Affiliations: Iowa CEO Corporate Initiative, 257 HS, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1011, USA | Wisconsin Department of Development, 828 W. National Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, 53204, USA | Possabilities of Southern Minnesota, 2118 Campus Dr. SE, Rochester, MN 55904, USA | Anixter Center, Chicago, IL 60067-4799, USA | Division of Curriculum and Instruction, N270 LC, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Note: [] This project as supported by The Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services, The Illinois University Affiliated Program in Developmental Disabilities and grant H128B10004 from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Rehabilitation Services Administration to the Iowa Department of Human Services. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the authors and no official endorsement by the funding sources should be inferred.
Abstract: The purposes of this study were to: (1) document and compare the effectiveness of two business/sales oriented job development models in supported employment, the Cold Call and Referral Models; and (2) determine preliminary job development activity standards that could be used to gauge areas of job development strength and weakness and pinpoint improvement strategies. The results indicated that the Referral Model, in which employers were contacted through third-part advocates, was found to be superior to the Cold Call Model, in which job developers contacted employers directly. Specifically: (a) fewer business contacts were required to obtain a yes decision through referrals; and (b) the referral process resulted in a higher percentage of employers that continued to work with job developers across each subsequent step in the job development process. Practitioner implications were addressed in light of these findings. Future research needs also were discussed.
