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I know in previous discussions with a couple of providers it is
always how do we get through the door to connect with an HR professional
to sell ourselves as our, why we are in the business and that we really
do have really great candidates and how do we get in the door.
Well I have to tell you, I was telling Larry, I have been in my company
for ten years. I have not been contacted by any company to pitch,
not pitch but say look I have got this wonderful individual
I think this might be a good match. You will today.
That is going change. But how do you know, how do you know what
kind of company? Where do you find them?
You don’t really go through the yellow pages, you have to figure out,
you know, who is a viable employer that might be entertaining this.
I think it is building relationships, it is networking, it is understanding,
okay, pick up the phone say, you know, this is my understanding
thank you for your time, what is your philosophy around this?
You know, what kind of jobs do you have? Just start building
that relationship, you don’t want to be a stalker right?
Because we get calls all day long from agencies for placements,
you know, direct hires, you know, staffing agencies around town.
There is a difference between being respectful and building a
network and being somebody who is really pushing hard.
I think they have to open the door by a relationship first
instead of saying I got this individual I think he is,
you have to do this. I think there is some balance,
kind of like dating right? That is great advice.
We are always interested in opening the doors for people.
But it is funny, nobody has really, I didn’t really realize
how many agencies and advocates there are out there.
Do your homework on the website, try to not just
go in it blind, although what is your company do?
I don’t have a lot of time. So make yourself knowledgeable
about what it is that we do. It would impress me personally
if someone actually cared to not push a lot information on me
but ask me if you have ever worked with individuals with disabilities?
Of course, the answer is going to be yes. But open that door.
I believe that conversation in a flexible environment,
face to face would be fantastic. Because I am a face to face type of person.
But I also recognize that everybody is extremely busy
and that can be a crutch for not opening up the door and just calling.
I am the chairwoman of the Making Strides for Breast Cancer
and we do the walk every year and this is my
first year being one of the tri-chairs. I am so amazed by that if you just call a
company and ask you can literally get amazing things
above and beyond what you were hoping for. I think
it is just picking up that phone, figuring out okay
what kind of organizations might fit into this model
and then really going for it. I think it is professional,
you have to be very professional as well, understanding of their time. Don’t just
start here with your pitch. You know, ask that I could set up some time
even if it is an email to follow up with some information.
But those are some things that would impress me.
But yeah if you ask, I hate to say it, but Kevin Costner
said if you build it they will come. But just ask.
That was great advice and that was a great question.
How do you see yourself as an HR person being able
to spread the word to your profession about this.
Is there something that you feel that you could do?
Would you be willing to, you know, give us some blurbs for
printed brochures, or your recommendations of someone who we could talk to.
One of the chapters of the Southern Maine HR SHRM
has an actual working group that is working on people
with disabilities to try to get more knowledge about that.
So that might be another vehicle for someone to, you know,
be a guest speaker on that panel because that is what we are working on.
Those are some ideas. I think educate employers, maybe through postcards or, you know, hey
check out this website that you guys just launched.
Do you have any questions about, you know, how to accommodate.
Those types of things where, you have to do the research on your own.
I didn’t really know where to go for all of that research.
Now Google is my friend, but I think that you don’t
know what you don’t know. So I think it is more maybe
the chapter would be very welcoming to them I am sure.
So, you know, Vanessa I could work with you on trying
to connect this organization to that organization. There are a lot of advocates out there.