© JIST Works Part 1 Personal and Financial Barriers © JIST Works

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 and keeping a job. Overcoming personal barriers often requires help from those around you. © JIST Works

Examples of Personal Barriers Not having enough food to feed my family A lack of transportation Health problems No place to live Lack of childcare Family members with special needs Immigrant status No clothes suitable for interviewing © JIST Works

Housing Options Your living situation should not only be clean and safe, it should also be a good place to conduct a job search from. Transportation You will need reliable transportation, not only to find a job, but to get to work everyday once you do.

© JIST Works Family Concerns Taking care of children and other family members is a top priority. Be sure to consider all of your child care options and create a family care plan. Also be sure to 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 and family can help with childcare needs, and programs are often available in your community to help as well.

© JIST Works Criminal Record 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.

© JIST Works Financial Barriers It is important to manage your money carefully while you are looking for work. Take care of your basic needs first, but try to plan for the future as well. Money Management To manage your money, you should consider doing the following: Open a savings and checking account. Create a monthly budget.

© JIST Works Needs vs. Wants Needs Housing Transportation Food Utilities Child care Interviewing attire Wants Cable television New stereo Eating out Movies Vacations Overcoming financial barriers to employment often involves separating your “needs” from your “wants.”

© JIST Works Working While You Look for Work Part time or temporary work provides several advantages. It… Provides a source of income. Allows you to network with other people. Gives you skills and experience. Puts you inside an organization that might hire you for a full-time position. Provides a much-needed source of self-confidence and self-worth.

© JIST Works Plan for Your Future 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 and investing.

© JIST Works Part 2 Emotional and Physical Barriers

© JIST Works Emotional 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.

© JIST Works Taking Responsibility Take control of your life and your career. Take appropriate actions until you get the results you desire. Stop blaming other people. Stop complaining about bad luck and making excuses.

© JIST Works Low Self-Esteem Self-esteem is your perception of your worth. Positive self-esteem is essential for career and life success. Negative self-esteem can lead to feelings of helplessness. Learn to turn your negatives into positives. Managing Stress Unemployment can be very stressful.

© JIST Works Dealing with Depression Depression is a combination of feelings and destructive thinking. Depression includes pessimism, lack of energy, powerlessness, and self-doubt. Set positive goals and work towards them. See a physician if you need medical assistance.

© JIST Works Managing Anger Anger can interfere with your search for a job and can impact your job performance. Learn what triggers your anger. Express your anger to other positively. Be aware of the consequences of your anger. Physical Barriers Barriers that results from physical limitations. Physical barriers can lead to low self-esteem. Be prepared to deal with prejudice, stereotypes, and other social barriers.

© JIST Works Dealing With a Physical Barrier 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.

© JIST Works Dealing With Addictions Understand the effects of your addiction on your job search and career success. Identify community resources that can help you. Create a recovery plan.

© JIST Works Part 3 Career Decision-Making and Planning Barriers

© JIST Works Career Decision-Making and Planning Barriers Don’t know what kind of job you are looking for Don’t know your interest, skills, and abilities Don’t know how to make an effective career decision Don’t know how to develop a career plan

© JIST Works Know What You Want 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 Your Skills Identify both your transferable and job-specific skills. Know your skills in working with people, data, and things. Identify possible jobs and employers that can make use of your best skills.

© JIST Works Steps in the Decision-Making Process 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

© JIST Works Setting Goals Goals are your motivation to act on the career decisions you make. Career Goals Must…. Be yours, not someone else’s. Be stated in specific, measurable terms. Have observable outcomes. Be realistic and attainable. Be stated positively. Have specific completion deadlines.

© JIST Works Career Goals Must…. Be yours, not someone else’s. Be stated in specific, measurable terms. Have observable outcomes. Be realistic and attainable. Be stated positively. Have specific completion deadlines.

© JIST Works Taking Action 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.