Resources
Job opportunity resources for general public and for agencies.
Job opportunity resources for general public and for agencies.
Starting your recruitment effort does not have to be overwhelming. Here are a few tips and resources on getting started. Job seekers use multiple sources during a job search; therefore, there is not one best source or strategy. Remember, no step is too small in your efforts to build a diverse workforce at your agency.
The State of Minnesota has partnered with two of the Twin Cities premier youth employment programs - Right Track (St. Paul) and STEP-UP Achieve (Minneapolis) - to further our efforts in developing a pipeline of diverse talent to meet our future workforce needs.
Right Track and STEP-UP Achieve recruit, train, and place over 700 talented, low-income youth each year with top local companies and public agencies. These opportunities help our local youth explore diverse career interests, gain valuable skills, make professional connections, and prepare them for meaningful careers. The deadline to participate as an employer for the summer is April of each year. Visit the programs' websites for exact deadlines.
Make a pledge to hire one or more youth this summer through Right Track and/or STEP-UP Achieve. Together, we can be part of building the next generation of talented and dedicated state employees!
Intern and student worker opportunities are a great way to develop the next generation of State employees. These opportunities provide students with invaluable on-the-job experience while introducing them to state government and the diverse career opportunities we offer.
In order to be hired for an intern appointment, students must be receiving academic credit for the experience from their school. Student worker appointments are open to secondary or post-secondary students. Unlike intern appointments, students do not have to be receiving academic credit, but you must maintain their student status.
Minnesota State Diversity and Inclusion
Resources used by Minnesota State's Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Minnesota Association of College and Employers (MN ACE)
Join this group to meet and network with college career counselors. This group brings together educational and employment representatives who are involved in career development and employment of college students.
GoldPASS - University of Minnesota
This free site allows you to post jobs, internships, and volunteer listings for any U of M student or alumnus to access.
Local Resources
System of Technology to Achieve Results (STAR Program) STAR is Minnesota’s federally-funded Assistive Technology Act program for people of all ages with disabilities. We are part of the Department of Administration’s Community Services Division.Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS)
VRS empowers Minnesotans with disabilities to achieve their goals for employment, independent living, and community integration. Through their employer service, they offer customized employment services including help finding qualified candidates, access to pre-screened applicants, assistance throughout the recruitment and hiring process, help retaining diverse candidates, and training on disability related topics.
State Services for the Blind (SSB)
SSB is a division of DEED which provides services to individuals who are blind, visually impaired, or DeafBlind to live and work as independently as possible. SSB also works with employers to match workforce needs with qualified graduates from their program and screen candidates at your worksite. Additionally, they can provide assistance with retaining staff that may be experiencing vision loss. SSB's placement services are at no cost to the employer.
Talent Acquisition Portal (TAP)
TAP is an online system that includes both a national talent pool of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) candidates looking for employment and a job posting system for businesses looking to hire individuals with disabilities. Through the system, agencies can posting positions, search candidate resumes based on skill sets and geographic availability, capture job metrics, generate compliance reports, interview candidates, host online job fairs, and reach a wide group of job seekers.
ACCESS Press - Minnesota's Disability Community News Source
ACCESS Press's mission is to promote the social inclusion and legal rights of people with disabilities by providing a forum for news, features, opinions, and conversation to benefit people who are often invisible and marginalized in mainstream society. Issues include current news and discussion related to disability issues in the community, a calendar of events, and a directory of disability organizations. Employment ads may be placed in ACCESS Press for a fee.
National Resources
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
ASAN provides consulting services to assist companies and agencies with including autistic individuals in diversity employment programs and providing workplace accommodations.
DisABLEDperson
DisABLEDperson is a nonprofit public foundation that provides an online employment recruitment service for individuals and veterans with disabilities. They work closely with employers to make their job openings available to individuals with disabilities, and with disability rights organizations and State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies from across the country. Employers and individuals create an online account to post jobs and to search for current job openings.
Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN)
EARN provides free technical assistance to employers seeking to recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities.
National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
The mission of the NFB is the complete integration of the blind into society including the workforce. One way of doing this is by providing employers access to resources and information such as lists of Braille resources and the latest assistive technologies, and offering Web accessibility certifications.
National Organization on Disability (NOD)
NOD provides technical assistance and can help federal contractors with setting utilization goals, collecting data, and reaching out to sourcing agencies and disability service providers. Its subject matter experts, with knowledge acquired through the Bridges to Business initiative and other programs, possess considerable experience and expertise in employer disability processes and procedures, among other things, and can help employers change processes for the entire employment life cycle.
National Telecommuting Institute, Inc. (NTI)
NTI has a technology assisted method of finding job applicants with disabilities for federal contractors and other companies seeking qualified workers. According to NTI, it has used this technique for six years to fill jobs for companies and federal agencies who want to find qualified home-based individuals with disabilities for virtual customer service jobs. They are expanding the use of this method to filling traditional on-site jobs. Partnering with major staffing agencies, federal contractors and Fortune 500 companies, NTI's "The Staffing Connection" program places Americans with disabilities in on-site positions. NTI has access to the national database of 11.5 million Americans receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Office of Disability Employment Policy's (ODEP) Employment First Program
The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.
Ticket to Work Employment Networks
The Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work program supports career development for people with disabilities who want to work. This program, through Employment Network (EN) providers and State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, coordinates and provides appropriate services to help social security beneficiaries find and maintain employment. These services may be training, career counseling, vocational rehabilitation, job placement, and ongoing support services necessary to achieve a work goal.
Workforce Recruitment Program
The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP) is a free resource through which private businesses and federal agencies nationwide can identify qualified temporary and permanent candidates from a variety of professional fields. Applicants are highly motivated post-secondary students and recent graduates eager to prove their abilities in the workforce.
Minnesotaworks.net
Minnesotaworks.net is an online database with job listings statewide. When you post a position on their website, be sure to label them veteran-friendly.
Veterans Employment Services, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
DEED's Veterans Employment Services is available to veterans seeking employment and businesses interested in hiring veterans. Contact a Veterans Employment Representative and let them know you are interesting in hiring a veteran. Also, view their Hire a Veteran in Three Easy Steps page on the DEED website for more information.
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon supports Minnesota service members and their families before, during, and after deployment with community support, training, services, and resources. Learn more by visiting their website and ask how you can help.
National Resources
American Job Center Website
The American Job Center connects businesses to individuals seeking employment through local American Job Centers. As an employer you can post jobs in the Veterans Job Bank, the central source for identifying Veteran-committed employment opportunities and helping employers hire qualified Veterans, as well as connect with your local labor exchange and state job bank to reach job seekers locally and around the country.
The State of Minnesota has a recruitment advertising contract with Graystone Group Advertising. Graystone will not charge a fee to assist you in posting your jobs with a variety of media (print, online, etc.). So, we encourage you to take advantage of their services!
The State Recruiters Meeting is a great opportunity for State of Minnesota agencies, colleges, and universities to communicate, cooperate, and collaborate on best practices in recruitment. Previous meeting agenda items have included veteran recruitment, diversity awareness, social networking, the new careers website, collecting and analyzing data, marketing and branding, upcoming job fairs, and more.
Meetings: Bimonthly meetings on the third Tuesday of the month.
To subscribe to the State Recruiters Email Listserv, email your name, title, and agency to Nickyia Cogshell, Interim Statewide Director of Recruitment, Retention, and Affirmative Action, at Nickyia.cogshell@state.mn.us. You will receive a confirmation email once you have been added.
The purpose of ACCESS is to create and maintain a statewide diversity/affirmative action system designed to ensure that diversity, equal opportunity, and affirmative action best practices are designed and implemented to achieve the goal of attracting, recruiting, hiring, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce that is truly representative of Minnesota's diversity.
In light of this purpose and working to make the state an employer of first choice, we pledge that:
To subscribe to the ACCESS Email Listserv, email your name, title, and agency to State Director for Equal Opportunity, ADA, Diversity, and Inclusion. You will receive a confirmation email once you have been added.
Meetings: ACCESS will meet Bi-monthly beginning January 2020. Look for meeting invites to your email once you have subscribed the ACCESS email list.
Agenda items may be presented for information/education, for solicitation of member input or advice, for recommendation, or for decision. The recorded agenda will indicate the purpose of each item. ACCESS members are responsible for ensuring their attendance or conveying their input via a substitute attendee or other means. It is understood by all members that agreements will be made by those members (or designated substitutes) in attendance.