What Is a Barrier to Employment?
If you’re looking for work and finding the process difficult, there may be a barrier getting in the way. A barrier to employment is anything that can make it more difficult to prepare for, find or keep a job. And barriers can look different for everyone.
Someone might have limited work experience or be unsure how to create a résumé. Someone else might find interviews challenging, need accommodations because of a disability or have been away from the workforce for a long time. Sometimes the biggest barrier is simply not knowing where to start.
What Can a Barrier to Employment Look Like?
Barriers to employment can include:
- Limited work experience
- Difficulty creating a résumé or completing job applications
- Feeling unsure or uncomfortable during interviews
- Not knowing what type of work matches your skills and interests
- A disability or need for workplace accommodations
- Being away from employment for a period of time
- Difficulty understanding workplace expectations
- Needing additional support to learn or succeed in a new role
Having a barrier to employment doesn’t mean you can’t work. It simply means there may be something making your path to employment more challenging, and some additional support could help.
How KW Career Compass Can Help
KW Career Compass works with adults in Waterloo Region who experience barriers to employment. Employment support isn’t about deciding what job someone should have. It starts with getting to know the person: their strengths, interests, experiences and goals.
Depending on where someone is in their employment journey, support may include:
- Building job-readiness skills
- Preparing a résumé and cover letter
- Practising for interviews
- Exploring employment opportunities
- Connecting with employers
- Preparing to start a new job
Job coaching and on-the-job support may also be available depending on the person’s needs, eligibility and current program capacity.
Building Skills Before the Job Search
Sometimes the first step isn’t applying for a job. KW Career Compass offers job-readiness opportunities, including LEG Up! to Work, for adults 18+ who experience barriers to employment. Participants have opportunities to build practical employment skills, including résumé and cover letter development, interview practice, workplace expectations, receiving feedback and understanding their own skills and strengths.
The goal is to help people feel more prepared and confident as they take their next step toward employment.
Working With Employers, Too
Removing barriers to employment isn’t only the responsibility of job seekers. KW Career Compass also works with employers to help create employment relationships that work for both the employee and the employer. That can include helping employers connect with candidates, supporting someone’s transition into a new position and helping create a workplace where people have an opportunity to contribute their skills.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, but creating more inclusive employment opportunities is work that happens throughout the year.
For KW Career Compass, that means helping people identify their strengths, build skills, find opportunities and take meaningful steps toward their employment goals.
Looking for help finding a job in Kitchener-Waterloo?
Learn more about KW Career Compass →