Introduction

Transition

Developing Job Skills

Supported Employment

Supported Living

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Like anyone else, the first thing a person with disabilities needs to do before finding a job is: (a) have an idea of what type of work he or she wishes to pursue, (b) consider what type of work environment would be the best fit for him or her, and (c) use his or her personal networks as a part of the job search. Once a person has considered these things, he or she then needs to focus on developing, or perfecting, the appropriate job skills needed for successful employment.

There are a tremendous amount of skills needed for job searching. Many of us take a lot of these skills for granted. For example, before leaving for a job interview you probably don’t even think twice about taking a shower, styling your hair, and finding an outfit that is flattering and professional. But consider a person who has difficulty with hygiene skills. For such a person, this may not be a natural routine. In fact, it could be quite rigorous and aversive. Likewise, some individuals may not even realize that taking these steps are expected before going to a job interview. In that case, he or she would need assistance in developing, and perhaps performing, those skills.

Some other skills that may be taken for granted, but may be more difficult for a person with disabilities are filling out an application (including knowing all of the necessary personal information such as birth date, social security number, address, telephone number, emergency contact person, and references), interviewing skills, and phone skills when inquiring about a job. And these are all just skills to get you in the door! Once you find a job, you have to perform a whole different set of skills, and probably have to learn some new ones. For any job, safety skills are important to have. Knowing such information like where to go and what to do in case of a fire, tornado, or dangerous situation is extremely important. Then, depending on the job, you are expected to know and perform certain technical or job specific skills.

So what does a person with disabilities who needs assistance learning and performing skills on the job do? He or she can get hooked up with a job coach who will accompany him or her to the job site and assist in learning the skills necessary to successfully perform that job. As a person gets acclimated in the new job setting, he or she can then begin to develop relationships with co-workers who may act as natural supports (see the Supported Employment unit for more information on natural supports). As a person continually interacts with his or her co-workers and perhaps models their behavior, that individual is able to learn and refine those skills.

Some of the most important skills to learn are social skills (e.g., interacting with others, making remarks appropriate to the situation, asking for help when needed). Co-workers can be a valuable source of support in learning and practicing social skills. Without these skills, persons with disabilities are at risk for losing their job, even if they can perform that job correctly.

Personal attendant services may provide an opportunity for a person with disabilities to learn the necessary hygiene skills for going to work. Personal attendant services provide people who need assistance in various activities with someone who can help. In this case, a personal attendant may be required to visit the person’s home in the morning to help him or her bathe, get dressed, eat breakfast, and perhaps prepare a packed lunch for the day. Over time, the person may be able to develop these skills and perform these activities on his or her own, either partially or totally.

So as you can see, there are many skills that go into finding and performing a job—from getting ready for work, to performing the required job tasks. A person with disabilities may need to utilize such resources as job coaches and personal attendants for some assistance in developing a few, several, or maybe even most of those skills. Then again, that person may not need any assistance at all. It all just depends on the person and his or her particular needs!

Next section: Supported Employment