Job brokers connect people to employment by assessing skills, offering career guidance, and supporting application processes. Their work reduces unemployment and promotes social inclusion. Best-practice examples like Trim Tab AB in Sweden show how targeted support helps individuals—especially those far from the labor market—access sustainable jobs.
Exploring the role of job brokers and their contribution to job matching and sustaining employment.
Key Insights
Bridging the Gap Between Job Seekers and Employers
Barriers to Effective Integration
Brokers face challenges when supporting refugees and migrants, such as language barriers, unrecognized qualifications, and limited digital access. Economic uncertainty and changing regulations add complexity. These factors hinder effective job matching and make integration into the labor market more difficult.
Smart and Personalized Solutions
Innovative programs like Rusta och Matcha in Sweden offer personalized career support, using data and employer networks to align people with real opportunities. AI-powered platforms improve match accuracy, making job brokerage faster, more efficient, and better adapted to today’s labor market needs.
Practical Tools and Methods
Tailored Career Support – Make It Personal
- One size doesn’t fit all – every job seeker has different skills, goals, and barriers.
- What works? Personalized career guidance that helps people identify their strengths and explore opportunities that fit their skills and aspirations.
- Example from Trim Tab: They run career planning programs that include skill assessments, job readiness training, and matching people with roles that fit their backgrounds.
- Actionable Tip: Job brokers should spend time understanding each job seeker’s skills, goals, and challenges instead of just pushing them into any available job.
Helping Ukrainian Refugees and other Job Seekers Overcome Barriers
- Many refugees and migrants struggle with language barriers, unfamiliar job markets, and unrecognized qualifications.
- What works? Providing language support, cultural training, and guidance on qualification recognition can make a huge difference.
- Example from Trim Tab: They connect job seekers with language resources and help them navigate the process of getting their foreign qualifications recognized in Sweden.
- Actionable Tip: Set up language training sessions or connect job seekers with mentors who’ve successfully integrated into the labor market.
Digital Job Search Training – Helping Job Seekers Go Online
- Not everyone is digitally savvy, but most jobs now require online applications.
- What works? Teaching job seekers how to write a CV, apply for jobs online, and prepare for virtual interviews.
- Example from Trim Tab: They provide digital skills training to ensure job seekers aren’t left behind due to lack of access or knowledge.
- Actionable Tip: Offer basic digital job search training, especially for those who struggle with technology. Help them create LinkedIn profiles or learn to navigate online job boards.
Building Strong Employer Networks
- The best way to secure jobs for people? Strong relationships with employers.
- What works? Job brokers who actively engage with businesses and advocate for inclusive hiring can open more doors for job seekers.
- Example from Trim Tab: They partner with employers across various industries, particularly in Sweden, to help job seekers access real opportunities.
- Actionable Tip: Regularly meet with employers, understand their hiring needs, and educate them on the benefits of hiring diverse talent.
Technology & Data – Smarter Job Matching
- Job placement isn’t just about intuition anymore – data and AI tools can make the matching process much more efficient.
- What works? Platforms that use AI to match job seekers with roles based on skills and market demand are becoming more common.
- Example from Trim Tab: They use digital tools to track job market trends and match job seekers with opportunities faster.
- Actionable Tip: If you’re a job broker, leverage job-matching platforms and use market insights to guide job seekers more effectively.
Rusta och Matcha – A Proven Model
- In Sweden, the Rusta och Matcha program helps job seekers get job-ready with personalized support.
- What works? A mix of career coaching, training, and job-matching support ensures that job seekers are not just sent into any job, but the right one for them.
- Example from Trim Tab: They are a trusted provider of this program, helping many job seekers integrate into the labor market successfully.
- Actionable Tip: Look at successful job brokerage programs in different countries and adapt their strategies to your local context.
