Breaking Barriers: Job Development for Individuals with Disabilities

WEBINAR 1: Preparing The Consumer

PERCEPTION

and REALITY

CHANGING

ADVOCATES ARE

EVERYWHERE & EMPLOYERS

REFUSE TO

SETTLEANYMORE!

Business Engagement

Certification

Customer Service

Certification

Youth Worker Certification

Social Media Certification

Facilitation Certification

Vet Rep Certification

Field Consulting

And more..

Mike Fazio, Founder & CEO

WORKSHOPS

KEYNOTES

CONSULTING

• 24/7/365

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• Home

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• Phone

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• User ID

• Password

THE DETAILSTWO – 75 MINUTE WEBINARS

TODAY AT 2:00 EST

FRIDAY AT 2:00 EST

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FOLDER LINK SENT IN ALL FOLLOW UP EMAILS

QUESTIONS? INFO@WORKFORCE180.COM

Jennifer Quigley

Jennifer began her career in the field of Supported

Employment more than 20 years ago, and has learned

firsthand the “Do’s & Don’ts” of successful Job

Development. Specializing in Deaf Services and fluent in

American Sign Language, Jennifer truly believes that

EVERY individual has the ability – and the RIGHT! – to

competitive employment.

Jennifer’s Disability Awareness Trainings throughout New

Jersey have given small businesses, as well as large

corporations, the opportunity to discover and implement

the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. Jen’s ability

to connect and partner with employers, Rehabilitation

professionals, and community organizations have made

her a leader in the field of Supported Employment and

Workforce Diversity.

ContributorWORKFORCE180

Director of Placement

Lexington Vocational Services Center

WHAT JOB

DEVELOPMENT

REALLY

MEANS….

BEFORE YOU EVEN BEGIN THE JOB SEARCH

Develop TRUST immediately

Explain their role – and yours - in the job search process

OPEN COMMUNICATION IS VITAL!

TEXT!

EMAIL!

CALL!

Meet one on one – and do it often

(Hint – Meeting once a month doesn’t cut it!)

Do not make promises you cannot keep. You will lose the trust of the individual and the

relationship you worked hard to build!

ALWAYS, CONSUMER CHOICE!• Type of job

• Location of employer

• Proximity to specific services & business type

• Public transportation

• Income expectations

• Effect on benefits?

Provide Individualized Support:

Self-represent or represented – discuss during intake

Accommodations needed?

Assess skills – Vocational Evaluation if necessary

Preparatory skills – Job readiness classes

Soft Skills training

Ongoing counseling and support

Transportation – travel training

Clothes – local programs offer free interview clothes?

Social Security benefits clarified

Interview skills

Accommodations?

First, ASK THE CONSUMER!

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

Website: www.askjan.org

Phone: (800)526-7234 (Voice) (877)781-9403 (TTY)

Assessing Basic Skills

Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)

-Math skills

-English skills

Provides grade level for Math, Reading, Writing

Also available in Spanish

TABE Website:

http://www.ctb.com/ctb.com/control/productFamilyViewAction

?productFamilyId=608&p=products

Career Interest Surveys/Assessments

O-Net Resource Center – Online assessment tools Career Exploration tools

Ability Profiler

Interest Profiler (print/online)

Work Importance Profiler Work Importance Locator

O*Net Website: http://www.onetcenter.org/tools.html

Where are the jobs in your state? http://www.careerinfonet.org/employabilitycheckup/emp_ask.asp?nodeid=15

What are “Soft Skills?” Communicating

Showing commitment

Flexibility

Time management

Leadership skills

Creativity and problem-solving skills

Being a team player

Accepting responsibility

Ability to work under pressure

In a CareerBuilder survey, 77 percent of

employers surveyed said they were seeking

candidates with soft skills -- and 16 percent of

the respondents considered such qualities

more crucial than hard skills!!

Dress for Success - Worldwide

https://www.dressforsuccess.org/about-us/

Men’s Warehouse

National Suit Drive

www.nationalsuitdrive.com

Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Needs-based according to income and assets

“Means-tested program” – (nothing to do with work history)

One must have less than $2,000 in assets ($3000 for couple)

Limited income

Able to receive Medicaid in the state they reside in

SSI will begin the month you submit application

Available to those who have little or no work history

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI or SSD): Funded through payroll taxes

Recipients are considered “insured” because have work history and have paid into

FICA Social Security taxes

Must be younger than 65 and have earned a certain number of “work credits”

After receiving SSDI for two years, a PWD will become eligible for Medicare.

BENEFIT BASICS!

Social Security Administration:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi/text-

income-ussi.htm

Phone: 1-800-772-1213 (V)

Deaf/HH: 1-800-325-0778

“How Work Affects Your Benefits”:

www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10069.pdf

Give the individual “homework” – to write

down a list of favorite things to do, hobbies,

activities…

How can these activities in turn be related to

employment?

(If you get stuck……GOOGLE IS GREAT FOR THIS!)

Examples: A Love of Legos & Puzzles

and THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX:

A Deaf consumer states that they love

watching movies, playing video games, and

photography. Brainstorm some possible jobs

that would incorporate the one or more of

the activities he enjoys…

Consumers need

to be REALISTIC in

their goals:

• Pay

• Skill set

• Education level

• Economy

Be HONEST!

To disclose or

not to disclose –

consumer

CHOICE!

It is OUR job

to advocate and educate!

WHERE ARE THE JOBS??? Craigslist

Indeed.com

Thinkbeyondthelabel.com

Company Websites

Job Fairs

Google search in consumer area

Colleagues

Employers who have already hired PWD

Social Media

Keep a binder!

The 2014 DiversityInc Top 10 Companies

for People With Disabilities

1. EY

2. Procter & Gamble

3. Boehringer Ingelheim

4. IBM

5. General Motors

6. Wyndham Worldwide

7. WellPoint

8. The Hartford Financial Services Group

9. BASF

10. AT&T

Other companies who

support hiring of

individuals with

disabilities:

Share your ideas & experiences…

Navigating the application process

What type of resume is best for THIS individual?• Chronological vs. Hybrid resume

• Discuss gaps in work history

• Cover letter to explain gaps

Online applications• Discuss with consumer the process (i.e. sharing leads, completing applications,

etc.)

• Does the consumer have the ability to complete the application/assessment

on their own?

• Passing the dreaded online assessment

• Practice online applications:

http://www.experienceworks.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Practice_Onlin

e_application

For

consumers

with sporadic

work history

or gaps in

history, use a

HYBRID

resume which

combines a

chronological

with a

functional

resume

Sample

Cover

letter

explaining

gap in

work history

Hannah Jones VP Purchasing XYZ Company 15 Main St. Sometown, MA 55555

Dear Ms. Jones:

As an accomplished purchasing specialist with extensive healthcare industry experience, I was very interested to learn about your purchasing specialist

opening. I offer eight years of experience working for ABC Company, a national home healthcare company and a billion-dollar leader in the industry. As the company’s corporate purchasing specialist, I managed: •Purchasing functions for 115 locations. •75 major contracts in areas including medications, supplies, equipment, furniture, uniforms, distribution and vending machines. •A 15-member team of contractors, buyers, analysts and support staff.

Consistently recognized for outstanding performance, I saved ABC Company more than $5.3 million in 2007 alone. An expert in contract negotiations, vendor management and global sourcing, I repeatedly reduced expenditures, cost-of-sales (COS) and cost-of-goods (COG), as well as assisted with major system implementations of inventory, purchasing and tracking systems.

In 2011, ABC Company experienced a significant workforce reduction and my

position was eliminated. Since then, I have remained active in the American Purchasing Society and completed courses in business ethics, contract law, the art of negotiation and supply chain management. I plan on sitting for the Certified Professional Purchasing Manager (CPPM) exam later this year.

I am confident that my ongoing studies combined with successful experience in the field will enable me to aggressively pursue cost-reduction opportunities and improve return on investment (ROI) for your company. If you agree that my skills and experience would benefit your operation, please call me at (555) 555-5555 or email someone@somedomain.com to arrange an interview. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to speaking with you.

Sincerely,

David Brenthall

Good morning,

My name is Jennifer Quigley and I assist individuals

with disabilities in obtaining and maintaining

competitive employment. I saw your post on

Craigslist for the Administrative Assistant position and

feel that Jane Doe would be a great fit for this job.

Jane is able to type 55 wpm, is detail-oriented, and

has a strong work ethic.

I am attaching Jane’s resume for your consideration. I

would love the opportunity for us to all meet in person

so Jane can tell you more about herself. I can also

tell you a little more about our organization, which

provides support services at no cost to you, the

employer.

I look forward to hearing from you soon, and THANK

YOU for supporting individuals with disabilities.

Have a great day!

Jennifer Quigley

Director of Placement

Lexington Vocational Services, Inc.

973.477.6181

Sample

letter in

response

to a

Craigslist

job

posting:

• Analyze the job description

• Clarify strengths/values

• Research the employer

• Anticipate questions and prepare answers

• Prepare questions for the interviewer

• Discuss appropriate dress

• Practice, practice, practice!

• EXCELLENT Websites for Career

Advice/Interview Tips:

• www.themuse.com

• www.180BOOST.com

Preparing for the interview:

Job READY?

or

Job NOW?

“We’re far too patient with the passage of time for people

with disabilities. Time is as precious for a person with a

disability as it is for all of us.”

- advocate Gerry Provencal

Get beyond tasks

For people with disabilities, job development often focuses

exclusively on an individual’s ability to perform specific tasks.

Yet the job performance of many people — with or without

disabilities — is dependent on how well they fit into the social

work environment.

When a job seeker with a disability is ready to begin contacting

employers, the employment specialist should work with the job

seeker to consider a number of issues.

Does the job seeker make a positive first impression?

Can the person communicate verbally?

Can the person act as a good advocate for his or her work goals?

Does the person require accommodations for the interview or the job?

Will the person fit into pre-existing opening, or will there be a need for

job restructuring?

Does the person want to be represented to employers by staff?

Does the person wish to disclose his or her disability to employer?

What are the implications of disclosing the disability?

Is the disability readily apparent to potential employers?

Job Skills

Image &

Appearance

Communication

(Verbal & Non-

Verbal)

???????????What do

employers

look for?

In these times, it

is very easy to

have a negative

attitude and

become

discouraged.

Short activities to

bring out the

positive attitude

in the

consumer…

Are

you the

EGGor the

BALL??

Sometimes we all need

to be more MINDFUL of

the positive things we

have in our lives…

Mike will choose a

participants name and

that person will choose

a number 1 - 6

Lost 8 different

elections before

being elected as

the 8th President

of the United

States

His first

book was

rejected by

20 different

publishers

Cut from his high school basketball team

Was told he

could not

sing and he

should go

back to

driving a

truck

Download the

soft skills

training:

http://www.d

ol.gov/odep/t

opics/youth/s

oftskills/

Questions

and

Answers

Thank you!!!!!

• WEBINAR 2

• FRIDAY – MAY 1

• 2:00 EASTERN