Job Development: A Vital Role in Our Profession

Job development is a distinct and specialized role in the realm of career development. Career professionals who perform the important work of job development have a specific set of qualifications, skills, and qualities. In our current labour market, Job Developers are in high demand and their unique skillset is held in high regard. Read on to learn how job development benefits our communities and why it’s a vital role in the career development profession.

What is Job Development?

Job development is about connecting with employers to place all kinds of people (clients) in new jobs—all kinds of jobs. It’s also about coaching and supporting clients in maintaining positions they already hold. Job development often supports the employment goals of members of our communities who are new to Canada or who have physical and/or developmental challenges.

What Does a Job Developer Do?

There are two key parts to the important work carried out by Job Developers:

1. They work closely with clients to assess skills and abilities necessary to secure and hold meaningful employment.
2. They establish solid and mutually-beneficial relationships with employers to develop suitable work placements and fill job openings.

Job development professionals not only assist individual job seekers and employers, they benefit our communities by developing the workforce potential of a broad spectrum of the local population.

What Skills and Characteristics Should a Job Developer Have?

Successful Job Developers require a wide range of knowledge, skills, and competencies that span:

• Career Development & Employment
• Human Resources & Recruitment
• Sales & Marketing

To be effective in this role, Job Developers must have the competencies that are foundational to all Career Development Professionals (CDPs), and they need additional competencies that enable them to work with employers and other community stakeholders to create employment opportunities for clients.

The Competency Framework for Career Development Professionals offers an extensive list of requisite competencies under the heading “Outreach and Leadership.” Here’s a snapshot of some of the most important attributes Job Developers bring to the role:

• A solid understanding of local labour market needs and trends.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to connect with employers and clients and maintain strong relationships.
• Well-developed collaboration skills to engage with employers and develop win-win job opportunities and placements.
• Knowledge of grant applications and other resources available to employers who create job opportunities for clients.
• Exceptional communication skills; both verbal and written. It’s also beneficial to be a very good listener.
• A natural ability to network and leverage relationships to support clients.
• The ability to develop and implement career marketing strategies with clients.
• Skill in creating job search documents, such as résumés and cover letters.
• Coaching skills to ensure clients’ success in the workplace.
• Strong organizational skills to professionally manage clients’ files and case notes.
• Current knowledge of the legal and ethical implications of job development.

How Does One Become a Job Developer?

Job Developer training can be hard to come by. Many who work in the field now will tell you that they learned “the hard way”— on-the-job—which is not ideal for anyone: employers, clients, or Job Developers.

Career Professionals of Canada can help! If you’re interested in pursuing a rewarding, infinitely interesting role in job development, check out CPC’s new course offering, Job Development for Career Professionals (CAR-102). This comprehensive one-week certificate course will help you fulfill the needs of employers and create successful client outcomes.

This chart provides an overview of the job development process. Each element will be explored in detail during the course.

New CPC courses fill up fast, so register soon to reserve your spot!

Cathy Milton, after a long career in the telecommunications industry, embarked on the path to become a résumé writer. She has been a member of CPC for 10 years now, and has earned the MCRS, MCIS, MCCS, MCES, and MCWS designations. Cathy is a board member of CPC and the association’s Communications Manager. She is an avid sailor, a fairly decent cook, and active “pack member” in her pet menagerie.

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