How to match clients with jobs

Matching clients with jobs that have been identified in partnership with employers brings double benefits - it provides decent jobs and opportunities for progression for clients and provides employers with what they need, improving the chances of them working with you in the future.

The starting point is to consider both the individual and the employer as customers.

Opportunities need to be identified for individual clients in sectors where there are staff and skill shortages…

…but which can be filled by the capabilities of unemployed and priority clients

Key to this developing effective, productive employer relationships

• Identify employers in your local area across a range of sectors and sizes
• Develop relationships with HR staff (if the organisation is of a size to have a dedicated HR resource) or other key staff responsible for recruitment
• Meet with them to find out what they need and use this intelligence to develop a business case for them recruiting from priority client groups. This will include access to a previously untapped pool of recruits, cost-effectiveness and support to retain and develop staff
• An effective mechanism for engaging with employers is through a labour market or employer intermediary within your local area/partnership.

You should think about " working back" from the employer's needs:

• Identify the employer's need and business objectives
• What is the specific vacancy and the person specification this requires?
• What training and support package is required to match the person to the post?
• Identify the potential clients who, with training and support, could meet the employer's requirements

Obtain regular feedback from employers about the process and their recruits. Remember that this might not always be positive so remain open to flexibility and trying new things to fix problems which emerge.