#New job site reaches out to underserved job seekers

When a financial crisis hit Lebanon in the Middle East in December 2019, former East Village resident Roy Baladi felt a personal connection.

As a native Lebanese who moved to the US when he was 17, the 37-year-old decided to make a tangible difference. So last March, while working for enterprise recruiting platform company SmartRecruiters, he created an online employment search site, Jobs for Lebanon.

As the Lebanese started to successfully find employment through it, Baladi decided he wanted to expand the vision.

The result is Jobs for Humanity, an innovative Web site that aims to ignite a global employment movement for six underserved communities: black leaders, the blind, single moms, refugees, citizens returning from incarceration, and the neurodivergent [such as those on the spectrum with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and more].

Launching on March 22, the worldwide site’s goal is to “create a community of people who help one another get jobs all around the world,” said Baladi. “Einstein was on the spectrum, Richard Branson is dyslexic, Barack Obama was raised by a single mom,” said Baladi.

“The people who have known pain are the ones who transformed the world. If we’re able to create access to them, then the world is shifting into a much better place.”

The site is free for companies and candidates. Once job seekers have applied, a team screens candidates, presenting the Top 3 resumes to employers for each role. Current listings include positions for a content writer at Booking.com, a paralegal at NielsenIQ, and a data scientist at Spectrum in Stamford, Conn.

Baladi invites people to “apply to jobs, post jobs, and to volunteer with us,” since the operation is currently 90 percent volunteer-operated. More than half of their team comes from the causes they support, with the goal of having a company with a core team that gets paid.

Jobs for Humanity’s expert-led team will also conduct sensitivity training for employers to allow them to extend their diversity and inclusion. This training, which is currently free, is “the secret sauce to connect the two,” said Baladi.

“A frequently asked question from the employer is, ‘What jobs should I publish for the blind? If I interview a blind candidate, can I send a follow-up e-mail and are they able to read it?’ Blind people have assisted technologies to read screens, but employers don’t know that, so we’re bridging the gap.”

Securing any needed accommodations is also key to ensuring success on the job. “It’s important for job seekers to know they have access to meaningful jobs,” said Sally Rumble of Fort Greene, head of community and marketing at Jobs for Humanity.

“There’s been a wall up in the way that we treat those who are ‘different’ because we don’t have the understanding. It’s not going to happen overnight, but change is coming. Employers are having internal conversations about diversity and inclusion and belonging.”

Alicia Roebuck of West Philadelphia, senior manager of North American talent acquisition at NielsenIQ, said, “It’s exciting — diversity and inclusion is part of the fabric of our organization. We have existing employee resources that allow us to tap into various communities, so this is an extension of that. Inclusion is not just a one-off training; it’s an ongoing activity. It’s our privilege to continue to move toward inclusion across all backgrounds.”

Local initiatives aim to level the playing field

Unfortunately, many with viable talent are currently on the bench. According to the Department of Labor, in 2020, only 17.9 percent of people with a disability are employed.

This untapped talent pool encompasses people eager and ready to work, like Ryan Lowry, a 20-year-old student with autism whose heartfelt cover letter on LinkedIn went viral.

There are NYC organizations aiming to redress that.

Martha Jackson, assistant commissioner of employment and business development at the Mayor’s Office for People With Disabilities, points to their site, NYC: ATWORK, which connects job seekers with disabilities to open positions.

“The roster of talent is remarkable — it’s the largest untapped talent pipeline not just in the city, but also in the US,” said Jackson. “We empower individuals to get jobs that they have the ability, skills and goals for. Businesses say, ‘We don’t know where to get the talent.’ But, we do.”

Job seekers outline career goals with a relationship manager through resume sessions, interviews and workshops with topics such as how to present yourself virtually to time management. AHRC New York City also offers employment services for New Yorkers with disabilities. Their outreach ranges from job coaching to interview prep to job shadowing.

Shauna Lozada, director of corporate partnerships and business development at AHRC New York City, builds relationships with employers — often, applicants don’t go through the traditional interview process.

“We apply together,” Lozada said. Job seekers work with a coach which includes job shadowing for a few weeks after the job begins. “If the job is at McDonald’s, the job coach wears a uniform and integrates with the work site. If McDonald’s said, ‘We need you to stock 20 boxes by noon,’ the job coach helps that person come up with a strategy on how to do that.”

Job Path also helps New Yorkers with disabilities find jobs, connecting participants to trained staff. Often, they’ll create a visual resume of photos or videos showcasing the candidate’s skills.

“It’s a video of someone making a smoothie, but watching how they cut fruit can be embedded into that visual resume,” said Fredda Rosen, executive director of Job Path.

Job Path works alongside the person for at least two weeks after starting the new position.“Every time someone gets a job, it’s a celebration,” said Rosen.

“Work means so much to all of us. People with developmental disabilities often don’t have the opportunity to interact, but in the workplace, everyone’s on the same team.”