Fifth Third Bank and NextJob Complete Reemployment Pilot; Bank Signs Multi-Year Contract to Help Distressed Borrowers Find Jobs

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq: FITB) and NextJob (www.nextjob.com), a nationwide reemployment solutions company, have teamed up to offer an industry-first program that gives unemployed mortgage borrowers job search assistance, including one-on-one dedicated coaching, weekly webinars and online job search software, fully paid for by Fifth Third Bank.

“Fifth Third Bank has demonstrated an inspiring level of customer commitment”

The two companies piloted the program throughout 2012 with unemployed Fifth Third customers who were in serious risk of default on their mortgages. On average, the individuals had been out of work for 22 months. In the pilot, nearly 40% were fully employed after six months and, as a result, the pilot was expanded.

With the signing of a multi-year contract with NextJob, Fifth Third Bank moves the program out of pilot phase and incorporates it into the way the Company does business. Fifth Third Bank is the first financial institution to offer this type of assistance to mortgage customers.

“Up to half of mortgage delinquencies are due to job loss,” said Steven Alonso, executive vice president and head of the Consumer Bank, Fifth Third Bancorp. “With NextJob, we immediately recognized an opportunity to go the extra mile to assist our customers. This is specific, one-on-one training that helps people identify their transferable skills and re-gain the financial stability of a new job.”

“Fifth Third Bank has demonstrated an inspiring level of customer commitment,” said John Courtney, CEO of NextJob. “The company understood that neither party benefits from a foreclosure. Job loss, followed by the loss of one’s home, is severely damaging to individuals and families. This program is a simple, but big idea and its time has come for the banking industry.”

NextJob’s service features three parts that work cohesively to help borrowers find meaningful employment: one-on-one job coaching, job search software featuring nine modules, and Job Talk, a weekly webinar on a critical job search topic. Together they help Fifth Third borrowers:

Create an effective resume and cover letter that gets the attention of hiring managers
Develop and carry out a detailed job search action plan
Evaluate one’s career direction and identify skills that could transfer to another industry or field
Discover jobs that are open, but never advertised
Use the latest and most effective Internet tools and techniques
Train and prepare for successful interviews.

One of the program’s successful participants, now working in the insurance industry said, “I just want to say how much I enjoyed working with my coaches. If it hadn't been for their work helping me, I probably would still be unemployed. They gave me such hope and empowered me in ways I never would have used on my own. My self-esteem was very low when I first started working with NextJob, and they were able to make me see that there was a position out there for me if I only believed in myself again and used the tools of NextJob to help me. If for some reason I am back unemployed, it won't be for long because of what I learned with NextJob.”

Another participant said, “I was in the first group of people in the program offered by Fifth Third Bank. I have to say that I feel so fortunate to have been a part of the program. I learned so much and got so much out of the program. I really hope the program continues so it can help others like me. The knowledge one gains from the program is immeasurable.”

Fifth Third Bank’s commitment to financial empowerment spans multiple generations, with programming designed to help people at every stage of life make smart financial decisions. Signature programming includes Young Bankers Club as well as sponsorship of the American Bankers Association’s Teach Children to Save program and Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance high school curriculum. Fifth Third Bank also offers multiple programs for adult financial empowerment, including the NextJob reemployment program for mortgage borrowers, and its Fifth Third Financial Empowerment Mobiles. These two 40-foot eBuses are equipped with Internet accessible computer workstations and travel into underserved communities to provide access to quality financial services. For more information, visit www.53.com/financial-empowerment.

Headquartered in Bend, Oregon, NextJob is a nationwide firm focused on full employment in America. Founded on the Golden Rule, its mission is to provide creative reemployment solutions for employers, lenders, government and others to help job seekers land jobs and avoid the many impacts of unemployment. NextJob’s service provides high quality, one-on-one job coaching and multimedia online learning that is highly effective, affordable and accountable. To learn more, visit www.nextjob.com.

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $122 billion in assets and operates 18 affiliates with 1,324 full-service Banking Centers, including 106 Bank Mart® locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 2,413 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third also has a 33% interest in Vantiv Holding, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of December 31, 2012, had $308 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $27 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® National Global Select Market under the symbol "FITB." Fifth Third Bank. Member FDIC.