Overview
By combining relationship-building skills with structured job search support, employment service staff can offer help that is practical, personalised and responsive. This helps build confidence, encourages jobseeker involvement and supports progress toward meaningful, long-term employment.
These skills also foster working relationships based on mutual accountability, where both the person and the employment service provider share responsibility for agreed actions and outcomes.2
Key strategies for success
- Trust is the basis of a good partnership. When jobseekers trust employment service professionals, they are more open, honest and willing to try new steps toward work.
- Empathy helps employment service professionals understand what the person is feeling, what they have been through and the risks they feel exposed to. This makes them feel supported and respected.
- Ongoing engagement means maintaining consistent communication and support and adjusting plans as a person’s individual circumstances change or challenges emerge. It also means helping with everyday barriers, managing the intake process well and supporting motivation over time. 3