Abstract
BACKGROUND:
People with serious mental illness (SMI) also want a job. Most employers shy away from recruiting staff with an increased risk of absence due to ill health. The Dutch situation may be of interest to other countries because employers are reluctant to hire staff due to the strong legal position of workers. This strong legal position protects workers in case of dismissal. In addition, employers are obliged to maintain salary commitments to workers in case of illness for an extended period of time.
OBJECTIVE:
What are the most effective strategies for employment specialists to use in order to make contact with potential employers? If it works in the Netherlands, we suggest, it will work in other countries as well.
METHODS:
We interviewed successful Dutch employment specialists: individually as well in a focus group. A three-step analysis process inspired by grounded theory was used.
RESULTS:
We describe nine effective strategies for establishing contact with potential employers.
CONCLUSION:
Networking strategies are considered to be the most effective.
Introduction
Only 21% of people in the Netherlands with an SMI 1 have competitive employment (a job paid at the market rate). Many more want to have a job. Besides financial advantages, competitive employment has many benefits, such as, positive effects on treatment outcomes and a stronger sense of connection to society (Drake, Bond & Becker, 2012). But, how does an employment specialist help people with an SMI to get a job? What is the best method for making contact with potential employers? According to the evidence based Individual Placement and Support (IPS), approaching unknown employers is strongly favored: employment specialists build-up this contact step by step and introduce the candidate at a later stage. This is also known as the ‘Three cups of tea’ method (Drake et al., 2012; Swanson & Becker, 2011, 2013; Swanson et al., 2013). As well as this so-called ‘cold’ acquisition, networking strategies are also mentioned in the literature whereby employment specialists make contact with employers through people already known to them (Carlson, Smith & Rapp, 2008; Glover & Frounfelker, 2011; Gowdy, Carlson & Rapp, 2003; Leff et al., 2005; Taylor & Bond, 2014; Whitley, Kostick & Bush, 2010). Taking into consideration the fact that in a recession there are more job seekers than jobs available, which is the most effective method? With employers needing to reduce risks, the opportunities for people with an SMI to gain employment appear minimal.
In these circumstances the Dutch situation may be of interest to other countries for two reasons. Firstly, Dutch employees have a strong legal position making it hard to fire them. Secondly, employers are obliged to maintain salary commitments to workers in case of illness for an extended period of time. This discourages employers from hiring personnel easily, especially when they have a higher perceived risk of absence due to ill health, as is often the case with people with an SMI. Our research question was: According to successful Dutch employment specialists, what are the most effective strategies for making contact with potential employers on behalf of people with an SMI?
Methods
Our research consisted of two rounds: individual interviews with successful Dutch employment specialists were held and a focus group was held with the same employment specialists. This involved five employment specialists who work with people with an SMI. Four employment specialists from adjacent fields of expertise who have been successful with people with other serious disabilities were also involved as a source of inspiration.
Employment specialists for people with an SMI
For this research we chose employment specialists who used IPS and worked with this evidence based model as closely as possible. This meant a focus on rapid placement with a minimum of assessment, training on the job instead of prevocational training, and integration of vocational services with mental health care. The employment specialists found jobs mainly through their own acquisition activities. Michon et al. (2014) indicated that IPS in the Netherlands helped 44% people with an SMI who received IPS-support to get into competitive employment compared to 25% of placements via the usual routes to work. This percentage is the highest yet measured in the Netherlands in regard to people with SMI. These five employment specialists were working for four different mental health organizations spread throughout the country.
Employment specialists for people with other serious disabilities
The additional four employment specialists were working with people who have cognitive disabilities, a hearing or visual impairment, acquired brain impairment or other physical disabilities. People with these disabilities also experience difficulties in fulfilling societal roles (World Health Organization, 2001). These employment specialists were selected for this study based on a placement percentage of a minimum of 44%, as was the case for the professionals working with IPS.
Data collection
The data collection took place in two rounds in 2013. The first round consisted of individual, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews lasting one and a half to two hours. The conversations were recorded on audiotape, written out verbatim and summarized. The employment specialists then received the verbatim account and the summary for control and supplementary information. The second round consisted of a focus group with the same employment specialists. The results of the interviews were presented to the group and the employment specialists were asked to respond. They then received a written account of all the strategies they had mentioned in the first round and were asked to consider which they had found to be most effective. The three employment specialists who could not attend the focus group responded by e-mail.
Analysis
A three-step analysis process inspired by grounded theory (Charmaz, 2006) was used. The first step consisted of analyzing each interview as soon as it had finished and relevant results were included in the subsequent interview. The second step was codifying the verbatim interviews, in which the various strategies for approaching employers were identified. The third and final step took place after the focus group was held, when the strategies were ranked according to the evaluations.
Results
During the individual interviews (in the first round) the employment specialists mentioned 23 strategies that they had found to be effective. In the focus group (in the second round) the nine most effective strategies for contacting potential employers were selected. At least one third of the employment specialists found these strategies to be effective (Table 1). We will describe each strategy separately.
The nine most effective strategies to establish contact with potential employers ranked according to the number of employment specialists (N = 9) who assessed the strategy as being effective
The nine most effective strategies to establish contact with potential employers ranked according to the number of employment specialists (N = 9) who assessed the strategy as being effective
Employers trust fellow employers the most. The employment specialists can approach employers with whom they have already built up a trusting relationship and ask them for a referral to another potential employer they know well. Most employment specialists experience this strategy to be very effective. It also involves relatively little effort.
“You have to let existing employer contacts do your selling for you. Compare it to your brother or sister recommending something to you. This is felt to be more trustworthy than when a recommendation is made by a stranger.”
Via the candidate’s network
The employment specialist and the candidate make an overview of the candidate’s own network. This can include family members, friends and acquaintances, but also former employers and companies where the candidate is a customer. It is advisable to delve deeply because the network is often larger than originally thought. The goal is primarily to tap into the associated networks existing behind each contact. The candidate takes the initiative himself, in person or through social media. When the contact has been made, the employment specialist introduces him or herself. The advantage of this strategy is that the candidate is active in the search and develops the confidence to make the step to employment more easily as he is making contact with someone he already knows.
“This is the ideal way for clients to bridge the gap that they have to accessing the job market. They are stepping into the known.”
Via colleagues
Employment specialists come into contact with new employers via their own colleagues. The advantage is that colleagues are often motivated to help the target group and it takes up relatively little time, as daily contact already exists. The usual approach is to organize a meeting with colleagues where an inventory of business contacts for the target group is made. Meetings like this are sometimes small scale, for instance a lunchtime meeting, but can also be on a larger scale, for instance an evening meeting with a relevant theme. A more formalized approach to contacting employers via colleagues also exists, where colleagues are expected to share their employer contacts at certain fixed times.
“We organized an evening with colleagues asking them: choose two companies where you are well known and accepted and where you could introduce us. That worked very well!”
Via employers’ events
Visiting employers’ events is seen as a chance of contacting a lot of employers in a short period of time in a less formal way. Examples are congresses, markets and symposia, organized by the government or the Chamber of Commerce and networking meetings such as ‘Open Coffee’. The main advantage is that the employers who attend are easily approachable and are usually more open to meeting new people.
“I’m a fan of Open Coffees; they are only frequented by employers who want to network, and it’s cheaper than a network club. They’re very informal. And if it’s not for you, you can just leave.”
Via your personal network
Employment specialists approach their family members, friends and acquaintances for jobs. The personal network is often highly motivated to help the employment specialists. They also approach employers from companies where they themselves are customers. These employers have a relatively high level of willingness to assist because there is often a relationship already built up and the employer is simultaneously establishing client loyalty. Employment specialists regularly approach their personal network in their free time, such as at the children’s soccer club or during private business appointments.
“Then I said to the car salesman: actually I’m quite interested in buying a car, but I would also like to know more about your corporate social responsibility.”
Via a network club
In a network club people with similar intentions and requirements meet regularly. Their goal is usually business related, but they may also have a more general focus on welfare issues. Trust between members develops because of its structural character. This can lead to a willingness on the part of the club members to approach their own contacts on behalf of the employment specialist. Examples of network clubs that have been visited are: referral-network clubs (focused on doing business with each other, such as Business Networking International), regional business organizations (promoting the interests of local businesses, such as Chambers of Commerce) and service clubs (engaging in social action, such as the Rotary Club).
“You build up relationships at a network club because you go there regularly. As a member it’s important to focus on what others need. Then you get the best returns. I place 40% of my case load via my network club, BNI.”
Extending employer contacts
Employment specialists aim to get jobs for a number of candidates in larger organizations consisting of different departments and/or locations. They do this by actively asking the employer about further job opportunities and by referring to policy documents which favor giving people with an occupational disability a chance. Employment specialists can also make specific arrangements such as having vacancies sent through to them or that they are regular personnel providers for a certain part of the company, for example, shelf-stackers in a supermarket.
“I prefer working with large companies. We agreed that they would send us their job vacancies. I find that works better than peddling a candidate’s CV.”
Approaching unknown employers
Some employment specialists preferred to go to an employer without an appointment and ask to speak to the person responsible for hiring personnel. The goal is to have a brief introduction to the employer and to make a follow-up appointment. Employment specialists need to be relaxed in their attitude and behavior. The employment specialist only introduces the candidate after the contact with the employer has developed.
“An introductory phrase I use is: I work as a job coach for ... One of my tasks is to maintain contact with companies so that I can keep my candidates well informed. Can we make a 20-minute appointment so that I can ask you a few questions?”
Via the purchasing department of your own organization
Some employment specialists worked closely with the procurement department of their own organization. Suppliers were asked or even required to create jobs. This is called social return. To get maximum yield from this strategy employment specialists require the inclusion of social return clauses in the tenders, take part in talks between the buyers department and suppliers and make quantifiable agreements with the suppliers.
“We have agreed that contracts with all the suppliers who deliver to the organization include a social return clause. They are required to make two work places available.”
Discussion and conclusions
What are the most effective strategies for employment specialists to use in order to establish contact with potential employers on behalf of people with an SMI? During a recession, employers need to reduce their financial risks, and people with an SMI often have a higher perceived risk of absence due to ill health. Our research was focused on the Netherlands where the employee has a strong legal position, characterized by a high threshold for firing an employee, in combination with the obligation for employers to maintain their salary commitments to employees in case of illness for an extended period of time. If it works in the Netherlands, we suggest, it will work in most other countries.
The successful Dutch employment specialists mentioned nine strategies as being the most effective. Two-thirds of the employment specialists believe that network strategies are more effective than contacting unknown employers. In their experience, employers are more open when contact is made through people already known to them. Prior acquaintance with a contact forms a basis for trust and makes use of the goodwill factor. The positive attitude of the employer can also strengthen the relationship with the person he already knows.
The value given to networking strategies that we found in our research is striking, as literature on SMI employment strategies including IPS, only mention networking strategies indirectly. In the SMI literature priority is given to approaching unknown employers and building-up contact step-by-step and introducing the candidate at a later stage: the ‘Three cups of tea’ method (Drake et al., 2012; Glover & Frounfelker, 2011; Gowdy et al., 2003; Swanson & Becker, 2011; Swanson et al., 2013; Taylor & Bond, 2014; Whitley et al., 2010).
Other literature, apart from the SMI literature, does stress the use of networking strategies to establish contact with employers. Bissonnette (1994) describes different networking strategies that may provide access to as yet unknown possibilities in the job market, the so-called ‘hidden job market’. She advises employment specialists to start with people they know, although she does not emphasize personal recommendation.
The science based Working Relationships (Luecking, Fabian & Tilson, 2004) points this out. According to them, a person who is already known to the employer can build the trust needed to counter stereotypical ideas about a disabled person more quickly; ideas such as reduced productivity, instability and extra costs. Luecking et al. also emphasize the two strategies that were shown to be most effective in our research. According to them ‘via existing employer contacts’ called ‘peer to peer marketing’, is effective because potential employers have most trust in information coming from other employers. They advise organizing group meetings where employers can explain the advantages of employing someone with a disability to each other. ‘Via the candidate’s network’ is, according to Luecking et al., also an essential strategy because people with a disability who make contact themselves build more self-confidence, are less stigmatized, get more job offers, work longer and are better paid. They go a step further than the employment specialists in our research and argue for people with a disability to learn to network themselves (Brown & Konrad, 2001; Fabian, 1999; Fesko & Temelini, 1997; Hagner, 2003; Hoff, Gandolfo, Gold & Jordan, 2000; Luecking & Fabian, 2000; Unger, 2002).
Based on our research we recommend that employment specialists utilize networking strategies, as well as approaching unknown employers. In order to be effective in utilizing networking strategies, employment specialists can follow courses in networking skills such as: marketing, asking for referrals, presenting a clear network pitch, reaching the second and third degree contacts, using social media and acquiring a networking attitude (www.dmmcommunication.nl). These networking skills can then be passed on to the candidates with an SMI to improve their chances of getting a job. The Boston Psychiatric Rehabilitation Approach can be helpful because of its skills training that is as highly individualized as a custom-made suit (Swildens et al., 2011).
Although our findings are, to our knowledge, the first in SMI literature to prioritize strategies for employment specialists to establish contact with potential employers, the data only gives an initial ranking of these strategies. The specific situation in the Netherlands and the small number of those interviewed, limits the scope of our research findings. We suggest, therefore, a follow-up study in another country.
Networking strategies can be seen as a relevant addition to the conventional strategies described in the SMI literature that mainly focus on contacting unknown employers. It helps when employment specialists are personally recommended.
Conflict of interest
None to report.
Footnotes
The term SMI refers to a severe and enduring mental health condition leading to serious restrictions in social/societal functioning and which requires care or treatment (Delespaul et al., 2013).