Employment Specialist

Qualifications

• A High School Diploma is required. Bachelor's degree and experience in social services and/or sales is preferred.
• Requires ability to work well with people, to develop and maintain relationships with area employers.
• Must have excellent written/verbal communication skills.
• A driver's license and current insurance is required.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities

• Review referral information, establish professional and ethical relationships, perform timely intake interviews, and develop/maintain individual plan for employment with all participants.
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with referral sources and provides ongoing communication regarding participant activities.
• Effectively use intake and plan development information, local job market information, and knowledge of community resources to develop potential employer contacts and gain employment opportunities.
• Complete all agency paperwork in a timely manner and maintain confidentiality according to agency guidelines.
• Works with participants to develop job seeking skills such as job readiness interviewing, application completion, resume development, and job retention.
• Spends time in the community making employer contacts including cold calls (in person and over the phone), educating on MERS Goodwill programs and services, and following up on those contacts to secure employment opportunities.
• Provides retention services after a participant is placed on the job with a combination of contacts with the employer and the participant, both in person and over the phone.
• Providing training to improve participants' work performance after the employer's training period has ended; problem-solving to create accommodations or other ways to address performance issues

Benefits

• Immediate date of hire individual and family medical benefits for full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week.
• Individual and family dental and vision benefits on the first of the month following the hire date for employees working 20 or more hours week.
• Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance on the first of the month following the hire date for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 403(B) Retirement on date of hire for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 403(B) Retirement + Employer Match after one year of employment for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 401(A) Retirement on date of hire for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• PTO Accrual up to 15 days based on hours worked.
• Employee store discount
• Paid holidays
• Flexible Schedules
• Career Growth Opportunities