Overcoming the Barriers

to Employment

Success

Part OnePersonal & Financial Barriers

Personal Barriers• Personal barriers are those that

keep you from fulfilling your basic needs.

• Personal barriers can prevent you from even starting a job search, let alone landing & keeping a job.

• Overcoming personal barriers often requires help from those around you.

• Having Enough Food to Feed the Family.• A Lack of Transportation.• Health Problems.• No Steady Place to Live.• Lack of Childcare.• Family Members with Special Needs.• Immigrant Status.• No Clothes Suitable for Interviewing.

Examples of Personal Barriers

Food & ClothingConsider using the following

resources to help you provide food & clothing for you and your family:

• Women, Infants & Children (WIC).• Food Stamps.• Aid to Families with Dependent.

Children (AFDC).• Food Banks.• Goodwill Industries.

Housing OptionsYour living situation should not only be clean &

safe, it should also be a good place to conduct a job search from.

Consider these housing options:• Renting a House or Apartment.• Buying a House.• Habitat for Humanity.• Living with Family & Friends.• Housing Association.• Shelters (emergency solution only).

Transportation

You will need reliable transportation, not only to find a job, but to get to work everyday once you do.

Consider these options:• Owning your Own Car• Public Transportation• Carpooling• Friends & Family

Family Concern

sTaking care of children & other family members is a top priority.

• Be sure to consider all of your child care options and create a family care plan.

• Take care of yourself. That includes taking time to relax or engage in your own interests.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for the help of others. Friends & family can help with childcare needs, & programs are often available in your community to help as well.

A criminal record can be overcome, but ex offenders should be aware of special barriers they might face in finding and keeping a job.

• Be aware of the limitations you might face in choosing a job.

• Don’t lie on applications or in interviews.• Use cold calling to find job openings.• Prepare yourself to answer questions

about your past during an interview.• Be confident. • Dress for success. • Show respect.

Criminal Record

It is important to manage your money carefully while you are looking for work.

Often that means making &sticking to a budget.Take care of your basic needs first, but try to plan

for the future as well.

Financial Barriers

Money Manageme

ntTo manage your money, you should consider doing the following:

• Open a savings & checking account regularly.

• Ask your employer about direct deposits.

• Learn about other savings options such as CDs & bonds.

• Create a monthly budget.

Need Verses

Want

Overcoming financial barriers to employment ofteninvolves separating your “needs” from your “wants.”

Need WantHousing Cable Television

Transportation New Technology

Food Eating Out

Utilities Movies

Child Care Vacations

Interviewing Attire Designer Clothes

Part time or temporary work provides several advantages.

It:• Provides a Source of Income.• Allows you to Network with Other

People.• Gives you Skills & Experience.• Puts you Inside an Organisation That

Might Hire you for a Full-time Position.• Provides a Much Needed Source of Self-

confidence & Self-worth.

Working While You Look for Work

It’s never too early to start planning your financial future.

• Look into the retirement plans offered by companies you’d like to work for.

• Learn about more about saving & investing.

• Pledge to save a certain percentage of your paycheck each month (start with 3-5% & try to work up to 10%).

Plan for Your Future

Part 2Emotional & Physical Barriers

• Being Able to Understand or Control your Emotions.

• Staying Positive while Searching for a Job.

• Coping with the Stress Associated with Looking for Employment.

• Managing your Anger.

• Dealing with Depression.

Emotional Barriers

• Use the support of others to stay motivated.

• Share your employment goals with your family & friends.

• Support system consists of friends, family members, role models, mentors, & professionals who are trained to help you.

Support Systems

• Take control of your life & your career.

• Take appropriate actions until you get the results you desire.

• Stop blaming other people.

• Stop complaining about bad luck & making excuses.

Taking Responsibility

• Self-esteem is your perception of your worth.

• Positive self-esteem is essential for career & life success.

• Negative self-esteem can lead to feelings of helplessness.

• Learn to turn your negatives into positives.

Low Self Esteem

Unemployment can be very stressful. Consider the following stress management techniques:

• Deep Breathing.• Exercise.• Listening to Music.• Meditation.• Proper Nutrition.

Managing Stress

• Depression is a combination of feelings & destructive thinking.

• Depression includes pessimism, lack of energy, powerlessness & self-doubt.

• Set positive goals & work towards them.

• See a physician if you need medical assistance.

Dealing with Depression

• Anger can interfere with your search for a job & can impact your job performance.

• Learn what triggers your anger.

• Express your anger to other positively.

• Be aware of the consequences of your anger.

Managing Anger

• Barriers that results from physical limitations.

• Physical barriers can lead to low self-esteem.

• Be prepared to deal with prejudice, stereotypes & other social barriers.

Physical Barriers

• Know your Employment Rights.

• Be Realistic about your Job Options.

• Use Support Services.

• Practice Interviewing.

• Craft your Resume Positively.

• Focus on ‘What You Do Well’, not your Disability.

Dealing with Physical Barriers

• Understand the effects of your addiction on your job search & career success.

• Identify community resources that can help you.

• Create a recovery plan.

Dealing with Addictions

Part 3Career Decision-Making & Planning Barriers

• Don’t know what kind of job you are looking for.

• Don’t know interest, skills, & abilities.

• Don’t know how to make an effective career decision.

• Don’t know how to develop a career plan.

Career Decision-Making & Planning

Barriers

• What do you dream of doing?

• What would you do even if you did not get paid for it?

• What do you value most?

• What have you always wanted to do?

Know What You Want

Examples of Career Interests

• Agriculture & Natural Resources.• Architecture &Construction.• Arts & Communication.• Business &Administration.• Education &Training.• Finance and Insurance.• Government & Public Administration.• Health Science.

• Hospitality, Tourism, & Recreation• Human Services• Information Technology• Law & Public Safety• Manufacturing• Retail & Wholesale Sales & Service• Scientific Research, Engineering & Mathematics• Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

• Identify both your transferable & job-specific skills.

• Know your skills in working with people, data & things.

• Identify possible jobs & employers that can make use of your best skills.

Know Your Skills

• There are over thousands of different jobs available everyday!

• Learn about the latest trends in the world of work (new technology, local employment trends, outsourcing).

• Use Web sites and online sources of occupational information to learn more.

What Job Are Out There?

• Occupational Outlook Handbook.

• O*NET Dictionary of Occupational Titles.

• New Guide for Occupational Exploration.

• Career counselors & job placement specialists.

• Informational interviewing, job shadowing or Traineeships/Apprenticeships.

Resources for Career

Exploration

• You make hundreds of decisions each day.

• Effective decisions bring you closer to your career goals & dreams.

• Effective decisions allow you to control your own destiny.

• Effective decisions empower you.

Career Decision-Making

Step 1: Identify the Decision to be Made.

Step 2: Gather Information.

Step 3: Identify Alternatives.

Step 4: Weigh Alternatives.

Step 5: Choose Best Alternative.

Step 6: Take Action.

Step 7: Evaluate Decision.

Steps in the Decision-Making

Process

• Goals are your motivation to act on the career decisions you make.

• Short-term goals are things you would like to accomplish within the next few months.

• Long-term goals are things you would like to accomplish within the next year or more.

Setting Goals

• Be yours, not someone else’s.

• Be stated in specific, measurable terms.

• Have observable outcomes.

• Be realistic & attainable.

• Be stated positively.

• Have specific completion deadlines.

Career Goals Must….

• Make things happen rather than waiting for something to happen.

• Be persistent in achieving your goals.

• Think long but act short.

• Write down what you will do. Then do it!

Taking Action

Part 4Job Search Knowledge Barriers

• Not knowing the best way to find a job.

• Not knowing how to build a network.

• Not knowing how to write a resume or cover letter.

• Not knowing how to interview for employment.

• Not knowing how to follow up.

Job Search Knowledge Barriers

There are two basic types of jobs you can look for:

Visible Jobs: Those jobs that have been formally announced & advertised.

Hidden Jobs: Those jobs that have not yet been announced or may not even be available yet.

Understanding the Job Market

Sources of Visible Job Leads:• Newspaper Want Ads.• Employment Agencies.• Chambers of Commerce.• Libraries.• State Employment• Job Service Offices.

Sources of Hidden Job Leads:• Making Direct Contact with

Organisations.• Networking.• Informational Interviewing.

Visual & Hidden Leads

• A resume is an overview of the skills, experience & education you have to offer.

• A resume sets the stage for other aspects of your job search.

• A resume should convince an employer to interview you.

The Resume

• Lack of Experience.

• Problems with Writing.

• Problems with the English Language.

• Lack of Computer Skills.

• Lack of Resources.

Barriers in Writing Your Resume

• Identifying Information.

• Job Objective.

• Your Education.

• Your Work Experience.

• Interests, Activities, & Honors.

• Accomplishments.

Resumes Need to Include

Check your Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation.

Leave Adequate Margins on All Sides.

Single Space Text.

Use Bold, Upper Case & Underlining.

Use Bullet Points to Highlight Information.

Leave Empty Space for Ease of Reading.

Print on High Quality Paper.

Resume Check List

A cover letter should:

• Be included with each resume you send.

• Introduce your resume & emphasise key points.

• Entice employers to read your resume.

• Be customised to the job you are applying for.

The Cover Letter

• Your Address & the Date.

• Name & Address of Hiring Organisation.

• Salutation.

• Introductory Paragraph.

• Summary of Qualifications Paragraph.

• Closing Paragraph.

• Closing & Signature.

Parts of a Cover Letter

• Think Before you Write.

• Attach a Resume.

• Read Instructions Carefully.

• Always Print Neatly.

• Watch your Spelling.

• Be Honest.

Filling Out Applications

• Review your Strengths & Accomplishments.

• Research the Organisation.

• Review Common Questions.

• Prepare Questions to Ask the Interviewer.

• Prepare What you will Wear.

• Practice, Practice, Practice!

Before the Interview

• Maintain Eye Contact.• Be Early.• Sell your Skills & Accomplishments.• Dress Appropriately.• Provide Examples of your Experience.• Be Positive & Enthusiastic.• Remain Calm.• Close the Interview Well.

Tips for an Effective Interview

• Arrive Early.• Great the Interviewer Positively & Professionally.• Emphasise your Strengths.• Be Enthusiastic.• Thank the Interviewer for His/Her Time.

During the Interview

After the Interview• Be Persistent.• Write Down the Names of the Interviewers.• Write & Send a Good Thank-you Letter

(even if you don’t want the job.)• Provide Requested Follow-up Materials such as

References or Transcripts.

Part 5Education & Training Barriers

• People who go on to study after GCSE earn almost twice as much as people with just GCSE’s.

• Post-secondary education expands job options.

• 62% of all new jobs will require an degree or higher.

• People with some postsecondary education are less likely to lose their jobs.

The Power of Education

Your choice of an educational program should be based on the following:

• What are your career goals?• What jobs can you get after completing

the program?• What schools in your area offer the

program?• How much time will it take?• How much will it cost?

Choose the Best Educational

Program

• Traditional College/School Programs.• Traineeships.• Non-degree Granting Programs.• Apprenticeships.• On-line/Distance Programs.

Types of Educational

Programs

• ‘I can’t learn new things’.• ‘I can’t do math’.• ‘I am in poor health’.• ‘I am a poor writer’.• ‘I can’t afford to go back to school’.• ‘I lack computer skills’.• ‘I can’t juggle work, family & school’.• ‘There are no schools in my area’.• ‘I can’t take tests’.

Typical Barriers to Education

• Overcome poor grades in high school with good admission test scores, strong personal references, and involvement in extracurricular activities.

• Research ways to study more effectively.• Identify program resources, such as tutoring, to help you.

Overcoming Barriers to Learning

Importance of Lifelong Learning• Helps you build your skills.

• Helps you grow as a person.• Increases your appreciation for culture.• Increases your capacity for knowledge.

• Leads to greater job opportunities.• Leads to greater financial returns.

• Develop a plan so that you can achieve your educational goals.

• Set short, medium & long-range goals.

• Identify the specific steps to take to meet those goals.

• Evaluate your resources & identify organisations & programs that can help you.

Make Your Educational Plan

For More Information:Call: 0121 707 0550E-mail: info@pathwaygroup.co.ukVisit: www.pathway2work.co.uk