Placement Services

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Professional job placement services are valuable to any job seeker.  Its purpose is to develop vocational strengths and match them with employment options that are consistent with the job seeker’s interests, skills, abilities, capacities and limitations.  The goal is to foster independence, a positive attitude toward work, and a successful employment outcome.

Job placement requires gathering specific information and assessing the job seeker’s vocational status.  Once information is gathered through the vocational evaluation process and placement is assigned, the job seeker becomes a client – a customer who is informed of the array of programs and services that will offer a tailored approach toward success.

The client receives a variety of resources, including an employment packet.  The packet contains information that focuses on the roles and responsibilities of job placement, career exploration, identifying skills and aptitudes, preparing marketing tools, accessing the labor market, applying for jobs, and interviewing skills and techniques.  Additional resources are available based on client situation.

Throughout the placement process, the client receives individualized job seeking skills training, customized vocational counseling, and job-seeking assignments to complete.  A plan for employment is designed and refined by a qualified placement specialist.

Full cooperation throughout the duration of the job placement process is required.  It is important to understand that placement services complement the client’s independent job seeking activities. A client is expected to spend as much time and effort as he or she did when employed.

To refer an individual for placement, contact Amy at 515-778-0634 or vocresources@gmail.com

 

Placement Services – Timeframe

Timeframe for comprehensive placement is 4 weeks – 6 months (based on available employment opportunities and client cooperation.)  Placement is broken down into 3 phases:  Information Gathering, Accessing the Labor Market and Placement. Other services (eg: Job Seeking Skills Training, Vocational Counseling) are available on an as needed, individualized basis.

Within the first few weeks of placement, the placement specialist may be able to discern if success at obtaining employment is likely or not.  All case activities, research and results of efforts are reported.

Phase I – Information Gathering.

Timeframe:  1 – 3 weeks. The placement specialist can spend from 10-15 hours per week on preliminary processes. The placement client spends as much time as necessary to support this phase.

This phase is time intensive, and involves meeting the client, orientation, paperwork, appraisal of qualifications and transferable skill analysis.   The individual’s skill set is matched with existing employment opportunities.  Resumes are prepared, reference building, information gathering, goal setting, etc.  is performed.

Phase II – Accessing the Labor Market

Timeframe:  Typically starts in the 3^rd week and continues as long as feasible opportunities are identified, up to approximately the 6^th week. The placement specialist averages 5-10 hours per week. The placement client spends as much time as necessary to support this phase.

This phase involves designing a marketing program to assist the client in establishing informational interviews and job interviews.  It involves identifying and contacting employers/businesses in appropriate markets and industries.  It includes evaluating results of interviews to help make decisions and to clarify career choices.

Phase III – Placement.

Timeframe:  Starts at approximately 3 or 4 weeks into the assignment and continues until placement occurs.  The placement specialist averages 1-5 hours a week. The placement client spends as much time as necessary to support this phase.

When the client has sufficient opportunities available and is cooperative with placement procedures, this phase unfolds.  When the client is placed, follow-up occurs at appropriate increments.

If the client is not cooperative or if excessive obstacles do not allow for a successful transition into the workforce, other Vocational Resources Plus, LLC services are available or referrals can be made.

Roles & Responsibilities

Placement Specialist: 

• Helps to coordinate a plan of action towards the goal of employment.  This plan is formed with the client’s interests, needs and background in mind.
• Assists the client in obtaining employment by providing assignments that enhance job seeking activities and by offering feedback regarding the objectives of finding employment.
• Consults employers to match current job openings and potential employment opportunities that are consistent with the client’s background, skills, abilities and aptitudes.
• Provides positive job leads and individualized job-seeking skills training as needed.
• Prioritizes activities towards job placement, reviews the placement status, and updates the plan of action when warranted.
• Works cooperatively and communicates clearly with the client.
• Reports placement activities to all parties involved.