Employment Specialist

New Jersey Reentry; Kearny (NJ); On-site; USD 45,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The New Jersey Reentry Corporation is seeking an Employment Specialist to help facilitate job opportunities for program participants. This role involves mentoring, coaching, and assisting individuals through the job search process while building relationships with employers. The ideal candidate should have experience in human resources or social work, strong communication skills, and a commitment to professional development.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in HR, talent, or social work.
• Strong database and computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Mentoring and assisting job seekers through the employment process.
• Building relationships with job providers and participants.
• Managing records on participant progress.

Skills

Communication

Mentorship

Organizational Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Advocacy

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

LinkedIn

Job description

Position Summary:

The New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC), which includes the Governor's Reentry Training & Employment Center, seeks dedicated and interested applicants for an Employment Specialist to join us.

The team member will be responsible for developing meaningful engagements with program participants, job seekers, employment partners, and the community. This engagement will include current program participants and follow-up and retention support for placed candidates.

Your Goal:Help facilitate employment opportunities for program participants and build on the mission of providing job training, skills, and positions for those needing them; invest in and help set our participants up for long-term success.

Key Responsibilities (including, but not limited to):

• Mentoring, working alongside, and partnering with program participants
• Assist with the job search and play matchmaker between positions and participants
• Goal setting and readiness assessments, conduct mock interviews and preparation, serve as a partner with participants, and help identify person-specific opportunities, serve as a coach through difficult moments during the application process
• Assisting participants with the job search, applying online, interviewing techniques (including in-person presentation skills and virtual/e-interviewing)
• Job interviewing preparation and process, both general, industry, and job-specific. You will hold our individuals' hands as they go through this process and ensure they feel high-touch support along the way.
• Resume-building techniques - both industry and job-specific
• Cover letter building techniques - both industry and job-specific
• Relationship building, both with program participants and with job providers and organizations.
• Navigating and utilizing LinkedIn and Google for participant job search and application process - how to build a profile, search opportunities, and craft professional and public-facing narratives for their success.
• General administrative and project management tasks as assigned by the team - we want someone who is a "roll up your sleeves" and "no task is too big or small" mentality. Assisting with reports, drafting/editing, and other ad hoc needs, as needed.

How You Will Do It:

• Meet regularly with an assigned caseload of job seekers to deliver one-on-one mentoring, coaching, and assistance with the full lifecycle of job seeking to employment (resumes, interviews, coaching, employment gaps, skills branding/marketing, job search difficulties).
• Interact in person, virtually, and by email with Program directors, Case Specialists, Hiring managers, and other reentry staff and management to learn about applicants' holistic needs and specific intricacies (avoiding a one-size-fits-all mentality) and bring them to employment.
• Manage and hold up-to-date records on participant efforts, progress, and development needs
• Participate in staff and team meetings as assigned

Your Qualifications and Background

• Bachelor's Degree highly preferred, but not required
• 3+ years of experience working in human resources, talent, advocacy, social work/community relations, or a nonprofit organization environment
• Strong database and computer, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Commitment to professionalism, respect, mentorship, advocacy, collaboration, mission, and a desire to contribute to a greater good
• Commitment to professional development, mentorship, collaboration, and confidentiality
• Excellent writing and communication skills and the ability, as a champion for the individual and your cases, to work with diverse stakeholders
• Ability to serve as a representative for applicants and work through difficult situations; someone who doesn't give up easily
• Organizational and multi-tasking skills; ability to prioritize assignments and meet goals and deadlines

Nice to Haves

• Someone who is tech savvy and who knows professional and job-seeking platforms like LinkedIn
• Passion for the mission of NJRC, criminal justice/social reform, and nonprofit work
• Multilingual (English + Spanish, etc.)

Starting salary is $45,000. Negotiable

Business formal attire for an interview at NJRC is strongly recommended.