Employment Specialist

Employment Specialist – MERS / Goodwill Industries

Join our Alton/Cahokia/Bellville Career Center team as an energetic, self‑motivated Employment Specialist. Your mission will be to “Change Lives Through the Power of Work” while embodying our values of diversity, integrity, passion, professionalism, respect, and responsibility.

Required Travel: 25%

Position Type: Hourly Full‑Time

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A high school diploma is required. A bachelor’s degree and experience in social service and/or sales is preferred. Must develop and maintain relationships with area employers, and possess excellent written and verbal communication skills. A driver’s license and current insurance are required.

• Review referral information, establish professional and ethical relationships, perform timely intake interviews, and develop/maintain individual plans for employment with all participants.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with referral sources and provide ongoing communication regarding participant activities.
• Effectively use intake and plan development information, local job market information, and knowledge of community resources to develop potential employer contacts and gain employment opportunities.
• Complete all agency paperwork in a timely manner and maintain confidentiality according to agency guidelines.
• Work with participants to develop job‑seeking skills such as job readiness interviewing, application completion, resume development, and job retention.
• Spend time in the community making employer contacts including cold calls (in person and over the phone), educating on MERS Goodwill programs and services, and following up on those contacts to secure employment opportunities.
• Provide retention services after a participant is placed on the job with a combination of contacts with the employer and the participant, both in person and over the phone.
• Spend a significant amount of time job coaching.
• Provide training to improve participants’ work performance after the employer’s training period has ended; problem‑solving to create accommodations or other ways to address performance issues.

• Individual and family medical benefits for full‑time employees working 30 or more hours per week.
• Individual and family dental and vision benefits on the first of the month following the hire date for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance on the first of the month following the hire date for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 403(B) Retirement on date of hire for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 403(B) Retirement + Employer Match after one year of employment for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 401(A) Retirement on date of hire for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• PTO Accrual up to 15 days based on hours worked.
• Employee store discount.
• Paid holidays.
• Flexible schedules.
• Career growth opportunities.

MERS Goodwill is an equal‑opportunity employer. MERS Goodwill does not discriminate in employment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or any other non‑merit factor.

MERS/ MO Goodwill requires various background and records checks upon employment.