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Temporary Placement Agencies May Be A Great Start |
By:
Jessie Geralds |
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Through the years as a social worker I have worked with many people that need to find employment. Some of them have been unemployed for long periods of time because they have mental health issues. They become too anxious in a job setting, or cannot get along well with the other employees. Being unemployed keeps them on welfare. The welfare payments hardly cover their living expenses. Being poor makes them feel worse about themselves and so they are even less likely to find a job. It is a vicious cycle.
I began networking with different employers in the area to see if they would give some of the workers a chance. Most employers did not want to take on the responsibility of training in a person with mental health needs. I contacted the temporary placement agencies in the area and asked if they would be willing to help with job placements. Two of the temporary placement agencies were willing to screen candidates for jobs. They said that they would put them through a job interview and find out what skills they have. In talking with the temporary job placement agencies I realized that this may be a great alternative for my clients. They would be able to try out a job to see if they like the duties and the employer would not be obligated to hire them if they did not perform well. Also for some of the clients going from placement to placement would help them avoid having to maintain relationships with co-workers.
I made arrangements for four of the highest functioning clients I have to go to the temporary placement agencies for the interviews. All four handled the interview process quite well. One was placed in a grocery store to fill in for a worker that was out on medical leave. One person was placed in the mail room of a large company. They were filling in for a woman that was home on a maternity leave. For her it was the ideal job because she was to sort the mail that came in from the post office in a large container. She sorted the mail by departments in the company and then by individuals in each department. It was a job that she could do in a room by herself. She did not have to be concerned about interacting with anyone else. She has been the most successful because the woman that was out on maternity leave decided not to return to the position. My client was offered the job on a permanent basis. Her self esteem is raising and she is developing a relationship with one of the women she works with.
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article51197.html |
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