From experienced EDC team 
What works in employer development
What helps with consumers

With the employer……………...

• Research company prior to visit
• Network with Chambers
• Don’t “sell” somone on initial visit. Just get to know employer
• Develop relationship with new employer contacts
• Assess employer reactions on your first visit….perceptions about what you share
• Identify services they need that we have
• Get in the back door (Chamber, SHRM, 1-Stops, and ERA, etc.) in a non-threatening setting (luncheon, committee work, etc.)
• Get to know E.S. folks
• Don’t visit companies if you don’t think you have anyone for them
• 'Business After Hours” w/ Chamber is good
• Get published info from the Chamber & call companies mentioned in newsletter
• Send REALLY qualified people when you start new emp. Relationship
• Use staffing companies
• Follow-up with employers regularly
• Sometimes….go door-to-door w/ specific consumer in mind if they’re job ready
• Use Flipdog.com & other internet sites to find employers to visit
• Use ACINS system to I.D. potential employers
• Get comfortable with employer terminology 
• Don’t use rehab terminology
• Team up w/ exp.EDC to learn their styles
• Go see the jobs…..do plant or company tours
• Use/work with local resource people
• Explain to employers that “rehab” is not drugs in our case
• Give employers simple overviews of the types of disabilities we work with.

• Thoroughly know your consumers
• Not everything about them is in the file
• Take the comprehensive work history being taught 
• I.D. and summarize their marketable skills
• Account for all your consumer’s “time” in resume. Get the good, the bad and the ugly this way. No blanks on resume
• Use skill words to describe consumers on resumes, fact sheets & interview prep
• Check out where consumers used to work
• Do reference checks the “VR way”
• Verify resume data
• References for consumers are important. Check them out.
• Spend time getting a good job match.
• Consumer driven J.D.is good with a job ready person & when little or no accommodations are needed
• Bringing up the issue of disability is different everywhere you go
• If disability is visible & accommodations are needed, discuss.
• If not, don’t dwell on it with employer
• For consumers who get own job (after you’ve assisted w/ job readiness), do NOT go to their employment site if they’ve not disclosed disability
• Give higher functioning consumers things to do in job seeking
• Help consumers see benefit of going to work….this varies with each consumer.