[nabs-l] vr counselors and job support

[Ashley Bramlett]

Hi all, 

Well, I couldn’t think of a good subject line for this complex issue.

I’ll say that I graduated in 2009 with a general BA degree in liberal studies; kind of where you make your won program to complete a degree; I picked  my concentrations of social sciences and communication. Then after some training at our state center, I pursued a writing certificate at Nova, northern Virginia community college.  I’m finishing that next semester.  I wanted to add more to my resume and take classes specific to writing, so this was a good investment for me.  My career goal is broad; in this economy you cannot be too picky, whether you are blind or not.
I desire to work in something to help people. I’m thinking outreach, communication, customer service, or development.  I want to work with a team of people in an office.  

That is some background.  Now as we all know getting a job is tough with the down economy and most jobs are gotten via networking anyway.
I networked via a disability mentoring day for customs and border patrol; I was refered for a unpaid internship in section 508 compliance after following up with the disability program manager. I intend to get this internship once going through their rigorrous background check.

Well, I’m frustrated with my vr counselor.  I tell her I’m looking for work and explain barriers like lack of experience; visual tasks in entry level jobs that include filing, sorting mail, data entry etc, etc.
She schedules a meeting with me to talk over my case and I wonder if she is forcing a service on me for which it will do no good.

I then tell her about my internship to end the call. “well, you are good at finding internships, but lets look for a real job.” How insulting! After  I just told her I looked and few entry level jobs there and to put down an internship where my foot will be in the door in the government  that may lead somewhere is insulting.

Have anyone of you worked with or  known people who worked with job placement specialists?  This counselor wants to refer me
to one. I am skeptical he can help me unless he actually takes me out to go in person to employers, its called cold calls. I asked her what he’d do for me and she was real vague.
“He’ll send you job leads.” she said.  She said something about job announcements.

I’ll get more info in the meeting. But I just am not sure I should work with him. I mean it sounds on the surface like a waste of time.  I’d rather have vr work with me on things like a good cover letter, interview skills, professional dos and don’ts, stuff like that. So, I’m wondering if any of you had this service and how it went.

Ashley