Third Branch eNews

The Wisconsin court system’s Office of Management Services has launched a new recruiting and job resources effort in the Madison area through a partnership with the Madison Public Library.

Human Resources Officer Melissa Bohse was selected to coordinate the Job Resources Volunteer Program and assistance is provided by Human Resources Specialist Emily Boehlke. This program works with the under-employed population by providing services such as tips for job searches, resume development, cover letter assistance, how to apply for a job, tips and tricks to get your recruitment materials noticed, mock interviews, and matching people with skill development programs that meet their job needs. The program offers one-on-one coaching appointments. Sessions are held the third Thursday of the month from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Central Library. This program is 100 percent volunteer-based and without cost to the Wisconsin Court System.

The main goal for this program is to provide a benefit to the community. However, the Court System has a unique opportunity to benefit from this partnership in a few important ways. First, this program will provide additional exposure to the court system by allowing access to a wider range of recruiting resources and labor data and statistics.

During the last two years, the court system has experienced a 40 percent increase in vacancies needing to be filled. The Court System’s recruiting efforts reach a wide audience through the WCS website, WISC.Jobs.com, Indeed, Handshake (electronic college job boards), SuccessWorks (UW system job assistance), LinkedIn, and Symplicity (connecting us with law students and alumni). However, new contacts, new tools, and additional information will help with these efforts.

This program also allows the court system to create an internal mentoring and coaching program. Employees with a background in human resources or payroll and benefits administration will be invited to volunteer to help build skills in the areas mentioned above. This will serve as a great skill- and resume-builder. After some initial mentoring, employees will be able to conduct these voluntary appointments solo. All mentoring through this program will be strictly voluntary.

The Job Resources Volunteer Program is commonly used by individuals formerly incarcerated and looking to reenter the workforce. Not all of the employee sources mentioned in this article will lead to placements within the Court System organization, but, it allows employees of the Court System to give back to the community and help individuals impacted by the justice system to get the resources they need to reenter the workforce.