Effective Job Development: Strategies for Working with the Chronically Unemployed

Transitional jobs (TJ) programs provide experience, skill building, and earned income to chronically unemployed job seekers with the goal of helping them secure permanent, quality employment in the competitive labor market. Job development, or the process of helping to identify, cultivate, and match job opportunities for subsidized workers to transition into the unsubsidized labor market, is a core component of the TJ strategy. This brief draws from available research, program evaluation findings, and input from experts in the field to offer promising strategies to improve job development success. We encourage employment program providers, administrators, planners, and other workforce development stakeholders to use this brief to help plan and implement an effective job development strategy and better engage with employers.