1) I have worked with 3 different contractors (agencies.) In all of them one thing was common: Numbers!!! Everyday, we’d been pushed to reach our number goals. Job seekers were numbers! Jobs were numbers! Placements were numbers! Our performances were numbers! This emphasis on numbers was not the fault of the centers themselves though. At the end of the fiscal year all contractors were evaluated by their numbers for placements.
2) Because of the focus on numbers, quality was shadowed by quantity. I don't want to say nobody really cared much about the happiness of a job seeker or the employer, of course it was a concern and that's why retention departments were there but as soon as we made the placement the jobseeker became a “number'" even though in most cases those jobs were temporary or the candidate wasn’t staying there long for some reason. In the end, we could use that placement as one plus number.
3) We were re-cycling the same candidates over and over again. I’ve had clients coming to the center for 5 years or even longer (how can I forget Salih, I met with him in three WF1 locations during those years.) Half of the clients were somehow the same people who used the center repeatedly. The centers needed new faces but hardly any new candidates knocked the doors. So many other people (New Yorkers) are not even aware of this wonderful free service.
4) Likewise, the system had the same employers as job providers. There was a need to reach out to a wider range of employers. The centers were so focused on numbers that we didn’t have much time for marketing.
5) I think these type of services are out of date. Numbers don’t work anymore. Quality should be the key target. Educating the job seeker on how to look for a job rather than keep referring them to similar jobs is more important. Don’t give them the fish, teach them how to fish. We are living in a tech savvy environment. I've had candidates who doesn't know how to use a computer, even how to use a cell phone in a reasonable capasity at least for texting.
(Me with a job seeker after a successful placement as a school bus driver.)
My humble suggestion is to turn these centers to "Career Empowerment Centers" such as job seeker and employer education / training hubs and let them find each other themselves. Therefore contractors (agencies) can focus on quality rather than the quantity. And both parties (job seekers and employers) learn how to reach their hiring / placement / career goals independently.
Every candidate and employer can have a point system regarding their performance and the centers can be evaluated by this point system (every successful attemp by the jobseekers and employers could be one additional point.)
Those centers should be “guidance” centers (mentorship) not the “placement“ centers itself. Then the whole system will not turn to become “numbers centers” although there is a training department in all of them but they are not as functional as they should be because at the end they can’t reflect numbers.
Thank you.
Esra Oziskender
[email protected]
(Andrew Kertezs, RIP)
Tribute to Andy: We've lost our dear ex-colleague and friend Andy (Andrew Kertezs) to Coronavirus. He was such a legend in our Career Development / Business Development business in NYC. He was a mentor and a good friend to many. You will be missed and remembered dearly Andy, may your soul rest in peace.
Very well said, thanks for bringing up this issue into consideration. Something has to change.
It's a pity that government funds are not utilized in full capacity due to performance issues of contractors because they have to compete each year. Your suggestion for point system, indtead of the numbers of placements should be taken into consideration seriously.
Hele hele yabancilarin yurt disinda is bulmalari kolay deyil. Professionell kisilerin yardimi gerekli. Burda Esra hanim bence en yeteneklisi ve insan iliskileri en kuvvetli Türk bayani.Hepinize kolay gelsin.
This article emphasizes on the importance of taking care of applicants in the municipal employment agencies in a way that involves investing in training and helping them one-on-one will lead to more positive outcomes than just finding jobs for them.
Great idea, and federal COVID funds can be used fir centers just like this
Very helpful, thanx:)
Extremely valuable feedback! NYC's local administrators who are in charge of Job placement programs should read this article carefully and make use of the valid points that are mentioned in this article so that programs like workforce1 can be more efficient/useful for all parties involved.
Great article.
It was nice to read.
Transparent and good article.
Transparent and good article.
Transparent and good article.
Hi. Great piece. Very factual, articulate and well written. Great job!!! That sucks about Andy May he Rest in Peace! That was very thoughtful that you added him in there.