Collection agency helped man find a job

ZANESVILLE - Phone calls that begin with a salutation followed by a surname seldom bring good news. As a matter of fact, it's likely the caller is attempting to collect a debt, and that is exactly how a local man's conversation with a representative of Columbus-based Choice Recovery began.

"This collection agency called me about a medical bill that I didn't even know I had," Joshua Green said. "So I was a little confused, but more so when they started talking about helping me get a job - that's unheard of."

Changing the way people view collections is exactly what Choice Recovery had in mind when the company launched its Restart program in 2014, according to Chief Operating Officer John Olmstead.

"Our Customer Care Department was created because we believe we can change the negative perception people have of collection agencies," Olmstead said. "Many people who are trying to find a job have difficulty preparing a resume or getting an interview. We want to help them utilize the tools, resources, expertise, and the passion we have at Choice Recovery. Our goal is to have our clients and consumers feel they have a choice after being introduced to our company."

Choice Recovery is a third-party collection agency founded in 1997 that partners with thousands of clients nationwide. The company specializes in health care, education and commercial collections.

"When they called me about this medical bill I had, they asked me if I was employed and if I would like to set up a payment plan," Green said. "When I told them I was not employed, they asked if I would like their assistance. I was just like, what? I've never heard of a collection agency trying to help you get a job."

Green, 31, and his wife have two children with special needs. He was struggling to make ends meet so medical debts were not on the forefront of his priorities.

"While the primary purpose of Choice recovery is to collect debt for clients we recognize that many people have experienced unexpected financial setbacks that result in their inability to pay their bills," said Sarah Harkins, vice president. "The majority of debtors want to regain control of their lives and finances but are often unsure of how to do so. That's why we created Restart. We feel a social responsibility to assist those who want help, and working with our Restart team, we know we can transform lives by simply offering a helping hand."

Choice Recovery's Restart program offers those in debt, free of charge, an opportunity  to work with its Restart specialists to get out of debt and back in control of their finances, according to Olmstead. The team offers personalized job searches based on individual situations and qualifications. Over the past three years, Restart has placed nurses, teachers, mechanics, and janitorial personnel, as well as human resource professionals and customer service representatives. The company's goal is to reach 10,000 placements by 2025.

Green said the customer service team at Choice Recovery helped him create a resume and helped with interview skills and job placement. He is one of 24 Zanesville residents that Choice Recovery has helped secure a job through the Restart program, according to Olmstead.

"I am working at Amazon now and things are looking up," Green said. "The crazy thing is, through this whole process no one has ever hassled me about paying the debt."

cschultz3@gannett.com

740-450-6758

Twitter: @infoobtainer1