You’ve got to be able to stand your ground as an employment consultant, Lisa says.
When you’re advocating and representing job seekers who live with disability or who have come to you for employment support, you need strong conviction and enthusiasm.
“Our participants have barriers, so you’re helping in all aspects of, not just their employment, but their journey to employment” Lisa said.
“You have to be very determined in yourself.”
When job seekers reach out to APM Employment Services, they can feel vulnerable or need help to get direction in their lives.
An employment consultant is the person who can help them identify their needs and their goals, who knows where and how they can make a start towards their goals.
And it can absolutely be learned, if you seek to know more about how you can help people.
You need determination to educate yourself and the persistence to get tasks done and do what you say you will do, according to Lisa.
“It’s learned behaviour. You need to be able to demonstrate and show that you’re going to put your money where your mouth is.”
Part of the challenge and reward of her role as an employment consultant is engaging with a wide variety of people nearly every day, including employers.
“You’ve got to be able to go into an employer and stand your ground” Lisa said.
“And with 100% confidence, let them know your participant is the participant for them, they’re the person for the job, no questions asked.”
As she has learned what she needs to know on her journey as an employment consultant, she has benefitted from the support from APM and her colleagues.
“APM’s got your back to step up and try help in any way that you can, we’ve got a great management team” Lisa said.
She has developed an immense pride in her work and sees the positive impacts it has.
“Super proud of what I do. You really go home and feel like you’ve done something, you’ve made a change in someone’s life, and if you’ve done it right, they make a change in yours too.”