Annie E. Casey Jobs Initiative sites recognize the challenge that long-term retention poses in today's labor market for low-income residents. They have developed key elements of an operational definition of retention, including the following: no limitation to one job, but only very limited gaps between jobs; and jobs in construction or other seasonal work needing a more flexible definition. The need for self-assessment and continuous improvement is a central assumption. Sites have developed management information systems for collecting, analyzing, and reporting outcomes data. Cross-site findings are that more than 6,000 residents have enrolled in various jobs projects across 5 sites; nearly 2,300 have been placed into jobs; those with prior work experience placed in employment experience significant hourly wage and earning increases and a higher rate of employer-provided health benefits; about 75 percent of those eligible have reached the 3-month retention milestone; people are more likely to drop out of their job placements within the first 3 months of employment or after the 6-month point; and residents in work sites where multiple residents are being hired fare better than those hired singly. These are ideas from a cross-site self-assessment meeting: jobs projects involving training help participants establish relationships with case workers, trainers, and job developers; jobs projects including pre-placement training may be screening devices; jobs projects need committed, caring, and tenacious staff; and sites are developing creative strategies for post-placement tracking. (YLB)