Collecting Information from Employers

Collecting information from employers involves gathering essential details about their workforce needs, hiring challenges, and partnership interests. This is a foundational step to develop tailored workforce development services and ensure alignment with employer goals. Effective information collection supports workforce professionals in guiding employers to relevant resources and ensures informed responses to workforce demands.

Key Points of Alignment

Many workforce organizations in Chicago utilize structured methods for collecting employer information. Here are shared practices among organizations consulted:

  1. Employer Interest Forms on Websites: Several organizations offer online interest forms, enabling employers to self-initiate contact. This structured method ensures that workforce professionals capture core information to allocate inquiries effectively.

    • Typical questions include:

      • What are your primary hiring needs or challenges?

      • Are there any positions you’ve had difficulty filling?

      • What specific skills and qualifications do you prioritize?

      • Are there specific industries or sectors you are focusing on?

  2. Direct Outreach and Relationship Building: Teams dedicated to employer engagement (e.g., National Able Network’s Business Services Team) often conduct initial outreach to understand employers’ needs, establishing rapport through personalized engagement.

Unique Approaches by Organizations

  • National Able Network: National Able collects data during initial conversations, focusing on workforce needs, skills demand, future workforce planning, and training interests. They prioritize a strengths-based approach to highlight shared values without an overly preachy tone. Read more here.

  • E&ES: Uses a simplified website form to collect basic employer needs (e.g., contact information and primary needs), followed by personalized assignment to team members for further relationship-building efforts. Read more here.

  • ScaleLIT: ScaleLIT, through the Level Up campaign, collects employer inquiries via an online form which feeds into an Airtable system. This allows for streamlined assignment and tracking, as referrals are systematically directed to business service teams across various AJCs (American Job Centers) and partner organizations. Read more here.

  • Chicago DFSS: Primarily gathers employer information through email referrals from city entities and maintains basic records in their ECM database, while delegating detailed employer engagement to partner agencies. Read more here.

  • Cook County Bureau of Economic Development: Collects information through multiple channels including website inquiries and referrals, and uses the Rise Kit platform to track employer engagement and outcomes. Read more here.

  • Cara Collective: Employs a research-driven approach focused on understanding company prospects before initial meetings, emphasizing finding personal connections and aligning organizational missions and values. Read more here.