourskills,knowledge,understandingand/orexperiencethefirsttimeyoudid
thisassessment?
So,ifyouscoredsomerequirementslowerafterfinishing–isthatbecauseyourealiseyoustill
haveareastodevelop?
Ifyouscoredsomerequirementshigher–isthisbecauseyoufeelmoreknowledgeableor
confidentaftercompletingtheexercises?
WouldyousaythattheChapterconfirmedyouroriginalestimates–orwerethereany
surprises?
Canyouidentifyareaswhereyoustillneedtoseekoutfurtherprofessionalsupportor
development?
1.7 Conclusionandfurtherreading
ThepurposeofthisChapterhasbeentoplaceyourworkasaJobBrokerinthecontextofthe
European labour market and employment opportunities in Europe. In doing so, we have
exploredtheinterfacebetweenthekeystakeholdersthatimpactonyourwork–theemployer,
job-seeker and public funder. We have also reviewed how policies, funding, schemes and
programmes, labourmarket informationandemployment regulationsall surroundand impact
onJobBrokerageservices.
Finally… although JobBrokerage is an emerging and relatively new concept in EuropeanVET
legislation,therearevariouspublicationsandresourcesrelevanttotheissuesdiscussedinthis
module.Manyofthesewillbeinyourownlanguageandarerelevanttoyourowncountry–so
dolookthemup!
Inthemeantime,andtohelpyoulookfurther,wehavelistedsomerelevantinformationsources
attheEuropeanlevelbelow:
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• CEDEFOP:‘SkillsPanorama’athttp://skillspanorama.cedefop.europa.eu/en
• European Commission: ‘EURES – The European Job Mobility Portal’ at
https://ec.europa.eu/eures/public/homepage
• EuropeanCouncil:ResolutiononANewSkillsAgenda foran InclusiveandCompetitive
Europe(2016/C467/01).
• European Training Foundation / CEDEFOP / International Labour Office: ‘The role of
employmentserviceproviders:Guidetoanticipatingandmatchingskillsandjobs’(2015).
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Notes
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ContentsWhatisthisChapterabout?…………………………..…………………………………………………………………..95LearningObjectives……...…………………………………………………………………..……………………………….952.1Selectandapplyrecruitingmethods(direct,indirect,thirdpartymethods)toreachouttopotentialcandidates..........……………………………………………………………………………..982.2Describeoccupationalprofilesandlistcorrespondingoccupationalrequirements................................................................…………………………………………………………1092.3Design,conductandparticipateinnetworkingeventsandactivitiestocreatestronglinkstoemployers........................................................................................................1152.4Utilizeexistingsupportschemestogeneratemaximumbenefitforemployers.................................................................................................................................1222.5Developjobprofilesincooperationwithemployersandmatchthemwithpersonalprofilesofpotentialjobcandidates……………..……………………………………………………………………..1302.6Demonstratetheabilitytodeliver,monitorandevaluateemployersatisfactionasameansofcontinuousservicequalityimprovement…………………………………………………………..1372.7ProgressAssessment-LearningNeedAnalysis……………………………………………………………….1472.8FurtherReading:resourcesandwebgraphy…………………………….…………………………………….149
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WhatisthisChapterabout?
In the secondChapter of theGuidewe look atworkingwith thosewhoprovide jobs for job-
seekers–theemployers.ThepurposeofthischapteristoplaceyourworkasaJobBrokerinthe
context of how to work with employers and job-seekers in a proper quality way to achieve
successbyunderstandingeachones’needs,matchingthoseneedsandcreatingacollaborative
environmentwhichwillallowyoutocreateastablenetworktodevelopyourwork.Theareas
coveredinvolvemarketingjob-seekerstoemployers,usingemployerfeedbacktoimproveyour
service,advisingemployersonrecruitmentand'inworksupport'fornewrecruits.
Effective JobBrokerageprovidersmustbehighlyproactive indevelopinganunderstandingof
employers’ needs. The Job Broker’s direct workwith employers includes, in general, vacancy
sourcing, human resource planning, detailed analysis of job roles and person specifications,
matchingjob-seekersto jobs,siftingapplicants, interviewassistanceandtesting.Wetherefore
lookathowtoestablishandmaintaingoodrelationshipswithemployersandachieveemployer
satisfaction,aswellastakingintoaccountpublicfundingincentivesforemployers.
Youwillfindattheendofthischapter(“furtherreading”section)someusefullinksthatwillhelp
you with the drafting of the activities proposed within this self-learning guide chapter. We
suggestyouconsulttheselinksbeforeaccomplishingeachactivity.
LearningObjectives
Inordertoaddresstheabove,thischapterhasthefollowingspecificlearningobjectives:
2.1Selectandapplyrecruitingmethods(direct,indirect,thirdpartymethods)toreachout
topotentialcandidates.
2.2Describeoccupationalprofilesandlistcorrespondingoccupationalrequirements.
2.3Design,conductandparticipateinnetworkingeventsandactivitiestocreatestrong
linkstoemployers.
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2.4Utilizeexistingsupportschemestogeneratemaximumbenefitforemployers.
2.5Developjobprofilesincooperationwithemployersandmatchthemwithpersonal
profilesofpotentialjobcandidates.
2.6Demonstratetheabilitytodeliver,monitorandevaluateemployersatisfactionasa
meansofcontinuousservicequalityimprovement
Beforewelookatthecontentsindetailandwepracticeourskillsthroughthedifferentactivities
proposed, let’s beginwith a self-appraisal of your knowledge, skills andunderstanding in this
areawiththeLearningNeedsAssessmenttablebelow.
Usingascalewhere1=poor (developmentfullyneeded),5= fair/satisfactory(development
partiallyneeded)and10=excellent(nodevelopmentneeded).Considereachrequirementin
turn,andestimateyour‘level’ineachcase:
Jobrequirements Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Jobdescriptionanalysisandinterviewingskills.
E.g.: capability to describe and make
appropriate questions according to the job
specificationstocompilerelevantinformation
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledgeofwrittencommunication,ICTand
dissemination channels: for job
advertisementsdevelopmentanddistribution.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Communication and organizational skills for
planning and implementing recruiting
processes (including preparation of selection
test,groupdynamics,etc.)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
KnowledgeandskillstohandleEuropeantools
to search for potential candidates: E.g. ISCO
professionalcatalogueandEURESjobmobility
portal.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Capability to categorize the employer needs
and cooperate with them by
exploring/assessing the demand and labour
market development, to provide customised
guidanceandsupporttothem.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledgeandskillstoactivateadministrative
proceduresnecessaryfortheaccesstosupport
schemesandprogrammes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Capability toguideemployers towardsupport
measures fitting to theirneedsand todeliver
relevant information about rights and
obligationscomingfromsupportschemes.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledge and skills for the effective
matching of job demand and job offer (e.g.
capability to analyse work processes, detect
occupational needs, develop job profiles and
conductskillsassessmentprocesses).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Communication and analytical skills to
effectively communicate with customers in
order to ensure and assess their overall
satisfactionaboutprovidedservices.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledge and skills to design standard
procedures forquality implementationand to
manageprocesseslinkedtoqualitymonitoring
andimprovement.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Inthesectionsbelow,wewillprovideyouwithsomenarrativeandaskyoutocompleteasetof
exercises.Eachonehasfeedback–makeanoteofyourresponsesandyourthoughtsaboutthe
feedback–sinceattheendoftheChapterwewillaskyoutoreturntothisNeedsAnalysistosee
ifanyofyourresponseshavechanged.
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2.1Selectandapplyrecruitingmethods(direct,indirect,thirdpartymethods)toreach
outtopotentialcandidates.
Wesuggestthatyoureadcarefullytheinformation/narrativespresentedbelowastheyarethe
basisforagoodperformanceoftheactivitiesstatedthatyouwillfindinthissection.Please,also
remembertocheckthewebographyprovidedforacomprehensiveknowledge.
Whatisarecruitmentprocess?
It could be described as “the set of activities and processes used to legally obtain a
sufficient number of qualified people at the right place and time so that the people and the
organisation can select each other in their own best short and long term interests”
(Schuler,RandallS.:PersonnelandHumanResourceManagement).
Stepstobetakeninarecruitmentprocess
− Recruitmentplanning:todraftacomprehensivejobspecificationforthevacantposition.
− StrategyDevelopment:todefineasuitablestrategyforrecruitmentofthecandidates.
− Searchingcandidatesinternallyorexternally.
− Screeningapplicationsreceivedandselecting.
− Evaluationoftheprocess:levelofsuccess.
Selectionofdifferentrecruitmentmethods
• Internal,madethroughthepromotionandtransferofexistingpersonnelorthroughreferrals,by
currentstaffmembers,offriendsandfamilymembers.
Advantagesofthismethodare:
− Familiaritywithownemployees.
− Betteruseofinternaltalent.
− Economicalrecruitment.
− Improvesmoraleofemployees.
− Amotivatorforemployees.
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Disadvantages:
− Limitedchoice.
− Discouragecompetitiontooutsiders.
− Stagnationofskillsinthelongrunmayhappen.
− Createsconflictsinternallywhethercandidatesdeserveornotapromotion.
• External: External sources of recruitment lie outside the organization. These could be:
employmentexchanges;employmentagenciesandthusJobBrokers;advertisementandon-line
recruitment;professionalassociationsandhead-hunters;campusandfairsrecruitment;raiding
orpoachingfromarivalfirm.
Advantages:
- Openprocess.
- Availabilityoftalentedcandidates.
- Opportunitytoselectthebestcandidate:selectionprocessbecomescompetitive.
- Provideshealthycompetition.
Disadvantages:
- Expensive and time consuming (except if they use the Job Broker, in which case cost is
covered).
- Unfamiliaritywiththeorganizationofthechosenperson.
- Discourageexistingemployees.
-
Interviewingasthemostcommonlyusedselectiontechnique
Whenusedappropriately, interviewing canbeagoodpredictorofworkperformance. Ideally,
interviewsareconductedbyapanelofpeople.Itisnecessarytodecideiftheemployerwillbe
involved in the process from the very beginning. It is recommendable for the employer to
participateatleastinthefinalstageoftheprocess.
JobBrokerskillsneededforinterviewingwithprofessionalism:
– Howtoconductastructured,behaviourally-orientedinterview.
– Howtoprovideeffectivefeedback.
– Instructionsonnotetaking.
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– Howtoavoidinterviewerbias.
– Howtoselectapplicantsbasedonmerit.
–
Preparingquestionsandconductinginterviews
- Interviewquestionsshouldbebehaviourally-orientedandbasedoneachofthecriticalkey
selectioncriteria(KSC),asdeterminedthroughthejobanalysisprocess.
- Behaviourally-orientedinterviewquestionsarerecommended(e.g.askinganapplicantwhat
theywoulddoifpresentedwithaparticularsituation)aspastbehaviouristhebestpredictor
offutureperformance.Interviewersshouldnoteapplicantresponsesinthefollowingareas:
Situation,Task,Action,Result.
-
Examplesofbehaviourally-orientedquestionsthatencourageSTARbasedresponsesinclude:
STAR Examplequestions
SituationorTask –Describeasituationwhen...
–Whydidyou...?
–Whatwerethecircumstancessurrounding...?
Action –Exactlywhatdidyoudo?
–Describespecificallyhowyoudidthat?
–Describeyourspecificroleintheproject?
–Walkmethroughthestepsyoutook?
Result –Whatwastheresult?
–Howdidthatworkout?
–Whatproblems/successresultedfrom...?
–Whatfeedbackdidyoureceive?
Groupdynamicsasatechniqueforrecruiting
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The processes that take place during a dynamic group exercise reflect communication and
behaviour patterns among the participants. Also, depending on the exercise itmight provide
informationaboutspecificknowledge.Groupdynamicsallowexploringandstudyingprocesses
givenwithinthegroupofcandidates.
It is importanttomakeagoodselectionamongthedifferentgroupdynamicsavailable,soit is
possibleandeasytoobservethekeycriteriaforthepositiontobecovered.Alsoacustomized
versioncanbedevelopedspecificallyifyouareexperiencedenoughtodothat.
Exampleofcommunication/behaviourobservationsheet(basedonBalescategories):
1.-Solidarity:Itgivesevidenceofsolidarity,encourages,helps,andvalorisesothers.
2.-Distension:Triestolessenthetension,jokes,laughs,pleadssatisfied.
3.-Agreement:givesitsconformity,tacitlyaccepts,andunderstands.
4.-Givessuggestionsandindications,respectingthefreedomofothers
5.-Givesopinions,analyzes,expressesfeelingsanddesires.
6.-Orients,reports,repeats,clarifies,confirms.
7.-Requestorientation,information,repetition,confirmation
8.-Requestanopinion,anevaluation,ananalysis;theexpressionofafeeling.
9.-Requestssuggestions,instruction,possiblemeansofaction.
10.-Disagreement:Disapproves,passivelyrejects,anddenieshelp.
11.-Tension:Manifestsatension,asksforhelp,andwithdrawsfromthediscussion.
12.-Antagonism:Givesevidenceofopposition,denigratestoothers,assertsitself.
Theanalysisof the interactions implies also the countof thenumberof communicationunits
emittedbyeachsubject,bothdirected toeachsubjectmemberof thegroup,anddirected to
thesamegroupingeneral.Otherimportantinformationtobecollectedduringtheexerciseare
for instance time control, focusing on solutions, decision making, practical competences,
argumentativeskills,etc.
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Jobadvertisementsforrecruitingcandidates
Once it is clear to you the critical key selection criteria to cover a specific position,
advertisementsareagoodresourcetoreachoutpotentialcandidates.
Therearetwomaintaskstobeconsideredforthispurpose:
- Compilingtherightinformationfortheadvertisement.
- Choosingappropriateadvertisingchannels.
In relationtothedesignofcontents for theadvertisement,pleasetake intoconsiderationthe
followingtips:
- Draftanattractiveandaccuratejobtitle.
- Specifyclearlytherole,summarizingtheposition.
- Distinguishbetweenessentialrequirementsandthedesirableones.
- Provideinformationaboutthecompany,whenpossible.
- Writedirectlytothereaderbyusingtheword“you”.
Regardingitsdissemination:
- Researchthebestmarket fortheadvertisement(e.g.online, localpapers, intheclassified,
tradejournal,fairs,etc.).
- Draftasimpledesign,appropriateinextension(nottoolong,nottooshort).
- Analyzeresultsandbewillingtomakechanges,ifneeded,toreachthenecessarynumberof
potentialcandidates.
Howtoorganizeaninternalrecruitmentprocess
- Determineandkeepinmindtherecruitmentgoals.
- Reviewthejobdescriptionforitsclearandconciseexplanationtothecandidates.
- Developjob-relatedquestions,combiningopen-endedwithclose-endedquestions.
- Developothertoolsforassessingthecandidates,whendesirable.Getreadythematerialsto
beused.
- Sequencetheproceedingstoobtaintheadvisableinformationaboutthecandidates.
- Programming the working session with the actual candidates: create a schedule (hours
arranged for the interviews, timethatwillbededicatedtoeachprocess),people involved,
andprovisionofappropriateenvironmentaccordingtotheactivities.
- Candidates’assessmentreports.
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ACTIVITY2.1.1
Please,describeexamplesforthefollowingtopics:
- Jobspecificationsdescription(positionofyourchoice).
-
- Effectivefeedbackduringaninterview.
-
- Behaviourally orientated questions to be used in an interview for the position selected
above.
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- Jobdescription. Essential information tobe included: job title; area/department (roleof the
area within the company); key company information; main responsibilities of the position
(describeindetailbutinanattractiveway);durationofemployment(permanent,temporaryor
interimmanagementcontract);trainingrequired;experience/career(differentiatetheessential
fromthedesirable);remunerationandbenefits.
- Effective feedback: ¿did you contextualized the conversation? ¿did you describe both-
jobseekerandJobBrokerparticipations?¿Didyoudescribethereasonwhytheexamplegivenis
aneffectivefeedback?
-Didyouincludeavarietyofquestions?Relatedtoasituation,task,action,andresult.
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ACTIVITY2.1.2
Assignment
Draft and design an advertisement for a high qualified position at the hospitality industry, to
promotethisvacancyinbothnewspapersandwebsites.Theadvertisementmustbeattractivein
ordertocatchthejob-seeker’sattentionandsuitableandrelevantintermsofitscontents.
Describespecificationsregardingthepreferablemassmediatobeused,thetargetedposition/
sectionfortheadtobeplaced,anditssizeandtypography.
Designamarketingplanforitsdisseminationandactivitiestofollowitup.
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Thistaskshouldhavebeendevelopedthroughthreemainpoints:
- Advertisementcontents:jobtitle,roleandmainresponsibilities,essentialandalsodesirable
requirements,companyinformation,conditionsoffered.
-
- Design:specificationsaboutsize,typography,designused.Showyouradtosomeoneelse¿Is
itvisuallyattractiveandalsofromthepointofviewof itscontents(writingstyle)?Didyou
mentionatargetedpositiontobeplacedonnewspapers/magazines?
-
- Channels to be used according to the profile we are looking for: list of specific and real
websites and papers/ magazines known by you. Summary with your ideas/plan for its
dissemination.
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ACTIVITY2.1.3
Assignment
Thisactivityconsistsoftwomaintasks:
Task1.Organiseandplanan intenseworkingday: an internal recruitmentprocesstocovera
juniorormiddle-levelsupervisoryvacancyinalogisticsfirm.
- Task2:Theproposalmustinclude,atleast,thedesignofabespokegroupdynamicexercise
witharelevantobservationsheet.
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- Task 1: Schedule for an internal recruitingworking day. Key issues to be approached: goals
definition, level of performance required according to the target group, tasks descriptions
(phases, methods and activities/tests for screening the candidates) - what skills/knowledge/
experienceyoushouldprioritizewhenselectingcandidates?-,whoisinvolved,whereitwilltake
place,when(activitiestimemanagement),howgoalswillbeperformedandachieved(outcome
indicators).
-Task2:Didyourelatethedynamicgroupexercisedraftedwiththeoccupationalprofilegiven
(junior/middlelevelsupervisory;logisticssector)?Didyoudevelopanobservationsheettotake
notesduringitsimplementation?Didyouincludeavarietyofaspectstobeassessed/observed,
such as communication skills, decision making, and technical knowledge or practical
competences?Didyoumention/draftanyotheradditionaltest/exercisetobeappliedinorderto
assessthecandidatesduringtherecruitmentprocess?
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2.2.Describeoccupationalprofilesandlistcorrespondingoccupationalrequirements.
Wesuggestthatyoureadcarefullytheinformation/narrativespresentedbelowastheyarethe
basisforagoodperformanceoftheactivitiesstatedthatyouwillfindinthissection.Please,also
remembertocheckthewebographyprovided,foracomprehensiveknowledge.
DescriptionofanOccupationalProfile
Theoccupationalprofileiscomposedofasetofstandardsthatdescribe:
-Theresultsthataworkerwithaparticularprofilemustachieveinhisperformanceofatwork.
-Thecontextsinwhichthisperformanceoccurs.
-Knowledgenecessary.
-Skillsneeded.
-Transferableworkskillsneeded.
-Theattitudesthatshouldbeshown.
-Theevidencesthatneedtobeappliedtoprovethecompetences(outcomes/results).
Also,itwouldbeinterestingtoreflectadditionalinformationreferredto:itsrelationwithother
associatedtasks,economicprospects,promotion,andadvancementopportunities.
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ACTIVITY2.2.1
Draftaprofessionalmonograph:acompletesurveyreferredtocloudcomputing,oneofrecent
emerging occupational profiles. Apart from the job description and specifications, youmust
includeotherinterestinginformationrelated.
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Tobuildtheoccupationalprofile,thefollowingstepsmusthavebeenaddressed: identification
ofdutiesinvolved,descriptionofthebasicskillsrequired,knowledgeneeded(acquiredthrough
vocationaltraining/universitystudies,etc.),descriptionofgeneralcompetencies.
a)Workcontent:whattodo,howtodoit,whatproblemsneedtobesolvedandhow.
b) Labour requirements: work experience, certifications, age, languages, methodological
attitudes,adaptiveabilities,specifictechnicalskills.
c)Environmental conditions:e.g. locationofwork, risks,employmentsituation, remuneration,
promotionopportunities.
d)Relationships:withotherpeople/job-seekers,withbosses,supervisorsandsubordinates.
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ACTIVITY2.2.2
Youhaveajob-seekerattendingtoyourJobBrokerageservicethathasnopreviousexperience
andwhoisintendingtoworkabroadinthehospitalityindustrysectortoimprovetheirEnglish
languageskillsandgainsomeexperienceinthefield.
Use the EURES tool to provide the job-seekerwith the threebest positions that you can find
according to their interests. List and describe the results below, exposing the search criteria
applied.
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Itisimportantforthisexercisetolistandreflectontheresultsoftheresearchintheinterestof
the jobseeker: possibilities should allow the job-seeker to improve their language skills by
dealingactivelywithjob-seekersandcolleaguesandshouldbeinallcaseswithinthehospitality
industry and not in very qualified positions – given that then job-seeker has no previous
experienceinthefield.
Thedurationof thecontractshouldbe longenoughsohehas timeto improvethe language.
Thepositionslistedshouldincludealongenoughdescriptionwithrelevantinformation.
Did you consider experience options such as internship?Did you find difficulties in using this
Europeanmobilityportal?
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ACTIVITY2.2.3
- Listtheoccupationalrequirementsforanexternalauditoroccupationalprofile.
- Listsomeoftheadvantagesanddisadvantagestoworkinginthisfield.
PositivePoints(advantages):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Negativepoints(disadvantages):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
- Didyouincludeabriefjobdescription,specifyingsometasks/dutiesforthisposition?
-
- Didyouincludeinyourlistanyspecificknowledge/accreditationrequired?
-
- Didyoulistanytransferableskills?
-
- Didyoulistbetween4and6suitablequalities:(aptitudes/abilities/interests/values)towork
asanexternalauditor?
-
- Didyou refer someof the requirements to theworkingconditions?E.g. Do theyworkon
theirownorinateam?Dotheyworkremotely?etc.
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-
- Didyouclearlydefined3-5advantagesofthiscareer?
-
- Didyouclearlydefined3-5disadvantagesofthiscareer?
2.3Design,conductandparticipateinnetworkingeventsandactivitiestocreatestrong
linkstoemployers.
Wesuggestthatyoureadcarefullytheinformation/narrativespresentedbelowastheyarethe
basisforagoodperformanceoftheactivitiesstatedthatyouwillfindinthissection.Please,also
remembertocheckthewebographyprovided,foracomprehensiveknowledge.
InorderfortheJobBrokersandenterprisestobecomeandremaininvolvedandengagedwith
oneanother,itisdesirabletolookafterthewaytheyrelatewhichmightincludeparticipatingin
commoneventsandactivitiesofmutualinterest.
Thereareseveralactivitiesthatcanbedevelopedinthatsense,suchas:
- Congresses,toproviderelevantandinnovativeinformativewithinfieldsofinterest,alsothey
areusefulfordebating.
- Seminars,toenhanceknowledgethroughinstructionaltalks.
- Conferences,givenbysectorexperts/experiencedprofessionals.
-
- TrainingSessions,dedicatedtoamonographicsubject.
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- FairsandExhibitions,whereparticipantscanmingleandgettoknoweachotherbetterand
their respective needs. They are a great opportunity to build strong relationships and to
expandcontactnetworks.
- Workshops,consistingoninteractiveactivitiesbetweenthekeyspeakersandtherestofthe
participants.
- Leisureevents/groupdynamicsforteambuilding.
Irrespectiveofthetypeofactivity/eventselectedaccordingtothepurposethatitaimsto,some
oftheadvantagesthattheyofferare:thesemeetings/acts/eventsareeffectivecommunication
tools;theyaddvaluetothebrandingprocesses;theyfosterpersonalrelationships(internaland
external); ultimately, theyallowus todonetworking. Thenetworking is a keyelement inany
companystrategyforitsgrowth.
Inordertoachievealltheirbenefitsassociated,itisanessentialrequirementtoplanthemwell
inadvance.Aspectstokeepinmind:
- Dowehave inmindaclearpurpose? Aretheobjectivesofthenetworkingevent/activity
definedclearly(quantitativelyandqualitatively)?Havewesetthescope?
- Also we should consider when designing the event: to set and agenda; to secure an
appropriate location; organizing logistics; to draft a dissemination plan; to prepare the
participantsinadvancewithrelevantinformationabouttheevent,sotheycangetreadyfor
itknowingwhattoexpect.
- Duringtheevent/networkingactivity,weshouldmakesurethatwefacilitatemingling,we
promoteourselves,andwegetsomefeedback.
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- Aftertheevent,itisimportanttofollowupwithanyleadsorconnectionswemade,inorder
tohelpeachotherwithinourareaofwork,bycooperatingdirectlysupportourrespective
needsor sendingandasking for referrals, for instance.Asorganizers (when itapplies),we
can also obtain some feedback from the participants in order to improve next events (by
usinganonlinesurveyforinstance).Itwouldbealsointerestingtoshareimages/videosof
theactivitiescarriedout,andspreadrelevantinformation.
ACTIVITY2.3.1
Assignment
Searchand/ordeveloptwodifferentgroupdynamicsactivities,tobecarriedoutinaworkshop,
wherebothJobBrokersandcompaniesattend.Theyareice-breakersexercisesthataimtobuild
teamspiritandcooperation.Thetimeestablishedforeachactivityperformance is20minutes
maximum.
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Developmentframeworktobeconsidered:
- Descriptionofobjectives(e.g.teamwork,cooperation,strategicplanning,focus,etc.)
- Characteristics:minimumandmaximumofparticipants,duration, levelofdifficulty for the
performance,etc.
-
- Activitydescription(introduction).
-
- Guidelinesforitsoptimalimplementation.
-
- Evaluationmeasuresandfeedback.
ACTIVITY2.3.2
ProblemSolving
WepresentaChallenge-Canyoucomeupwithideasandsolutions?
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The brokerage service you work at detected that one of the business job-seekers, a social
servicescompany, isnotverysatisfiedwiththeprofilessenttocovertheirvacancies. Itseems
likethecandidatesprovideddonotmatchtheirneeds.
Wewantthecompanytotrustusagainandbecomesatisfied,forwhatyouneedtocommitto
improveandstrengthenyourrelationship.Thegoal is toreachthepointwheretheyadvocate
our service.Howwouldyouenhanceyourprofessional relationship incorporatingat leastone
networkingevent/activity?
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Themeasures to be taken in order to improve theworking relationship should be described
appropriatelyintermsofobjectives,contents,andstructure.Issuestobeconsidered:
- Arethemeasuresdescribedofdifferentnature?
-
- Didyouofferatleastthreeideas/solutions?
-
- Didyouincludeatleast1networkingevent/activity?
-
- Aretheproposalswelldescribed?DidyouconsiderinyourgoalsettingthecriteriaSpecific,
Measurable,Achievable,RelevantandTime-based?
-
- Are your ideas connected to communication skills, cooperation, planning, continuous
assessmentoranyotherthatcouldcontributetotheirconfidenceandsatisfactioninanear
futurewhentheyrequesttheuseofbrokerageserviceagain?
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ACTIVITY2.3.3
Assignment
Thisactivityhas2twoparts:
1- Research interesting networking events that took place recently in your region/ country
withinemploymentandbusinessfields.Listthempointingatthereasonwhyyouchosethem,
briefly.
2-Nowthatyouhaveadeeperknowledgeaboutnetworkingevents(participatingorganizations,
subjectsapproached,activitiesperformed,dimension,etc.),designanetworkingeventofyour
choice,tocreatestronglinkstoemployers.Youmusttakeintoaccounttheaspectsdescribedin
the“narratives”sectionabove.
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-
- Isthereadiversityofevents(intermsoftheirnature),amongthoselisted?
-
- Aretheeventslistedbyanyparticularcriteria(chronologicalorder,location,issue,etc.)?
-
- Are the events selected recent enough (within the last two years), and did you associate
eachofthemtoareasonfortheirselection?
-
- Didyouconsiderinthedesigningofthenetworkingeventofyourchoice,thepracticaltips
given in the“narratives” section?Didyou include inyourplanningaspects referred to the
before,duringandaftertheevent?
-
2.4.Utilizeexistingsupportschemestogeneratemaximumbenefitforemployers.
Wesuggestthatyoureadcarefullytheinformation/narrativespresentedbelowastheyarethe
basisforagoodperformanceoftheactivitiesstatedthatyouwillfindinthissection.Please,also
remembertocheckthewebographyprovided,foracomprehensiveknowledge.
Whatistherationalebehindemployersupportschemes?
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Inthecontextofmajorjoblossesduringthecrisis,manyEUcountrieshaveintroducedorscaled
upsubsidiesthatencouragefirmstoretainorhireworkers.AsignificantshareofMemberStates
hasusedhiringsubsidiesinlinewiththe“social”rationaletogiveincentivestoemployerstohire
groups at risk of labour-market exclusion (such as young people, people with disabilities,
women,olderworkers,etc.).Severalcountrieshavealsousedhiringsubsidies,accordingtothe
“economic”rationale, toaddressgeneralproblemsofhighunemploymentand—inparticular
—high long-termunemployment.Eachschemehasdifferentrulesastowhoiseligibleso it is
importanttocheckthedetailedinformationabouteachscheme.
HowJobBrokerscanhelpemployersinaccessingsupportschemes
There is a general concern about employersbeing able tounderstand the varietyof schemes
available to them (and identify the best option for them when they are in a recruitment
situation), especially in countries that have large numbers of schemes based on different
criteria. Therefore, Job Brokers can give an essential support to employers, guiding them
towardsthemeasuresthatbetterfitwiththeirorganizationandwiththenewemployee.
FurthermoreJobBrokerroleisimportanttosupportemployersinunderstandingcriticismdueto
the ‘paperwork’ involved in obtaining and reporting support measures, and the somewhat
complicatedallocationsystem.
Inordertoeffectivelysupportemployers,youshouldhave:
• anin-depthknowledgeofsupportschemesactiveinhisnational/regional/localcontext;
• a good comprehension of different payment and organizational mechanism linked to
eachsupportmeasure;
• aclearunderstandingofconditionsonemployersrequiredbyeachscheme inorder to
benefitit;
• knowledgeandskillstohandletoolstosearchforexistingornewsupportschemes(e.g.
Informativeportals);
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• capabilitytocategorizetheemployerneedsandtoguidehimtowardsupportmeasures
grantingmaximumbenefit;
• capabilitytodescribetoemployersrightsandobligationscomingfromsupportschemes,
identifyinganddeliveringrelevantinformation.
MaintypesofhiringsubsidiesinEurope
Differenttypesofapproachestohiringsubsidiessupportingdemandforlabourinclude:
- hiringsubsidiestosupportjobcreationintheprivate,publicandnon-profitsectors;
- sector-basedhiringsubsidies, i.e.directedtowardsmorespecificoccupations insectors
experiencing economic difficulties, or that need encouragement (green jobs, for
example);
- geographicallybasedhiring subsidies, i.e. focusedonpriority regions, sometimesalong
with investment incentives (e.g. Lithuania focuses subsidies on territories inwhich the
unemploymentrateexceedsthenationallevel);
- support to improve demand for workers in the low-wage sector using a range of
approaches(e.g.combiningworkwithbenefits,wagetop-ups,directsubsidies,etc.);
- conversion incentives and mechanisms to support flexible forms of employment, or
whichencourageparticulartypesofemploymentcontracts;
Hiring incentives can be operationalised bymechanisms that differ for practice the payment
mechanisms,whichcouldbe:
- reduction of employers’ social contributions (i.e. ‘stock subsidies’), instead of or in
combinationwith reductions inwage costs, that hasbeenusedby countries eitheron
theirownorincombinationwithotherincentives;
- part-subsidising employers’ wage costs for individuals (e.g. refunding based on a set
amount per new employee, or a proportion of the actual wage costs, or an amount
relativetoanominalvaluesuchasthenationalminimumwage);
- effectively transferring wage costs from employers (e.g. through employers receiving
accesstonon-wagedemployeeswhocontinuetoreceivebenefits);
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- voucherschemesthatimplytheuseofvouchersattestingthatpartorallofthecostof
trainingand/oremployingthevoucher-holderissubsidisedbythestate.
Conditionalityplacedonemployerstobeinvolved
Supportschemesrangefromthosewithnospecificconditionsforbenefittingofthem,tothose
requiringconditionssetbyparticularlegislativebasisofmeasureorOperationalProgrammes,to
those subject toagreements.Thevarious typesof conditions imposedonemployersareboth
pre-subsidyandpost-subsidy,asdescribedbelow.
Pre-subsidyconditions:
• Involvement inotherschemes: limitations foremployers include forexample,noother
apprenticeship at the same time, or in the same field and occupation; limit on the
numberofsubsidised jobs inthecompany;nosubsidygrantedtoemployerswhohave
previouslyreceivedasubsidy;
• Job-creation aspects: recruitment must represent a net increase in the number of
employees;
• Substitutionaspects:conditionsonbusiness-relatedredundanciese.g.noredundancies
in the lastsixmonthsoremployersnotallowedtodismisspeopleduringtheperiodof
thesubsidy;
• Job/workingarrangements:lengthofemploymentcontract;
• Typeofemploymentcontracts:permanent,fullorpart-timecontracts;
• Conditionsonearnings: employedabove themarginal earnings thresholdorwageand
workingconditionsinaccordancewithprevailingcollectiveagreement;
• Supportmeasures:provisionofmentors;trainingplanofprofessionaltraining;
• Competitionaspects:competitionwithintheindustrynotthreatened;
• Conditionsonsizeoffirm:fixedmaximumandminimumnumberofworkers;
Post-hiringsubsidy:
• Guarantee of work post-subsidy: Conditions for employers to continue to employ
workersaftertheendofthesubsidyperiodrange;
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ApracticalExampleatEuropeanLevel:theYouthGuaranteeschemes
Hiring subsidiesareparticularly relevant for youngpeople. In the last tenyears youngpeople
who are not in education employment or training – so called ‘NEET’ – became an issue of
concern in the international arena. As a consequence of the crisis, the number of NEETs has
grownincreasinglyinrecentyears.InEurope,accordingtoEurostat,in2017almost16.9million
young people aged 20-34 were not in employment, education or training. Many European
countries are placing emphasis on using hiring subsidies to combat the problem of youth
unemployment.
ACouncil of EuropeanUnionRecommendationhas established in 2013 the YouthGuarantee,
suggestingtheuseof“targetedandwell-designedwageandrecruitmentsubsidiestoencourage
employerstocreatenewopportunitiesforyoungpeople,suchasanapprenticeship,traineeship
orjobplacement,particularlyforthosefurthestfromthelabourmarket”.AtEuropeanlevel,the
launch of a Youth Guarantee, that represents the umbrella that includes a wide range of
measures and actions, has been accompanied by a set of initiatives taken by European
Commission.
Youthguaranteeschemesseektoensurethatallyoungpeoplehaveagood-qualityofferfora
job, apprenticeship, traineeship, or continuededucationwithin fourmonthsof leaving formal
education or becoming unemployed. Although these national schemes are based upon the
EuropeanYouthGuaranteepolicy frameworkandmustmeet certain criteria, theirdesignand
implementation varies widely from country to country. However, despite their national
specificities, all the programmes entail three kinds ofmeasures: i) education and training for
employment, includingtheprovisionofprofessionalguidanceandhelpforearlyschoolleavers
to return to education; ii) employment intermediation services, such as job-search assistance
and personalized follow-up of career plans; and iii) Active Labour Market Policies affecting
labourdemand,suchashiringsubsidies,publicworkprogrammesandstart-upincentives.
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ACTIVITY2.4.1
Research and review the different types of support schemes and programmes that you are
aware of that help companies to take on unemployed job-seekers, or job-seekerswith some
formofadditionalsupportneeds.
Ifyourknowledgeinthisfieldisverylimited,dosomeresearchtofindoutwhatisavailablethat
maybedirectlyrelevanttoyourjobbrokerageservices.
Categorizethoseschemesonthebasisoftheirdifferentapproaches–whatexactlyisthekindof
supportthattheyoffer?
Your mapping should have included and distinguished between them the following types of
supportmeasures:generalhiringsubsidies;sector-basedhiringsubsidies,geographicallybased
hiring subsidies; subsidies related to low-wage jobs; conversion incentives. Furthermore, the
categorization should include a distinction between different payment mechanisms, such as:
stocksubsidies,partialortotalwagesubsidies.
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ACTIVITY2.4.2
Assignment
On thebasisof theactualandperspective labourmarketdynamics, identifyanddescribe the
maintargetgroupsofemploymentsupportschemes.
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You should have considered different target groups, sharing risk of labour-market exclusion,
suchasyoungpeople,NEET,peoplewithdisabilities,inactivewomenormothers,olderworkers,
long-termunemployedpeople,workerswithatypicalcontracts.
ACTIVITY2.4.3
Assignment
Synthesize the support schemes opportunity structure through a SWOT analysis, highlighting
weaknesses and strengths, opportunities and threats that employers may encounter dealing
withthesemeasures.
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Youranalysiscouldconsiderthefollowingpoints:JobBrokerageservicesavailabilityarekeyfor
employers in accessing to support schemes; the presence of a great variety of schemeswith
different mechanisms and supporting the recruitment of different categories of workers,
ensuresgreatpossibilitiestomeetemployersneeds;ontheotherside,paperworkrequiredand
thehugenumberofschemescanhinderemployers,especiallySMEs,frombenefittingofthese
schemes.Supportmeasuresarealwaysgoodopportunities foremployers,but the inadequate
comprehensionofobligationsandpost-hiringconditionscanrepresentathreat.
2.5Developjobprofilesincooperationwithemployersandmatchthemwithpersonal
profilesofpotentialjobcandidates.
Wesuggestthatyoureadcarefullytheinformation/narrativespresentedbelowastheyarethe
basisforagoodperformanceoftheactivitiesstatedthatyouwillfindinthissection.Please,also
remembertocheckthewebographyprovided,foracomprehensiveknowledge.
Understandingemployerneeds
Good Job Brokers are highly proactive in learning the employer’s needs. Understanding and
meeting these needs is the key to developing lasting employer relationships. To meet an
employer’sneedsyouhavetounderstandthebusinesssectoroftheirtargetemployersaswell
asthebusinessenvironmenttheyoperatein.Developingspecialistknowledgeofsectorssuchas
retail, construction, or financial services is a key factor in successful employer relationships.
Havingcomprehensionof the relevant industry, theskills itneedsandthe industry jargonwill
instilasenseofconfidenceandgiveyoutheedge.
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UseoftheJobAnalysisprocessforthedevelopmentofjobprofiles
You should be able to get all needed information from the employer and write down a job
profilethatincludesalltherelevantrequirements.Thedescriptionofvacantornewjobposition
should be based on a job analysis process, taking into account evolutions caused by
organisational change. Job Analysis is a systematic exploration, study and recording the
responsibilities,duties, skills,accountabilities,workenvironmentandability requirementsofa
specific job. It also involvesdetermining the relative importanceof theduties, responsibilities
andphysicalandemotionalskillsforagivenjob.Allthesefactorsidentifywhatajobdemands
andwhatanemployeemustpossesstoperformajobproductively.
MainstepsforconductinganeffectiveJobAnalysisprocessare:
- IdentificationofJobAnalysisPurpose:todetermineemployerneedanddesiredoutput.
- Definition of the Process: Deciding theway inwhich job analysis process needs to be
conducted is surely the next step. A planned approach about how to carry thewhole
processisrequiredinordertoinvestigateaspecificjob.
- StrategicDecisionMaking:It’saboutdecidingtheextentofemployerinvolvementinthe
process,thelevelofdetailstobecollectedandrecorded,sourcesfromwheredataisto
becollected,datacollectionmethods,theprocessingofinformationandsegregationof
collecteddata.
- PreparationofJobAnalysisProcess:Communicatingitwithintheorganizationisthenext
step.JobBrokerneedstocommunicatethewholethingproperlysothatemployersoffer
theirfullsupporttothejobanalysis.Thestagealsoinvolvespreparationofdocuments,
questionnaires,interviewsandfeedbackforms.
- DataCollection:Nextistocollectjob-relateddataincludingeducationalqualificationsof
employees, skills and abilities required to perform the job, working conditions, job
activities, reporting hierarchy, required human traits, job activities, duties and
responsibilitiesinvolvedandemployeebehaviour.
- Documentation, Verification and Review: Proper documentation is done to verify the
authenticityofcollecteddataandthenreviewit.Thisisthefinalinformationthatisused
todescribeaspecificjob.
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- Developing Job Description and Job Specification: Now is the time to segregate the
collected data into useful information. Job Description describes the roles, activities,
dutiesandresponsibilitiesofthejobwhilejobspecificationisastatementofeducational
qualification,experience,personaltraitsandskillsrequiredtoperformthejob.
Keyconsiderationsforthedevelopmentofapositiondescriptionareto:
• clearlyoutlinethetasksrequiredoftherole;ontheorganizationalside,theJobBroker
musthelptheemployertoanalyzethejobthatapersonwillperform,includingessential
tasks,whichareperformedoften,andnonessentialtasks;
• clearlyoutlinetherequisitecapabilities;
• includekeyselectioncriteria(KSC)thatmeasurethecapabilitiesrequiredfortherolein
clearandunambiguouslanguagewithnojargon;theJobBrokerhastosupportemployer
inidentifyingminimumqualificationsandpreferredqualifications.KeySelectionCriteria
might include the knowledge, skills, abilities and years of experience that successful
applicantsmustholdtobeconsideredfortheposition;
• clearly stateorganizationalvalues socandidatescanself-assess theirdegreeof fitwith
theorganization;
• define the work environment and physical demands (i.e., environmental elements,
travel,irregularhours,hazardous/unpleasantworkingconditions,etc.)oftheposition;
• statethejoboutcomes/keyresultareasinthepositiondescription.
Theeffectivematchingbetweenjobprofilesandcandidates
The defined job profile should provide employer and Job Broker with a clear vision of the
requiredandpreferableskillstobecoveredforthevacantposition.
Matching jobseekers and employer is probably the most traditional core function of Job
Brokerage services. Changing labour market conditions are causing profound changes in the
matchingprocess.Jobbrokersneedtoadoptaholisticapproach,whichthatmovesawayfrom
simply evaluating information about an individual employment record, work experience and
formalqualificationsandmovetowardcapturingandassessingbothtechnicalandsoftskills.
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Transversalskillssuchastheabilitytomanagestress,communicationandproblemsolvingskills
are usually relevant for each job position. To effectivelymatch job profiles with the ones of
potential candidates, it is necessary tohavemeasurement tools for the review, identification,
assessment,anddiagnosisofskills.
ConductingaSkillsAssessmentprocess
Avarietyofmethodscanbeemployedwhenconductingskillsassessment:
• Simulation
Thisiswhereaworkplaceissimulatedinaclassroomorworkshopenvironment.Itcaninvolve
hands-on tasks if theemployeesarebeingassessed for their technical skills, or roleplaying if
assessingthosefromacorporateenvironment.
Advantages
-Possibility to test behaviour in emergency situations, not only in usual day-to-day work
environment.
-Oneof themosteffective tools for testingboth technicaland soft skills, as it allows themto
interactwithavirtualenvironment,aswell as characterswhocan test theirunderstandingof
bodylanguage,emotions,andbehaviours.
Disadvantages
-Theawarenesstobeassessedcanaffectthebehaviourofthecandidate.
• Questioning
Thiscantaketheformofanintervieworaseriesofcasualconversations.Here,theassessorasks
in-depthquestionsaboutthecandidate’sperceptionsoftheirroleandtheirgoalsforthefuture.
Advantages
-Itispossibletoacquireindepthknowledgeofthecandidateandtoadaptthequestionsonthe
basisofthepreviousanswers.
Disadvantages
One drawback is that the success of this form of assessment is entirely dependent on the
efficacyofcommunicationstyleandskillsoftheassessor.
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• Testing
Theassessorsetsatest,ideallyinvolvingacombinationoftheoryandpracticaltasks,andmarks
thecandidatesaccordingtoapredeterminedyardstick.
Advantages
Thismethodcanprovideextensiveinformationoncandidates’knowledgeandexperience.
Disadvantages
Themaindisadvantageof thismethod is the sameas inanyexamenvironment: the fact that
some people do better than others under this kind of pressure. It also may not give a true
indicationofanemployee’sabilitiesduetoitslimitednature.
ACTIVITY2.5.1Assignment
Providealistofthejobfactors,whichmaycoveravarietyofareaspertainingtothejob,which
arekeyinthedevelopmentofajobprofile.
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Essentialjobfactorstobeincludedinajobprofileare:qualificationsrequired,pastexperiences
required,analyticalskillsandabilityrequiredforthejob,essentialtaskstobeperformed,work
environmentandphysicaldemands,organizationmissionandvalues,supervisionreceivedand
joboutcomestobeachieved.
ACTIVITY2.5.2
Draftaneffectivejobprofiletemplatethatcanbeusedbyyouandbyothercolleaguesatyour
Job Broker service in daily working routine. Summarise the main points that a job profile
descriptionmustinclude.
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Key elements to be included in the template: Job Title; Department; Grade; Location; Job
Purpose; Key Accountabilities; Job requirements (minimum and desirable qualifications—
education,experience,knowledge,skillsandabilities);Salary/WageRange.
ACTIVITY2.5.3Assignment
Describewhicharethemostcommonskillassessmentmethodologiesanddefinewhichonewill
bemoresuitableinyourworkenvironment.
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Youshouldhaverecalled:
-Simulationtechniques(suchasgroupexercises,in-baskettests,roleplaysandseriousgames);
Questioningassessment;Testingassessment.Inordertoidentifywhichmethodsuitsyoubest,
severalelements shouldbe taken intoaccount, suchas: theaverage time thatyoucanspend
withacandidate,whichsoftortechnicalskillsyouneedtoassesforaspecificjobposition,your
communicationandanalyticskills.
2.6Demonstratetheabilitytodeliver,monitorandevaluateemployersatisfactionasa
meansofcontinuousservicequalityimprovement.
Wesuggestthatyoureadcarefullytheinformation/narrativespresentedbelowastheyarethe
basisforagoodperformanceoftheactivitiesstatedthatyouwillfindinthissection.Please,also
remembertocheckthewebographyprovided,foracomprehensiveknowledge.
Whyitisimportanttodeliver,monitorandevaluateemployersatisfaction
Despitethewidechoiceofrecruitmentattractionmethodsavailabletoemployerstoday,there
still remainsabigdemand for recruitmentagencies (including JobBrokers) tohelpemployers
attractandrecruitkeystafftotheirorganization.ButforgoodJobBrokerstosuccessfullymeet
his /herorganization’s recruitment requirements, thequalityof the relationshipbetween the
JobBrokerandtheorganizationsneedstobehigh.
Employerswantaquickandefficientservice.GoodJobBrokers tendtoworkwithanaccount
managementmodel,thathelpstofindsolutionsand“bridgesthegap”betweentheemployer’s
worldandthe jobseeker. In thisway, theJobBrokerwill remain incontactwiththeemployer
evenafterplacementofthejobseekertoensurethatthepost-employmentsupportiseffective
andemployersatisfied.Sumptonetal.(EuropeanCommission,2014)agreethat“engagingwith
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employers iskeytoensuringthatmatchingservicesareeffectiveandefficient”. Improvingthe
qualityofyourservicesrequiresanactivequalityassuranceprogramme.
Keysuccessfactorstobuildemployersatisfaction
Thekeysuccessfactorinbuildingsuchrelationshipsistrust,whichevolvesthroughinvolvement
and regular communications on both sides to keepup to datewith objectives, developments
andchangingneeds. Italsodependsonasenseofpriorityandawillingness tosubscribe toa
modelthatrecognizesqualityoverquantity.
Therearekeycharacteristicsthatcanbeidentifiedasreflectingthetypeofrelationshipbetween
enterprisesand JobBrokers that canbenefitbothparties in the creationof the “partnership”
relationship:
• Awareness: This is themeansbywhich theenterprisebecomesawareof a JobBroker
and its position in the marketplace. Equally it is the means whereby a Job Broker
becomes aware of an organization, its brand, employer value proposition (EVP),
objectivesandrecruitmentneeds.
• Trust: Trust takes time to develop. It is built as a result of involvement with and
connectionbetweenthetwoparties–throughpromotingopennessandhonestyintheir
relationship.
• Transaction: This relates to the process of employers appointing a Job Broker as their
recruitmentsupplier,withinoroutsideofapreferredsupplierlist.
• Satisfaction: Satisfaction can be reached as a consequence of agreeable business
interactions,whichmeettherelevantobjectivesandalsothroughthewayinwhichboth
partiesbehavetowardseachother.
• Commitment:adesiretodevelopadeeperrelationship
• Advocacy: thepointatwhichemployersarepreparedtospeakhighlyofa JobBroker’s
services and achievements, and a Job Broker of an employer’s business as a place to
work.
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Keyissuestomeasureemployersatisfaction
Thekeyissuestomeasureemployersatisfactionincludeoverallsatisfactionwiththeservice(e.g.
helpfulness of Job broker support) and placement services (e.g. quality of candidates sent to
prospective employers). A further area of importance is the level of information on service
provision. Online services, consulting services (e.g. consulting on labour law, HR issues) and
networking services (e.g. event organizing, such as job fairs) are other covered areas of Job
brokerageserviceswhenmeasuringemployersatisfaction.
Mostcommonlyusedmethodstomeasureemployersatisfaction
Themostcommonlyusedmethodstomeasureemployersatisfactioninclude:
-onlinesurveys
-“paperandpen”questionnaireson-site
-computer-assistedtelephoneinterviews
-groupdiscussions
-feedbackfromface-to-facesessions(real-timefeedback)
-“paperandpen”personalinterviews(PAPI)
-customermessageboards
Jobbrokerscanalsooccasionallyusesocialmediaandmysteryshopping/actionresearch.
All thesemethods can be effective for themeasurement of employer satisfaction. However,
online surveys are the most popular M&E tools, allowing to easily reach employers beyond
time/spaceconstraintsandtopresentdynamicallyonlyrelevantquestions.
TipstodraftanEmployerSatisfactionSurvey
• Thesurveymustbedesignedquickandeasytocomplete inordertoavoidputtingtoo
muchburdenonemployersand,therefore,toencourageahighresponserate.
• Manyquestionscanbepresentedonlywhenrelevant(i.e.followingaparticularresponse
toanearlierquestion) so that respondentsarenotconfrontedwithquestions thatare
notrelevanttothem.
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Servicequalityimprovementstrategies
Following the assessment process a service quality improvement plan should be constructed
that builds on your strengths and addresses areas ofweakness. ServiceQuality Improvement
Plans (QIP)shouldberealistic,but theyshouldalsostretchyou,as JobBroker, toconsistently
improveyourservicestoemployers.
ProcessfordevelopingandimplementingaQIP
ThemainphasesoftheprocessfordevelopingandimplementingaQIP,including:
- identifyingstrengthsandimprovementsneededthroughpreviouslydescribedmethods
forevaluatingemployerssatisfaction;
- planningimprovementsandincludingthemintheQIP
- implementingimprovements
- reviewingprogress
- self-assessment.
PlanimprovementsandincludethemintheQIP
The Quality Improvement Plan must include strategies to address those quality areas noted
duringtheassessmentprocessnotmeetingtheneedsandexpectationsofcustomeremployers.
PlanhowtheservicewillachievetheimprovementsbyincludingthefollowingdetailintheQIP:
- writeagoalforeachoftheimprovementsthattheservicewantstoachieve;
- recordwhetherthegoalislow,mediumorhighpriority;
- setoutthestepsorstrategiesthatwillbeusedtoachievethegoal;
- notehowsuccesswillbemeasured (how the servicewill know that thegoalhasbeen
achieved);
- setatargetdateforachievingeachgoal(thedateneedstobespecificbecausetheaimis
toreachthegoal).
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Exampleofpractice:usingtheSMARTmethodtowritetheQIP
One serviceused theSMARTmodelof settinggoals tohelp them to focuswhenwriting their
QIP.
Sis for specific: the serviceensured that thegoalswere clearand specific. Someof the ideas
thattheservicehadbeendiscussingweretoogeneralinnature.TheSMARTmodelhelpedthem
towritegoalsthatwereexplicitandcleartoeveryone.
Mis formeasurable: the service discussedwhat needed to be evident if the goals had been
achieved.
Aisforattainable:thegoalsneededtobeachievableandnotsoaspirationalthattheywouldbe
impossibletoreach.
Risforrealistic:thegoalshadtobesuitedtothesettingandwhatcouldbeachieved.
Tisfortime:tomaintainmomentum,theservicehadtosetdeadlinesforthegoal.
The SMART model also helped the service to stay focused on how and what should be
documented.
Implementingimprovementsandreviewingprogress
Toachievetheservice'sgoals,itisimportanttostayfocusedontheQIPandtostartworkingon
thestepsorstrategiesthathavebeenidentified.Toreviewprogress,youshould:
• monitorthetargetdatesforachievingthegoals;
• if it has not been possible to achieve a goal by the anticipated date, document the
progressachievedsofarandthensetsomenewstrategiesandanewtargetdate.The
goalmayneedtoberewrittensothatitisrealisticandachievable;
• onceagoalhasbeenachieved it isnotpartof theQIPanymoreandcanbe removed.
Anotheridentifiedissuefromtheemployers’feedbackcanthenbeincorporatedintothe
QIP.
Inthesamewaythatemployerssatisfactionmonitoringisongoing,theQIPhastobeadynamic
andevolvingdocument.
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ACTIVITY2.6.1
Intermsofthegeneralprincipleofemployersatisfaction,canyouthinkofthreepositive(strengths)andthreenegative(constraints)aspectsthatcouldariseindelivering,monitoringandevaluatingit?
Threepositivepoints(strengths):
1.
2.
3.
Threenegativepoints(constraints):
1.
2.
3.
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Youshouldhaveconsideredsomeofthefollowingquestionsinordertofillthelist:
WhatarethereasonsforemployerschoosingJobBrokersingeneral?
Whatareenterprise’skeyselectioncriteriaforchoosingaJobBroker?
Whatistherationalebehindorganizations’differentchoicesofrecruitmentagencies?
What are the differences between building ongoing relationships and satisfying ad hoc
recruitmentneeds?
Whatare the implicationsofqualityoverquantitywhenchoosinga JobBrokerandbuildinga
relationship?
How do enterprises and Job Brokers become and remain involved and engaged with one
another?
HowdoorganizationsmeasureJobBrokers’performance?
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ACTIVITY2.6.2
Assignment
DescribemainindicatorsusedinevaluatingtheeffectivenessandefficiencyoftheJobBrokerage
servicestoemployers,asidefrommeasuringthenumberordurationofvacanciesfilled. Ifyou
havealreadyworkedasaJobBroker,self-assesswhathavebeenyourmainevaluationresultsin
recentyears.
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Amongthekeyelementstobemonitoredtoeffectivelyassessemployersatisfaction,thereare:
quality of general services; quality of placement services; quality of information provided;
qualityofonlineservices;qualityofnetworkingservices;qualityofconsultingservices.
ACTIVITY2.6.3
Conduct a desk research about different quality improvement approaches: identify the main
features of culture-based, design-based, variation-based, and failure-based improvement
strategies.
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Here you can find descriptions of themain distinctive features of each quality improvement
approach: For the culture-based approach, perceptions on the service depend from the
interactionsbetweentheserviceproviderandthecustomer.
Theorganizationalcultureinwhichtheprovideroperatescandeterminehisflexibleandefficient
attitudetowardthecustomerneeds.Designbasedimprovementaddressqualitythroughdesign,
linking the last to customer needs and perceptions or aiming to a direct psychological
manipulationofsatisfaction.
Variation-based approach is built on the use of statistical numerical data to track and guide
services quality. Finally, Failure-based improvements focus on the unconditional service
guaranteeasatooltopreventandrecoveryservicesfailures.
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2.7ProgressAssessment–LearningNeedAnalysis
Nowthatyouhavecompletedtheactivitiesandexercises inthisChapterandreviewedall the
Feedback,let’sreturntotheLearningNeedsAssessmentthatyoucompletedatthestartofthe
Chapter. In the table below, repeat the self-appraisal of your knowledge, skills and
understandinginthisarea.Asbefore,estimateyour‘level’ineachcase.
Jobrequirements Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Job description analysis and interviewing
skills. E.g.: capability to describe and make
appropriate questions according to the job
specificationstocompilerelevantinformation
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledgeofwrittencommunication,ICTand
dissemination channels: for job
advertisementsdevelopmentanddistribution.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Communication and organizational skills for
planning and implementing recruiting
processes (including preparation of selection
test,groupdynamics,etc.)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
KnowledgeandskillstohandleEuropeantools
to search for potential candidates: E.g. ISCO
professionalcatalogueandEURESjobmobility
portal.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Capability to categorize the employer needs
and cooperate with them by
exploring/assessing the demand and labour
market development, to provide customised
guidanceandsupporttothem.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledge and skills to activate 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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administrative procedures necessary for the
accesstosupportschemesandprogrammes
Capabilitytoguideemployerstowardsupport
measuresfittingtotheirneedsandtodeliver
relevant information about rights and
obligationscomingfromsupportschemes.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledge and skills for the effective
matching of job demand and job offer (e.g.
capability to analyse work processes, detect
occupational needs, develop job profiles and
conductskillsassessmentprocesses).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Communication and analytical skills to
effectively communicate with customers in
order to ensure and assess their overall
satisfactionaboutprovidedservices.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledge and skills to design standard
proceduresforqualityimplementationandto
manage processes linked to quality
monitoringandimprovement.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Now,compareyourtwosetsofscores–thoseyoudid‘before’andthoseyoudidafterworking
throughthispartoftheGuide.Whatareyourmainconclusions?
Wouldyousaythat,basedonhavingusedthematerialinthisChapter,youunder-estimatedor
over-estimateyourskills,knowledge,understandingand/orexperiencethefirsttimeyoudid
thisassessment?
So,ifyouscoredsomerequirementslowerafterfinishing–isthatbecauseyourealiseyoustill
haveareastodevelop?
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Ifyouscoredsomerequirementshigher–isthisbecauseyoufeelmoreknowledgeableor
confidentaftercompletingtheexercises?
WouldyousaythattheChapterconfirmedyouroriginalestimates–orwerethereany
surprises?
Canyouidentifyareaswhereyoustillneedtoseekoutfurtherprofessionalsupportor
development?
2.8FurtherReading:resourcesandwebography
Inthissectionyoucanfindsomelinksofinterestthatmighthelpyouwiththeaccomplishment
of the activities purposed in this chapter, contributing to expand your practical knowledge in
ordertoperformeffectivelywithemployerswithinyourworkingsettings.
ResourcesforLearningObjective2.1.
-Recruitmentprocess:phasesandscreeningtests.Itincludespracticalexercises(Spanish).
http://www.formacionyempleo.ugt-
andalucia.com/uploads/3_4_Proceso_selección_Fases_Pruebas.pdf
-Stepsindevelopingarecruitingstrategy(English).http://www.ascentii.com/content/pdf/2%20-
%20Steps%20in%20Developing%20a%20Recruiting%20Strategy%20-
%20Part%201%20of%202.pdf
-Job interviews:essentialquestionsandanswersabouttheprofile (personalandoccupational)
andalsokeycompetences.Itincludesreferencestorecommendedvideos(Spanish).
https://ignaciosantiago.com/preguntas-respuestas-entrevista-de-trabajo/
-Ideasfordevelopingadynamicgroupactivity(Spanish).
http://www.emplea.universia.es/informacion/seleccion/dinamica_grupo/ejemplos/
-Howtoredactagoodjobadvertisement.Tips(Spanish).
https://www.trabajemos.cl/2012/10/13/redacta-un-buen-anuncio-de-empleo/
http://blog.talentclue.com/redactar-ofertas-de-empleo-tips-atraer-mejores-candidatos
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ResourcesforLearningObjective2.2.
-Occupationalprofileresearchassignment. Itprovidesanexampleofaqualitystructurefor its
researchanddescription(English).
http://kingscareerclass.weebly.com/uploads/3/7/9/9/37999681/nocassignmentwithjobmarkettr
endsadded_1.pdf
-Templateforprocessingvacanciesatabrokerageservice.The“jobofferdata”sectionprovides
informationaboutoccupationalrequirementstobeconsidered(Spanish).
http://empleoyformacion.jccm.es/fileadmin/user_upload/empresas/SOLICITUD_DE_GESTION_D
E_OFERTA_DE_EMPLEO.pdf
-EuresWebsite:EuropeanMobilityPortal(Spanish).
https://ec.europa.eu/eures/public/es/homepage
ResourcesforLearningObjective2.3.
-HowtoNetworktheRightWay:eighttips(English).
https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2014/07/28/how-to-network-the-right-way-eight-
tips/#62ac811c6d47
-FacetoFaceEvents:astrategytoengagepotentialcustomers/collaborators(Spanish).
https://www.puromarketing.com/31/15378/presenciales-estrategia-para-atraer-potenciales-
job-seekeres.html
-FreeGuide(e-book):9TipsforOrganizingaBusinessEvent(Spanish).
https://landing.captio.net/descargate-nuestra-guia-para-organizar-un-evento-de-
empresa?hsCtaTracking=1f9548a3-f263-420c-abfe-71447474aed0%7C89879dfe-f5a8-47c4-
b329-2d742dea378f
-SMARTtechniqueforsettingbusinessgoals(English).
https://www.thebalance.com/elements-of-a-smart-business-goal-2951530
https://www.thebalance.com/smart-goal-examples-2951827
ResourcesforLearningObjective2.4.
-MappingoftheexistingsupportschemesinEU(English).
http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=11950&langId=en
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-Overviewontherationaleofsupportschemesinthecurrenteconomicbackground(English).
http://www.oecd.org/employment/finalcommuniq-.htm
-Synthesisofthemainhiringsubsidiesforyoungsters(Italian).
http://www.repu.it/economia/2018/sgravi_
-Overviewofexistingsupportschemes(Italian).
http://www.ipsoa.it/-il-quadro-degli-incentivi-2017
-YouthunemploymentandactivelabourmarketpoliciesinEurope(English).
https://izajolp.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40173-016-0057-x
ResourcesforLearningObjective2.5.
-In-depthdescriptionoftheJobAnalysisprocess(English).
https://www.managementstudyguide.com/understanding-job-analysis.htm
-Skills-basedprofilingandmatching(English).
http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=14108&langId=en
-Publicationsaboutskillsassessmentandmatching(English).
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/
-Howtodevelopajobprofiledescription(Italian).
https://www.ebcconsulting.com/come-progettare-e-costruire-una-job-description-del-
personale.html
-Modelforsoftskillsassessment(English).
http://valorize.odl.org/outputs/IO2%20-%20MOSSA%20VHSM.pdf
ResourcesforLearningObjective2.6.
-Howtomeasurecustomersatisfaction(English).
http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=15581
-Servicequalityimprovementstrategies(English).
https://www.pomsmeetings.org/ConfProceedings/001/Papers/SOM-14.1.pdf
-Peerreviewoneffectiveservicesforemployers(English).
http://ec.europa.eu/social/keyDocuments.jsp?policyArea=&type=0&country=0&year=0&advSea
rchKey=premplservices&mode=advancedSubmit&langId=en&orderBy=docOrder
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-OverviewofJobBrokersskillsnecessarytoguaranteeservicequalityimplementationand
improvement(English).
http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=14100&langId=en
Notes
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ContentsWhatisthischapterabout?..............................................................................................163
Learningobjectives...........................................................................................................165
3.1Specifyanddemonstratetheempowermentapproach............................................167
3.2Describeanddifferentiatemethodsforprofilingandassessmentofjob-seekersandchoosemethodsappropriateforspecificcontextsand/orjob-seekers....................175
3.3&3.4Outlinedifferentcoachingtechniquesandusethemtooptimallysupportjob-seekersinfindingajobandapplyappropriatecommunicationtechniquesacrosssettings,purposes,andtargetgroups...............................................................................183
3.5Developanactionplanincooperationwiththejob-seeker......................................201
3.6Explainsourcesofconflictswithanddemotivationofjob-seekersandapplyappropriateconflictmanagementandmotivationtechniques........................................206
3.7Identifyspecificandspecialistjob-seekersupportneedsthatareabarriertoasuccessfuljobplacement(psychological,debt,housing,welfare)andreferringthemforrelevantexpertordetailedsupport............................................................................213
3.8ProgressAssessment–LearningNeedAnalysis………………………………………………………222
3.9Conclusionandfurtherreading..................................................................................223
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Whatisthischapterabout?
Many people who face challenging conditions in life, including their working conditions and
indeeda lackofaccess togainfulworkcan loseconfidence,experiencepovertyandmay face
multiplebarrierstobeingabletoovercome,orprogressfromtheirsituation.Somemaybecome
resentful,whereasothersmayinternalizethisbyblamingthemselvesanddevelopingasenseof
failure. Either way, for job-seekers the approach to job search is something that requires
individualconsiderationandcaninvolvetacklingarangeof‘nonvocational’ issues–emotions,
well-being and much more. Many long-term unemployed people see the job market as an
abstractsystemthatissomethingtheycannotaccess,andtheycanbeafraidthattheywillnot
getthekindofjobthat,formanydefinestheirownsenseofstatusandrecognitioninsociety.It
isthereforeimportantthattheJobBrokerhastherightskillssetandcompetencyleveltodeliver
theJobBrokerageservicetojob-seekersandtohelpthemtofulfiltheirhopesandexpectations.
It is important to have an approach that focuses on the jobseekers needs and helps them
overcometheirbarrierstoemployment,whilstalwaysbeingrealisticandpracticalaboutwhatis
achievable.
As we said at the start of the Guide, the Job Broker operates at the interface between the
employer, the job-seeker and the requirements of specific public labour market policy,
programmesandfunding.Therefore,thischapterputstheroleoftheJobBrokerintheholistic
contextofawiderangeofrequirementsintheworkwithjob-seekers.Thiscontextrequiresan
approachwhichunderstandshow tohelp job-seekers to takeasmuchcontrolover theirown
livesandtheirrelationshipwiththelabourmarketaspossible.
Suchanapproachisembodiedbytheempowermentconcept.Theterm‘empowerment‘refers
tomeasuresdesignedtoincreasethedegreeofautonomyandself-determinationinpeopleand
incommunitiestoenablethemtorepresenttheirinterestsinaresponsibleandself-determined
way,actingontheirownauthority.Empowermentasactionrefersbothtotheprocessofself-
empowerment and to professional support of people,which enables them to overcome their
senseofpowerlessnessandlackofinfluence,andtorecognizeandusetheirresources.
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Theguidingprinciplesofempowermentare:
- Torespectanindividualastheyare,toshowthemnewwaysandalternativeactionsand
todeveloppossibilitiestogetherwiththem;
- Promotingofawarenessaboutone'sownpersonalandenvironmentalresources.Various
instrumentsareusedtopromotethisawareness.
Empowerment can be described as a process that aims to empower individuals or groups to
shape their living conditions and to achieve greater self-determination. Through the
empowermentapproach,individualsorgroupsshouldbeencouragedtousetheirownpersonal
and social resources aswell as their abilities to participate to regain (again) control over the
designoftheirownsocial‘lifeworld’.Therespectiveframeworkconditionsofthetargetgroup
(thesocialandpoliticalenvironment)mustalwaysbeconsideredastheyinfluencetheexistence
and development of resources. Promoting participation and community building are essential
strategiesoftheempowermentprocess.
Empowermentcanbedividedintoabasicattitude,aprocess,astructureandaresult.
- Basic attitude: It is resource-oriented, encountering the job-seekers with appreciation
andateyelevel;job-seekersareregardedasexpertsintheirownsituation.
- Process: Reflection and knowledge transfer, without prejudice encounter, Support
management
- Structureandresult:Openingupopportunitiesthatallowforaself-determinedshaping’
oftheworldoflife,Empowerment,gainingpowerandinfluenceonone’sownlife.
Empowermentmustbethought inasystemicway. Itbeginswiththe"subject"andreturnsto
the "subject" through all the activities in a circular and networked processes. It is therefore
always important to keep the "subject" inmind and to leave the hierarchical or paternalistic
level. Theempowerment approach canbe consideredas the foundationof theworkof a Job
Broker with job-seekers. All other aspects that are presented in this chapter – profiling and
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assessment,coachingofjob-seekers,developmentofanactionplan,conflictsandmotivation–
aredirectedbythegeneralprinciplesoftheempowermentapproach.
Learningobjectives
Inordertoaddresstheabove,thisChapterhasthefollowingspecificlearningobjectives:
3.1Specifyanddemonstratetheempowermentapproach.
3.2Describeanddifferentiatemethodsforprofilingandassessmentofjob-seekersand
choosemethodsappropriateforspecificcontextsand/orjob-seekers.
3.3Outlinedifferentcoachingtechniquesandusethemtooptimallysupportjob-seekersin
findingajob(elaborationofapplicationdocuments,preparationforjobinterviews)
3.4Applyappropriatecommunicationtechniquesacrosssettings,purposes,andtarget
groups.
3.5Developanactionplanincooperationwiththejob-seeker.
3.6Explainsourcesofconflictswithandde-motivationofjob-seekersandapplyappropriate
conflictmanagementandmotivationtechniques.
3.7Identifyspecificandspecialistjob-seekersupportneedsthatareabarriertoasuccessful
jobplacement(psychological,debt,housing,welfare)andreferringthemforrelevantexpert
ordetailedsupport.
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Beforewelookatthisareaindetail,let’sbeginwithaself-appraisalofyourknowledge,skills
andunderstandinginthisareawiththeLearningNeedsAssessmenttablebelow.Usingascale
where1=poor(developmentfullyneeded),5=fair/satisfactory(developmentpartially
needed)and10=excellent(nodevelopmentneeded),estimateyour‘level’ineachcase:
Jobrequirement Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Knowledgeabouttheempowermentapproach. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledgeaboutprofilingandassessmentof
job-seekers.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identificationofspecificandspecialistjob-seeker
needsthatareabarriertoasuccessfuljob-
placement.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Applicationofconversationalcoaching
techniques.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Supportingdecision-makingofjob-seekers. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledgeandapplicationofappropriate
conflictmanagementandmotivationtechniques.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Preparationofjob-seekersforapplication
processes.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Developmentofanactionplan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Inthesectionsbelow,wewillprovideyouwithsomenarrativeandaskyoutocompleteasetof
exercises.Eachonehasfeedback–makeanoteofyourresponsesandyourthoughtsaboutthe
feedback–sinceattheendoftheChapterwewillaskyoutoreturntothisNeedsAnalysistosee
ifanyofyourresponseshavechanged.
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3.1 Specifyanddemonstratetheempowermentapproach.
IfwesettheJobBrokerroleintothecontextoftheempowermentconceptwecanseehim/her
assomeonewhoshouldhaveanempathywiththejob-seekersreceivingtheservice.TheJJOb
Brokeroffers job-seekers support regardingquestionsoneveryday issues andensures that a
solutionisfoundforquestionsandproblems.
We see the JobBroker as a contactperson for anything that affects job-seekers, as someone
thatwilldoeverythingintheirremittohelppeopletobecomeactiveandtoshapeandcontrol
their own living conditions. The JobBroker creates conditionsunderwhichpeople succeed in
discoveringtheirownstrengths.TheJobBrokercancontributetoabeneficialsocialclimatethat
supportssuchprocessesasempowerment.
The Job Broker is preparing job-seekers for a self-determined shaping of theirway of life. By
workingwiththemtogetherattheirneeds-analysisandthroughtheirindividualactionplanning,
job-seekersarepreparedstepbystepfor jobsearchandforsustainingworkaftersuccessfully
findingajob.
The sections that follow are concerned with a range of characteristics of the empowerment
approach, skills that are most important for working with an empowerment approach and
possible methodological approaches for working together with the jobseekers to enhance
empowerment.
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ACTIVITY3.1.1 Identify and describe general characteristics of theempowermentapproach
Research&writtenassignment
Onthesubjectofempowerment,thereisalargeamountofliterature,muchofwhichisofreely
available information in the Internet. Inform yourself about the fundamentals of
empowermentandlearnthebasicsofthetopic.Identifyanddescribegeneralcharacteristics
oftheempowermentapproach.
Hereisasuggestionforsomewheretostart:
www.empowerment.de/
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empowerment
Please identify relevant sourceson the internetby listing someof your country-specific links
andmakingsomeobservations:
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Withtheempowermentapproachyoucanuncoverandpromotethestrengthsandpotentialof
job-seekers. Empowerment focuses onwhat the job-seeker can do, and how they can equip
themselves to best overcome the barriers that they face. The focus of empowerment is the
discovery of the untapped potential strengths of job-seekers and the promotion of their
resourcesofself-organization.Empowerment isnowacentralconcept inmanyareasofsocial
work, but also in other fields of application - in psychological counselling, in organizational
developmentandpersonnelmanagement.
ACTIVITY3.1.2 Basicskills
List
Empowerment can be described as a "philosophy of human strength". This trust in the
strengths of the people, in a productiveway to process the burdens and impositions of the
everydayrealityoflife,isthecentreandleitmotifofthisphilosophy.Whatdoyouthinkarethe
basicskillsthatJobBrokersneedtohavetoworkinthatway?
Createalistofskills(upto10)thatareinyouropinionthemostimportantforworkingwith
anempowermentapproach.
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Whatdoyouthink,dotheselistedskillsfitwiththefollowingunderstandingoftheprofessional
identity?
Against the background of the "philosophy of human strength" a new understanding of the
professional identity in working with people emerges. We can identify this empowerment
understandingwiththreekeywords:
(1)"Sharingpower":turningawayfrompaternalismand"caringsiege"
§ the renunciation of rash expert judgments regarding "problem interpretations" and
"solutions"forthejob-seeker,
§ the waiver also on fixed objectives and route specifications, therapy plans, vicarious
solutionstoproblems
§ a job-seeker’s involvement in the interpretationsof the situation, lifeplans and future
ideasofjob-seekers
§ theabandonmentof(incapacitating)assumptionofresponsibility;theencouragementof
ajob-seekertoself-activityandself-responsibility.
(2)Therespectfortheautonomyofjob-seekersandcooperationateyelevel
§ professional educational work is understood as a dialogue-reflexive understanding
betweenpartners(a"collaborative"workingrelationship"ateyelevel");
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§ at the same time, educational work is always also a "confrontational mirror":
confrontationoftheself-perceptionofajob-seekerwithcontrastingperceptionofothers
–basedonafirmfoundationoftrust;
§ workingwithpeopleproves theirproductivitywherever theyopena job-seeker’s "test
fields"forthediscoveryoftheirownstrengthsandforthetestingofself-determination
andpersonaldesign;
§ actingproactively-especiallyinthecaseofseverelymultipledisabledpeople-requires
anunderstandingdiagnosisanda (team) reflectionofunjustifiedproofofhelplessness
andincapacitationtraps.
(3)Thementoringroleofprofessionalhelpers
Forthenewoccupationalroleof"empowermentworkers"differentterminologycanbefoundin
theliterature:assistant-supporter-companion.
One other is the term "mentor" or "mentorship" (knowledgeable life-companionship). In this
mentorshiptheprofessionalhelperfulfilsthefollowingroles(seeindetailHerriger2014,pp.233
ff.):
§ SupportersandEncouraging'OrientationHelpers'
§ Life-worldanalystandcriticallifeinterpreter
§ Networker,resourcediagnostician,resourcemobilizer
§ Intermediarybridgebuilder
§ Dialoguemanagerandconflictmediator
§ Confidantandadvocate.
ACTIVITY3.1.3 Methodicalprocedure
Writtenassignment
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After you have learned something about the empowerment approach and after reflecting
aboutyour role in the frameworkof thisapproach, it's time to try somemethodicalworking
steps.
Create a possible methodical procedure in working with the jobseekers according to the
empowermentapproach.
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Nowyouhavecreatedsomemethodicalworkingsteps.Hereyoucancompareyourmethodical
approachwithoneotherpossibleapproach.
In the literature, four levels of empowerment areusually distinguished, eachofwhichhas its
ownmethodologicaltools:
§ Thelevelofindividualhelp
§ Thelevelofgroupwork
§ Theleveloforganization
§ Thelevelofthecommunity
FortheJobBrokerstheindividuallevelshouldbemostrelevant.
Examples of a practical implementation of the empowerment concept at the individual level
come predominantly from the field of action of counselling and individual social assistance.
Common to these personal approaches is an attempt to provide the person concerned with
waysoutoflearned‘helplessness’.Thecontractbetweenyouandajob-seekeraimsatproviding
assistance,bymeansofwhichtheaffectedpersonisabletotakelifebackintotheirownhands
avoiding ‘deficit’ thinking of powerlessness, resignation and demoralization and promoting
‘asset’ thinking about what is possible. Here, three complementarymethodological tools are
used:
ResourceDiagnostics:
In the psychosocial landscape, there are a variety of test, questionnaire and diagnostic
proceduresthat"detail"ajob-seeker’slifeproblems,theirdeficitsandinadequatecopingskills.
Ontheotherhand,thereisagapwhereitisimportanttosystematicallygraspthestrengthsof
thejob-seekers-theirresources.Inthecontextofempowermentwork,resourcediagnosticshas
threemainfunctions:
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(1) Initial diagnosis and help planning: Empowerment work aims to integrate the coping
resourcesavailabletothejob-seekersystematicallyintotheaidprocessandatthesametimeto
find again spilled biographical resources ('lifetimes' in the biographical past) andmake them
accessible.Aspartoftheinitialdiscussionandthesubsequentindividualassistanceplanning,a
precisemeasurementofresourcesisthereforeindispensable.
(2) Process-accompanying reflection: The resource diagnostics can be used beyond the help
planningalsoasinstrumentoftheprocessevaluation.Itissuitableasapracticalreflectionaid,
with which Job Brokers and job-seekers repeatedly visualize the current resource setting,
documentthechangesthathavealreadyoccurred,reflectobstaclesinaccessingresourcesand
reorganizetheongoinghelpprocessduringtheirworkcontract.
(3) Evaluation and quality documentation: Finally, in the context of the final case evaluation,
methodsofresourcediagnosticsareusedtoestimateresourcedevelopments(quantitativeand
qualitative changes). The first instruments of resource diagnostics are from Pantucek 2009;
Schiepek/Cremer2003;Trösken/Grawe2003.
SupportManagement:
Support management (case management) is a holistic supportive arranging of life resources.
Basedonacommonunderstandingofobjectivesandsteps,availablehelpresources inprivate
life and in public service agencies are brought together in a concerted support action. In this
way,across-bordernetworkofresourcesisformed,whichcangivenoticeablereliefandsupport
intimesofstress(seealsoLöcherbachetal.,2009,Neuffer2013,Wendt2011).
Self-narrationandbiographywork:
This third component links the work of empowerment with the current discussion about
"narrativeidentitywork"and"biographicalnarration".Thebasicconvictionofthisdebate,which
ismainlyconductedinnarrativepsychology,isthatpeopleconstructlifecohesion,inthesecure
experience of themeaningfulness of one's own life story, in self-narratives. This fundamental
convictionofnarrativepsychologymakesadirectbridgetothemethodologyofempowerment
workpossible.Thenarrative(re-)takingupofbiographicalthreadsinthepedagogicaldialogue
aims to recall the dignity, value and pride of one's own life, to establish continuity and life
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coherence despite all life's breaks and to banish the shadows of negatively coloured self-
attributions.Biographicalnarrationcreatesspacesofpossibilityinwhichtheindividualcanfind
languageandgain inthereflexiveappropriationoftheexperiencesof lifehistorytoolsforthe
processingofthepastandorientationsfortheasyetunknownfuture(seeHölzle/Jansen2010,
Krüger/Marotzki2005;2011).
3.2 Describeanddifferentiatemethodsforprofilingandassessmentof job-seekers
andchoosemethodsappropriateforspecificcontextsand/orjob-seekers.
Assessmentandprofilingare importantaspectswhenworkingwith job-seekers towardsnew
employment.Itsetsthebasisforthestepstofollow,supporttheself-reflectionofjob-seekers
abouttheirinterests,strengthsandweaknessesandenablesdecision-making.ForyouasaJob
Brokertheresultsoftheassessmentandprofilingphaseprovidesubstantialinformationforthe
matchingtoavailableemploymentopportunities.
ACTIVITY 3.2.1 Choose at least 2 different methods for (skill) assessment,describeeachofthemandelaborateashortSWOT-analysis.
Example&writtenassignment
Asexplainedabovetherearedifferenttypesofcareerassessments.Herewewanttoshowyou
some examples of assessment tools for the skills of job-seekers. Some of them are self-
assessmenttechniques;othersaredesignedtobeusedunderguidanceofaJobBroker.Below
youfindalistofdifferentexamplesofskillassessmenttools:
–Profilpass:www.profilpass-international.eu/files/pp_english.pdf[18.03.17]
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–SkillsProfiler:www.careerinfonet.org/skills/default.aspx?nodeid=20[18.03.17]
–MotivatedSkillsInventory:www.seriousjobseeker.net/exercise/skills.php[18.03.17]
–Themethod„Mylearningexperiences“:
http://www.naviguide.net/methods/mhbshow.asp?id=513&sid=&look=0&oberthema=9&unter
thema=0&zielgruppe=0&art=0&dauer=0&aktt=0&zz=25&lang=353&SPage=8&sort=titelauf&Pa
ge=1&index=93[18.03.17]
–Themethod“WhatdoIhavetooffer?”(Annex1)
–Themethod“Thetrainingpath”(Annex2)
Yourassignment:
1) Choose at least 2 different approaches/tools/methods for (skill) assessment (You can
useexamplesfromaboveoruseexamplesfromyourworkexperienceorothersources).
2) Describeeachoftheminyourownwordsinoneparagraphandtrytohighlightthemain
featuresofeachinstrument/methodyouhavedecidedtodescribe.
3) In addition, elaborate a short SWOT-analysis for eachmethod you have chosen. In a
SWOT-analysis, two internal factors, namely strengths and weaknesses, and two external
factors,namelyopportunitiesandthreats,aredescribedtoassessamethodanditsusefulness.
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Assessment and profiling methods can be instrumental in discovering interests, talents,
aptitudes and skills of a job-seeker. They're also useful to identify areas of strength and
weakness.Eventually,theresultsgeneratedbyassessmentandprofilingmethodscanbeused
by job-seekers to make better, more informed career choices that are in line with their
interests,talents,andgoals.
Oneofthebiggestbenefitsofcareerassessmentsisthattheyenableindividualstomakecareer
decisions thathelp themgrowpersonallyandprofessionally.This isespecially true forcareer
changerswhofindthemselvesinacareernolongerviableorwhoseinterestshaveevolvedina
directionnot compatiblewith their current careerpath.Career assessmentsused to support
career change can be very beneficial as career changers typically have ample experience to
drawuponinassessingtheirinterests,skills,aptitudesandgoals.
As youmayhave observed the differentmethods are very different, looking at the rangeof
aspectstheyinvestigate,thetimespanneededtoconduct,themodeofcommunication(oral,
written). Therefore the strengths and weaknesses you identified may depend on the time
resourcesyouhave forassessment, the typeof job-seekeryouworkwith (job-seekersat the
beginning of their professional life, long term unemployed or job-seekers who had to leave
theirformerprofessionbecauseofjobrelated(transitionofprofessionalfield)
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ACTIVITY 3.2.2 What specific challenges could arise during assessment andprofilingofjob-seekerswithlowornoqualification/workexperience?
ProblemSolving
Profilingandassessmentcanbeachallenging task.Onespecific challenge is representedby
job-seekerswithalowlevelofeducationalbackground.
Describewhichchallengesyoucouldfaceinsuchsituationsandpossiblestrategiestohandle
thesechallengesproductively.
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Of course, every job-seeker is an individual with a unique personality and biography.
Nonetheless it could be worthwhile to reflect about typical characteristics and needs of
differenttargetgroups.Thiscouldimproveyoursensitivityforeachtargetgroupandhelpyou
tofindsuitablesolutionsforeachjob-seeker.
Looking at the given example of a job-seeker with low or no qualification there are some
generalaspectsthatare–beyondothers–relevantinthecontext.
It is not unusual that job-seekers who have no or low qualification not only lack of formal
qualification but also lack of basic competencies essential on the labour market. The most
commonbasiccompetenciesjob-seekersaremissingarewritingandreadingskillsandbasicICT
skills.
Although it can be hard to find a jobwith no orwith low-level qualifications, people in this
situation often show resistance towards training activities for various reasons e.g. lack of
prospects; lowexpectationsofthebenefitsoftraining;negativeexperienceofeducation, low
educationalaspirations,orasimplereluctancetoinvestinthemselves.
Therefore it is crucial to highlight the positive aspects of training activities and make
transparentwhichbenefitscouldbegainedbyparticipating inaspecific trainingactivity (e.g.
jobopportunities,payment,workingconditions).Forpeoplewhodonothavehappymemories
ofschooloreducation,theoptionofwork-basedorwork-integratedtrainingopportunities(e.g.
apprenticeships)canofferadifferentwayforward.
Also,beawarethatJobBrokersareoftenmorehighlyqualifiedthanthejob-seekerstheywork
with.Thishierarchycanleadtosuspicion,specificallyifyouworkwithjob-seekerswhohavea
negativeattitudetowardseducationandtraining.Heretheestablishmentofagoodandtrustful
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relationship to the job-seeker is even more challenging but also even more important. An
importantfactoristhelanguageaJobBrokeruses.Ontheonehanditisimportanttoensure
that your use of languagewith the job-seeker is clear, every-day and avoids ‘jargon’; on the
otherhandauthenticity isextremely importantandyoumustnotpatroniseor ‘talkdown’ to
job-seekers.
Sincesomejob-seekersoftenlackself-esteemaboutwhatskillstheyhaveorwhattheycando
itisveryimportanttohighlighttheexistingskillsorcompetenciesthattheydohave.Oftenjob-
seekers are unaware of how competencies that they have are transferable and usable in
differentways in the labourmarket. Job-seekers often focuswhat they cannot door donot
knowinsteadofwhattheyarecapableof.Theyareoftenunawareofthewiderangeofskills
theyhave gained through the typeof informal learningprocesses inwork situationsor their
privatelife–itiscalled‘experience’!.Althoughitisimportanttoidentifytraininggaps/needsit
is also essential to focus on existing capabilities and potential that can be built upon and
developed.
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ACTIVITY3.2.3Relevantbackgroundfactorsformatching
List
Assessmentandprofilingisthebasisforagoodmatching.Butisitsufficienttoinvestigatethe
skills,competenciesandintereststomakeagoodmatchtoemploymentopportunities?
Writeashortchecklistfornewandinexperiencedcolleagues.Thechecklistshouldcontain
relevantpersonalfactorsofjob-seekersJobBrokersshouldconsiderwhenitcomesto
matchingjob-seekerstoemploymentopportunities.Listtherelevantfactorsandgive
examplesforindicatedquestionsandimplicationsforeachofthefactors.
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ForyouasaJobBrokertheidentifiedskillsandcompetenciesofjob-seekersyouworkwithare
an important source of information for a successful matching process. However, for the
definition of specific job-related goals and to reach sustainable employment, while being
respectful of privacy, having a wider view of a job-seeker’s life and personality can provide
important informationthatcould influencethematchbetweena job-seeker’ssituationanda
concretejob.Therearearangeofbackgroundfactorsthatarehighlyinfluentialwhenitcomes
to matching and decision-making. These factors restrict the range of options and the job-
seekerswillingnesstotakerisks.Belowyoucanfindanon-exhaustive listofsuchfactorsand
correspondingquestionsandimplications.
Familystatus Besidesthejob-seeker,
whoelseneedstobe
includedinthedecision
making?
Whoelseisaffected
bythedecision?
Balancingfamily
obligationswiththe
working/coursehoursand
financialimplicationsof
specificemploymentor
trainingopportunities
Physicalsituation Arethereanyhealth
issuesorspecificneeds
thatcouldrelevantfor
matching?
Howgreatisthe
personalconfidencein
one’sownphysical
andcognitive
performance?
Arethererestrictions
becauseoftheageofthe
job-seeker?
Financialsituation Howmuchroomfor
manoeuvreisthere
regardingthefinancial
situation?
Aretheresufficient
financialresourcesfor
acareerbreakor
trainingactivities?
Whatsubsidiescouldbe
available?
Personalresources What(positive)
experiencesexisttowards
careertransformation?
Personalflexibilityand
frustrationtolerance,
learningability?
Competencies?
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Network Whocouldsupportthe
job-seeker?
Howviableisthe
personalnetworkof
thejob-seeker?
Personalvalues Arethereanyrestrictions
becauseofreligious
beliefsorothervalues?
Permanencevs.
Flexibility
Labourmarket Whathasthejob-seeker
tooffer?
Howgreatisthe
demandfor
competenciesthejob-
seekerhastooffer?
Mobility?
3.3&3.4Outlinedifferentcoachingtechniquesandusethemtooptimallysupportjob-
seekersinfindingajobandapplyappropriatecommunicationtechniquesacross
settings,purposes,andtargetgroups.2
Whenworkingwithjob-seekerstheactivitiesofJobBrokershavesomeaspectsincommonwith
the role of a coach. Coaching of job-seekers is a process that often consists of individual
coaching interviews (alternative coaching formats include group sessions, by phone, web
coaching, etc.). Therefore, Job Brokers working with job-seekers must guide and lead the
coachingsession:Guidingmeanstoshowcompassion,tounderstandandtoallow;leading,on
theotherhand,means to interrupt, to intervene, and to express ideas, toposequestions, to
make propositions and to extend or reduce complexity. Obviously, in such a position, Job
Brokershavelotsofpossibilities,butalsofacemanychallenges.
Itisessentialtounderstandjob-seekersasindividualswithdistinctbiographiesandfeaturesand
toempathizewiththeirperspectives. Job-seekersmaynothaveentirelyvoluntarilysought for
yourJobBrokerserviceandmayhavetroublesbeinginthepositionofapersoninsearchof
2 In the context of this Chapter, we are addressing this issue in relation to the function of Job Brokers as coach for job-seekers. Here, we are concerned with very specific forms of communication that are integral part of the coaching role. We therefore consider the 'communication techniques in this LO to be concerned with different coaching techniques and their use to optimally support job-seekers in finding a job (decision-making coaching, job application coaching). As a result, learning objectives 3.3. & 3.4 were implemented as one coherent section in this Self-directed Learning Guide.
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advice. It is crucial tousewell-chosenwaysof communicationandbehaviour to createa real
basisforcooperationandconversationdespiteofthehierarchicalnatureofthesituation.
Job brokersmust seek to understand the job-seeker’smotives and background, but also the
scopeofhisorheractions.Theymustkeepinmindthateachandeverypersonconstructshisor
herownrealityandbaseshisorherdecisionsandactionsontheresultingworldview.
Likewise,JobBrokersneedtoreflectonhisorherreactions,impulsesandmodesofinteraction
withthejob-seeker.Communicationismostfruitfulwhenthepeopleinvolvedsettleonashared
worldviewandreality.
ACTIVITY 3.3.1 Basic principles of Job Broker-job-seeker communication andinteractionincoachingsessions
List
Conversationalskillsarekeytoaconsistentlysuccessfulcoaching.Thereislotsofliteratureon
thatspecifictopic,includingbutnotlimitedtofreelyavailableinformationontheinternet.Cure
yourcuriosityandgetinformationonwhattokeepinmindregardingmodesofcommunication
incoachingsessions.
Basedonyourresearch,summarizetheaspectsyouthinkaremostimportantandtrytolist
andexplainthebasicprinciplesforjob-seeker-JobBrokerinteractionandcommunicationin
coachingsessions.
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Thereismuchliteratureandmanyinformationsourcesontheinternetonhowtointeractand
communicatewith job-seekers.Most of it does not focus specifically on Job Brokering or the
targetgroupsofjob-seekers,butdealswithinteractionprocessesinjob-seeker-coachsessionsin
general. However,most of the principles you can find here are also true for job-seekers as a
targetgroup.
Concerning the basic principles of conversations and interactions, we would propose the
following principles as one way to summarize important aspects of interaction processes
betweenjob-seekersandJobBrokers:
Consultingattitude:
It is importantnottotalkandexplaintoomuchand instead listenandobservecarefully.That
gives coaches the chance to get themost accurate viewpossibleof the job-seeker. Especially
“Active Listening” shows the dialogue partner that you take his or her arguments and
perspectives serious and accept his or her fears, needs and positions. However, that doesn’t
necessarilymeantoagreewiththe job-seeker’sopinions!Forexample,youcouldphraseyour
concerns like that: “I understand deeply that you […]. However, the current situation in the
labourmarketrequiresthat[…].“
Empathy,interestandappreciationarecrucialwhenitcomestomotivatepeopletocooperate.
These are reflected in body language, eye contact and intonation as well as in wordings,
phrasings andmodes of communication.When job-seekers get the feeling, they aren’t taken
serious or their fears andwishes are seen as “wrong” or “problematic”, they aren’t prone to
openupandcooperate.Wheneverpossible,coachesshouldchoosepositive formulationsthat
empowerandmotivatepeopleseekingadvice.Thejob-seeker’sstrengthsandaccomplishments
–suchassocialcompetencies,jobexperience,andresearchregardingpossibleemployers,well-
designedapplicationdocuments,goodcommunicationalskillsorathoughtfulreflectiononone’s
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possibilities on the labour market – should be focused on and stressed. Also, expressing
empathyandunderstandingfacilitatestheestablishmentofafruitfulrelationship.
Gendersensitivityandgender-sensitivelanguage:
One’ssex,genderandperceptionsofwhatitmeanstobe“male“or„female“canhavecrucial
influenceonthecoachingprocess.Ourabilitytoreflectongenderstereotypes,ontheireffects
onwork, life and coachingandonourpartiality therefore is crucial. Ifweareawareof those
aspectsandcommunicate themprofessionally,newavenuesandpossibilities canopenup for
thejob-seeker.Todoso,itisvitaltokeepyourlanguagesimpleandeasilyunderstandablewhile
alwaysgender-sensitive.
Posingquestions:
Thedialogueshouldprimarilybestructuredbythecoach’squestions.Thequestionsshouldbe
clearandeasilyunderstandableandhavetomatchwiththeverbalskillsofthedialoguepartner.
To avoid misunderstandings, coaches should make the background of their questions
transparent (e.g. “This questionmay seem odd to you, but considering your further training
goals it is important for me to have the respective information.”). Technical terms and
abbreviationsmaybeobviousforyou,butcanfrustrateandconfusethejob-seeker.
Ideally,onlyonequestionatonceshouldbeaskedtohelpthejob-seeker’sconcentration.Short
periodsofsilencetriggerthejob-seekertotalkandrecountalittlemore.
Keepinginmindnonverbalcommunication:
Asillustratedinthe‘iceberg’modelofcommunication,only20%ofcommunicationisdoneona
factual and objective level, while 80 % of it happens on the level of emotions and social
relationships. Therefore, the success of a coaching process highly depends on a good and
trustingrelationshipbetweenjob-seekerandcoach.Eachrespectiveinvestmentisworthwhile!
Observingnonverbalsignals,modesofexpressionandbehaviouralmodesofthepersonseeking
advice provides essential information to establish such a relationship. If you get certain
impressions–forexamplethatthejob-seekerisextraordinarilyquietortalkative,thatheorshe
doesn’topenuporthatheorsheisreluctant-thatissuecanbeaddressedinapolite,
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appreciativeandobjectiveway (e.g. “I get the impressionyoudon’t reallywant to talk about
that.Am I right? Is there something specific youare concernedabout? “, „You seem like you
havetosayalotaboutthat.Iproposewefirstfocuson[…].“).
Activelistening:
Listeningandfirstand foremostactive listening is thebasisofgoodcoaching,especiallywhen
thepersonseekingsupporttalksaboutproblems,doubtsandfears.Smallnonverbalsigns–such
assignsofconsentandapproval–aswellasanopenposture,facingthejob-seeker,showthat
youareconcentratedand interestedand„actively“ lookforsolutionsortrytounderstandthe
situation.Thatmayencouragethedialoguepartnerstoopenup.Likewise,shortsummaries in
your ownwords („paraphrases“) are another way to get a deeper understanding of the job-
seeker’ssituationandtoinvitehimorhertoexplainingreaterdetail.
Whilelisteningdoesn’tnecessarilymeantoagreewitheverything,youshouldtrytounderstand
the job-seeker’s way of thinking. That enables you to react adequately to their worries and
needsandtotakecorrectiveactionswherenecessary.
Stayingobjective:
EspeciallywhenJobBrokerandjob-seekerexperiencedisagreementsortensions,itisessential
to stay matter-of-factly and to discuss those issues in an open and calm way.When people
seeking support react inanaggressive,belittlingorarrogantway, the JobBroker shouldkeep
calmandactivelyaddresstherespective,dysfunctionalmodeofcommunication.Itisimportant
thattheJobBrokerdoesn’ttakethejob-seeker’sbehaviourpersonally:Usually,itmainlyreflects
theemotional stateof the job-seekerand couldbe– forexample– the resultof fearor self-
doubt.
Definingboundaries:
Professional coaching also means to be aware of one’s limits and boundaries and to clearly
express what coaching can and cannot do! It is a key competence for any Job Broker to
communicate boundaries in a clear but polite way without risking that the person seeking
supportfeelsbelittled,notacceptedoratthemercyofsomeone.Whennecessary,itmaybea
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good idea to inform about alternative options – such as psychological counselling for people
withlearningdisabilitiesortestanxieties,debtcounselling,legalaidofficesorpsychotherapy–
andtoexplainthegeneralinstitutionalconditions.
Ifyouareinterestedinfurtherreadingaboutcoachingyoumayfindthefollowingbook
interesting:VanNieuwerburgh,Christian(2017):AnIntroductiontoCoachingSkills:APractical
Guide,Sage,London
Basedonthisbookyoucanfindvideosofpracticalexamplesofconversationalskillsonthe
followingwebsite:https://studysites.uk.sagepub.com/vannieuwerburgh/study/default.htm
When Job Brokers coach job-seekers they work with people in a transitional situation. This
transitionneedsdecisionsfromthesideofthejob-seeker.Thereforecoachingofajob-seekerin
decision making processes is very important aspect of a Job Broker’s work. The reason for
transitioncouldlieintheperson(wishfortransition,needfortransitione.g.becauseofhealth
issues) or in the personal environment (job loss because of termination or insolvency of the
formeremployer,startinga familyor lossofclosepeople, regionalorpoliticaldevelopments).
Dependingonthereasonthetransitionmaybeconsideredathreatorachance.Inanycase,a
transition process often involves high levels of uncertainty, experiences of loss, frustration or
conflicts.Thereforethecoachingofjob-seekerindecisionmakingisasensitiveissue.
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ACTIVITY3.3.2ArguewhycoachingofdecisionmakingisanimportantelementofaJobBrokeringservice
Problemsolving
ImaginetheJobBrokeringserviceyouworkforgetsanewChiefExecutiveOfficer (CEO)who
wantstocutcosts.LookingforopportunitiestosavecoststhenewCEOwantsJobBrokersto
arguewhyspecificserviceoffersare important.Basically,theCEOdoesnotreallyunderstand
whyitisnecessarytosupportjob-seekersintheirdecision-makingprocess.FromyoutheCEO
wantstoknowwhyjob-seekersneedspecificsupportindecision-making.
Howwouldyouarguetheimportanceofcoachingfordecisionmaking?
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Oneoptiontoarguetheimportanceofcoachingofdecision-makingcouldbetopointoutwhat
isneededtomakeadecisionandthere isarangeofaspectwhereprofessionalsupportcould
helptomakebetterdecisionsthatleadtomoresustainableemployment.
When job-seekers have problems to make a decision, the reason could be that they lack
information,theydon’tknowwhotheyareandwhattheywant(e.g.firstvocationaldecision),
they are confronted with obstacles, that seem hard to overcome or they have in general
problemstomakedecisions.
Clarityandstabilityofself-perception:
• WhoamI
• Whatisimportantforme?
• WhatamIableto?
• Whataremylikesanddislikes?
Information:
• Labourmarket
• Occupationalprofiles
• Trainingopportunities
• subsidies
• …..
Dealingwithobstacles:
• Whatobstaclescouldcomeup/mayneedtobeovercome?
• Arethereanypositivecopingexperiences?
• Isthereasolutionorisitnecessarytofinddifferentoptions?
• …..
Decision-makingability:
• Howdecisiveisaperson?
• Towhatextentisthepersonabletomakecompromises?
• Howoptimisticorencouragedisaperson?
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ACTIVITY3.3.3Whomakesthedecisions?
Example&writtenassignment
A job-seekermakes use of your service.When it comes tomaking a decision about his/her
futurecareerheisreluctanttomakeadecision.TheJobBrokerwantstosupportwithdecision
makingcoaching.However,thejob-seekerisnotverycooperativeandasks:“whydoyouwant
me to decide? I came here because you are an expert and I thought you could decide best
whichjobIshouldchoose.”SincetheJobBrokerhasaverybusyandstressfuldayandbecause
the job-seeker explicitly asked the Job Broker to make the decision for him the Job Broker
agrees.
Whatdoyouthinkaboutthis?DoyouthinktheJobBrokeractedcorrectly?Why,whynot?
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AlthoughmanythingsdependonthecontextoftheJobBrokerserviceandthepersonalstyleof
aJobBroker,inthiscase,wewouldclearlysaythattheJobBrokermadeamistake!
JobBrokersareexpertsforaspecificfieldofknowledge.Theyarerightlyexpectedtosharetheir
knowledgeandactivelyuseitincoachingprocesses.Oftenthereisonlyathinboarderbetween
“givingadvice”and“provideexpertise”.
Supportingdecision-makingprocessesneedsahigh levelofpatienceon the JobBroker’s side.
Often it feels very exhausting; to watch job-seekers in their struggle to decide without
influencingthedecision.Thetemptationisgreattoactivelygiveadviceortomakethedecision
forthejob-seeker.
However, JobBrokers shouldonly support andguide thedecision-makingprocess. Theuseof
methodsshouldbedeterminedbytheJobBroker’sassessmentofthejob-seekerandavailable
timeresources.AJobBrokercanaskcriticalquestions,provide informationandexpertise,but
notmanipulate.Onlythejob-seekersmakedecisions.
Even if decisions seem irrational from the Job Broker’s point of view they must respect the
decisionsofjob-seekers.Evenifjob-seekersfeelhelpless,theyarethetrueexpertsfortheirlife!
ThedutiesofaJobBrokerintheirroleascoachandinrelationtodecisionmakingare:
• Towithstandthisprocessofweighingupdifferentoptions,the‘ifs’and‘buts’ in
theirambivalence.
• To support job-seekers,without takingoff theactualdecision-making from job-
seekers
• Helpingtofindsolutionswithoutgivingadvice
• Toencouragejob-seekerswhentheylosecourage
• Documentingresultsofdecisionmakingprocesses
• Offermethodstofacilitatethedecision-makingprocess
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ACTIVITY3.4.1Visualisationofdecisionmakingprocess
WrittenAssignment
YourJobBrokerserviceisintroducingtrainingfornewcolleagues.Foramoduleaboutdecision
making youare asked todesignaposter that visualises thedecision-makingprocesswith a
metaphor.Howwouldyoudesignsuchaposter?
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Therearemanypossibilities tovisualizeadecision-makingprocess.So,wehopeyouhad fun
beingcreative!?
However, for feedback, wewant to present you two different visualisations/metaphors that
couldbeusedinrelationtodecisionmakingprocesses:
Thefunnel
Wecouldvisualisedecisionmakingasafunnelwithseveralfilters.Attheendofthefunnela
fewsiftedoutresultscomeout.
The funnel is filledwith all occupational profilesworth considering and each of themhas to
pass the different filters. The filters represent the different selection criteria, whereby the
priorityofthedifferentfiltersshouldbedeterminedbythejob-seeker:
• Incomeopportunities
• Workingconditions
• Compatibilitywithfamilyduties
• Jobrequirements
• Investmentintraining
• Existingjobopportunities
Optimally,attheendofthefunneltwoorthreerealisticoptionscomeout.
Theeightloop
Decisionmakingcanalsobevisualisedasa loopmovement.Atthebeginningofthedecision-
makingprocesswecanfindthepositiveaspectsofdifferentoccupationalprofiles
On a closer look these positive aspects are superimposed by aspects with negatively
connotations. Concerns, worries and fears are getting relevant. The loop goes back to the
startingpoint,theoccupationalprofileneedstoberethought,oranewonehastobefound.
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Whenit’spossibleinthisphasetofindsolutionsforupcomingproblemsanexitoutoftheloop
canbefound.Theloopwillgoonbetween‘yes’and‘but’untilthemostimportantconcernsare
eliminated and solutions for obstacles could be found and therefore confidence in an
occupationalprofilecouldbere-established.
Another important aspect of coaching in thework of a Job Broker is the preparation of job-
seekers for application processes. When a match between employment opportunities and
characteristicsofajob-seekerisfounditisessentialthatjob-seekersmakeagoodimpressionon
their potentially new employer. So, writing a good CV and being well prepared for a job
interviewaretwoimportantaspectstouseemploymentopportunitiessuccessful.
ACTIVITY3.4.2Composeaplanabouthowyouwouldprepareajob-seekerforajobinterview.
Problemsolving
Givenarestrictedtimeframeof20minutestocoachajob-seekerforajobinterview.Composea
planabouthowyouwouldprepareajob-seekerforajobinterview.
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YoumayalsodrawfromyourpastorcurrentworkexperiencesasaJobBroker.Inthatcasetake
your personal approach for coaching for a job interview and modify it according to the 20
minutestimeframe.
Your freedom in doing your work as a Job Broker may be very different in relation to the
concrete Job Broker provider youwork for. Theremight be a concrete standardized process
planyouhavetosticktooryoumayhavethefreedomtochooseyourapproachonyourown.
However,timeresourcesmayinanycasebeacrucialdeterminationforthekindofserviceyou
offer.Thatmaybeespeciallytrueifyouserviceisbasedonanoutcome-orientatedsystemof
financialremuneration.Workinginsuchasystemitiscrucialtofindtherightbalancebetween
agoodservicequalitytoreachthetargetedoutcomesandafinancialsurplus.Butalso,incases
wheretheoutcomeorientation isnotasstrictas intheexampleofModule1,theamountof
timeyouhavetoworkwithJobBrokersisusuallytightwithrespecttothespecifictargetgroup.
Itisclearthatagiventimeframeof20minutesisverytightandyoumayhopefullyhavemore
time resources to prepare your job-seekers for an interview if necessary. However, time
resourcesofaJobBrokerareusuallylimited,anditisoneofchallengestochooseinrelationto
theneedsofaconcretejob-seekerwhichcoachingactivitiesyouperform.So,youhavetomake
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adecision!Asintheactivitybefore,yourdecisionmaybehighlyinfluencedbytheconcretejob-
seeker or more general a specific target group of job-seekers you have in mind. Also, the
demandsoftheconcretesector/employerofthevacancymayinfluenceyourdecisions.
In20minutes there is not verymuch room formanoeuvre. So, a roleplay inwhich the job-
seekercantryouttheinterviewingsituationinamoreorlessrealisticbutatthesametimesafe
settingmay not be possible in such a situation.What you can do for example is to prepare
resourcesthejob-seekercanusetopreparehim/herselffortheinterview.Forinstance,alistof
commonerrorsthatshouldbepreventedorinterviewingquestionsthatarelikelytobepartof
theinterviewcouldhelptoreduceinsecurityonsideofthejob-seekerwithouttakingtoomuch
timeinacoachingsession.
ACTIVITY3.4.3CreateaCVontheEURESJobMobilityPortal
Research
It isonegoalofEuropeanintegrationtoincreasethemobilitycapabilitiesoftheworkforce.To
fosterthetransnationalmobilityoftheworkforceacrossEuropetheEuropeanCommissionhas
implementedEURES.Itisacooperationnetworkformedbypublicemploymentservicesacross
Europe. It maintains a job matching platform the “European Job Mobility Portal”. The jobs
advertised on the EURES Portal come from EURES members and partners, in particular the
EuropeanPublicEmploymentServices. TheyuseEURES toadvertise jobs forwhichemployers
areparticularlyinterestedinrecruitingworkersfromotherEuropeancountries.
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For job-seekers EURES offers a facility to create an online profile. The basic purpose of the
profileistocreateanonlineCV.Canyouassistajob-seekerwhohasaninterestinworkingin
anotherEuropeancountrytocreateanonlineCVonEURES?
Ifnot,explorethefacilityinEURESandbecomeproficientinitsuse.
VisittheEURES-WebsiteandinformyourselfabouttheEURESplatform:
https://ec.europa.eu/eures/public/en/homepage
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HaveyoumadeyourselffamiliarwiththeportalandcreatedaCV?Didyouhaveanyexperience
withthiskindofCV?Dependingonyourprofessionalpracticeyoumaybeusedtoadifferent
kindofstandardizedCV;alternativelyitmayberathernewforyoubecauseyouusuallynotuse
anykindofstandardizedtemplateswhenyouworkonaCVwithajob-seeker.
If youworkwitha job-seekerwho is looking foremploymentopportunities abroad it canbe
helpful ifyoucouldsupportthemwiththecreationofanEURESCV.Especiallywhenworking
withsuchastandardisedinstrumentit isevenmoreimportanttousethesectionswhereyou
cangivetheCVanindividualtouchtomakeitdistinctfromotherapplicants.
The EURESonlineCV is very similar to a Europass CV. It is a standardised template for a CV
which main purpose is to provide a common instrument for a more transparent and
standardiseddescriptionofskillsandqualifications. Ifyouneedsupport to fill itoutcorrectly
and for general tips to be considered in writing an Europass/Eures CV you may find the
followingonlineavailableguidancesheethelpful(availableinalllanguagesoftheEU):
https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/documents/curriculum-vitae/templates-instructions
TherearealsoexamplesoffilledoutCVsavailableyoucanuseasreferencepoint.Youcanfind
themviathefollowinglink(availableinalllanguagesoftheEU):
https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/documents/curriculum-vitae/examples
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3.5 Developanactionplanincooperationwiththejob-seeker.
Sofar,youalreadyhavelearnedsomethingabouttheempowermentapproachasthebasisfor
yourworkwithjobseekers.
You also have learned something about different coaching techniques, profiling methods,
conflict management techniques and motivational techniques that you can use in working
togetherwithjobseekers.Thisshouldhelpyoutogettoknowajobseekerwellandtoidentify
hisorherspecificsupportneeds.
Afteryouhave identifiedspecificandspecialist job-seekersupportneeds (psychological,debt,
housing,welfare)thatcouldbeabarriertoasuccessfuljobplacement,itisatimefordeveloping
anactionplanforafurtherproceedingincooperationwiththejob-seeker.
ACTIVITY3.5.1 Whatdoyouneedtodevelopanactionplan?
Listwhat you think is important if youwant to develop an action planwith a job-seeker.
Whatareimportantaspectsandmustbeconsidered?
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Thefollowingexamplequestionsandexamplesofmethodsforgoalssettingandactionplanning
maybehelpfulwhenreflectingaboutyourapproach:
ExampleQuestionstoelaborateactionplanwithajob-seeker:
Wehaveclarifiedwhichjob/trainingyouwouldliketotake.Whichconcretestepswillbringyou
closertoyourgoals?
Against the background of competencies and resources you have, which first step seems
necessarytoyoutoreachyourgoal?
Whenyouvisualizeyourgoalandworkoutaplanonhowtoreachthisgoalstepbystep.What
wouldbeyourfirststep?
Ifyouwillfacechallengesonyourway,whichonescouldthatbeandhowcouldyouovercome
them?
Whoorwhatcouldhelporsupportyou?
ExampleMethodsforgoalssettingandactionplanning:
Method„Goalsetting–Goalcheck“
http://www.projectsgallery.eu/job-broker/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Curriculum_-Programme.pdf
Method“Jobsearchasproject”:
http://www.naviguide.net/methods/mhbshow.asp?id=510&sid=&look=0&oberthema=0&untert
hema=0&zielgruppe=0&art=0&dauer=0&stw=job+search&stwcomp=job+search&aktt=0&zz=25
&lang=353&SPage=8&sort=titelauf&Page=1&index=9)
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ACTIVITY3.5.2 Developaconcreteactionplan
Writtenassignment
Imaginethatyouhaveagreedatargetwithyourjob-seeker.Developaconcreteactionplan.
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Belowisalistofpossiblestepsinworkingtosetoutgoalsandactionplanswithjob-seekers:
→ Needsanalysis:
• Statusquoofjob-seekersshallbeexplored,profiling(competenceanalysis)
• Exploringofinterestsandmotivationofjobseekersintermsofoccupationalorientation,
employmentorpossibleVETandfurthertrainingmeasures,
• Identificationofpossibleplacementobstaclesandhighlightingthefirstsolutionsteps
• Advisory Check - identifying of social, family or health problems, exploring barriers to
takingupwork,
• Individualqualificationcheck-findingoutwhatneedstobere-learned.
→ ActionPlans:
• Explorehiddentalents,potentialsandexperiencesthatmightenhanceanapplication,
• Plantogetherwiththejob-seekersthecareer,InterviewagreementbetweenJobBroker
andjob-seeker,whichdefinesthenextsteps(inawrittenform),evaluatedandup-dated
afterthreemonths
→ Preparejob-seekersforwork:
• Informationof job-seekersabout the labourmarket, the requirementsofemployers in
variousprofessionalfields,
• Productionofcurrentandprofessionalapplicationdocuments,
• ApplicationTraining-FactsgatherfortheCV,
• Traininginterview,
• Teach,talk-andpresentationtechniques
• ITtraining,
• Workshopsandindividualcoaching,strengtheningpersonalskills,
• StyleAdvice,
• Time-andstressmanagement,healthcourses
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ACTIVITY3.5.3 Theexecutionoftheactionplan
Problemsolving
Theoverallgoalofthecounsellingprocessisajobplacementorrespectivelysustainablelabour
market integration. Therefore, it is important to come to an agreement on a realistic job
decision. If there isadiscrepancybetweenyourassessmentof thesituationand the ideasof
the job-seeker (e.g.non-realisticgoals,noagreementon furtherproceeding)howwouldyou
reacttothesituation?
Comeupwith ideasonpossibilities to resolve sucha situationanddescribe them in some
words.Describehowtotracktheexecutionoftheactionplan.Whatdoyoudoiftheaction
plan is not followedby your job-seeker?What options do youhave to influence your job-
seeker?
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If there is a discrepancy between the goals of the job-seeker and your assessment of the
situation you should make that transparent and explain the reasons for your assessment
clearly. If there is still no agreement about goals despite discussion and explanations, you
should consider beingmore persuasive. For instance, you could say: “I can understand your
wishfor…reallywell,butmyresponsibilityistobringyouinemploymentandthatyoustayin
employment.Therefore,Iwouldproposethatwelooktogetherontheoptionsthatseemmost
likelytoberealised.Canyouagreewithmeonthat?”
Ifthereisstillnoagreementyoucanaskyourjob-seekertodevotesomeofhis/hertimeuntil
the next meeting towardsmore realistic goals besides any actions towards the job-seeker’s
preferredgoals.Therebytheclarificationifthejob-seeker’sneedsarerealisticcanbeachieved
withoutinfluencingthejob-seeker’smotivationnegativelyandatthesametimecanbesaved
byworkingalsoonrealisticgoals.
Dependingonthesituation itcouldalsobeadvisable togive the job-seeker thepossibility to
proof that his/her goals are realistic. For example, you could ask the job-seeker to find job
offersthatwouldfittothejob-seeker’sprofile.
3.6 Explain sources of conflicts with and demotivation of job-seekers and apply
appropriateconflictmanagementandmotivationtechniques.
TheidealcasefromaJobBroker’sviewpointisthattheyworkwithmotivatedjob-seekerswho
use the Job Broker service on a voluntary basis, who are eager to learn and to develop
themselves, togeta jobeventuallyand thereforemotivated.However, frequently the reality
for Job Brokers is different; job-seekers are often referred or assigned to use a Job Broker
service–sometimesthisismandatoryifthejob-seekerwishestoretaintheirunemploymentor
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socialbenefits-andinsuchcasestheiruseoftheservicecannotbeconsideredtobeentirely
voluntary.Job-seekersoftendonotknowwhattoexpectfromorwhytheyneedtheserviceor
maybe–asaresultoftheprofilingandassessmentphase–training(sotheymaycomewithout
motivation).
Conflicts are a common phenomenon in social interactions, and also because of the above
describedcontextofsocialinteractionsbetweenJobBrokerandjob-seeker,thatisalsotruefor
this kindof situation.Conflicts arise ifbothpartiesaredependentoneachotherandoneor
bothof thepartiesat the samepointof time intendorperformactions that could lead toa
situationwheretheoppositepartyfeelshindered,obstructed,threatenedorhurt.Aslongasa
conflictexistsithindersallpartiestostriveunitedforcommongoals.Thereforeaconstructive
conflictsolutionisveryimportanttoreachthegoalsoftheJobBrokerservice.
ACTIVITY3.6.1Writedownatleast3differenttypesofconflictyouexperiencedinyourworkasaJobBroker.
Writedownatleast3differenttypesofconflictyouexperiencedinyourworkasaJobBroker
anddescribeforeachwhyyouthinkaconflictoccurred,whatthesourceoftheconflictcould
be.
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Takeanotherlookatyourfindings.Aretheretypesofconflictsthatoccurmoreoftenthanother
forms?
There aremanydifferent typesof conflict and sources for conflict. A very common sourceof
conflictisthatjob-seekersshowdifferentformsofresistanceagainstyourworkortheserviceas
awhole.Usually the term resistance is related tonegative images.But resistance canalsobe
perceivedassomethingpositive.Asanattemptofapersonorasystemtomaintainintegrityand
freedomtoactortomaintainthecurrentstatus.So,resistancealwayshasastabilizingfunction.
From this point of view resistance is a very natural phenomenon and part of any learning or
transformationprocess.Itcanhavedifferentcausesandshowitselfindifferentforms.
Also, job-seekers in the first instance are the experts about their personal solution, and
therefore resistance can be regarded as a constructive contribution in solution search. For
instance.itcanberegardedasafeedbackfortheJobBrokerthatthecurrentproceeding/planis
not useful (at this point of time). Typically there are five types of resistance that can be
differentiated:
• Resistanceagainstthegeneralconditionsoftheservice–job-seekerscan’tordon’twant
to admit to the service, because they don’t consider the general conditions acceptable. This
couldrelatetothepremisestheservicetakesplace,thetimeorthetermsofparticipation(more
orlesscompulsory).
• Resistanceagainstdidactics/methods– job-seekersrefusetomakeuseofoffersbythe
JobBroker(contents,methods,interventionsetc.)
• ResistanceagainsttheJobBroker–e.g.becausetheyhaveproblemswiththesex,age,
mannerofspeechortheself-expressionoftheJobBroker.Usuallythiskindofresistanceisnot
againstthepersonoftheJobBrokerbutrepresentsatypicaltransfereffect.
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• Resistanceagainstlearningortransformationprocessesasthreatofonesfeelingofself-
worth– thecurrentstatus is threatened,anda transformationneedseffort, time,energyand
courageandisinitiallyoftenrelatedofafeelingofinsecurity.
ACTIVITY3.6.2Usethegiventypologyforresistance.Findforeachofthetypestwoexamplesfromyourworkexperience
Writtenassignment
Usetheabovedescribedtypologyforresistance.Findforeachofthetypestwoexamplesfrom
yourworkexperienceandanswerthefollowingquestions:
Howdidthistypeofresistancemanifest?
Howdidyouhandlethesituation?
Inwhatwaycouldyouhaveacteddifferently?
Just to remind you, here again the typology (for amore detailed description of the different
typesofresistancelookatthefeedbackof3.4.1):
-Resistanceagainstthegeneralconditionsoftheservice
-Resistanceagainstdidactics/methods
-ResistanceagainsttheJobBroker
-Resistanceagainstlearningortransformationprocessesasthreatofone’sfeelingofself-worth
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Ofcourse,theabovedescribedtypesofresistancerangefromabstractfromreality.Oftenthere
will beanoverlapbetweenmore thanone formof resistanceand therefore there is not THE
singlesolutionforeachofsituationofresistance.However,asanorientationpoint,wewantto
giveyousomebroadguidelinesthatmyhelpinsuchsituations:
AlwaysbeawarethataJobBrokerisnotatallinfullcontrolofthesituation.EvenifaJobBroker
doeshis/herbest, ifthejob-seeker isnotcooperativetherearelimitstosuccess.AJobBroker
canonlymakeoffers.Whatthejob-seekermakesofitisultimatelyoutofthehandsoftheJob
Broker.Jobbrokerscanonlyincreasetheprobabilitythattheservicesprocessgoesinadesired
direction.Howsomeonedealswithresistancedependsonthemeaningitisgiven.Resistanceis
amessageandcanbeunderstoodasanexpressionofneeds,forinstance:
• Thanks,I’vehadenough
• UptothispointI’mwilling/abletocooperatebutnotfurther
• Afraidoffailure,whencommittingtosomethingspecific
• Insecurity,whatcanIexpecthere
• Insecurity,the„otherone“wantssomethingfromme
• Protectionagainstchange
Often resistance is confronted head-on. Alternatively you can work with the resistance, to
respectandappreciateit.Usefulquestionsinthiscontextcouldbe:
• Howdidresistancemanifestitself?
• Whatisthe‘driver’behindtheresistance?
• Whatarethepositiveaspectsofthisspecificmanifestationofresistance?
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• Howcanthis resistancebehandleproductively (whatkindof interventioncouldbe
successful)?
Forthespecificformsofresistance,thefollowingexemplaryinterventionsmightbeuseful:
• Resistanceagainst thegeneralconditionsof theservice–oftentheproblemis that
job-seekers do not feel appreciated or respected because of the general situation.
Strategiesforinterventionscouldbetoincludejob-seekersindecisionsaboutgeneral
conditions,toproactiveaddresstheissueandtoexpressverymuchappreciationand
respect.
• Resistance against didactics/methods – resistance can be prevented if job-seekers
regard contents and methods as useful. When resistance has manifested itself, it
could help to address why a specific content or methods could be useful or by
changingcontentsandmethodsifpossible.
• Resistance against the Job Broker – this type of resistance could be prevented by
explainingataveryearlystage,whichkindofcompetenciesyouasaJobBrokerhave
to offer, what expectations you have towards the job-seekers and also tomake it
transparentwhatjob-seekerscan’texpectfromyouasaJobBroker.Whenresistance
ispresent, it is important to take itnotpersonal,but tohandle it ina constructive
manner.
• Resistance against learning or transformation processes as a threat towards one’s
feeling of self-worth – it is important to appreciate the past to make new things
possible.Job-seekersneedsometimetosay‘goodbye’totheoldortolinktheold
withthenewone.
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ACTIVITY3.6.3Howtoreactifjob-seekerevadesapplicationactivities?
Example&Problemsolving
Ajob-seekerarrivesverymotivatedtouseyourservice,decidingtotryeverythingtofindanew
Job.Afterafewfailuresthejob-seekerstartstofearfurtherfailuresandstartstoavoidapplying
fornewjobs.Suddenlytherearemany“moreimportant”thingsthattheydecidetheyhaveto
dealwith.
Is thereresistanceonthesideof the job-seeker?Whatkindof?Which formof intervention
couldhelp?Writedownyourthoughts!
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Thiskindofchangeinbehaviourcouldbeinterpretedasaformofresistance.Itislikelythatthis
manifestation of resistance is a signal for a specific need of a job-seeker. In this concrete
situationcouldbeadesiretofeelsuccessandsecurity.
The positive aspect for the job-seeker behind this kind of dealingwith the situation is that it
prevents further failures. A productive intervention needs to take this need into account. It
should allow the job-seeker to proceed with job search and application, because that’s
ultimatelywhathewants.
Atthesametimetheinterventionneedstogivethejob-seekersomekindofprotectionagainst
further failures. One way to do this is to impart the job-seeker strategies on how to deal
productivelywithfailures.
3.7 Identifyspecificandspecialist job-seekersupportneeds thatareabarrier toa
successful job placement (psychological, debt, housing, welfare) and referring
themforrelevantexpertordetailedsupport.
Counselling job-seekers is a process that often consists of individual counselling interviews
(alternativecounsellingformatsincludegroupsessions,counsellingbyphone,webcounselling,
etc.). Therefore, JobBrokersworkingwith job-seekershave to guideand lead the counselling
session:Guidingmeanstoshowcompassion,tounderstandandtoallow;leading,ontheother
hand, means to interrupt, to intervene, and to express ideas, to pose questions, to make
propositionsandtoextendorreducecomplexity.Obviously,insuchaposition,JobBrokershave
lotsofpossibilities,butalsofacemanychallenges.
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Itisessentialtounderstandjob-seekersasindividualswithdistinctbiographiesandfeaturesand
to empathize with their perspectives. Job-seekers may not have voluntarily sought for
counselling andmay have troubles being in the position of a person in search of advice. It is
crucial to use well-chosen ways of communication and behaviour to create a real basis for
cooperationandconversationdespiteofthehierarchicalnatureofthesituation.
Job Brokersmust seek to understand the job-seeker’smotives and background, but also the
scopeofhisorheractions.Theyhavetokeepinmindthateachandeverypersonconstructshis
orherownrealityandbaseshisorherdecisionsandactionsontheresultingworldview.
Likewise, Job Brokers need to reflect on his or her own reactions, impulses and modes of
interactionwiththejob-seeker.Communicationismostfruitfulwhenthepeopleinvolvedsettle
onasharedworldviewandreality.
Thisisaboutyourapproachinworkingtogetherwiththejobseekers,aboutmethods/toolsthat
couldsupportyourworkinthisphaseandconcretesupportwhatyoucanoffertohelpthejob-
seeker?
ACTIVITY3.7.1 Yourapproachinworkingtogetherwiththejobseekers
Writtenassignment
Describeyourapproach;howyouwouldidentifyspecificandspecialistjob-seekerneedsthat
areabarriertoasuccessfuljob-placement.Whatarehelpfulquestionsyoucouldaskthejob-
seeker inorder to find it out?What are important aspects to take into account fromyour
pointofview?
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Inordertopromoteempowermentprocesses,itisinprinciplemoreimportanttoaskquestions
thangiveanswers.Togetherwiththejob-seekerajointsearchprocessisinitiated.Hereyoucan
findsomefurtherproposalsforworkingtogetherwithjob-seekers.
Thefollowingbasicprinciplesarenecessary:
• Resourcesandcompetenceorientation,
• Processororientation,
• Goalorientation,
• Optimism,
• Willingnesstoworkingrelationshipwithequalrights,
• Responsibilityandcontrol,
• Trustinthepowersandcompetencesoftheotherpersons,
• Willingnesstosharethepower.
Herearesomekeyquestionsforprofessionalsupport:
• Underwhichconditionsdopeoplesucceedindiscoveringtheirownstrengthstogether
withothers?
• What does help to make people active for shaping and control their own living
conditions?
• Howcanyouhelptosupportdifferentformsofself-organization?
• Howcanyoucreateasocialclimatethatsupportsprocessesoftheempowerment?
• Whataretheconsequencesofsuchexperiencesonthepeopleinvolvedintheprocess?
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Whenyouagreedonjobrelatedgoalswithyourjob-seekersthefocuscomestothequestionon
how to reach thedefinedgoals. For thispurpose, strategiesandnecessary steps to reach the
goalshavetobeelaboratedandthe job-seekersshouldbeawareofpossiblesupportoptions.
Dependingonhowdifficultandcomplex theway to reach thedesiredgoals seems, itmaybe
necessary to: elaborate a detailed plan, to define (interim) goals, to assess how realistic
individualstepsare,toanticipatethedealingwithpossiblechallengesetc.
Theapproachyouchoose toelaborategoalswithyour job-seekeranda correspondingaction
planislikelytodependontheconcretecontextyouoperateinasaJobBroker(e.g.targetgroup,
timeresources,andorganisationalgoals
ACTIVITY3.7.2 Methods/tools
List
In order to reflect about your personal or organisational approach, please describe on
approximately one page, how you would proceed during that phase. What are important
aspects to take into account from your point of view?What concrete steps do you follow?
Whatarehelpfulquestionsyoucouldaskthejob-seekerinordertoguidehim/herthroughthe
decision process of defining goals and necessary steps to reach them?Do you use concrete
methods/toolsthatsupportyourwork inthisphase?Whatsupportcanyouoffertohelpthe
job-seekertoreachhis/hergoals?
Listconcretemethods/toolsthatcouldsupportyourworkinthisphase?
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Toolsandtestsusedtohelppeopleunderstandhowtheirinterests,aptitudes,skills,personality
andpreferences influence theirpotential for successandsatisfaction inaparticularcareer,or
line ofwork, are collectively known as career assessments. Over the last one hundred years,
career assessments have greatly influenced career development in the United States and
impactedtheeconomy.Careerandoccupationalassessmentsaretypicallyemployedbycareer
counsellors in high schools and universities, vocational rehabilitation counsellors, executive
coaches, work force service centres, and individuals just wanting to make the best career
decisionpossibleforthemselves.
Typesofcareerassessments
While career assessments generally focus on identifying career options based on personal
attributes, assessments come in various forms and vary along differing dimensions. Career
assessmentsmayalsoexhibitpersonalbias–astheyareoftenbasedoncriteriathatoneperson,
orgroupofpeople,believestobethemostimportantforselectingacareer.Thefollowingarea
fewpointsofvariabilityamongpopularcareerassessments:
Methodology - Assessments are typically either quantitative or qualitative in nature.
Quantitative assessments attempt tomeasure attributes, skills andqualities that influence an
individual’s ability to succeed and find satisfaction with a particular career. Qualitative
assessmentsaredesignedtohelpindividualsexploretheirpersonalandoccupationalgoalsand
preferencesinordertobringclarityandtomakeamoreinformedcareerdecision.
Measuredattributes-Oneofthebiggestpointsofvariabilityamongassessmentsisthespecific
attributestheymeasure.Whilesomeassessmentsfocusonpersonalinterestsandvalues,others
areheavilyweightedtowardaptitudesandskillsets.
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Validity-Howvaliddifferentassessmentsareisabigquestion.Especiallyforthoseofferedover
the Internet. Inmanycases,assessments lack"validity",whichbasicallymeanshowuseful the
resultsofanassessmentarefortheindividual.Whenit'sdifficulttoevaluatethevalidityofan
assessment,resultsshouldbe interpretedwithcautionandnotmuchweightshouldbeplaced
ontheresults.
Targetcustomerprofile-Assessmentsmaybegeneralorspecific.Forexample,popularcareer
assessmentssuchasMyers-BriggsTypeIndicator(MBTI),StrongInterest Inventory,andCareer
scope are general assessments designed to be applied in virtually any market. Other
assessmentsaredesignedforspecificindustriesandmarkets.
ACTIVITY3.7.3 Describethejob-seekerandhowyouwanttohelpthem
Kevinhasbeensearchingforajobforalongtime.Sofarhehadnochance.Hewrotetwodozen
applications.Itwasallinvain.Noemployerwantstogettoknowhim.Hedoesnotgetoffered
aninternshiporatrial/’taster’day.Kevinis21yearsoldandwantstomakeaneducation,work
andmakemoney- likemanyothers.Hewantshisownapartment.So far,hehashardlybeen
acquaintedwithnormallife.
Atanagewhenotherchildrenweregettinghelp fromtheirparents, so theycouldgo tohigh
school,heandthefamilyhadtocleartheapartment.Hisfather,analcoholicwhobeatKevin,his
motherandhissister,hadnotpaidtherent.Atanagewhenotherchildrenwerequestionedby
theirmothers'onvocabulary,hehelpedhismotherthrowhisfatheroutofthehouse.Therehe
was 15. And at the age when others go to college, Kevin left the main school without any
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qualification. He hung around,was involved in brawls and robbery. In themeantime, he has
beencompletinghissecondaryschooldiploma,buthisfilesnowalsohaveacriminalrecord.
Kevingotonceaone-euro jobarrangedbythe jobcentre,andhespenta fewmonths inaso-
calledjob-preparingmeasure.
Task:Imaginethispersoncomestoyouforcounselling?
Whatsupportcanyouoffertohelpthejob-seeker?Howwouldyouproceed?Describewhat
concretestepsdoyoufollow?Writedownyourapproachinkeywords
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Before you start toelaborate concretegoals and steps to reach them togetherwith the job-
seeker youmay at first discuss the assessment of the consultation phase, and summarize in
cooperation with the job-seeker identified strengths, resources, possible starting points,
developmentrequirementsandanalysesthejob-seeker’slabourmarketsituation.
Basically,thegoalsettingshouldbeaccomplishedbythejob-seeker.Leavingthedecisionabout
andthedefinitionofspecificgoalsinthehandofthejob-seekermayfosteridentificationwith
setgoals,highcooperationof the job-seeker in the furthercourseof thecounsellingprocess
andwillleadtohighmotivationofthejob-seeker
The definition of goals should have a focus on the job that the job-seeker wants to get.
Howeverothercriteriaoftheaspiredworkplaceshouldbetakenintoaccount(e.g.preferring
toworkinateamoralone,salary,distancetocommutetotheworkplace,workinghours).
Agreed goals should be formulated as SMART goals, whichmeans that the goals should be
Specific (is the goals formulated in a concretewayor is it to general?),Measurable (can the
targetachievementbecontrolled?),Accepted(isthejob-seekermotivatedandcooperativein
relationtodefinedgoals?),Realistic(Isitpossibletoreachdefinedgoals?)andTimely(canitbe
estimatedwhenthegoalcanbereached?).
Supportandcorrecttheprocessofgoalsettingbyposingquestionsthathelpthejob-seekerto
come to an assessment on how realistic are his/her goals for future career by themselves.
Possible Questions are: Which of these goals are really essential? Is the expected income
sufficient(forinstanceifjob-seekerisonlyinterestedinaparttimejob)?Howrealisticisitto
findajobneartohis/herhome?Isthejobcompatiblewithfamilyduties?
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If there is a discrepancy between the goals of the job-seeker and your assessment of the
situation you should make that transparent und explain the reasons for your assessment
clearly.
Ifyouhaveagreedongoalswithyourjob-seekeryoushouldrecordtheminwrittenform.
3.8ProgressAssessment–LearningNeedAnalysis
AndnowthatyouhavecompletedtheactivitiesandexercisesinthisChapterandreviewedall
theFeedback,let’sreturntotheLearningNeedsAssessmentthatyoucompletedatthestartof
the Chapter. In the table below, repeat the self-appraisal of your knowledge, skills and
understandinginthisarea.Asbefore,estimateyour‘level’ineachcase.
Jobrequirement Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Knowledgeabouttheempowermentapproach. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledgeaboutprofilingandassessmentof
job-seekers.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identificationofspecificandspecialistjob-seeker
needsthatareabarriertoasuccessfuljob-
placement.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Applicationofconversationalcoaching
techniques.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Supportingdecision-makingofjob-seekers. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Knowledgeandapplicationofappropriate
conflictmanagementandmotivationtechniques.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Preparationofjob-seekersforapplication
processes.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Developmentofanactionplan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Now,compareyourtwosetsofscores–thoseyoudid‘before’andthoseyoudidafterworking
throughthispartoftheGuide.Whatareyourmainconclusions?
Wouldyousaythat,basedonhavingusedthematerialinthisChapter,youunder-estimatedor
over-estimateyourskills,knowledge,understandingand/orexperiencethefirsttimeyoudid
thisassessment?
So,ifyouscoredsomerequirementslowerafterfinishing–isthatbecauseyourealiseyoustill
haveareastodevelop?
Ifyouscoredsomerequirementshigher–isthisbecauseyoufeelmoreknowledgeableor
confidentaftercompletingtheexercises?
WouldyousaythattheChapterconfirmedyouroriginalestimates–orwerethereany
surprises?
Canyouidentifyareaswhereyoustillneedtoseekoutfurtherprofessionalsupportor
development?
3.9Conclusionandfurtherreading
ThepurposeofthischapterforJobBrokerhasbeentolearnhowtoworkwithJob-seekers.This
chapter covers, among others, the approach for the job of the Job Broker and his self-
understanding. Inorder for this towork,wehave introducedmanymethods andappropriate
exercises.Nowyoushouldhavethebasicknowledgeabouthowyoucanworkeffectivelywith
job-seekersandhowyoucanbuildandmaintainnetworks.
Finally… although JobBrokerage is an emerging and relatively new concept in EuropeanVET
legislation,therearevariouspublicationsandresourcesrelevanttotheissuesdiscussedinthis
module.Manyofthesewillbeinyourownlanguageandarerelevanttoyourowncountry–so
dolookthemup!
Inthemeantime,andtohelpyoulookfurther,wehavelistedsomerelevantinformationsources
attheEuropeanlevelbelow:
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• ESCO: ‘European Skills/Competences, qualifications and Occupations’ at
https://ec.europa.eu/esco/portal/home
• European Commission: ‘EURES – The European Job Mobility Portal’ at
https://ec.europa.eu/eures/public/homepage
Notes
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Contents
Whatisthischapterabout?..............................................................................................227
LearningObjectives...........................................................................................................228
4.1AJob-seeker-focusedApproach–TheprocessesofJobBrokeringservices...............230
4.2Identifyprovidersofrelatedsupportservices(e.g.debtmanagement,trainingproviders)andreferjob-seekersaccordingtotheirneeds..................................239
4.3Categorizedifferenttargetgroupsofjob-seekers/employersandtheirspecificneeds................................................................................................................................243
4.4Developeffectiveprocedures,protocolsandstandardsforallphasesofthebrokeringprocessincludingfollow-upactivitiesaftertheinitialplacement....................249
4.5UtilizerelationshipstostakeholdersandespeciallyotherJobBrokeringprovidersinordertoconcentrateorganisationalresourcesandtodevelopJobBrokeringservicesthatbestservetheneedsofspecifictargetgroups.....................265
4.6Self-evaluateandreflectabouttheownprofessionalpracticeasameanforcontinuingprofessionaldevelopmentandpsychohygiene..............................................270
4.7ProgressAssesment–LearningNeesdsAnalysis........................................................274
4.8Conclusionandfurtherreading..................................................................................276
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Whatisthischapterabout?
Thismodule isabouthowyou,asa JobBroker, takea ‘job-seeker-focused’approach inyour
work – or what we call a case management i.e. the “collaborative process of assessment,
planning, facilitation, care coordination, evaluation, and advocacy for options and services to
meet an individual's and family's comprehensive health and social needs through
communication and available resources to promote quality,
cost-effective outcomes”3 (Case Management Society of
America). Even though this definition focuses on healthcare
asmostdefinitionsofcasemanagementdo,itisstillvalidand
transferable to other sectors and domains. The most
important feature of a job-broker’s role is that s/he works
with people. And even though people share common
characteristics and even common identities in some cases,
eachpersonremainsunique.
Moreover, each person’smix of needs, attitudes, stances, beliefs, abilities, competences and
skills are unique to that particular person. Thus, case management skills are crucial for Job
Brokers,becausetheyfacilitatepersonalized,tailor-madeconsultingandsolutionsforeachjob-
seeker,inanintegratedandaccountablemanner.AccordingtoHahnetal.(CaseManagement
withAt-RiskYouth.Hahn,A.,Aaron,P.,&Kinglsey,C.TheCentreforHumanResources,Brandeis
University)commondefinitionsofCaseManagementinclude:
-“activitiesaimedat linkingtheservicesystemwithaconsumer,andcoordinatingthevarious
systemcomponentstoachieveasuccessfuloutcome.”
-“aproblem-solvingfunctiondesignedtoensurecontinuityofservicesandtoovercomesystems
rigidity,fragmentedservices,misuseofcertainfacilities,andinaccessibility.”
- “At the systems level, casemanagementmay be defined as a strategy for coordinating the
provisionofservicestojob-seekerswithinthatsystem.”
3InthisChapter,werefertoa‘client-focusedapproach,bywhichwemeanthatweputtheindividualjob-seekingclientattheheartofourthinking,inrelationtodeliveringourservice.Insomecontexts,andinparticularintheUnitedStates,theterm‘CaseManagement’meanssomethingsimilar,soifyouseereferencesto‘casemanagement’thisiswhatwemean.
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- “At the job-seeker level, case-management may be defined as a job-seeker-centred, goal-
oriented process for assessing the need of an individual for particular services and obtaining
thoseservices.”
LearningObjectivesInordertoaddresstheabovethischapterhasthefollowingspecificlearningobjectives:
4.1 Explain the casemanagement approach and organise processes of Job Brokering servicesaccordingly.
4.2Identifyprovidersofrelatedsupportservices(e.g.debtmanagement,trainingproviders)andreferjob-seekersaccordingtotheirneeds.
4.3Categorizedifferenttargetgroupsofjob-seekers/employersandtheirspecificneeds.
4.4 Develop effective procedures, protocols and standards for all phases of the brokeringprocessincludingfollow-upactivitiesaftertheinitialplacement.
4.5UtilizerelationshipstostakeholdersandespeciallyotherJobBrokeringprovidersinordertoconcentrateorganisationalresourcesandtodevelopJobBrokeringservicesthatbestservetheneedsofspecifictargetgroups.
4.6 Self-evaluate and reflect about the own professional practice as a mean for continuingprofessionaldevelopmentandpsychohygiene.
Beforewe lookat thisarea indetail, let’sbeginwitha self-appraisalofyourknowledge, skills
andunderstandinginthisareawiththeLearningNeedsAssessmenttablebelow.Usingascale
where 1 = poor (development fully needed), 5 = fair/satisfactory (development partially
needed)and10=excellent(nodevelopmentneeded),considereachrequirementinturn,and
estimateyour‘level’ineachcase:so,towhatextentcanyou…?
Jobrequirement Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Explain the job-seeker-focused approach in JobBrokerage
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Jobrequirement Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Define and describe pros and cons of a casemanagementapproachvis-à-visatraditionalone-fits-allapproachinJobBrokerageservices
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Prepare and implement an interview with job-seekers,focusingontheirpeculiarities,needsanddesires, which can help you formulate your job-seeker-focusedapproach
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describetheneedsofaspecificjob-seeker(basedontheresultsoftheinterview)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Prepare and implement an interview withemployers, focusing on their peculiarities, needsand desires, which can help you formulate yourjob-seeker-focusedapproach
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describetheneedsofanemployer(basedontheresultsoftheinterview)
Identify providers of related support services(such as the Public Employment Service, VETProviders,CareerAdvisingCompaniesetc.)andallotherpossibleserviceprovidersinyoudistrict.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describethetypeofsupportyouseek fromeachproviderofrelatedsupportservices
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describe different characteristics of jobseekersandemployers
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifyways of categorising employers and job-seekers
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describe the main stages of effective JobBrokerage
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Designanddescribetheeffectiveproceduresthatshouldbe inplace fora JobBrokerageservice tobeeffective
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describe important follow-up activities whichshouldtakeplaceaftertheinitialplacement
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Develop and maintain strong relationships withdifferentstakeholdersthatmaysupportyouintheJobBrokerageservice
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Jobrequirement Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Selfevaluateandreflectonyourownprofessionalservice
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4.1AJob-seeker-focusedApproach–TheprocessesofJobbrokeringservices
ThetermsJob-seeker-centredandJob-seeker-focusedareusedofteninemploymentservices.
Butwhatdotheymean?
The general meaning of the term is that Job Brokers should avoid imposing rigidly
predeterminedsolutionsandrecommendations.Forexampleitisverycommontoseemanual
workers to be referred for computer training as part of their employment preparation, with
relativelylittleattentiontotheiractualdesiresorlabour-marketaims.Thesetypesofpractices
ignorethewishesandskillsofthejob-seekers.
In some cases (especially at the policy level) job-seekers are being allocated to employment
categories based on their disabilities without taking into consideration the job-seeker’s own
wishesorotherskills.Disadvantagedworkersespeciallycanfacepreconceptionsaboutpossible
jobsassumingthatthesepeoplecanonlydolowestskills(andlowestpaid)jobs.Skills,talents
andambitionsarenottakenintoconsideration.Aneffectiveserviceprovider(agoodJobBroker)
avoidsthesepractices.Insteadhe/shepaysattentiontojob-seekers’preferencesandskills.
Burchardt (2005) reminds us that 'Support for entry to employment should start from the
aspirationsoftheyoungpersonandnotautomaticallydowngradetowhatisseentobe‘realistic’
given their impairment'. We agree, and think the same standard should be applied to all
disadvantagedpeople.
Thus a job-seeker-focused approach means understanding job-seeker’s needs and situation,
supportingchange(whereneeded),actionplanning(usingsmartplans),jobcapabilitymatching
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andmonitoringandreview.Supportisvitalelementofthisprocess(notonlyatthebeginningof
theprocessbutalsothroughouttheprocess).
Asimilarconcepttothejob-seeker-centredapproachisthejob-seeker-centredproblemsolving.
Job brokers encounter job-seeker’s problems, real or believed, during the return to work
process. An accepting positive attitude to these problems is very helpful to the job-seeker. It
creates confidence in the Job Broker, who is seen as an understanding person. This leads to
trust, uponwhich the advisormust rely for permission to challenge the problems or beliefs.
Expressing problems as solvable issues and helping the job-seeker look for solutions ismore
helpful than classifying them as difficult or insurmountable barriers. The effective Job Broker
helps the job-seeker find their own solutions, and uses awide range of techniques to do so.
Althoughofferinghelpmaybeeasier, helping job-seekers to find their own solutions ismore
effectiveinthelongrun;theybecomeabletotacklesimilarproblemsontheirowninfuture.
Ofcourseemployersshouldnotbeforgotteninthisprocess,astheyalsohaveneedsthatmust
bematchedtotheappropriatejob-seeker.Whenwespeakaboutjob-seekers,weoftenreferto
thejob-seekers–butinasenseemployersarealsojob-seekers/customerswhohaveneedsthat
weneedtosatisfy.Withouttheemployerswecannotsatisfyourjob-seekers’needs.
Todemonstrateeffectivejob-seeker-centredapproachyouneedtorespondtotheneedsofthe
jobseekers.Toperformthiswellitisimportantforyoutoinvestigatetheneedsoftheservice
users (job-seekers). This can be done by “on the job investigation”. While interviewing
jobseekersyoucancollectinformationabouttheirpriorityneedsintheirjobsearchactivities.
Youshouldnotperformthis investigationvery formally,but include it inyour interviewona
daytodaybasis.
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ACTIVITY4.1.1
Setupalistofquestionsthatcanfitintoyourtypicalinterview,butatthesametimethinkof
the questions as a part of this investigation that can help you formulate your job-seeker-
centredapproach.
Keepinmindthat it is importanttogivethejobseekerahint inwhichdirectionto look,both
internal and external, considering the main needs for a successful job search. Ask about
personalstrengths,abouteducationalneeds,aboutnetworkingetc.
Youcanwritedownyourquestionsbelow:
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Thefollowingaresomeimportantquestionsforthejob-seeker:
WORKHISTORY
• Whatdidthatjobinvolve?
• Whattoleranceswereyouworkingto?
• Whowasresponsibleforcheckingyourwork?
• Whathappenedifanythingwentwrong?
• Didthishappenoften?
• Canyougiveanexample?
• Howdidotherscope?
• Whatdidyourboss/supervisorsayaboutyourwork?
• Howquicklydidyoudo/learnthat?(Bonus/pieceworkearned?)
• Howdoesthatcompare?
• Howdifficultdidyoufindthat?
• Howdifficultdidothersfindit?
INTERESTS,DREAMSANDSELFEFFICACY
• whatdoyouenjoy
• howdoyoufillyoursparetime
• whathaveyouachieved
• whatwouldyouliketoachieve
• whatwouldyouliketobeknownforandknownas
• howimportantiswork,money,profession
• wherewouldyouliketobe
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• howgoodareyouatplanningandworkingforthelongterm
• whatdoyoudislike
• whenhaveyoufailedoravoidedthings
• howconfidentyouareofachieving
PERSONALITYANDENVIRONMENT
• whatdootherpeoplesayaboutyouanddoyouagree...ornot
• whatdopeopleyouknowdo
• haveyougotanyplansfornextweek...nextmonth...nextyear
• whatdoesyourfamilyexpect
QUALIFICATIONSANDSKILLS
• whatisyourprofessionalstatusandqualifications
• whatpreviousexperienceofworkdoyouhave
• doyouhaveanyotherrelevantexperience
• whatareyourskillsandtalents
LABOURMARKET
• whatjobsarethereinyouridealprofessionthatyoucouldgetorthatyouwouldliketo
trainfor
• whatemployersdoyouknowroundherethatarerecruiting/thatyoucantalkto/that
youcouldvisit/whousepeoplewithyourprofession
• whodoyouknowthatyouwouldwishtobelike/inyourpreferredjoborprofession
• whodoyouknowwhocantellyouaboutjobs
• whodoyouknowwhocanputyouintouchwithpeople
DREAMJOB
• whatjobsdoyouthinkyoucoulddo
• whatjobsdoyouthinkthereareroundhere
• whatjobtogofor
• whatprofessionoroccupationtofollow
• whichemployertoworkfor
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• whatsectortoworkin
• doyoulikedoingtechnicalthings
• doyoulikedoingcreativethings
• doyoulikebeingaroundlotsofpeople
• doyoulikestudyingandfindingthingsout
• wouldyoudoanyjobordoyouprefertobeselective
• Andwhataboutself-employment?Itcanbechosen
• Whatcompromisestomakeforyourcareer:home,location,money,andlearning?
ACTIVITY4.1.2.
Job-seeker-focusedapproachisanalternativetoatraditionalapproachwhereonesolutionfits
all. Can you think and write down the advantages and disadvantages of each of the
approaches?
JOB-SEEKER-FOCUSEDAPPROACHAdvantages Disadvantages
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TRADITIONALAPPROACHAdvantages Disadvantages
The main advantage of a job-seeker-focused approach is the fact that there are higher
possibilities that it will lead to a long term employment with both parties - job-seeker and
employer - to be happywith the result. Themain disadvantage of it, it is that it is resource
consumingi.e.itneedshighlyqualifiedpeopletobeJobBrokersandtheyalsoneedtoinvestin
time(andofcoursebothparametersareexpensive).
Ontheotherhandthetraditionalapproachistimeeffectivebutoftendoesnothaveanyresults
or does not have long term results. it is widely recognised that the traditional standardised
approach to dealingwith selected job-seeker groups is incompatiblewith the complex needs
thatsomeofthemhave-inordertobeeffective,serviceshavetobecarefullytailoredtomeet
thespecificneedsofindividuals.
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Given thediversityof job-seekers it isunreasonable toexpectaone-fits-all solution. In some
caseseventheskillstheJobBrokerneedstohavearedifferentinordertoworkwithdifferent
typesofjob-seekers.
ACTIVITY4.1.3As already mentioned, employers are an important stakeholder we should not forget. The
effectiveJobBrokerwillinvestigatetheirneedsandtrytomatchthoseneedstotheappropriate
job-seeker.Inordertodoso,weneedtounderstandtheprofileoftheemployeraswellastheir
specificneeds.Questionsandactivelisteningaretheanswertothisprocess.
Todemonstrateeffective job-seeker-centredapproachyouneedtomatchtotheneeds,skills
and desires of the jobseekers to the needs of the employers. Design a typical interviewwith
employersfocusingontheirpeculiarities,needsanddesires.
Youcanwritedownyourquestionsbelow:
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Thefollowingaresomeimportantquestionsfortheemployer:
• Howlargeisyourteamcurrently?
• Pleasedescribethecultureofyourcompany
• Whoisresponsibleinthecompanyforrecruitment?
• DoyouopencallforvacanciesordoyoujustacceptCVs
• Howlonghasyourvacancybeenopenfor?
• Howmanypeoplehaveyoualreadyinterviewedfortherole?
• Whatisyourhiringplanoverthenext6–12months?
• Whydopeopletypicallystaywithyourorganisation?
• Whatareyourpainpointswhenitcomestohiring?
• Wheredoyoufeelyoursalariessitbasedoncurrentmarketrates?
• Whathasyourstaffturnoverbeenlikeinthelast12months?
• Otherthansalary,whatotherbenefitsdoyouofferstaff?
• Whatdoesyouremployerbrandsayaboutyourorganisation?
• Howdoyoumeasurestaffengagement?
• Whatisthetoughestroletofillrightnow?Why?
• Doyouhaveajobdescriptionforthespecificopening
• Whatkindofcompetencesdoyourequire?
• Whatkindofproofareyoulookingfortoensurethatpeopledohavethesecompetences
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4.2Identifyprovidersofrelatedsupportservices(e.g.debtmanagement,training
providers)andreferjob-seekersaccordingtotheirneeds.
Thissectiontakes intoconsiderationdifferentstakeholdersthatcansupporttheJobBrokerto
providehis/herserviceseffectivelyandsuccessfully.
Thefollowingtablepresentsdifferentstakeholdersandthewayinwhichtheycansupportthe
JobBroker
Typeofstakeholder HowtheycansupporttheJobBrokerPublicEmploymentService:
- Send job-seekers inpublic trainingprogrammesor
jobplacements(whereitisnecessarytohaveaPES
documenttoattendtheseprogrammes)
VETprovider:
- Provide training in order to improve the skills and
competencesofthejob-seeker
EmploymentPolicy-maker:
- Sometimes changes in thepolicies are required to
facilitateeasieraccessofunemployedpeopletothe
labour market. Sometimes funded employment
programmes also help especially if the Job Broker
dealswithdisadvantagedgroups
VETPolicyMaker:
- Changes in policies i.e. introduction of new VET
programmes supporting the unemployed people
and especially those that are long term
unemployed help for the job-seekers to develop
skills and competences and enter the labour
market.
RehabilitationServiceCentre:
- Provide rehabilitation services to job-seekers so
thatitwillbeeasierandfastertoaccessthelabour
market
OntheJobTrainingCentre:
- Provideonthejobtrainingtothejob-seekersothat
theygainworkingexperienceanddevelopskillsand
competencesforafuturejob.
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AsaJobBrokeryoushouldnotonlyknowabouttherangeofprofessionsandorganisationsthat
areavailable tohelp your job-seekers,but shouldalsobeable to takeadvice, and locateand
buildagoodworkingrelationshipwiththeseproviders.Thiswillinclude:
- Knowingthemainstakeholdersandthesupportavailabletojob-seekers
- Knowinghowtheyoperateandhowtheyarefunded:-
- Usingsupportoutsideyourmainareasofcompetence
- Referringjob-seekerstootherservices
- Evaluatingservicesandprogrammesintermsofqualityandrelevancetojob-seekers
ACTIVITY4.2.1
Identifyandlistupreferralpartnersthatcanbeofahelpforsignpostingandprogressionin
the job-seeker-centredapproachwith jobseekers. Pleaseaddall thepossiblepartnersyou
canthinkofinthesedifferentsectors:
√PublicandPrivateEmploymentService:
√VETprovider:
√EmploymentPolicyMaker:
√VETPolicyMaker:
√RehabilitationServiceCentre:
√OntheJobTrainingCentre:
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√Other:
Afterdoingtheabovepleasemakesurethatyoucompletethefollowingactivities:
1. Identify contact person for each of the stakeholders together with their email and direct
phonenumber
2.Describewhatkindofsupportyoucangetfromtheabovementionedstakeholder.
Youcananswerthisquestionusingthetablebelow:Type ofstakeholder
Stakeholdersinourarea Contact person andcontactinformation
How thisstakeholdercanhelpyou
PublicEmploymentService:
PrivateEmploymentService:
VETprovider:
Career AdvisingCompany:
EmploymentPolicyMaker:
VETPolicy-maker:
RehabilitationServiceCentre:
On the JobTrainingCentre:
Other:
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Of course the names will be different depending on the country where the research will be
implemented.
So here we just provide some feedback on how to proceed in order to identify these
stakeholders.
• InternetsearchespeciallyforthepublicstakeholderssuchasPublicEmploymentServices
andVET Policy-makers is always a good start.Use your computer,mobile or tablet to
searchonline.
• Networking events including press conferences, closing events of publicly funded
programmes,conferencesetc.arealwaysusefultomeetthecontactsyouneed.
• NetworkingwithotherJobBrokersalsohelps.
• Haveaconversationwithyourcolleaguesandaskfortips
• Haveinmindwhenyouarelistingupthesestakeholdersthattheycanbesituatedboth
Nationwideasinyourlocalsurroundings,haveinmindthebigpicture!
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4.3Categorizedifferenttargetgroupsofjob-seekers/employersandtheirspecificneeds.ItisimportantforJobBrokerstocategorizedifferenttargetgroupsofJob-seekersanditisalso
importanttocategorizedifferenttargetgroupsofEmployers.
Why?
Becausecategorizationhasthefollowingbenefits
1. Easiersearchingforpossiblematching(especiallyifyouaredealingwithvolumesofdata)
2. Easiermatchingbetweenjob-seekerandemployer
3. Moreeffective(anditsavestime)
4. Givesyouamoreclearpictureofthelabourmarket
5. Givesyouamoreclearpictureofdifferentgroupsofjob-seekers
ACTIVITY4.3.1
ItisimportantforJobBrokerstocategorizedifferenttargetgroupsofJob-seekersanditisalso
important to categorize different target groups of Employers. In this exercise you need to
categorize job-seekers andemployers. Keep inmind to comeupwith anypossible category
youthinkof inbothsections,Job-seekersandEmployers. Inadditionit is importantthatyou
identifytheneedsofeachtargetgroupasyoucanseeanexampleofherebelow.
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JobSeekers Needs Employers Needs
YoungJobSeekers ConstructingsectorAge18-24 CarpentersAge25-29 ElectriciansLowEducation PlumbersHighEducation Painters
PossiblecategoriesforJobBrokerare:
• Byage
• Bylevelofeducation
• ByLanguagestheyspeak
• Byskillsandcompetences
• Bytypeofjobtheyarelookingfor
• Bywheretheylive
• Bylongtermvs.shorttermjobseeking
PossiblecategoriesforEmployersare:
• Bysector
• Bysizeofcompany
• Bytypesofopeningstheyhave
• Byemployerbranding
• ByLocalorinternationalcompany
• BycompanywithCSRschemesorcompanywithoutCSRschemes
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ACTIVITY4.3.2
ESCOisamultilingualclassificationsystemforEuropeanskills,competences,qualificationsand
occupations. By providing a common reference terminology, ESCO can enhance theway the
labourmarket functionshelptobuildan integrated labourmarketacrossEuropeandhelpto
bridge the communication gap between theworld of work and theworld of education and
training.
Is your institution/company using the ESCO classification system? If so, when was it
implementedandwhatistheexperienceofthesystemuntilnow?
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GettoknowESCO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnREEetR87s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhtVlnFg9p8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60HlqBe7nlw
Do you think ESCO canhelp your institution/company to fill the skills gap that is emerging in
sectorsashealthcare,ICTandengineering?
Do you think ESCOwill help increasing labourmobility, especially in fieldswithpersistent job
vacanciesandskillsmismatches?
DoyouthinkESCOwillbeanimportanttoolforJobBrokersworkingwithrefugees?
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ACTIVITY4.3.3
EURES, theEuropean JobMobilityPortal iscreatedtohelp jobseekersaroundEurope finding
JobsandtohelpcompaniesaroundEurope findingcandidates. InpracticeEURESprovides its
servicesthroughtheportalandthroughahumannetworkofaround1000EURESadvisersthat
areindailycontactwithjobseekersandemployersacrossEurope.
Isyourinstitution/companyusingtheEURESJobMobilityPortal?
Are you as a Job Broker an active user of EURES in your cooperation with jobseekers and
employers?
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GettoknowEURES:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I_dJdKZCBo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVZkQRk0W24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wBTTP4NuEw
DoyouthinkEUREScanhelp increasing labourmobility,especially infieldswithpersistent job
vacanciesandskillsmismatches?
Doesyourinstitution/companyhaveexperiencewithlabourmobilitythroughEURES?Andifso,
inwhichsectors?
IsthereanyparticularcategoryofJob-seekersusingtheEURESportalmorethanother?
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4.4Developeffectiveprocedures,protocolsandstandardsforallphasesofthe
brokeringprocessincludingfollow-upactivitiesaftertheinitialplacement.
Jobbrokeringisaprocessthatcanbedemonstratedbythediagrambelow
Figure1(above):TheprocessofJobBrokerage
Eachoftheabovemainstagesinvolvesseveralactivities.Stage ActivitiesPrepare for Job
Brokerage
- Prepare the templates you will use for documenting the
informationyoureceivefromthejob-seeker
- Prepareyourself (have therelevantskillsandcompetences to
dothejob)
o Timemanagementskills
o Interviewingskills
o Bodylanguageskills
TheInterview - Introduction
o buildsrapport,credibilityandtrust
o developscommonground
o establishesaworkingrelationship
o clarifiesrespectiverolesandagenda
Prepareforjobbrokerage
TheInterview
Matchingwithaworkplace
Implementtheplacement
Monitoringandsupport
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Stage Activities- InformationCollection
- IdentificationofNeedsandPropositionstomeetthem
o Summarisetheimportantpointsthatthejob-seekerhas
made
o Explainwhatwillhappennext
o Makeproposals(ifpossible)
- ConsolidationandActionPlanning
Note:Thefirstthreepartsoftheprocessaredealtwithinsection4.1
Matching with a
workplace
- Categorizejob-seekers
- Categorizeemployers
- Doallpossiblematching
- Select the most appropriate matching to propose first to
employerandjob-seeker
- GetagreementfrombothJobBrokerandjob-seeker
Implement the
placement
- Implement the placement including any necessary
documentation
- Bethereduringthefirstdayoftheplacement
Monitorandsupport - Measurethesatisfactionofthejob-seeker
- Measurethesatisfactionoftheemployer
- Supportbothintheprocess
Theseactivitieswillbefurtheranalysedthroughthefollowingactivities.
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ACTIVITY4.4.1This activity relates to the first stage of the Job Brokerage process namely: Prepare for JobBrokerage
In this activity you are required to develop a protocol for job-seeker-focused service for Job
Brokers in your organisation. In particular, imagine you have been assigned with the task of
creatingatoolfortakingcasehistoryinterviewsfromyourjob-seekers.Thisisanimportanttask,
because inyourorganisation4JobBrokersareemployed,thus it iscrucialtoensurethatall4
followthesameprocedureinfilingandrecordingcases.Anexampleofacasehistoryisprovided
below:
Thecaseyouwillhavetohandlehasthefollowingcharacteristics:
John is a married man from Cyprus. He has two kids, 11 and 8 years old, a boy and a girl
respectively. John has recently been fired from his previous jobwhere heworked for the last
threeyears.This jobwas inawalkingdistance fromhishome, soheused towalk thereevery
morning.12monthshavepassedsinceandheisstillunemployed.
Inhispreviousjobheusedtobeasalespersonforfurniture.Notrainingwasprovidedto
himwhatsoever by his previous employer, on sales techniques, customer support or anything
else.Neverthelesshe likesthis jobbecausehe likeshumaninteractionandhe likestheproduct
(furniture).Hishobby iswoodworkingandhehassetupasmallwoodworkingworkshop inhis
back yard. During the last six months he did not put any effort in finding a job, nor is he
motivatedoractiveinthisdirection.Hebelievesthathe’stooold,tooincompetentetc.
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TASK1
In the table belowwriteall the information provided in the paragraph about John. In the 1st
column(typeofinformation)youshouldwritegeneraldescriptions,suchas“Gender”,“Previous
experience”,etc.Inthe2ndyoushouldprovideinformationaboutJohn,relevanttoeachtypeof
information. Take care to provide short, coded but recognizable descriptions (e.g. 2 kids,
married,etc.)
Typeofinformation John’ssituation TASK2
§ Identify the relevant and irrelevant information for a Job Broker (markwithü). In other
words,whichoftheinformationrecordedonthepreviousmatrixisusefulforaJobBroker.
Information Relevant Irrelevant Justifyyouranswerhere:
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TASK3
Identifymissinginformation.WhatelsewouldyouwanttoknowaboutJohn?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. TASK4
WhicharethefivemoreimportantpiecesofinformationdoyouthinkyouneedtohaveforaJob
Broker?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. TASK5
Categoriseinthematrixbelow,therelevantinformationyouidentifiedinTASK2intodifferent
categories(e.g.skills,interests,stances,attitudes,needs,etc.)
CATEGORY INFORMATION 1.
2. 1.
2. 1.
2. 1.
2. 1.
2. 1.
2.
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1.2.
TASK1
Information(Typeofinformationinparenthesis):
• male(Gender)
• married(familystatus)
• Cypriot(nationality-culturalbackground)
• twokids(familystatus)
• 11and8yearsold(familystatus)
• aboyandagirl(familystatus)
• fired(occupationalstatus)
• employedforthelast3years(experience)
• walkingdistancefromhishome(itcouldbeneeds,incasehecan’tdrive)
• unemployedfor12months(occupationalstatus)
• salespersonforfurniture(experience)
• Noon-the-jobtraining(qualifications)
• helikeshumaninteraction(stancesandattitudes)
• helikesfurniture(hobbies,interests)
• hishobbyiswoodworking(hobbies,interests)
• hehassetupasmallwoodworkingworkshopinhisbackyard(pastimeactivities)
• Duringthelastsixmonthshedidnotputanyeffortinfindingajob(stancesandattitudes)
• Heisnotmotivatedoractiveinfindingajob(stancesandattitudes)
Compareyouranswerswiththoseprovided.Howmanyaresimilar?Bearinmindthatthereisno
wronganswer.Thisfeedbackisprovidedinordertofacilitatereflectiononyourownanswers.
TASK2
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Allinformationisrelevant
TASK3
Examplesofmissinginformation:
- Qualifications(formal,non-formal,informal)
- Previousexperience(beforethelastjob)
- Age
- Abilitytodrive
- Specialneeds
- Otherinterests
- Needs(financial,personal,etc.)
- Healthissues
TASK4
- Qualifications
- Previousexperience
- Age
- Interests
- Needs
TASK5
Example:
CATEGORY INFORMATION
FAMILY 1. Married
2. 2children
Ingeneral:Theobjectiveof thisexercise is tosensitizeyouonthe fact thatyouneedtohave
specifictemplatestoworkwithtoensurethatyoureceivealltheinformationyouneedforeach
ofyourjob-seekers.Thesetemplateswillensurethatyouwillcollectallnecessaryinformation
youneedtobeeffectiveatyourjob.
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ACTIVITY4.4.2
Task1:Identifyimportantandurgentactivities
The tool shown below is a time management tool that categorises activities according to
importanceandurgency
Urgent NotUrgent
Important Crisis
Projectswithdeadlines
Pressuringproblems
Meeting
Suggestions
Preparationactivities
Preventionactivities
Planningactivities
Buildingrelationships
Entertainment
Empowerment
NotImportant Visitors
Telephonecalls
Somemail
Somemeetings
Social Activities e.g.
weddingsetc.
Details
Junkmail
Generalloosingoftime
‘Escape activities’ e.g. going
tothetoiletormakingcoffee
Thinkabout theactivities that you implementdaily as a JobBroker.Goback to yesterday for
exampleandthinkwhathaveyoudone(itisevenbetterifyouwritedownallyouractivitiesone
day ie keep a log. Then try to classify these activities into important and urgent. Use the
followingdiagrammetorecordthem:
Urgent NotUrgent
Important 1.
2.
1.
2.
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3.
4.
3.
4.
NotImportant 1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ofcourseitwillalldependontheactivitiesyouhaveimplementedbutherearesomeexamples.
• If you have a job-seeker calling you that he or she has been verbally invited to an
interview the day after tomorrow and he or she needs help in preparation for the
interview,thenitisanurgentandimportantactivity.
• Ifyoustartpreparingyourjob-seekersforinterviewsevenbeforetheyhaveanythenthis
isanoturgentandimportantactivity.
• Similarly developing good relationshipswith employers in a not urgent and important
activity
• Havingshortbreaks isanoturgentandnot importantactivity.Similarlygossipingwith
yourcolleaguesattheoffice
• Some visitors thatmay pop in your office without appointment for something that is
urgentbutnot important. itmaybe important for thembutnot foryou(e.g. requiring
favours)
In general: This activity sensitizes you on the importance of time management. Time
managementskillsareimportantforeachJobBroker
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ACTIVITY4.4.3
Prioritisetheabovementionedactivitiesmentioningwhenyoushoulddoeachandhowmuch
timeyoushouldallocateineach
Activities (Right them down
in the order you should
performthem
Here characterize the time you should allocate to each by
mentioning“allocatesignificantamountoftime”or“trytodo
itveryquickly”
1. Allocatesignificantamountoftime
Trytodoitveryquickly
2. Allocatesignificantamountoftime
Trytodoitveryquickly
3. Allocatesignificantamountoftime
Trytodoitveryquickly
4. Allocatesignificantamountoftime
Trytodoitveryquickly
5. Allocatesignificantamountoftime
Trytodoitveryquickly
6. Allocatesignificantamountoftime
Trytodoitveryquickly
7. Allocatesignificantamountoftime
Trytodoitveryquickly
8. Allocatesignificantamountoftime
Trytodoitveryquickly
9. Allocatesignificantamountoftime
Trytodoitveryquickly
10. Allocatesignificantamountoftime
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Activities (Right them down
in the order you should
performthem
Here characterize the time you should allocate to each by
mentioning“allocatesignificantamountoftime”or“trytodo
itveryquickly”
Trytodoitveryquickly
Make sure that you schedule urgent activities first. Then allocate time according to their
importancei.e.importantactivitiesreceivemoretime.
ACTIVITY4.4.4
In this activity you are asked to investigate important activities that the Job Broker may
implementjustaftertheplacement.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Thisentailsidentifyingand
- facilitatingnaturalworkplacesupportsincludingmentoring
- addressingworkincentives
- fosteringrelationshipswithemployers.
Intermsofactivitywecouldsay
1. Ensurethatyouvisittheemployertogetherwiththenewlyhiredjob-seekerduringthe
firstdayoftheplacement.Dotheintroductionsandfacilitatetheicebreaking
2. Provideconstantmentoringtothejob-seekeraddressingworkincentivesandassistingin
solvingproblems
3. Measurethesatisfactionoftheemployer
4. Measurethesatisfactionofthejob-seeker
ACTIVITY4.4.5
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In this activity you are asked to develop procedures and tools concerning stakeholder
satisfaction.
TASK1
Identify the job-seekers (Stakeholder types, e.g. job-seeker, funder, employer etc.) in your
organisationanddecideoncriteriaandindicatorsformeasuring:
-Effectivenessofyourwork(e.g.timeeffectivenessetc.)
-Satisfaction(ofeachtargetgroup)
-Otherdimensions
Then,completethematrixprovidedbelow.Inthefirstcolumnyoushouldwriteyourcriterionor
indicatortype,i.e.theaspectyouwanttomeasure.
Next to that in the column with the a, b, c numbering, you should indicate the specific
measurableelementsthatyouwillmeasureinordertoevaluateyourjob-seekerservice.Nextto
that,youarerequiredtoindicatethestakeholderstypesforwhichitisrelevant.
Also, in the stakeholder type columns, you canwrite indicators, for example if an indicator is
scoreinevaluation,youcanalsoprovidethescoreyouwouldconsideracceptable,etc.Youcan
insertasmanycolumnsasyouneed.
EXAMPLE:
Criteria-indicators Stakeholdertype1 Stakeholdertype2 Stakeholdertype3
CRITER
ION–
INDICA
TOR
1:
Timeeffectiven
ess
a. Averagewaiting time inthe lobbyshould be lessthan20min.
JOB-SEEKERS
Reportingshould neverbe delayedbeyond
FUNDER
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deadlines
Criteria-indicators Stakeholdertype1 Stakeholdertype2 Stakeholdertype3
CRITER
ION–IN
DICA
TOR1:
………………………………………….
.
CRITER
ION–IN
DICA
TOR2:
………………………………………….
.
Theimportantelementofthisexerciseisthatitwillhelpyoutoidentifytheindicatorsbasedonwhichyouwilldoyourself-evaluation
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ACTIVITY4.4.6
Basedonwhataspectsyouidentifiedasimportantinthepreviousactivity,canyoucreatetools
(e.g.questionnaires)thatmeasurejob-seekersatisfaction?Keepinmindthatdependingonthe
numberofyourtargetgroupsidentifiedintheprevioustask,youmightberequiredtodevelop
morethanonetool.
Createonquestionnaireforeachofthestakeholdergroupsyourorganisationworkswith.Each
questionnaireshouldcontainatleast10questions.TheycanbeLikertscales(e.g.choosingfrom
1-5),open-ended,multiplechoiceetc.
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In case you are not familiar with questionnaire development, the guide provided below will
provevaluable.
http://blog.job-seekerheartbeat.com/customer-feedback-questionnaire/
Belowyoucanseesomequestionsthatyoucouldprovidetothejob-seeker: Strongly
disagree1
2
3
4
StronglyAgree5
1. Thejobdescriptionasdescribedduringthe
placement/recruitmentprocesswashonestand
accurate.
2. IfeelthatthequalificationsIhavearesuitableforthe
job
3. Ifeelthatthisjobfitsmydesiresandinspirations
4. Myfinancialneedsaresatisfiedwiththisjob
5. Myotherneeds(social,jobsatisfactionetc)are
satisfiedwiththisjob
6. Overall,Ihavebeengivenenoughtrainingtodomy
jobwell.
7. Ihavereceivedallnecessaryinformation
8. Ifitwiththecultureoftheorganisation
9. Ihavesupportiveco-workers.
10. Ifeelwelcomeandpartoftheteam.
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Stronglydisagree1
2
3
4
StronglyAgree5
11. Iregularlyreceiveusefulfeedbackfrommy
manageraboutmyperformanceandprogress.
12. Mymanagerissupportiveofmydevelopmentand
work.
13. Iunderstandhowmyworkwillbemeasuredor
evaluated.
14. Ihavethetoolsneededtodomyjobwell.
15. Theworkloadrequiredofmeisachievable.
16. Ihaveaclearunderstandingofmyobjectivesand
tasksandwhatIamexpectedtoaccomplish.
17. Iunderstandmyorganization’sgoals.
18. Iunderstandhowmyrolecontributestothe
organization’sgoals.
4.5UtilizerelationshipstostakeholdersandespeciallyotherJobBrokeringprovidersinordertoconcentrateorganisationalresourcesandtodevelopJobBrokeringservicesthatbestservetheneedsofspecifictargetgroups.
WorkingwithotherprovidersisabigpartofthejobofaJobBroker.ExamplesincludePublicand
PrivateEmploymentServices,Vetprovidersetc.Thequalityofworkingrelationsgipsisvitalfor
thesuccessofJobBrokerageservices.
Jobbrokersshould:
• Ensure that theyunderstandandappreciate the roleofother stakeholdersandensure
thattheirownroleisclearlyunderstood
• Demonstratecourtesyandrespectforother’sviewpoints
• Maintainlevelofconfidentiality
• Communicateclearlyandeffectivelyusingverbalandnonverbalcommunication
• recogniseandworkwithlinguistic,socialandculturaldifferences
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• developworkingrelationshipsthatareethical,effectiveandwork-focused.
Asfarasthecommunicationwithjob-seekersisconcernedJobBrokersshould:
• Demonstrateempathy,truthfulnessanddiscretion
• Showrespectandselfdetermination
• Showmotivationtohelp(Iwanttohelp,notIamobligedtohelp)
• Besimpleandbrief.Useeasylanguageandavoidjargon(andspeakthesamelanguage
asthejob-seeker)
• Identifyandworkwithlinguisticandculturaldifferences
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ACTIVITY4.5.1
InyourprofessionasaJobBrokerit is importanttoutilizerelationshipstootherstakeholders
andespeciallyother Jobbrokeringproviders inorder toconcentrateorganizational resources
andtodevelopJobBrokeringservicesthatbestservetheneedsofspecifictargetgroups.
Inthisactivitywewillaskyoutohavealook,holistically,ontheprofessionalenvironmentthat
youareworkinginandpresentanideaofhowtocooperatewithyourcolleaguesinthefield,
i.e.stakeholders,JobBrokeringprovidersandallotherresourcesyoucanthinkofthatcouldbe
ofanyassistanceorbackupinyourproject.
Think out of the box, think out of your comfort zone and give any kind of a professional a
chance, as long as you can foresee his/her part in the puzzle of an effective Job brokering
project.
Think about your categorization before and the needs of the job-seekers andmatch all the
possibleresourcestothat.
Pleasepreparea15minutespresentationaboutyouridea.
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Youwillnotbepresentingyourpresentationforanaudience,butprepareitasifyouwere.Be
creative in your presentation using text, pictures, links and logos that describe best your
professional environment and the recourses that it offers. Keep in mind the big picture and
presentitasyouseeit.Checkthetimelimitsandprepareyourselfbyrecordingthepresentation
live,inyourofficeorathome.
ACTIVITY4.5.2
EffectiveteamworkisanimportantpartofaJobBroker’sprofession.Inthislearningactivity
youneedtowritedownthemainprinciples inorder todeveloprapportwith the job-seeker.
Alsowritedownhowyouwouldintroduceyourselfandtheinterviewprocess.
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Themainprinciplesforbuildingrapportare:
- Observethejob-seeker.Trytounderstandhowtheyarefeeling,Showinterestandlisten
carefully.Communicateyourdesiretohaveahelpful interviewthatwilleventuallylead
thembacktothelabourmarket
- Be open and sincere with the job-seeker. This is also what you expect from them.
Otherwiseyourmotivesmaybequestioned.
- Don’tbejudgemental.Firstimpressionscanbepowerfulbuttherecouldbevalidreasons
why the job-seeker is aggressive,withdrawn, unkempt etc. Your interest should be to
findoutwhythatis,soyoucanbesthelpthatindividualthroughthemanyoptionsopen
toyou.
Hereisanexampleonhowtheinterviewcouldbegin:
HellomynameisAndrewJones.Welcome!Sothisisyourfirstvisithere?Didyoufinduseasily?
Myroleistohelpgetyoubacktowork.Iseethisisthefirsttimeattheoffice;didyouhaveany
problemsit?.....MyroleistohelpyougetbacktoworkandIthinkthisisyourgoaltoo.
So inordertoachieveourcommongoal Ineedyoutoanswersomequestionsaboutyou,your
skills,employmenthistory,whereyouwanttogoetc.Thiswilltakeapproximately30minutes.All
informationisconfidentialandIwilljustuseittohelpyoufindthebestsuitablejobforyou.
ToensurethatIdonotmissanythingimportantIwilltakenotes.Isthatok?
Togetherwewillthenworkonaplantogetyoubacktowork.Howdoyoufeelaboutthat?
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4.6Self-evaluateandreflectabouttheownprofessionalpracticeasameanforcontinuingprofessionaldevelopmentandpsychohygiene.
Theevaluationofselfisanimportantfactorinanystudy.Itisusedforavarietyofpurposesand
helpsanindividualoranentitytoreflectonitsperformancetogaugethestrengthsandworkon
the weaknesses. The situation is the same in the case of Job Brokers. Job brokers need to
identifytheirselfevaluationcriteriaandreflectonthem.Suchcriteriaare:
• Theirabilitytoassistthejob-seekertoenterthelabourmarket
• Thedurationoftheemploymenti.e.aretheresultsshortorlongterm
• Thedegreeofsatisfactionofemployerandjob-seeker
• Thetimeneededforasuccessfulmatching
• ThequalityofthenetworkdevelopedandthedegreeofsupporttheJobBrokerreceives.
• Thequalityofthecommunicationwiththejob-seeker
ACTIVITY4.6.1
Develop a procedure (including a tool, such as a questionnaire) for a Job Broker’s self-
evaluation? Includetheaspectsofa JobBroker’s roleyouconsider important.Pleasedescribe
alsotheprocessyouaregoingtofollowinordertodevelopthisprocedure/protocol.
You are encouraged to do your own research both on a Job Broker’s role and occupational
profile(JobBrokerwebsite)andself-evaluationproceduresandtools.Resourcesthatmighthelp
areincludedbelow:
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/self-evaluation.html
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http://www.hr.virginia.edu/uploads/documents/media/Conducting_a_Self_Evaluation.pdf
http://www.cio.com/article/2386859/careers-staffing/careers-staffing-10-tips-for-making-self-
evaluations-meaningful.html
Whiledevelopingyourprocedure,payspecialattentionto:
-PURPOSE(WHY?)
-POLICY(WHAT?)
-USERINVOLVEMENT(WHO/FORWHOM?)
-CLARITY
-ACCURACYANDCOMPLETENESS
-FEEDBACKANDCONTROL
-MEASURABILITY
Procedureforself-evaluation
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4.7ProgressAssessment–LearningNeedAnalysis
AndnowthatyouhavecompletedtheactivitiesandexercisesinthisChapterandreviewedall
theFeedback,let’sreturntotheLearningNeedsAssessmentthatyoucompletedatthestartof
the Chapter. In the table below, repeat the self-appraisal of your knowledge, skills and
understandinginthisarea.Asbefore,estimateyour‘level’ineachcase.
Reminder of the scale: Using a scale where 1 = poor (development fully needed), 5 =
fair/satisfactory(developmentpartiallyneeded)and10=excellent(nodevelopmentneeded),
estimateyour‘level’ineachcase:
Jobrequirement Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Explain the job-seeker-focused approach in JobBrokerage
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Define and describe pros and cons of a casemanagementapproachvisavisatraditionalone-fits-allapproachinJobBrokerageservices
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Prepare and implement an interview with job-seekers,focusingontheirpeculiarities,needsanddesires, which can help you formulate your job-seeker-focusedapproach
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describetheneedsofaspecificjob-seeker(basedontheresultsoftheinterview)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Prepare and implement an interview withemployers, focusing on their peculiarities, needsand desires, which can help you formulate yourjob-seeker-focusedapproach
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describetheneedsofanemployer(basedontheresultsoftheinterview)
Identify providers of related support services(such as the Public Employment Service, VETProviders,CareerAdvisingCompaniesetc)andallotherpossibleserviceprovidersinyoudistrict.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Jobrequirement Levelofknowledge,skills,experienceor
understanding(asappropriate).
Describethetypeofsupportyouseek fromeachproviderofrelatedsupportservices
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describe different characteristics of jobseekersandemployers
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Identifyways of categorising employers and job-seekers
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describe the main stages of effective JobBrokerage
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Designanddescribetheeffectiveproceduresthatshouldbe inplace fora JobBrokerageservice tobeeffective
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Describe important follow-up activities whichshouldtakeplaceaftertheinitialplacement
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Develop and maintain strong relationships withdifferentstakeholdersthatmaysupportyouintheJobBrokerageservice
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Selfevaluateandreflectonyourownprofessionalservice
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Now,compareyourtwosetsofscores–thoseyoudid‘before’andthoseyoudidafterworking
throughthispartoftheGuide.Whatareyourmainconclusions?
Wouldyousaythat,basedonhavingusedthematerialinthisChapter,youunder-estimatedor
over-estimateyourskills,knowledge,understandingand/orexperiencethefirsttimeyoudid
thisassessment?
So,ifyouscoredsomerequirementslowerafterfinishing–isthatbecauseyourealiseyoustill
haveareastodevelop?
Ifyouscoredsomerequirementshigher–isthisbecauseyoufeelmoreknowledgeableor
confidentaftercompletingtheexercises?
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WouldyousaythattheChapterconfirmedyouroriginalestimates–orwerethereany
surprises?
Canyouidentifyareaswhereyoustillneedtoseekoutfurtherprofessionalsupportor
development?
4.8Conclusionandfurtherreading
In this section various action learning based activities have been provided, along with an
introduction to case management for job-brokers. The most important conclusions of this
chapteraresummarizedbelow:
Casemanagementseekstomakeservicedelivery:
• …Integrated
• …Job-seeker-Centred
• …Coordinated
• …GoalOriented
• …Accountable
• …Flexible
• …Sequenced
• …Cost-Effective
• …Sustained
• …Comprehensive
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Notes
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTANDDISCLAIMER
TheEuropeanCommissionsupportfortheproductionofthispublicationdoesnotconstitutean
endorsementofthecontentswhichreflectstheviewsonlyoftheauthors,andtheCommission
cannotbeheldresponsibleforanyusewhichmaybemadeoftheinformationcontainedtherein.