[Ohio-talk] FW: [View] Article From Accesss world On Job Resources

[Suzanne Turner]

This was emailed to me by Alexis,  It is very good!

Suzanne

Check out this article on various job resources from Access World.  For
those of you who are not familiar with Access world, it is a monthly
newspaper or magazine created by the American Foundation for the blind.  If
you have an iPhone or iPad, they have a free app to download from the App
Store entitled Accesss world.  I enjoy reading it - you will too.

October 2014 Issue
Volume 15
Number 10 

Employment Issues
2014 Employment Resources for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

Joe Strechay

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is bringing it strong with
some positive information about employment for people with disabilities.

New Utilization Goals and Accessibility Assessment Tools

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act has been revised to include some
utilization goals to encourage federal contractors and subcontractors to
employ people with disabilities. The definition of disability is now more
inclusive of more disorders and conditions. As federal contractors and
subcontractors make up approximately 200,000 employers nationwide, these
changes may spell expanded opportunities for people with disabilities. Under
the new regulations, employees with disabilities would make up 7% of the
overall staff for organizations with 50 to 100 employees. Employers with
more than 100 employees would be encouraged to have a 7% population of
employees with disabilities within each job category. It is important to
note the word "encouraged"--employers are not required to meet this target,
though they are asked to develop plans for doing so.

A utilization goal of 8 percent can also be found in the Vietnam Era
Veteran's Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), which pertains specifically
to the employment of individuals who are veterans. The breakdown by employer
size is the same as that mentioned above regarding Section 503.

The fact is, employers who are not federal contractors and subcontractors
are starting to look at these utilization goals as best practices.
Businesses are reaching out to people with disabilities and organizations
associated with large populations of people with disabilities to assist with
recruitment and the dissemination of job announcements.

In the past year, the
Council for State Agencies for Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR)  and other
entities have developed a new portal for vocational rehabilitation to
connect consumers with employers. The new tool, called the Talent
Acquisition Portal (TAP), gives employers access to a large population of
job seekers with disabilities. The verdict is still out on this initiative,
and I look forward to hearing more about the results.

In the realm of employers, the
United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN)  has been a strong
advocate for connecting employers with people with disabilities. USBLN also
provides employers with guidance on policies and structures that help
support disability in the workplace. The USBLN developed a tool called the
Disability Equality Index (DEI), modeled after the successful Corporate
Equality Index that promoted equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender (LGBT) populations. The DEI offers employers the ability to
assess how their organization supports employees with disability through
policies, hiring practices, and much more. The USBLN is a membership
organization for employers, and it has local leadership networks around the
United States. If you are an employer or connected with employers, encourage
their participation with these types of groups. The USBLN supports the
hiring of underrepresented populations such as people with disabilities and
veterans, and promotes a wider diversity in!
  general within the workforce.

The
Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology
 (PEAT) is an organization and initiative born out of a federal grant from
the Department of Labor Office on Disability Employment Policy. Its work
centers around employment accessibility, with a primary initiative focusing
on improving the accessibility of online application systems, which have
been and continue to be a substantial barrier to the employment process for
those who use screen access technology. PEAT has created its own tool for
assessing an organization's accessibility--in recruitment, employment, and
policy and beyond--to individuals with disabilities. The initiative is being
spearheaded by Loren Mikula, an executive with corporate and nonprofit
experience in the accessibility of technology and in securing appropriate
accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Other organizations, such
as the National Organization on Disability, have also been working to create
access to employment for people with disabilities.

Technology and the Employment Process: Benefits and Challenges

The employment process includes training, researching, applying,
interviewing, getting hired, starting a job, and maintaining employment.
With increased use of mobile apps in the mainstream employment process,
people who are blind or visually impaired should also have access to these
applications. The fact is a lot of mainstream apps related to job seeking
are not accessible via either Apple VoiceOver or Android TalkBack. Last year
I took the time to review a number of these apps, and at that point, only a
few were totally accessible. Most provided anywhere from limited to
substantial access right up until the point of having to submit information.

In the past year and a half, a number of the large technology companies have
invested in hiring teams of accessibility specialists or in expanding
existing teams. AT&T, Sprint, Comcast, Verizon, Google, Apple, and Microsoft
have made significant investments in creating better access for people with
disabilities.
Smaller technology companies are investing as well. I look forward to seeing
what all of this accessibility brings for us in the future.

LinkedIn has become a useful employment and networking tool for job seekers
and people in the workforce. Originally designed to assist recruiters and
businesses in locating and recruiting employees, LinkedIn has become much
more than that. People use LinkedIn to connect with people in similar
fields, to disseminate information, and to find resources. Individuals are
also using LinkedIn to find out more about employers through connections and
organization pages; to validate their skills through references and
recommendations; and for finding job leads. To truly use it as a tool for
job seekers, the level of networking is quite important. The company has
invested in accessibility by bringing on new staff. There have been some
changes, but a lot more is needed to improve the interface and accessibility
of both its online platform and mobile app.

2014 Employment Resources Revisited
AFB CareerConnect

The
CareerConnect
 website is a fully accessible AFB sub-site dedicated to promoting the
employment of people with vision loss. CareerConnect boasts a number of
helpful resources, such as articles about the employment process, stories
from successfully employed people with vision loss called "Our Stories," and
connections to mentors who are blind or visually impaired who are employed
in many fields. These mentors are great resources for career specific
questions, information about job accommodations, and more. CareerConnect
also offers useful links for job seekers, career exploration, and resume
development tools. In addition, CareerConnect provides useful tools and
activities for professionals working with clients who are blind or visually
impaired.

Career Clusters

AFB CareerConnect offers
Career Clusters,
an easier way to navigate government data on popular job fields. The Career
Clusters message boards facilitate connecting with mentors in specific
fields.

The Career Clusters cover law, education, counseling, healthcare,
entertainment, communications, business, STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics), and other fields. Users can build a network
through field-related message boards and profile pages within the
CareerConnect program. Now, CareerConnect mentors and users can associate
their profiles with specific clusters, which helps make relevant networking
connections.

Social Networking-CareerConnect Profile

In February 2014, AFB launched the new version of the CareerConnect
profile, which turned out to be a bigger change to the program than we even
anticipated. The project involved a massive rebuild of the structure of the
e-mentoring program and a variety of aspects of the CareerConnect user
profile. This version brings a modern feel to the CareerConnect mentoring
system, which now allows status updates, associations to mentors, mentor
suggestions, a customizable profile, and new ways to interact.

The Job Seeker's Toolkit

The CareerConnect
Job Seeker's Toolkit
 is a free, self-paced online course aimed at people who are new to the
employment process. The Toolkit consists of a series of lessons and
assignments that cover self-awareness, career exploration, job seeking
tools, pre-interview and interview skills, and job maintenance. As you work
your way through the Toolkit, you can save your assignments (ranging from
your network contacts, to your resume and cover letter, to a list of job
leads, to your My CareerConnect
portfolio) where they can be accessed for future reference or use. In early
2015, look for a new course on maintaining and advancing in employment.

CareerConnect App

AFB launched the
CareerConnect App
 on June 24 of this year. The fully accessible app, which offers mobile
access to content from the CareerConnect Blog, Our Stories, and Lesson Plans
for Teachers and Professionals, is free in the Apple App Store. AFB will be
launching version 2, with added features and capabilities, in June 2015.

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) CareersWithVision

The
NIB CareersWithVision
 website is the result of a collaborative effort between AFB CareerConnect
and the NIB. The NIB has compiled a large list of jobs from around the US
within organizations that do work in fields related to blindness, or that
have hired people with visual impairments. A unique feature of the site is
that you can submit your CareerConnect resume to participating organizations
in order to apply for jobs. This service requires you to create a free
CareerConnect user profile to search the job board, develop a resume, and
apply for jobs.

Hadley School for the Blind

The
Hadley School for the Blind
 offers online and correspondence courses for people with vision loss in
subjects related to blindness skills, business writing, employment, and
more. Hadley's exciting program, the Forsythe Center for Entrepreneurship,
offers in-depth information and training for entrepreneurs who are blind or
visually impaired who want to start their own business. This resource has
seen growth and innovation through partnerships with groups like the
Veteran's Administration.

Accessing Federal Jobs

Federal agencies have two job application methods available for people with
disabilities: competitive and noncompetitive placements. Job applicants must
meet specified qualifications and be able to perform essential job duties
related to any position with reasonable accommodations.

Jobs filled competitively are advertised on USAJOBS, the official
job-posting site used by the US government. There are approximately 16,000
jobs available on the site each day. Once you register on the site, you can
set up notifications for job advertisements related to selected keywords.
Jobs filled noncompetitively are available to those with mental, severe
physical, or psychiatric disabilities who have appropriate documentation as
specified by the US Office of Personnel Management.

The US Department of Labor
Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)  offers useful connections to
resources for self-employment, youth employment, employer advisement, the
latest disability policies, and more. This office advises the US Department
of Labor and other government agencies on employment issues regarding people
with disabilities.

GettingHired

GettingHired, LLC
 offers training courses, opportunities to connect with employers, career
personality assessments, and other employment resources for people with
disabilities.
GettingHired has recently announced a partnership with HirePotential, Inc.,
which will provide specialized training courses for national employers on
the accommodation process, disability etiquette training, Office of Federal
Contract Compliance Programs  compliance, tax credit utilization, and
disability awareness training for recruiters and hiring managers.

Job Accommodation Network

The
Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
 is an online resource for accommodation advice for all disabilities. The
website also allows users to submit questions regarding special
accommodations and ADA issues in the workplace. JAN hosts webcasts on the
provision of job accommodations, and the programs can be accessed through
its website.

Career One Stop

Career One Stop
 is a free resource provided by the US Department of Labor that allows you
to search state job bank databases.

Career Centers

Career centers help people perform research to support professional goals.
Colleges, universities, and postsecondary and vocational schools often have
career centers, and many are available to the public. You may have to visit,
call, or do some online research to find out what is available to you
locally. Keep in mind that many career centers maintain robust websites
accessible to anyone with an Internet connection, and these sites may offer
many free resources and materials. Career centers are often underutilized,
and most are eager to have visitors. Some receive grant money to offer
services to the community or state, and some actively recruit people with
disabilities to their centers.

Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

Vocational rehabilitation helps people with disabilities prepare for entry
or re-entry into the workforce. Your local vocational rehabilitation agency
will offer a range of programs, resources, and services to help you prepare
for and find work. The range of programs offered by these agencies varies
from state to state, so research your local vocational rehabilitation
agency, determine what programs and services you are eligible for, and
register.

In most cases, these organizations exist to help you become job-ready and
find employment. Some may also train you in independent daily living,
orientation and mobility, and access technology. These organizations will
also know about other available resources in your community. To find a local
or state agency near you, use the AFB Directory of Services.

Stephen-Bradford Search

Stephen-Bradford Search
 is an executive consultant search firm that aims to connect the right
person with the right job. The motivation and passion from their personnel
explodes through the phone. Their core values are accountability, growth,
integrity, positive culture, and respect.

The firm is dedicated to improving people's lives by identifying talented
individuals and is known as a forward-thinking, highly ethical search firm.
Its expertise is in marketing, sales, business development, account
management, and operations across many industries, including advertising,
beauty/luxury, consumer goods, digital/social media, emerging technologies,
and market research for nonprofit organizations. The management and
recruiters come from the industries for which they recruit, and they are
dedicated to helping clients build their business with people who drive
growth and results.

Stephen-Bradford Search is not an organization that specifically recruits
people with vision loss. It aims to find talented people who are qualified
individuals and can get the job done. That said, the firm does have
personnel who are visually impaired, and if you are working in any of the
fields listed, this is a recommended organization to contact.

Bender Consulting Services

Bender Consulting Services
 is a highly successful recruitment firm that specializes in meeting
employer needs through the hiring of qualified people with disabilities in
technology, science, government, and other employment sectors. The
organization has been making a difference for a long time. Joyce Bender also
hosts a popular audio show specific to disability and the employment
process.

disABLED Person, Inc.

disABLEDperson, Inc.
 is a nonprofit public foundation with the mission to reduce the extremely
high unemployment rate among the disabled by providing online recruitment
solutions as well as program initiatives. A primary goal associated with
this mission is to connect individuals and veterans who have disabilities
with employers who are proactive in hiring them. It accomplishes this goal
through their disability job matching system.

Another goal is to assist community members in gaining marketable job skills
that will translate into sustainable employment via their Microsoft IT
Academy  program. Recently, the organization has created a partnership with
the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation  and an
alliance with the United States Business Leadership Network.
You can visit the Web portals at the
disABLEDperson, Inc.
 website or the
Job Opportunities for Disabled American Veterans (JOFDAV)  website.

Eyes on Success

The
Eyes on Success
 audio show is an excellent resource to find interviews with successful
people who are blind or visually impaired and get employment tips. There are
over 200 shows accessible online that offer tips on job seeking and the use
of resources. Find out about great blindness-related resources and
inspirational stories.

NFB Where the Blind Work

The National Federation of the Blind has a resource that allows persons who
are blind or visually impaired to post information about their work. 
Where the Blind Work
 is a portal for learning about the work done by people who are blind.

Project Aspiro

Project Aspiro,
a website developed by the World Blind Union, focuses on addressing
employment issues specific to needs in Canada and abroad. This is a career
exploration resource that aims to illuminate employment options and programs
outside of the US.

Final Thoughts

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, take the time to
reflect on your path and the paths of others. Reach out to the community and
spread the doctrine of the employability of people who are blind or visually
impaired and those with other disabilities. The year has brought more
positive strides and steps toward making a difference.

In tougher markets, workers in the skilled trades can often find some
stability. Individuals who have specific training and experience in a trade
will often be able to find or create work. To pursue work in the skilled
trades, your compensatory blindness-related skills need to be above par,
which amplifies the importance of the work of vocational rehabilitation
agencies and community rehabilitation providers around the United States. It
is not enough to get a job-a person has to be able to maintain employment.

Job seekers need to dig in and be creative about their job search. Invest in
your job search--join a professional organization or trade-related
organization that allows contact to professionals in a similar field--and
leverage your personal network. Create your own connections and use them
appropriately. Make the coming year even more successful by creating
opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired.
   

October 2014 Issue
Volume 15
Number 10 

Employment Issues
2014 Employment Resources for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

Joe Strechay

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is bringing it strong with
some positive information about employment for people with disabilities.

New Utilization Goals and Accessibility Assessment Tools

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act has been revised to include some
utilization goals to encourage federal contractors and subcontractors to
employ people with disabilities. The definition of disability is now more
inclusive of more disorders and conditions. As federal contractors and
subcontractors make up approximately 200,000 employers nationwide, these
changes may spell expanded opportunities for people with disabilities. Under
the new regulations, employees with disabilities would make up 7% of the
overall staff for organizations with 50 to 100 employees. Employers with
more than 100 employees would be encouraged to have a 7% population of
employees with disabilities within each job category. It is important to
note the word "encouraged"--employers are not required to meet this target,
though they are asked to develop plans for doing so.

A utilization goal of 8 percent can also be found in the Vietnam Era
Veteran's Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), which pertains specifically
to the employment of individuals who are veterans. The breakdown by employer
size is the same as that mentioned above regarding Section 503.

The fact is, employers who are not federal contractors and subcontractors
are starting to look at these utilization goals as best practices.
Businesses are reaching out to people with disabilities and organizations
associated with large populations of people with disabilities to assist with
recruitment and the dissemination of job announcements.

In the past year, the
Council for State Agencies for Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR)  and other
entities have developed a new portal for vocational rehabilitation to
connect consumers with employers. The new tool, called the Talent
Acquisition Portal (TAP), gives employers access to a large population of
job seekers with disabilities. The verdict is still out on this initiative,
and I look forward to hearing more about the results.

In the realm of employers, the
United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN)  has been a strong
advocate for connecting employers with people with disabilities. USBLN also
provides employers with guidance on policies and structures that help
support disability in the workplace. The USBLN developed a tool called the
Disability Equality Index (DEI), modeled after the successful Corporate
Equality Index that promoted equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender (LGBT) populations. The DEI offers employers the ability to
assess how their organization supports employees with disability through
policies, hiring practices, and much more. The USBLN is a membership
organization for employers, and it has local leadership networks around the
United States. If you are an employer or connected with employers, encourage
their participation with these types of groups. The USBLN supports the
hiring of underrepresented populations such as people with disabilities and
veterans, and promotes a wider diversity in!
  general within the workforce.

The
Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology
 (PEAT) is an organization and initiative born out of a federal grant from
the Department of Labor Office on Disability Employment Policy. Its work
centers around employment accessibility, with a primary initiative focusing
on improving the accessibility of online application systems, which have
been and continue to be a substantial barrier to the employment process for
those who use screen access technology. PEAT has created its own tool for
assessing an organization's accessibility--in recruitment, employment, and
policy and beyond--to individuals with disabilities. The initiative is being
spearheaded by Loren Mikula, an executive with corporate and nonprofit
experience in the accessibility of technology and in securing appropriate
accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Other organizations, such
as the National Organization on Disability, have also been working to create
access to employment for people with disabilities.

Technology and the Employment Process: Benefits and Challenges

The employment process includes training, researching, applying,
interviewing, getting hired, starting a job, and maintaining employment.
With increased use of mobile apps in the mainstream employment process,
people who are blind or visually impaired should also have access to these
applications. The fact is a lot of mainstream apps related to job seeking
are not accessible via either Apple VoiceOver or Android TalkBack. Last year
I took the time to review a number of these apps, and at that point, only a
few were totally accessible. Most provided anywhere from limited to
substantial access right up until the point of having to submit information.

In the past year and a half, a number of the large technology companies have
invested in hiring teams of accessibility specialists or in expanding
existing teams. AT&T, Sprint, Comcast, Verizon, Google, Apple, and Microsoft
have made significant investments in creating better access for people with
disabilities.
Smaller technology companies are investing as well. I look forward to seeing
what all of this accessibility brings for us in the future.

LinkedIn has become a useful employment and networking tool for job seekers
and people in the workforce. Originally designed to assist recruiters and
businesses in locating and recruiting employees, LinkedIn has become much
more than that. People use LinkedIn to connect with people in similar
fields, to disseminate information, and to find resources. Individuals are
also using LinkedIn to find out more about employers through connections and
organization pages; to validate their skills through references and
recommendations; and for finding job leads. To truly use it as a tool for
job seekers, the level of networking is quite important. The company has
invested in accessibility by bringing on new staff. There have been some
changes, but a lot more is needed to improve the interface and accessibility
of both its online platform and mobile app.

2014 Employment Resources Revisited
AFB CareerConnect

The
CareerConnect
 website is a fully accessible AFB sub-site dedicated to promoting the
employment of people with vision loss. CareerConnect boasts a number of
helpful resources, such as articles about the employment process, stories
from successfully employed people with vision loss called "Our Stories," and
connections to mentors who are blind or visually impaired who are employed
in many fields. These mentors are great resources for career specific
questions, information about job accommodations, and more. CareerConnect
also offers useful links for job seekers, career exploration, and resume
development tools. In addition, CareerConnect provides useful tools and
activities for professionals working with clients who are blind or visually
impaired.

Career Clusters

AFB CareerConnect offers
Career Clusters,
an easier way to navigate government data on popular job fields. The Career
Clusters message boards facilitate connecting with mentors in specific
fields.

The Career Clusters cover law, education, counseling, healthcare,
entertainment, communications, business, STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics), and other fields. Users can build a network
through field-related message boards and profile pages within the
CareerConnect program. Now, CareerConnect mentors and users can associate
their profiles with specific clusters, which helps make relevant networking
connections.

Social Networking-CareerConnect Profile

In February 2014, AFB launched the new version of the CareerConnect
profile, which turned out to be a bigger change to the program than we even
anticipated. The project involved a massive rebuild of the structure of the
e-mentoring program and a variety of aspects of the CareerConnect user
profile. This version brings a modern feel to the CareerConnect mentoring
system, which now allows status updates, associations to mentors, mentor
suggestions, a customizable profile, and new ways to interact.

The Job Seeker's Toolkit

The CareerConnect
Job Seeker's Toolkit
 is a free, self-paced online course aimed at people who are new to the
employment process. The Toolkit consists of a series of lessons and
assignments that cover self-awareness, career exploration, job seeking
tools, pre-interview and interview skills, and job maintenance. As you work
your way through the Toolkit, you can save your assignments (ranging from
your network contacts, to your resume and cover letter, to a list of job
leads, to your My CareerConnect
portfolio) where they can be accessed for future reference or use. In early
2015, look for a new course on maintaining and advancing in employment.

CareerConnect App

AFB launched the
CareerConnect App
 on June 24 of this year. The fully accessible app, which offers mobile
access to content from the CareerConnect Blog, Our Stories, and Lesson Plans
for Teachers and Professionals, is free in the Apple App Store. AFB will be
launching version 2, with added features and capabilities, in June 2015.

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) CareersWithVision

The
NIB CareersWithVision
 website is the result of a collaborative effort between AFB CareerConnect
and the NIB. The NIB has compiled a large list of jobs from around the US
within organizations that do work in fields related to blindness, or that
have hired people with visual impairments. A unique feature of the site is
that you can submit your CareerConnect resume to participating organizations
in order to apply for jobs. This service requires you to create a free
CareerConnect user profile to search the job board, develop a resume, and
apply for jobs.

Hadley School for the Blind

The
Hadley School for the Blind
 offers online and correspondence courses for people with vision loss in
subjects related to blindness skills, business writing, employment, and
more. Hadley's exciting program, the Forsythe Center for Entrepreneurship,
offers in-depth information and training for entrepreneurs who are blind or
visually impaired who want to start their own business. This resource has
seen growth and innovation through partnerships with groups like the
Veteran's Administration.

Accessing Federal Jobs

Federal agencies have two job application methods available for people with
disabilities: competitive and noncompetitive placements. Job applicants must
meet specified qualifications and be able to perform essential job duties
related to any position with reasonable accommodations.

Jobs filled competitively are advertised on USAJOBS, the official
job-posting site used by the US government. There are approximately 16,000
jobs available on the site each day. Once you register on the site, you can
set up notifications for job advertisements related to selected keywords.
Jobs filled noncompetitively are available to those with mental, severe
physical, or psychiatric disabilities who have appropriate documentation as
specified by the US Office of Personnel Management.

The US Department of Labor
Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)  offers useful connections to
resources for self-employment, youth employment, employer advisement, the
latest disability policies, and more. This office advises the US Department
of Labor and other government agencies on employment issues regarding people
with disabilities.

GettingHired

GettingHired, LLC
 offers training courses, opportunities to connect with employers, career
personality assessments, and other employment resources for people with
disabilities.
GettingHired has recently announced a partnership with HirePotential, Inc.,
which will provide specialized training courses for national employers on
the accommodation process, disability etiquette training, Office of Federal
Contract Compliance Programs  compliance, tax credit utilization, and
disability awareness training for recruiters and hiring managers.

Job Accommodation Network

The
Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
 is an online resource for accommodation advice for all disabilities. The
website also allows users to submit questions regarding special
accommodations and ADA issues in the workplace. JAN hosts webcasts on the
provision of job accommodations, and the programs can be accessed through
its website.

Career One Stop

Career One Stop
 is a free resource provided by the US Department of Labor that allows you
to search state job bank databases.

Career Centers

Career centers help people perform research to support professional goals.
Colleges, universities, and postsecondary and vocational schools often have
career centers, and many are available to the public. You may have to visit,
call, or do some online research to find out what is available to you
locally. Keep in mind that many career centers maintain robust websites
accessible to anyone with an Internet connection, and these sites may offer
many free resources and materials. Career centers are often underutilized,
and most are eager to have visitors. Some receive grant money to offer
services to the community or state, and some actively recruit people with
disabilities to their centers.

Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

Vocational rehabilitation helps people with disabilities prepare for entry
or re-entry into the workforce. Your local vocational rehabilitation agency
will offer a range of programs, resources, and services to help you prepare
for and find work. The range of programs offered by these agencies varies
from state to state, so research your local vocational rehabilitation
agency, determine what programs and services you are eligible for, and
register.

In most cases, these organizations exist to help you become job-ready and
find employment. Some may also train you in independent daily living,
orientation and mobility, and access technology. These organizations will
also know about other available resources in your community. To find a local
or state agency near you, use the AFB Directory of Services.

Stephen-Bradford Search

Stephen-Bradford Search
 is an executive consultant search firm that aims to connect the right
person with the right job. The motivation and passion from their personnel
explodes through the phone. Their core values are accountability, growth,
integrity, positive culture, and respect.

The firm is dedicated to improving people's lives by identifying talented
individuals and is known as a forward-thinking, highly ethical search firm.
Its expertise is in marketing, sales, business development, account
management, and operations across many industries, including advertising,
beauty/luxury, consumer goods, digital/social media, emerging technologies,
and market research for nonprofit organizations. The management and
recruiters come from the industries for which they recruit, and they are
dedicated to helping clients build their business with people who drive
growth and results.

Stephen-Bradford Search is not an organization that specifically recruits
people with vision loss. It aims to find talented people who are qualified
individuals and can get the job done. That said, the firm does have
personnel who are visually impaired, and if you are working in any of the
fields listed, this is a recommended organization to contact.

Bender Consulting Services

Bender Consulting Services
 is a highly successful recruitment firm that specializes in meeting
employer needs through the hiring of qualified people with disabilities in
technology, science, government, and other employment sectors. The
organization has been making a difference for a long time. Joyce Bender also
hosts a popular audio show specific to disability and the employment
process.

disABLED Person, Inc.

disABLEDperson, Inc.
 is a nonprofit public foundation with the mission to reduce the extremely
high unemployment rate among the disabled by providing online recruitment
solutions as well as program initiatives. A primary goal associated with
this mission is to connect individuals and veterans who have disabilities
with employers who are proactive in hiring them. It accomplishes this goal
through their disability job matching system.

Another goal is to assist community members in gaining marketable job skills
that will translate into sustainable employment via their Microsoft IT
Academy  program. Recently, the organization has created a partnership with
the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation  and an
alliance with the United States Business Leadership Network.
You can visit the Web portals at the
disABLEDperson, Inc.
 website or the
Job Opportunities for Disabled American Veterans (JOFDAV)  website.

Eyes on Success

The
Eyes on Success
 audio show is an excellent resource to find interviews with successful
people who are blind or visually impaired and get employment tips. There are
over 200 shows accessible online that offer tips on job seeking and the use
of resources. Find out about great blindness-related resources and
inspirational stories.

NFB Where the Blind Work

The National Federation of the Blind has a resource that allows persons who
are blind or visually impaired to post information about their work. 
Where the Blind Work
 is a portal for learning about the work done by people who are blind.

Project Aspiro

Project Aspiro,
a website developed by the World Blind Union, focuses on addressing
employment issues specific to needs in Canada and abroad. This is a career
exploration resource that aims to illuminate employment options and programs
outside of the US.

Final Thoughts

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, take the time to
reflect on your path and the paths of others. Reach out to the community and
spread the doctrine of the employability of people who are blind or visually
impaired and those with other disabilities. The year has brought more
positive strides and steps toward making a difference.

In tougher markets, workers in the skilled trades can often find some
stability. Individuals who have specific training and experience in a trade
will often be able to find or create work. To pursue work in the skilled
trades, your compensatory blindness-related skills need to be above par,
which amplifies the importance of the work of vocational rehabilitation
agencies and community rehabilitation providers around the United States. It
is not enough to get a job-a person has to be able to maintain employment.

Job seekers need to dig in and be creative about their job search. Invest in
your job search--join a professional organization or trade-related
organization that allows contact to professionals in a similar field--and
leverage your personal network. Create your own connections and use them
appropriately. Make the coming year even more successful by creating
opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired.


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