When Kim M. began looking for a job in early May, she was excited, if a little anxious: finding a job in the midst of a global pandemic? It didn’t seem likely. But in less than 6 weeks of working with Robin Marshall, Manager of Business Development Specialist here at CIS, Kim found herself in a job she loved at Boston Market.
“It’s about relationships,” said Robin, when I asked about her success helping Kim and other CIS participants find jobs in these trying times. “In Kim’s case, I’d been working with Boston Market for six, seven years. I know the manager there, and knew that she was looking for new employees. Kim applied, and she was hired, and she loves the job.”
Kim’s story is a good microcosm of Robin’s larger approach. Robin has worked at CIS since 1994, and forming strong relationships—with employers, with participants, and with her colleagues—has been central to her work since her first day, over 25 years ago.
“I think it’s just about recognizing that finding the job is just part of it,” Robin told me. “I like to be there. I like to be on-site with our participants, helping them learn their jobs, developing a relationship with their employer.”
Robin’s approach has been remarkably consistent—and remarkably effective in helping participants find jobs—since day one, and her positive impact has really stood out during the pandemic: since March, she has helped over 35 participants find new jobs.
Over at Boston Market, Kim M. just celebrated two months on the Food Prep team. She’s enjoying the work, and when she last spoke with Robin, she was excited to share that she’d been promoted to a full-time position after being hired for a part-time position.
“It’s not easy when your job search starts in the middle of a pandemic,” Robin said. “So, I was happy to hear that.”
Kimberly Latimore, Manager of Business Development at CIS, spoke about the Robin’s holistic approach to her work: “It’s not just the development piece,” Kimberly said, “but her willingness to step in to assist that person at their job site. After every placement, she goes above and beyond to support both employer and employee as they acclimate to their new position.”
She paused for a moment before continuing. “Robin brings a fulness into all she does, and I’ve witnessed that. She is the Queen of Follow-up. It’s not, ‘I helped this person find a job and now everything is over.’ She wants to see things through. She understands that that it’s about helping them succeed in that job and achieve a balance of work and life, and that the job is just the start.”