Getting to Know You: Job Seeker Assessment Tools Elena Varney MS, CRC Institute for Community Inclusion www.communityinclusion.org National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult www.onestops.info Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Information on Demand 1-888-886-9898 Listserv Promising Practices Publications Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Identify Yourself! Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

What does it mean to you? DISABILITY Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Disability Includes wide range of conditions Impact on people’s lives varies Often not apparent Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Disability is individualized and idiosynchratic Be careful of blanket assumptions about disability and people with disabilities Disability is individualized and idiosynchratic Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

One-Stop Customers Job Seekers Employers Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Job Seekers with Disabilities People who have an apparent disability and/or disclose their disability to you People who have a non-apparent disability and choose not to disclose People who are not aware they have a disability Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Getting to Know You: Current One-Stop Assessment Practices Interest inventories Achievement tests Aptitude tests Personality assessments Intelligence Testing Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Formal Assessment Tools & Tests Computer Software Internet Resources Psychological and Educational Tests Achievement Tests Intelligence Tests Personality Tests Interest Inventories Vocational Aptitude Tests Work Sample Systems Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Shortcomings of Testing for People with Disabilities When modified, scores are uncertain Tests that reflect disability do not provide info about potential Predictive assessments used in a different environment are limited Norm-referenced difficulties: most pen/paper tests were standardized on people without disabilities cannot determine how he/she does in comparison to others Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

HOW DO WE FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT? What motivates them? What interests them? What are their strengths and skills? Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Customize the Process! One size does not fit all Flexibility of staff roles allows for modifications in the ways in which services are provided, based on the individual’s needs Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Critical Elements of Assessment/Exploration Customer Driven Respecting Preferences and Choices Focus on Desires, Strengths, Abilities Get to Know Him/Her: Ask, “Why?” Ongoing Process Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Degrees of Customization: Assessment -Self-directed computer search -Staff assisted computer search -Formal assessment tools -Staff assisted group assessments -Individualized exploration - Discovery Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

ASK LISTEN OBSERVE LOOK FOR COMMON THEMES Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

GETTING STARTED… Communicate with job seeker Talk with others who know job seeker - different perspectives can really help Have a meeting……..or not! Spend time with job seeker in different settings Help job seeker understand basic job choices Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

CATALYSTS FOR PLANNING & SOME WAYS TO GENERATE IDEAS CREATIVITY SOME WAYS TO GENERATE IDEAS Story Telling: about focus person’s past, or vision for future Get Artistic: have participants use/create drawings, possibly of future “vision” Place Categories: likes & dislikes e.g., home, community, school, work Activity Categories: likes & dislikes e.g., work, chores, hobbies, leisure, fun Experiences (leisure, learning & labor) & Preferences (people, things, information) Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Individualized Exploration/Planning Rally the troops Tap into those resources! Who knows them well? Who can help identify skills/abilities? Develop a Vocational Profile Likes and dislikes Past experiences Skills and abilities Task list Identify Employment Outcomes Job choice Environment of choice Develop Placement Plan -Matching interests & supports Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

TASKS, SKILLS, ENVIRONMENTS What environments does the individual enjoy? What environments have they succeeded in? What social skills do they bring to the work environment? In what environments would their personality & social skills be an asset? What types of work environment are least favored? WHY? Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Expanding the Tools in the Toolbox O*Net Job Seeker Planning Tool Situational Assessments Harrington O'Shea Discovery Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

O*Net Online http://online.onetcenter.org/skills/ Welcome to O*NET TM OnLine! Making occupational information interactive and accessible for all... If your search identifies occupations that require skills or abilities that may be difficult to use because of a health problem or disability, please consider job accommodations . Skills Search Use a list of your skills to find matching O*NET-SOC occupations. Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Harrington O’Shea Authors: Thomas F. Harrington Ph.D. and Arthur J. O’Shea Ph.D. Self-assesses abilities, interests, and work values Can be used to simply structure conversation around employment Individual or group career exploration tool Profiles the current United States job market CDM software option. Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Job Seeker Planning Tool A good job is a result of a good fit. What’s your profile? Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENTS ASSESSMENT USING INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SETTINGS FOR: CAREER EXPLORATION TO DETERMINE VOCATIONAL INTERESTS AS A JOB “TRY OUT” PRIOR TO HIRING PROCESS - Marketing tool - Reduction in risk to consumer and employer Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

THE GOAL: Helping people get exposure to various jobs, while identifying their strengths along the way. Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

SITUATIONALASSESSMENT WHO’S IT FOR? PEOPLE: WITH LIMITED WORK AND LIFE EXPERIENCES WITH INTERESTS NEEDING FURTHER EXPLORATION WHO WANT TO CHANGE JOBS/CAREERS AND NEED DIRECTION Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

WHAT WE LEARN FROM SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT JOB PREFERENCES WORK ENVIRONMENT PREFERENCES TASK SKILLS OF INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL SKILLS OF INDIVIDUAL TASK AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS OF JOB Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

The Discovery Process The individual expresses their dreams, goals, personal preferences, life experiences and needs regarding employment The individual decides who will participate in creating their profile (family, service providers, school staff..etc) The individual is the primary source of information, with other participants providing ideas and suggestions Information can be gathered one-on-one or in group meetings, as formally, or informally as the individual requests Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

The Discovery Process Additional information about life skills and competencies is gathered through observation Visit the individual in their home, work and social environments Needs related to the identified goals should be discussed Career exploration Additional training/skills building Job support needs such as job coaching, travel training, counseling Accommodations such as assistive technology, ASL interpreters, modification of hours, duties..etc Concerns and questions regarding the impact of working on Social Security benefits should be discussed Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach Programs Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

The Vocational Profile Regardless of which assessment approach is used, information from the exploration process will be documented in a Vocational Profile Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

The Vocational Profile The profile should include Specific tasks in which the individual is competent Contributions of the individual Environments of choice Personal and professional network contacts Outlines roles and responsibilities of all Sets timeframes and points for evaluation of progress Specific employers to contact based on task list Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

OTHER METHODS OF EXPLORING INTERESTS & SKILLS Informational Interviews Tours Job Shadowing Volunteer Work Community Exploration Community & Business Research Taking A Class Career Centers Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Long Term Employment Success Requires that potential support needs and barriers be identified and addressed throughout the assessment process. Accommodations are presumed available as needed. Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Here I Am! Representation to Employers Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

The Resume A great tool for many people Resume representation not always the best option Gaps in work history Numerous jobs Lack of work history Non-readers ESL issues Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston

Alternate Options Portfolio Web site CD Portfolio Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston