By Matthew Silverstein, NENA Board Member

Director of Public Affairs, America Works of New York, Inc.

One of the main priorities of the Ticket to Work Program is to ensure that the beneficiaries we assist actually get a good paying job. Unless beneficiaries are going back to work, the Ticket to Work Program nationally will not be a success. I have worked for America Works of New York and have worked in the Ticket to Work Program for nearly 18 years. I wanted to share some tools that have worked for us.

One of the most important jobs at America Works are our Sales Representatives. We hire staff members whose sole work responsibility is to go out into the employment world and find companies who are hiring whether that’s locally or nationally. These Sales Representatives develop direct relationships with employers. They learn what the employer is looking for in a candidate and how to speed up the process of getting hired. Over the past 40 years, America Works has become a brand name in the employment world and companies reach out to us directly when they are looking to hire.

Another powerful tool in the job search process is the use of social media. Social media websites such as Facebook, X (formally twitter), and Linked In can be very useful when looking for a job. On Facebook, I use the search bar and I type in the city I am searching a job for and there is always a group on Facebook where people post job opportunities all day long. I often copy the postings and share them with my staff and our beneficiaries.

Specific websites have also become very useful for searching for jobs for our beneficiaries - Craigslist, Rat Race Rebellion, the National Labor Exchange and Direct Employers Association have become our go to websites when helping our clients search for their desired job. If I can ever be of assistance to you and or your employment network please reach out to me at (212)599-5627 X.154 or email me at msilverstein@americaworks.com