Ebony Marshall
As a child with an independent streak in a large family that moved often, Ebony Marshall has struggled with her self-identity. It fueled her work ethic in the classroom and…
How We Support Job Seekers
When you become a Cincinnati Works Member, you will be assigned a coach who will help you address whatever career challenges you are facing, connecting you to resources across the community and introducing you to new opportunities.
Our coaches are experienced, compassionate professionals who have helped thousands of your neighbors identify their strengths and goals while honing the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.
Our coaches can help you:
- Assess your strengths, weaknesses, ambitions, challenges
- Address challenges, connect with additional services, assess progress, plan next steps
- Determine your goals and develop a plan with practical steps to reach them
Your Journey With Us
For most job seekers, the Cincinnati Works journey begins with a three-day JumpStart workshop, where you learn employer expectations, define your professional strengths, then practice presenting those strengths during mock interviews.
In addition to working with your designated coach, you will work with a staffing specialist who will match you with appropriate job openings. Our staffing specialists are in regular contact with our Employer Partners, so they know what those employers are looking for and how you might fit. We also have a bank of computers available for Members to use at no cost when searching or applying for jobs, along with a staff member who will assist you with online applications.
Once you have found a job, our focus shifts to helping you maintain it while preparing for a career. For some Members, that means help with transportation or childcare issues. For others, it means connecting with legal resources or a financial coach. Your Cincinnati Works coach will stay in contact with you and your employer, and you may choose to participate in Advance You, a program specifically designed to provide the skills and support you need to advance to a better-paying job.
Regardless of how long you stay in a job or how much money you make, you will remain a Cincinnati Works Member for life.
Access to Jobs
While your Cincinnati Works coach is helping you lay the foundation of a career, our employment team is paving the road for your job search.
We have partnerships with more than 75 local employers who actively engage our Members throughout the year, including some who conduct job interviews in our offices. In addition, we have dedicated staffing specialists in each office who keep tabs on job openings throughout the region, so they can match our Members with appropriate opportunities.
Anyone with an internet connection and an e-mail address can apply for dozens of jobs in a day. Your partners at Cincinnati Works connect you to trustworthy organizations that offer stable jobs that fit your skills and priorities.
Our employer partners include a wide range of local, regional and national companies in a variety of industries, including:
And dozens more
Supporting Life Challenges
Our Members face challenges that go much deeper than writing a resume or finding a job posting. For some, unreliable transportation limits their options before they even begin searching for work. For others, expensive childcare or lingering legal troubles dictate where and when they can work.
They need more than a pat on the back and a link to a job board.
At Cincinnati Works, our coaches are trained professionals with years of experience connecting individuals to services that can help. In addition to one-on-one career coaching, we provide:
- Transportation assistance
- Behavioral health counseling
- Budgeting, tax prep and credit repair
- Legal advocacy
- Chaplain services
We recognize that the more stable you feel in your life, the easier it will be to find and retain a meaningful job. We will be your partner on this journey.
Making Your Money Work for You
For every basic, human need, financial planning has become an essential survival tool. Does your budget cover food and rent? Do you have good credit to purchase a car or a home? Proper insurance and enough savings to afford a medical emergency? Education? Retirement?
No matter how much money you earn, you can make it go further with proper planning and an understanding of our financial system. If your goal is to work your way from poverty to self-sufficiency, financial literacy is a vital (and realistic) step.
Cincinnati Works has full-time financial coaches who provide a range of FREE financial services to our Members, including:
- Budgeting
- Savings and checking accounts
- Understanding and building credit
- Resolving debt
- Preparing taxes
- Accessing loans
Success Stories
Testimonials
“Cincinnati Works helped me figure out me. They gave me the courage to reach for something that I thought was out of my element. Without them I would have never been able to do it.”
– Melanie, CW Member
“Today, I am a driven young woman who works hard, has a wonderful job that will lead into a career, and is now a college graduate. If someone would have asked me four years ago if I could imagine myself being the woman I am today, I do not think I would have answered positively.”
– Jariah, CW Member
“Cincinnati Works changed my life. They helped me get my life back.”
– Glen, CW Member / Phoenix Program
“I know that when I interview a Cincinnati Works Member for one of our positions, he or she will shine above the rest of the candidates. They will come to the interview polished with an outstanding resume and prepared to answer interview questions. I take great pride in hiring Cincinnati Works Members.”
– Lydia, HR manager for a CW Employer Partner
“The rest of the HR team and I are grateful that we have someone to act as an advocate for our employees outside of us. This is a community resource that makes a difference in the lives of both us as employers and our employees.”
– Yvette, HR manager for a CW Employer Partner
“Having the support of Cincinnati Works has allowed me to be the woman and mother I was called to be. The poverty ends in my generation.”
– April, CW Member
“They allowed me to have some stability and get some confidence in myself and allow me to be a productive citizen in this city that I took so much from, and now I can give back. Cincinnati Works is needed in this community.”
– Ronnell, CW Member / Phoenix Program
“Holistically, whole-heartedly, when you’re with Cincinnati Works, they are working with you to have a better life.”
– Ebony, CW Member
“She pushed me. No, she shoved me. I never had the courage to overcome something like that. Everything I do now, I think, ‘What would she do? What would she tell me?’”
– Yolanda, CW Member speaking about her CW coach
“I cannot say enough good things about your organization. Many community organizations talk a good game, but Cincinnati Works ‘walks the walk.’”