By Cicci Nord FIEP
For 8 years, I worked as a Chief Operating Officer (COO) where I led 40 employees to 72% in results. I specialize in motivation (Master in Neuropsychology) and have developed a working model. The coaches I have hired, trained, and worked with over the past 15 years work in accordance with this model. Now, I train coaches at other suppliers and municipalities.
My conclusions of how we can achieve sustainable solutions, I draw from a project I led for 3 years; the results of the BIP study[1]; and a presentation from The Swedish Business and Industry Association regarding motivation/commitment.
I am fascinated by politicians and authorities, who claim that work trials and education are the primary solutions to unemployment. Nothing bad about either, but I experience that working with motivation and networks, are closer to employers’ demands.
Numbers presented by The Swedish Business and Industry Association in May, show that employers claim that 57% of the applicants lack motivation for the position they have applied for. I am amazed that our sector does not work more pronounced with motivation.
[1] Beskæftigelses Indikator Projektet (BIP) is nationally (Denmark) and internationally the most comprehensive progression measurement study to date, that has investigated what actually makes individuals with complex needs get into work. BIP has investigated the relationship between selected employability indicators and the probability of getting a job.
BIP is a collaborative project that has involved both practitioners and researchers. The BIP study identified eleven indicators and carried out systematic measurements for progression for employability. The indicators measure different dimensions of being employable, from labour market-oriented conditions to more social, personal and health conditions.
For 3 years, I was the project manager for a project where we interviewed more than 5,000 employers. That study is 10 years old, but I do not feel that employers’ attitudes have changed significantly since then.
Projekt Växla [Change/Switch]
Within the Project, a model for contacting employers was developed. The participants contacted all local companies with the support of a coach. A survey was conducted according to a set questionnaire, which was documented for each employer. The survey was mainly conducted by telephone, but also via physical meetings.
The main purpose of the survey was to find out whether the employers were facing recruitment in the short or the long term, and/or had the opportunity to offer work trials. If this was the case, the employer was offered further help.
The project was carried out from 2010 to 2013. Each participant was assigned for 4 months. If one was employed, a new one came in, the project had 25-38 participants continuously. The first year, the project was aimed at participants who were 55+. The last 2 years, the participants were young people with financial help from the social services. We were 2.5 coaches to run the project.
Objectives
• That the participants focus their search on a limited number of industries
• That participants through the project find suitable places for work trials, and/or through increased understanding and knowledge of selected industries can focus their job search
• Shortening lead times for filling vacancies
• Map the future need for recruitment in the region
• De-dramatize employer contacts for the participants and contribute to better understanding the employer’s perspective, hence be able to streamline their job search
• Provide individual support in the employer contacts for greater success in the job search
• The focus was to find different ways to find jobs by mapping the market and learn how to present their skills.
The first part of the project was devoted to map the competence of each participant, oral and written presentation, and introduction to the methodology of the project. This included developing skills in employer contacts i.e. interviews, meetings, telephone and e-mail contact.
The individual support consisted of mapping the competence according to a model we had developed for evaluating the participants’ skills. The model had been validated and approved by the Swedish Public Employment Service. Throughout their time with us, the participants had meetings with a coach who adapted the pace to each individual, and actively made sure they were strengthened from a recruitment perspective.
When the participants were considered ready by the coach, the role as a recruiter was assumed. They called companies in search of hidden jobs and work trials, and reported on a daily basis. The interviews were conducted with questions developed for the project. The first 1-2 months, all time was spent contacting companies according to a list, not industry specific.
More than 5000 companies were contacted and almost 1000 ‘hidden’ positions were received. First, we matched these jobs with the participants. Since we talked to the employers “before the advertisement”, the requirements were much lower than the wish lists that are otherwise published. In direct contact with the companies, it was mainly about the fact that they needed someone who was interested and could be trained.
The rest of the jobs we found were handled in cooperation with the Swedish Public Employment Service. Many were thus employed early in the project. The remaining participants began to gradually process their own lists of companies, focusing on their industry. In the final phase, they devoted themselves entirely to their own search.
It was remarkable that only 5% of employers were interested in a work trial.
The participants had the opportunity to accompany a coach on company visits for further inventory in regards of the received recruitment assignments. This strengthened the participants’ image of the labor market, provided an employer perspective, strengthened the participants’ ability to communicate with employers, and gave a realistic picture of what is actually done in the various workplaces.
When we calculated the project cost against the social benefit, the project paid for itself after 0.1 years. During the years the project was running, 56% of the participants got a job during the enrolment period of 4 months.
Analysis
Experience has taught me that the 1000 hidden positions the project found, is a significant number through recession, boom and the pandemic; about 15-20% of companies can and want to hire when the right person shows up.
One of the questions asked, according to our script, was how to find new staff when you (the company) need them. Less than 15% (13%) answered that they turn to the Swedish Public Employment Service. Instead, they use various forms of networks and spontaneous applications that have been received. A small proportion (6%) used recruitment agencies or staffing agencies.[DI1] [CN2]
Regarding advertising positions versus the participants finding employment, the findings are contradictory. It is undeniably the most common way for applicants to apply for jobs. Stating that about 20% of the positions are advertised gives us an interesting equation – about 80% (my estimate) of the applicants apply for 20% of the jobs.
It is just as remarkable that my co-workers and I often receive participants who ask us to arrange a work trial, since only 5% of the companies were open for it. The reason participants ask us is either due to a lack of self-confidence/knowledge of their market or at the request of SPES.
I advocate a shorter work trial to get over the worst uncertainty for both participants and employers. Such an assessment rarely takes more than two weeks. A work trial must always have a stated purpose about the objectives.
When it comes to visiting companies, it is surprisingly often that job seekers have an unreasonable picture of what they actually do at a workplace that they claim to be interested in. There is a huge lack of knowledge about how many positions there are in, i.e. a hotel, a hospital, or a government agency.
Helping participants to visit companies, helps them get a realistic picture and de-dramatizes the meeting with employers. Not least, it also gives an employer the opportunity to assess interest, knowledge and establish a picture of the applicant. People hire people and that chemistry should not be underestimated.
Motivation
The model I have developed over the past 15 years has led to an increased proportion (23%) of sustainable employments at the companies in the sector that have adopted it. The model includes practical tools for implementing all 11 keys that the BIP study found.
These tools are based entirely on that you first and foremost work with motivating the participant. It may take a long time, but once you have found it, completed presentation material, and worked out a network, the participant goes to employment shortly.
This requires close cooperation with potential employers in order for the applicant to become aware of the future position, and the conditions for it. I’m not saying that it is easy, I’m saying that it is possible to work systematically in this way.
One success factor, and a key factor in the model of the Project, is to focus on a few industries. Many job seekers say they can work with anything. They can’t and they won’t. The more we focus on the participant’s goals, the more we can target the search and facilitate communication with employers.
This also makes the search process more fun for the participant, and quickly leads to a better response than they receive by searching indiscriminately on ads. No employer hires to be nice, everyone wants someone who can and wants to carry out their tasks. The participant must be able to express this clearly.
Conclusion
My conclusion regarding what companies actually want in their applicants, is drawn from the analysis of the Project, the results of the BIP study for sustainable solutions, and the presentation that The Swedish Business and Industry Association made regarding motivation and commitment.
What employers are looking for is a candidate who WANTS to work at their company, CAN carry out their tasks and are INTERESTED in the work. If you are interested, you can learn almost anything, but you cannot learn to be nice and fit into a team. Nor can you learn to become interested through coercive measures.
Working with motivation should be encouraged among both job coaches and employers – then we create sustainable employment and well-being employees together.
