The Business of Job Development: A Demand-Driven Approach

1. The Business of Job Development: A Demand-Driven Approach Minnesota Community Corrections Association July 8, 2008

2. Today’s PresentationThe Business Relationship: What You Need to Know • Begin With the End in Mind • Relationship Essentials • Deliver to the Relationship • General Courtesies • Business Basics • Customer Relationship Management

3. About ESI Employer Solutions, Inc. Workforce Intermediary Services

4. Employer Solutions, Inc. Business Model • Demand-Driven: meet employers’ workforce needs. • Increase employment opportunities for non-traditional labor force. • Assist in the development of demand-driven policy, training and programs. • Increase the capacity of public and non-profit service providers to be more effective with business customers. • Credible business model: results-oriented / measurable results. • Independent non-profit; fee-based income only.

5. Employer Solutions, Inc.Working Both Sides of the Employment Equation • THE EMPLOYER SIDE • Talent Management: enhance productivity while investing in their greatest asset – their employees. • Employee Engagement: help companies achieve exceptional results by connecting employees’ personal goals to corporate performance. • Organizational Effectiveness: results and satisfied employees through well designed organizational policies and practices. • Consulting public and non-profits on becoming demand-driven

6. Employer Solutions, Inc.Working Both Sides Of The Employment Equation THE EMPLOYEE SIDE Address skills gaps between business needs and the non-traditional workforce through: • Customized Job Training • Workforce Development Initiatives • Training Non-Traditional Workers • Training Public and Non-Profit Service Providers

7. EMPLOYER SOLUTIONS, INC.WORKFORCE INTERMEDIARY SERVICES • Bring the workforce development perspective to economic and business development. • Bring shared perspectives to elected officials and policy makers to serve the needs of business and increase employment opportunities for non-traditional workers. • Consult and train public and non-profit workforce development service providers to become more effective in meeting employers’ hiring needs.

8. ESI Model For Corrections Employer Solutions, Inc. Workforce Intermediary Services

9. ESI Model for Corrections • Identify regional economic development plans and priorities. • Identify community development plans and priorities. • Identify business workforce demand. • Craft these demand messages. • Bring demand messages to corrections. • Assist corrections to develop more demand-driven policies, training and programming.

10. What We Know…Business Messages to Corrections: • Build business relationships • Importance of interviewing and soft skills • Marketing/communication • Tell success stories • Understand us, and operate like a business

11. What We Know…Corrections Messages to Business: • Amount and quality of education, training and work experience in facilities. • Skill levels and experience of ex-offenders. • Collateral sanctions. • Job analysis. • Legislative pressure.

12. What Else Do We Need To Know? • Where are workforce needs the greatest? • What are the growing industries, those with entry-level jobs? • Occupations, jobs, skills, requirements, attributes of successful performers. • What does corrections need to do to produce viable, competitive job candidates?

13. What Do We Need To Do?Turn Our Thinking Upside Down! • Don’t push supply; Deliver to Demand! • Become more effective with business customers by operating more like a business person. • Think of the business as the customer. • What is the benefit to the business in hiring this person? Bottom Line! • Develop business relationships.

14. The Business Relationship:What You Need to Know • What do you want to accomplish? • How will you know if you’ve succeeded? • For yourself. • For employers. • For defendants/offenders.

15. The Business Relationship: What You Need to Know • Begin With the End in Mind • Relationship Essentials • Deliver to the Relationship • General Courtesies • Business Basics • Customer Relationship Management

16. The Business Relationship: Begin with the End in Mind • Employer Customer Satisfaction: • Promise what you can deliver, deliver what you promise. • They must feel their needs were understood and addressed. • You are a valued resource. • Seamless services/combined resources/project management. • On-Going Relationship: • Repeat business. • Referrals. • You are their “go-to” person. • Long-Term Employment for Your Client (Job Retention). • Your Personal and Professional Satisfaction.

17. Business Relationship Essentials • Believe in yourself & your value to business. • You are the product, the solution. • The relationship meets the needs. • Be responsive and follow through. • Act with honesty, integrity, and authenticity. • Commit to producing results for the business. • Deliver to the relationship. • Become their ‘go-to’ person.

18. Business Relationship Essentials • Build trust. • It’s not that they are ‘felon-friendly,’ it’s that they have had good experiences! It’s that they trust someone! • Earn and maintain their trust. • Send only job ready, qualified, good candidates. • It’s not job placement. It’s meeting a business need and developing a business relationship. • Do it right the first time; avoid ‘the wince’!

19. Business Relationship Essentials • IT’S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE • PEOPLE ARE ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS • RELATIONSHIPS ARE ABOUT COMMUNICATION • COMMUNICATION IS ABOUT TRUST

20. Deliver to the Relationship • Listen more than you talk. • Focus on deliverables and results. • Never over-promise and under-deliver. • Remember, it’s not job placement. It’s meeting a business need and delivering to a business relationship. • Admit mistakes, make it right. • Be proactive, check in, avoid undetected dissatisfaction.

21. Deliver to the Relationship • Ask how you’re doing. • Ask if deliverables are bringing value. • Follow through – Always. Every time. • Deliver to the relationship, the rest is just doing it, and making it work.

22. The Business Relationship: General Courtesies • Know the employer’s needs. • Know your offerings and value proposition. • Know what you want to accomplish. • Match your style to the business - their language. • Always know what you want. • Be certain you are speaking to the right person.

23. The Business Relationship: General Courtesies • Know how much time you need, ask for it, do not exceed it. • Make yourself available at their convenience. • Listen more then you talk. • Ask questions - Say “thank you.” • Respect their position – listen, learn, respond.

24. Business Basics • Preparation • Message • Initial Meeting • Project Management • Customer Relationship Management

25. Their sales collateral Web site Annual reports Media coverage D & B Journals Google Peers, partners, specialists Call and ask Business Basics: PreparationResearch The Company

26. Lines of business Products and services History Organizational structure Key players Number of employees Current/future workforce needs Market, customers Competition Industry trends Business Basics: PreparationResearch The Company

27. Business Basics: Message • Speak to WIIFM, value to the business. • Differentiation - Value of doing business with you. • Basics on offerings – How you can meet their needs. • State it simply; be brief. • Business terms, avoid jargon – Use their language! • Versions for voicemail, phone contact, and initial meeting.

28. Business Basics: Initial Meeting • Remember! • Begin with the end in mind • Relationship essentials • Deliver to the relationship • General courtesies • Business basics • Know, and show you know. • Know what you don’t know. • Basic outline–Listen and follow their lead.

29. Business Basics: Project Management (The project is the relationship) • Clarity • Delivery • Oversight • Measurement/Reporting

30. Take notes. Recap agreements during negotiations. Define the project clearly. Purpose Interventions Accountabilities Timeline Result measures Reporting Assign tasks clearly. Up-front agreements Clear requirements Clear accountabilities Clear measures Business Basics: Project ManagementClarity

31. Business Basics: Project Management Delivery • What? • How? • Who? • When? • Measurement? • Reporting?

32. Business Basics: Project Management Oversight • On-going contact with employer. • On-going contact with vendors. • Never assume; ask. • Be proactive, stay ahead of timelines. • Mid-course corrections. Make them! • Coordinate, orchestrate, communicate.

33. Business Basics: Project Management Measurement/Reporting • Gather data on an on-going basis. • Use as a tool to stay on track. • Use as a tool to identify problems. • Use as a communication tool. • Don’t wait until the end! • Report on time.

34. Customer Relationship Management IT’S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE. PEOPLE ARE ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. RELATIONSHIPS ARE ABOUT COMMUNICATION. COMMUNICATAION IS ABOUT TRUST. • Deliver • Live the relationship • Honesty, integrity, authenticity • Admit mistakes • Ask if you are delivering value • Regular check-in • Other light touches • Communication

35. Next Steps: Take Action! • Do your homework; Identify demand. • Decide where to target your efforts. • Low hanging fruit vs. ripening fruit. • Develop demand-driven methods. • Practice. • Make new business relationships. • Collaborate and Advocate. • Keep it alive. Talk about it!

36. Questions?

37. Contact Information Janet Ludden, CEO Employer Solutions, Inc. (651) 917-4204 jludden@employersolutions.net