essential skills for finding, getting, & keeping a job leah lobato, employer relations...

Essential Skills for Essential Skills for Finding, Getting, & Finding, Getting, &

Keeping a JobKeeping a Job

Leah Lobato, Employer Leah Lobato, Employer Relations Specialist, USORRelations Specialist, USOR

Work Ability UtahWork Ability UtahMedicaid Infrastructure Medicaid Infrastructure

Grant Grant # 1QACMS030319

What is Competitive What is Competitive Employment?Employment?

• Defined at the federal level as “work Defined at the federal level as “work that is performed on a full or part-that is performed on a full or part-time basis, averaging at least 20 time basis, averaging at least 20 hours per week for each pay period, hours per week for each pay period, and for which an individual is and for which an individual is compensated in accordance with the compensated in accordance with the Fair Standards Labor Act (FSLA)” Fair Standards Labor Act (FSLA)” (Federal Register, (Federal Register, August 1987, p. August 1987, p. 44368)44368)

Why People with Disabilities Why People with Disabilities are not hired:are not hired:

(Myths)(Myths)Higher turnoverHigher turnover

Excessive absenceExcessive absenceLess productiveLess productive

Safety riskSafety riskToo costly or demandingToo costly or demanding

Won’t fit inWon’t fit in

Reasons to employ people with Reasons to employ people with disabilities:disabilities:

(Realities)(Realities)More likely to stay on the jobMore likely to stay on the job

81-93% rated above average in performance81-93% rated above average in performance

Attendance same to better than non-disabledAttendance same to better than non-disabled

Safety rates significantly lowerSafety rates significantly lower

No effect to cost reported by 90%+ of No effect to cost reported by 90%+ of employersemployers

Represent an enormous market nicheRepresent an enormous market niche

““Once an overlooked talent pool, Once an overlooked talent pool, people with disabilities are people with disabilities are contributing to the American contributing to the American economy in ways never economy in ways never imagined…”imagined…”

Thomas J. Donohue, Thomas J. Donohue, President & President & CEO of US CEO of US Chamber of CommerceChamber of Commerce

ResourcesResources• Work Ability Utah www.workabilityutah.orgWork Ability Utah www.workabilityutah.org

ResourcesResources

Work Ability CDWork Ability CD

ResourcesResources

• Work AbilityWork Ability

ResourcesResources

• Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) – Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) – www.usor.utah.govwww.usor.utah.gov– Help people with disabilities prepare for Help people with disabilities prepare for

work and find a job so they can live more work and find a job so they can live more independently.independently.• Possible services:Possible services:

– Counseling and GuidanceCounseling and Guidance– Medical Services and TreatmentMedical Services and Treatment– Assistive Technology (AT)Assistive Technology (AT)– Training and EducationTraining and Education– Job PlacementJob Placement– Follow-up ServicesFollow-up Services– ETC. ETC.

ResourcesResources

• Department of Labor– In Utah, The Department of Labor– In Utah, The Department of Workforce Services Department of Workforce Services (DWS) – (DWS) – www.jobs.utah.gov– We provide employment and support services for our We provide employment and support services for our

customers to improve their economic opportunities customers to improve their economic opportunities

DWS- For Job SeekersDWS- For Job Seekers

• Find a JobFind a Job– Master ApplicationMaster Application– Other Job Search toolsOther Job Search tools– Classified AdsClassified Ads

• Electronic Job BoardElectronic Job Board– Can search by area, shifts, etcCan search by area, shifts, etc

• Job FairsJob Fairs• Economic InfoEconomic Info

DWS- For Job SeekersDWS- For Job Seekers

Careers.utah.govCareers.utah.gov

DWS- For Job SeekersDWS- For Job Seekers

• Job Seeker GuidesJob Seeker Guides– Cover letter, grooming, interview Cover letter, grooming, interview

techniques, job application, job success techniques, job application, job success skills, look for a job, resume, skills skills, look for a job, resume, skills identification, tips for teens, tips for identification, tips for teens, tips for finding the right jobfinding the right job

• Utah Careers with a Future Utah Careers with a Future – eSkills, career ladders, Utah’s 5 Star eSkills, career ladders, Utah’s 5 Star

OccupationsOccupations

Utah Careers with a FutureUtah Careers with a FutureeSkills - eSkills -

http://jobs.utah.gov/jsp/wi/utalmis/eskillsHome.dohttp://jobs.utah.gov/jsp/wi/utalmis/eskillsHome.do

Career LadderCareer Ladderhttp://jobs.utah.gov/careers/generic/http://jobs.utah.gov/careers/generic/

DWS- For Job SeekersDWS- For Job Seekers

• Career CenterCareer Center– Employment – Job trends, Resources, Employment – Job trends, Resources,

Careers- Utah Career GuideCareers- Utah Career Guide• Utah Career Guide has personality Utah Career Guide has personality

assessment that relates personality traits to assessment that relates personality traits to possible careers.possible careers.

Utah Careers MagazineUtah Careers Magazinehttp://jobs.utah.gov/opencms/wi/pubs/adultcarhttp://jobs.utah.gov/opencms/wi/pubs/adultcar

eerguide/eerguide/

Just for Youth – Just for Youth – www. www. justforyouth.utah.govjustforyouth.utah.gov

Utah CaresUtah Careswww.utahcare.orgwww.utahcare.org

Utah CaresUtah Cares

DWS- For Job SeekersDWS- For Job Seekers

• WorkshopsWorkshops– C.O.P.E – Communication, C.O.P.E – Communication,

Organization, Problem Solving, Esteem Organization, Problem Solving, Esteem – 5 day– 5 day

– Interviewing SkillsInterviewing Skills– Parenting that WorksParenting that Works– Resume BuildingResume Building

• Find an Employment CenterFind an Employment Center– By zip code searchBy zip code search

DWS – For Information and DWS – For Information and ServicesServices

• http://jobs.utah.gov/opencms/wi/pubs/publicat.html

for all publications for all publications

ResourcesResources

• Choose To WorkChoose To Work– A service to employers & individuals A service to employers & individuals

with disabilities provided cooperatively with disabilities provided cooperatively between The Utah State Office of between The Utah State Office of Rehabilitation and The Department of Rehabilitation and The Department of Workforce Services.Workforce Services.

– Provided through Employment Provided through Employment Specialists working to connect Specialists working to connect employers with job opportunities to job employers with job opportunities to job ready individuals with disabilitiesready individuals with disabilities

ResourcesResources

• Disability MentoringDisability Mentoring– Promotes career development for students Promotes career development for students

and job seekers with disabilities through job and job seekers with disabilities through job shadowing and hands-on career exploration shadowing and hands-on career exploration ..

– Creates a pipeline of qualified workers from Creates a pipeline of qualified workers from which employers can recruit.which employers can recruit.

– Employers have an opportunity, as Employers have an opportunity, as volunteer mentors, to learn more about the volunteer mentors, to learn more about the experience of disability, assist students and experience of disability, assist students and job seekers to make career choices and job seekers to make career choices and offer internships.offer internships.

Employer NetworksEmployer Networks

• Active business connections built Active business connections built through relationships with employers.through relationships with employers.

• Employer’s who have made a Employer’s who have made a commitment to hiring and retaining commitment to hiring and retaining people with disabilities.people with disabilities.

• They are aware of USOR/VR services They are aware of USOR/VR services and the supports we can provide on and the supports we can provide on both the business side and client side.both the business side and client side.

Utah’s Employer NetworkUtah’s Employer Network

GENERAL POPULATIONGENERAL POPULATION• PWDNET (People With Disabilities Network) is a PWDNET (People With Disabilities Network) is a

resource available for employers to post job openings resource available for employers to post job openings and for job seekers to find those job openings. The and for job seekers to find those job openings. The purpose of this network is to link employers and job purpose of this network is to link employers and job seekers who have disabilities.seekers who have disabilities.

• Network employers have training and supports to Network employers have training and supports to understand how to recruit, hire and retain individuals understand how to recruit, hire and retain individuals with disabilities. They are dedicated to this qualified with disabilities. They are dedicated to this qualified workforce. Job Seekers can be confident the workforce. Job Seekers can be confident the employers have knowledge about disability issues and employers have knowledge about disability issues and understand accommodations within the entire understand accommodations within the entire employment process.employment process.

• For further information, contact Leah Lobato at (801) For further information, contact Leah Lobato at (801) 538-7964 or at 538-7964 or at leahlobato@utah.gov. .

www.usor.utah.govwww.usor.utah.gov

Upon opening categorizes by date postedUpon opening categorizes by date posted..

By clicking on any blue type you can change By clicking on any blue type you can change options.options.

Click on Job Title and list is alphabetized.Click on Job Title and list is alphabetized.

You can also sort by location and You can also sort by location and starting salary…starting salary…

ResourcesResources

•Career Preparation and Job FairsCareer Preparation and Job Fairs– Work Ability Career Preparation and Job Work Ability Career Preparation and Job

FairFair• Wednesday April 22, 2009 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 Wednesday April 22, 2009 10:00 a.m. - 2:00

p.m.p.m.• Sanderson Center of the Deaf and Hard of Sanderson Center of the Deaf and Hard of

HearingHearing5709 South 1500 West Taylorsville, UT 841235709 South 1500 West Taylorsville, UT 84123

• Please Contact:  Leah LobatoPlease Contact:  Leah LobatoEmployer Relations SpecialistEmployer Relations Specialist(801) 538-7964 or email leahlobato@utah.gov(801) 538-7964 or email leahlobato@utah.gov

What Employers are What Employers are Looking ForLooking For

• Positive Attitude.Positive Attitude.• Punctual.Punctual.• Good Attendance.Good Attendance.• Follow policies and procedures.Follow policies and procedures.• Be willing to listen.Be willing to listen.• Learn all you can about the job and Learn all you can about the job and

meet expectations.meet expectations.

What Employers are What Employers are Looking ForLooking For

• CommunicationCommunication– Be prepared for communication with Be prepared for communication with

supervisors. Check in…supervisors. Check in…– Be a team player – communicate with Be a team player – communicate with

your co-workers.your co-workers.– Ask for help when you need it.Ask for help when you need it.– Follow proper chain of command.Follow proper chain of command.

What Employers are What Employers are Looking ForLooking For

• PersonalPersonal– Prior to starting try to have most of your Prior to starting try to have most of your

personal appointments completed.personal appointments completed.– Be willing to learn.Be willing to learn.– Make new friends.Make new friends.– Be clean and well groomed – create the Be clean and well groomed – create the

image!image!– Keep personal life and problems at home.Keep personal life and problems at home.– Be patient with yourself and your employer.Be patient with yourself and your employer.– Volunteer.Volunteer.

What Employers are What Employers are Looking ForLooking For

• Getting along with others.Getting along with others.– Do not express your opinions, biases or Do not express your opinions, biases or

prejudices about others while at work.prejudices about others while at work.– Accept criticism as constructive.Accept criticism as constructive.– Always be friendly.Always be friendly.– Notice who your boss relies on and model Notice who your boss relies on and model

yourself after them.yourself after them.– Find a mentor.Find a mentor.– Treat everyone with courtesy and respect.Treat everyone with courtesy and respect.– Keep emotions under control.Keep emotions under control.– Show appreciation.Show appreciation.– Strive to be positively recognized.Strive to be positively recognized.

How Can Students Best How Can Students Best Prepare?Prepare?

• Begin planning in High School for the Begin planning in High School for the transition to work.transition to work.– Use educators and natural supports for Use educators and natural supports for

assistance in identifying programs in their assistance in identifying programs in their high schools.high schools.• Use the IEP process to help make the Use the IEP process to help make the

connections and plans to facilitate the transition.connections and plans to facilitate the transition.

– Utilize agencies that assist in job Utilize agencies that assist in job identification and job services.identification and job services.

– Be your own ADVOCATE!Be your own ADVOCATE!

What Can Families Do?What Can Families Do?

• Assist with identifying the Assist with identifying the appropriate employment to pursue.appropriate employment to pursue.

• Encourage your young adult to Encourage your young adult to assume household tasks, work part-assume household tasks, work part-time, and/or assume volunteer time, and/or assume volunteer positions.positions.

• Relate the “real world” to the “school Relate the “real world” to the “school world” – compare tasks at work to world” – compare tasks at work to tasks at school.tasks at school.

What Can Educators Do?What Can Educators Do?

• Provide a variety of work experiences for Provide a variety of work experiences for young adults while they are in high school.young adults while they are in high school.

• Discuss competitive employment at an early Discuss competitive employment at an early enough stage that timely and appropriate enough stage that timely and appropriate actions are taken to reach the goal.actions are taken to reach the goal.

• Think about how you run your classroom…Think about how you run your classroom…– You are the supervisor in your classroom.You are the supervisor in your classroom.– Can you model the class after the “working Can you model the class after the “working

world?”world?”

•Questions…Questions…

–Thank you for your Thank you for your time!time!

Contact InformationContact Information

Leah LobatoLeah LobatoEmployer Relations Specialist, USOREmployer Relations Specialist, USOR

1-800-473-75301-800-473-7530801-538-7964801-538-7964

250 E. 500 S./P.O. Box 144200250 E. 500 S./P.O. Box 144200Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4200Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4200

leahlobato@utah.govwww.usor.utah.govwww.usor.utah.gov