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Motivating Job Seekers
Dr Margaret Potter
How do you motivate your clients?
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Have a pep talk
Provide incentives
Find a ‘hook’ ie
something they
enjoy or want Identify a
goal(s)
Celebrate small steps/achievements
Motivation Myth 1
Providing job seekers with incentives will solve motivation problems.
Incentives may work in the short term, but their impact tends to diminish over time.
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Key Motivational Factors
• Your approach
• The interactional context
• The psychological climate
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Motivation Myth 2
Fear is a useful motivator eg threatening or punishing an individual will motivate them.
The reality is with repeated exposure the impact of fear tactics will diminish
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Your Approach
• Gain trust and respect
• Provide structure
• Help individuals to set appropriate goals
• Be a role model
• Seek to understand each individual
• Show support & interest in all aspects of their lives
• Encourage enjoyment
Motivation Myth 3
You can motivate the unmotivated client
Your interest & motivation is important to engage the client. However, an individual must have some desire to participate for your work together to be sustainable.
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Stages of Change
Pre-contemplation
Contemplation
Preparation
Maintenance
Action
Progress
Relapse
Prochaska & DiClemente (1986)
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Pre-Contemplation
Client Behaviour• See no reason to
change• May feel unable to
change e.g., FAB, lack of skills
• “What is the problem?”
Your Behaviour• Social support –
largely informational • Clarify roles &
expectations• Empathy vs sympathy
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Contemplation
Client Behaviour• See reason(s) & wants
to change• May not know how• Often disempowered
due to perceived lack of control
• May procrastinate• “Yes, but…”
Your Behaviour• Clarify roles• ID expectations• ID goals and process
steps• ID and reduce barriers
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Preparation
Client Behaviour• Active to explore
change• Active in goal setting• Empowered and
taking control• “What do I need to
do?”
Your Behaviour• Social support-
informational & emotional
• Continue to ID and reduce barriers
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Action
Client Behaviour• Engaged in change• Motivated to achieve
goals & self-monitor• In control• “I am committed and
doing what I need to do.”
Your Behaviour• Social support• Help to achieve goals• Continue to ID and
reduce barriers
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Maintenance
Client Behaviour• Generally adherent• May become bored or
complacent• Able to set & revise
goals (as nec)• “All is going well.”
Your Behaviour• Social support –
informational & emotional
• Self-mgmt strategies important
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Relapse
Client Behaviour• Likely to lose
confidence• -ve self-talk• ID goals and
motivation may subside
• “I got off track!”
Your Behaviour• Social support –
emotional• Re-initiate appropriate
goal setting
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The Interactional Context
• How do you organise & conduct client meetings?– You control>shared control>client control– Consider where and when you meet
• How do you relate to your clients?– Authoritarian, friend, collaborator, mentor
• How do you manage inappropriate behaviour?– Ignore, respectfully address or confront
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The Psychological Climate
Performance-based• Ego-involving• Client inequality• Emphasis on outcome• Mistakes=failure
Task-involving builds perceived competence, relatedness & autonomy
Mastery-based• Task-involving• Client equality• Emphasis on effort• Mistakes=useful
learning experiences
Promoting Motivation
• Give Advice• Remove Barriers• Provide Choice• Decrease Desirability
• Practice Empathy• Provide Feedback• Clarify Goals• Active Helping
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Key Points
• Match client behaviour to stage of change• Support self-efficacy eg acknowledge
even small steps• Start work with clients where they are at• Model what you want client to ‘see & be’• Show patience and tolerance
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Take Home Message
Adopt an approach that facilitates, rather then directs change and
recognise that…
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Take Home Message
…your energy & approach has an impact!
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A Final Thought…
There is only one way to get anybody to do anything…and that is by making the other person want to do it.
Dale Carnegie