Job Responsibilities
A Texas Works Advisor's responsibilities are to gather and verify
information to assess a potential recepient's eligibility for
welfare or foodstamp programs. The applicant provides an
application which is reviewed to determine order of priority.
The applicant is then either given an immediate appointment due
to emergency conditions or an appointment within 30 days of the
application. When the interview is conducted the application is
gone over in depth. A Worker uses investigative interviewing
skills and applies complex policy to gather information. The
information is input into a computer program specifically
designed for thisreferer=2
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Job Requirements
A person can be hired with an Associates Degree and five years of
administrative experience. Accounting is the only specific
college class required. A new Worker attends about eight weeks
of training in basic job skills and then on the job training for
the first year. Normally a new Worker is assigned a mentor to
answer questions and help guide them until they are fully
trained. There is ongoing training throught a Worker's career.
There are classes provided by the State and computer based
trainings.
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Uppers
The best part of the job is helping people. There are some who abuse the system
but there are always people who are temporarily down on their luck and helping
them over a rough spot is always rewarding. Making referrals for other community
assistance as well as helping with food and finding that the assistance you gave
has helped that person or family back on their feet is really a good feeling.
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Downers
The worst part of the job is the stress created by being on a
strict time clock and the number of people needing assistance.
Another bad thing is that policy changes quarterly due to law
suits brought against the State and popular public opinion as
perceived by legislators. Also, there are two factions at work
in State office, those who think access to welfare should be made
easy for the applicant and those who think welfare should be
ended, the Worker is caught in the middle. What is good today is
wrong tomorrow and vice versa.
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Lifestyle
The job is done in an eight hour workday. There is more work to do than can be
done in eight hours but overtime has to be approved by the supervisor and is
frowned on. The dress code varies from casual to professional dress. Travel is
often necessary to assist other offices in other cities and to attend training
sessions.
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Compensation
The state pays for many holidays and benefits are very good. The
actual pay isn't as good as some would want but coupled with the
benefit package is quite satisfactory after the initial period.
Starting pay is aproximately $1600 per month with a raise when
training is complete and possible merit raises after a year.
Each month sick and holiday time is earned and the amount
increases at certain plateaus. This may not be a good salary in
other areas of the country but in my area it's a very good job
opportunity. Benefits include insurance, both life and health.
Legal and dental are available at a low cost. A percentage of
pay is withheld towards retirement. Overtime is paid in cash or
comptime. Comptime is earned in other ways. A 401K is available
for those who opt to use it. A young person starting out in
State employment can retire early due to rules coupling one's age
and service time.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Because of Welfare Reform, job opportunities are few now. The
plan as I understand it is to reduce the number of workers and
office sites over the next couple of years. Some say the State
intends to use call centers and fewer case managers to do the
job. The outlook isn't very good right now due to all the
possible changes and the future is up in the air. Job certainty
is shakey so a lot of people are leaving for more certain
opportunities. There is a job freeze on now so jobs aren't being
replaced. It's been my experience that this too changes with
whichever party is in power so may not be this way after future
elections.
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