Need help finding a job? We can help.
If you are having difficulty finding employment, Howard Brown Health and Chicago House work together to provide employment assistance to our communities. We can provide help polishing your resume, preparing for an interview, finding job leads, getting transportation assistance, and more.
Finding the right job is all about building relationships, so we spoke with Lisa, Career Specialist at Chicago House and Howard Brown, to get a closer look at the collaboration.
Q: What’s a common situation that you encounter as a career specialist?
A: In doing this work, I’ve seen quite a lot of different situations. I have worked with clients with many degrees who still couldn’t find a job and people who had resumes that just needed some work. You never really know who might need assistance. One major thing that I see is the serious threat of homelessness that many different people face. That’s a big reason people reach out to us.
Q: Howard Brown and Chicago House started this collaboration in 2019. How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the kinds of people you help out?
A: Employment Services is a new program at Howard Brown, while it’s something we are known for at Chicago House. With COVID-19, we are faced with the difficulties of getting connected with people and the urgent need for many people to obtain employment.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about doing this kind of work?
A: The reason I decided to get into the health field was that I wanted to help my community in any way possible. I started out with health testing and eventually moved into employment. My favorite part is helping my community. It’s a passion of mine. Any time I am facing a difficult situation, I remind myself that I’m doing this for my community and my people.
Q: Why did Chicago House and Howard Brown decide to work together? What’s the connection between healthcare and employment?
A: Howard Brown patients, a large part of the LGBTQ community in Chicagoland, needspecific resources and assistance with and for employment. The three main issues we deal with health, employment, and housing. Th e connection between the three is very simple. They can’t exist without each other. If your physical and mental health aren’t in order, then you can’t really focus on employment because you are to busy worried about getting your health stabilized. If you can’t get employment, you could be in danger of losing housing. If one of the three isn’t there, then the others will suffer. Howard Brown’s clinics take care of the health part, and we help with the employment part.
Need employment assistance? Call 773.917.3941 to get help with resumes/cover letters/applications, interview prep, education referrals, job leads, transportation assistance, and more.