[rehab] A Unique Workshop for the Blind Job Seeker

[Robert Leslie Newman]

Hi you all: Attached and pasted into this message is a copy of one of my
recent writing projects, a workshop designed to get the blind job seeker to
be as smart as they can be when out there looking for employment. I think
this is a good one and needs to be spread around. If you have questions
contact me direct- Email- newmanrl at cox.net or phone-402-660-1743 (Use this
wherever you would like.)
 
Back to the Basics; How Do You Measure Up
By Robert Leslie Newman

Introduction

"Back to the Basics; how do you measure up" is an interactive employment
readiness evaluation and training workshop created with the unique needs of
the blind job seeker in mind. It is designed to provide an on-the-spot
evaluation of how the job seeker measures up to all those elements which
make up the process to find employment, and at its completion, a roadmap to
the skills and tools needed to improve readiness. Toward this goal, the
participant will have a chance to measure his or her understanding of and
readiness to engage in the four major steps which make up becoming employed,
and they are identified as: 1. Is your life in order; 2. Know how to find
openings; 3. Know how to make the initial contact; 4. Know how to sell
yourself. 

This workshop was created in 2010. I presented it as a parting gift at the
end of my thirty-seven year career with the Nebraska commission for the
Blind and Visually Impaired. The stimulus for its creation was our
realization that too many blind consumers were not measuring up to the
basics required of a good job search and that too many of our prior
workshops were too passive in nature. The format style is what I call a
"programmed text," a how-to-do instructional guide to seeking employment as
a blind person; it tests you, provides information, and educates.

The Nebraska Commission put on this workshop in 2010 and again in 2012. The
Nebraska Model was to conduct it over one full day and a half. Originally, I
envisioned the workshop being spread out over two full days; the shortening
up came about by the elimination of an educational skit at the beginning of
each of the four sections of the workshop.
***End of intro***

Back to the Basics: How Do You Measure Up
Workshop Manuscript

Setting the Stage

The Players are: The employment conference MC, the small group facilitators,
the workshop participants. 

Picture this Layout: All players are in one big room. The MC speaks from the
front. The workshop participants are divided into small groups, seated at
tables scattered about the room; four people per table, three job seekers
and a group facilitator.

the Process of the Workshop

The MC presents each new exercise in the form of a question, conducts a
short discussion on the "what and why" of its significance in the job
seeking process. The participant is then required to think through and write
out his or her answer, everyone next sharing and discussing answers in their
small groups; the facilitator guiding and/or elaborating where necessary.
After a set period of time, the MC gets everyone's attention and with
feedback from the small groups, conducts a short summery of that question's
answer and meaning.

Participant's Requirements

Who is the workshop designed for: 
A beginner who is needing to learn what the overall process of job seeking
requires. Second, a person who is somewhere in the middle of learning job
seeking skills and needs to test what they know, and learn what they further
need to know. Finally, with an eye to improve, a job seeker who feels they
know the process and is willing to see how they measure up.

Everyone has to bring: 
A short introduction of themselves and their desired job in the form of an
30-45 second "elevator speech." 

A resume; information to fill out an application. 

With a stress on literacy for employment, all must come with a method to
provide written responses to workshop exercises and for taking notes;
turning in their work at the conclusion, as an aid to judge how a
participant initially measured up, how he or she progressed during the
workshop, and then how to best tailor post-workshop assistance. Tools and/or
methods for taking notes: Laptop, NoteTaker (PAC Mate, BrailleNote, etc.),
Braille slate and stylus, Braille writer, pen and paper, digital recorder. 

Staff requirements

Small group facilitators need to be knowledgeable in the areas of blindness
and job seeking skills

Professionals who refer a consumer, must fill out an job readiness
assessment form on each individual they send to the workshop. 

Misscelanious requirements

Handouts for participants: 
-A handout of instructions for the four required after-workshop assignments.
-a handout of job seeking methods and resources which are smart to use.
-A handout of questions you can use in an informational interview.
-A handout of the most likely questions to be asked in a job interview.

At the conclusion of the workshop, there are four homework assignments which
have to be completed and handed into their Vocational Counselor at a
designated appointment date and they are:
-In Step 1- the Participant's Response to the written evaluation of their
Vocational Counselor. 
-In Sstep 2- Making and writing up three informational interviews.
-In Step 3- Tailoring an application and/or resume to a specific job
description.
-In Step 4- Write out answers to the top ten job interview questions.
 
Workshop Exercises

--Step 1: Is your life in order? 
(Four exercises)

-Exercise 1: {Used as an ice-breaker.} The Elevator Speech- When you first
meet an employer, it is an opportunity to take advantage of, to make a good
first impression. (12-20 minutes)

First: Each participant will have a turn to be the employer and the job
seeker. The employer will say to the job seeker, "What can I do for you?"
The job seeker will shake hands and give the "Elevator Speech." The small
group facilitator will be a timekeeper; 30-45 seconds per speech.

Second: All others within the small group will give feedback to the job
seeker. 

Third: The MC asks for feedback on how people felt about the experience.

-Exercise 2: Do you have your blindness skills in order? (10-20 minutes)
(Two questions)

First: In relation to your activities at home or on a job, write a
description of where your ability to see or not see makes you have to do
things differently, and tell us how, as in what measures do you use to
maintain your independence. (Example for staff- Reading print can be
difficult --- I use screen enlargement software to read a computer screen
--- or, I use Braille. Traveling in some environments, like in dim lighting
can be difficult --- I use a long white cane to safely travel about.
Participants must cover all major aspects of functioning: travel, reading,
writing, self-care, etc.)

Second: Also in relation to your activities at home or on a job, write down
the alternatives you feel you need to improve on and/or any further training
you need to be job ready. 

Third: The small group will compare answers with one another.

Fourth: The MC asks for feedback.

-Exercise 3: Is your life in order and supports in place? (10-20 minutes)
(Four questions)

First: For all seven days of the week, write down the hours, the time period
during a day that you would be willing and able to work.
(Example for staff- Monday 8:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M.) 

Second: Write down your intended mode of travel for getting to work; only
accept the most reliable, anything less will get you fired. (Example for
staff- city bus, car pool, walk, etc.)

Third: List and give your intended solution for any additional
considerations that you know you need to attend to before you can go to
work. (Example for Staff- Childcare, clear up personal medical problems,
clothing, etc.)

Fourth: What are the financial considerations you need to attend to when
going to work? (Example for staff- {If needed, here are questions to get the
participant thinking} How does it affect your budget? What is your plan;
want to work part time or full time, why? If you are receiving benefits,
like SSI or SSDI or Medicaid or Medicare, how will an income affect your
eligibility? Are you striving to leave all disability benefits behind, why?)


Fifth: The small group will share answers.

Sixth: The MC will ask for a few examples for discussion.

-Exercise 4: What is your job goal and career path? (20-30 minutes:
(Four questions)

First: Write down your vocational goal. What are the qualifications for
anyone to be accepted into this job? What alternative techniques do you need
to have to perform this job? (Example for staff- Qualifications for job:
education, skill sets, experience, etc. Alternatives: blindness skills
and/or equipment.)

Second: Write out the career path that will take you to your desired job
goal. (Example for staff- {If needed, here are questions to get the
participant thinking} If your goal is customer service, what blindness
skills and/or other job related skills will you need; can you be hired
directly into customer service or do you need to start at a lower entry
level position first? If your goal is business management, what blindness
skills, education and/or job experience needs to come first? If you were a
teacher, went blind and you again want to be a teacher, what blindness
skills, and/or other considerations must you address first or is it a
straight one step jump back in?)

Third: Write down five types of businesses (specific names of businesses if
possible) where your desired job can be found. (Example for staff- An
administrative assistant position can be found at: General Hospital, Family
Insurance, State University, State Services for the Blind, etc.) 

Fourth: If your desired type of job is not available, give five other job
titles that you could get with your qualifications. (Example for staff- You
are a teacher and a teaching job is not available- teacher assistant,
corporate trainer, sales rep, rehabilitation teacher, etc.)

Fifth: The small group will share answers.

Sixth: The MC will ask for a few examples for discussion.

~~Homework: Note to Facilitator- Inform the participant that there is a
homework assignment relating to this step and that it can be found on the
"Homework" handout. (Responding to their counselor's written evaluation of
the consumer's readiness to go to work.)

--Step 2: Know how to find openings. (42 minutes)
(Three exercises)

-Exercise 1: Do you know how to tap into the job market? (5-10 minutes)
(Two questions)

First: List the top three methods of seeking employment by which people get
hired. (Example for staff- {These are actions} networking, using posted
openings, sending out resumes, probing the hidden job market, relying on
placement services, etc. [The more of these you use the better![)

Second: What sector of the business community has the most jobs and how do
they generally advertise their openings- big business, middle size or small
businesses? (Example for staff- Answer is small business and they generally
do not advertise. [Know where the odds are favorable.[)

Third: The small group will share answers.

Fourth: the MC will lead a discussion on the dynamics of various methods. (A
handout of this information is provided to the participant) 

-Exercise 2: Do you know your resources for finding openings? (10-15
minutes)
(One question)

First: List specific resources available to you in the job search. (Example
for staff- {These are tools you use in an action} Friends, phone book,
newspapers, specific names of internet sites, etc. [The more of them you use
increases your effectiveness.]) 

Second: the small group will share, and then count up the total of unique
resources they came up with.

Third: The MC poles the small groups for the number of resources they came
up with, asks for examples and leads a discussion on how these different
types of resources are used. (A handout of sample resources is provided to
the participant) 

-Exercise 3: What is the value of an informational interview? (10-20
minutes)
(1 question)

First: Write out a minimum of 5 questions you would ask in an informational
interview. (Example for staff- Use your discretion; a list is available in
the handouts. [Getting familiar with who has what jobs, and what those jobs
are like, is smart.])

Second: The small group will share answers.

Third: The MC will ask for examples of questions and the value of what is
learned. (A handout of sample questions is provided to the participant) 

~~Homework: Note to Facilitator- Inform the participant that there is a
homework assignment relating to this step and that it can be found on the
"Homework" handout. (Making three informational interviews and writing them
up.)

--Step 3: Know how to make the initial contact. 
(Four exercises) 

-Exercise 1: If a phone call is your first contact, how do you make it be
its best? (10-20 minutes)
(Two questions)

First: If you are making a call into a business looking for an opening,
write down a short, clear statement for what you are calling for. (Example
for staff- This is another version of an elevator speech; all about being
comfortable and making a good impression.)

Second: Assume you have been given the okay to come in and apply for a job,
write out a script of how you would ask what the application process
consists of and if necessary, you will need to ask for accommodations.
(Example for staff- For the applicant who normally does not need
accommodations for hard-copy or computerized testing, Then after they hear
the nature of the application process, the conversation is essentially
finished. However, for the applicant who normally needs accommodations for
hardcopy or computerized testing, then he or she must disclose their
blindness and negotiate for accommodations. [Note: the applicant needing
accommodations should have some idea of what the options could be for what
works best for him or her.])

Third: Within the small groups, participants will share phone scripts. 

Fourth: the MC will ask for examples for discussion and discuss the
dynamics. 

-Exercise 2: What do you know about the resume? (10-15 minutes)
(Two questions)

First: A resume is made up of several distinct sections. Using section
titles made up of two words, write out a list of the sections found in a
typical resume and arrange them in their proper order. (Example for staff-
Here is a suggested list of a typical resume: Personal Information, Job
Objective, Special Skills, Job Experience, Educational Background,
Personal/Professional References. [There are several types of resumes beyond
the typical.])

Second: Write out why and how do you make a resume fit the job you are
applying for? (Example for Staff- The Why: Makes the job seeker look to fit
the job opening. The How: You highlight your qualifications by using the
wording from the job add to make what you have to offer standout.)

Third: The small group will share answers.

Fourth: The MC will lead a discussion on the reason for, and anatomy of each
type of resume. 

-Exercise 3: How do you fill out a job application? (20-30 minutes)
(Two questions)

First: Write out why and how you make an application fit the job you are
applying for? (Example for Staff- The Why: Makes the job seeker look to fit
the job opening. The How: You highlight your qualifications by using the
wording in the job add to make what you have to offer standout.)

Second: The participant will use their prepared data sheet or resume to
quickly complete the application. (Example for staff- [Use an average
looking application; each participant gets a copy in the format appropriate
for how they would normally fill one out. Additionally, this exercise works
best if participants are given a real job add for a job that you know they
would like. Make sure all fields are filled out, and where it fits, wording
from the job add is use to highlight the applicants qualifications.)

Third: The small group will share their understanding of how an application
is to be filled out.

Fourth: The MC will ask for feedback, looking for specific examples of
questions on the app that were tough to figure out and/or lead a discussion
on how to complete any particular part.

~~Homework: Note to Facilitator- Inform the participant that there is a
homework assignment relating to this step and that it can be found on the
"Homework" handout. (Tailoring an application and/or resume to a specific
job description.)

--Step 4: Know how to sell yourself.
(4 exercises)

-Exercise 1: Disclosing your blindness- It is believed, that if you do not
disclose and talk openly about your blindness, then you did not have a full
or fair interview." (10-20 minutes)
(One question)

First: Write out an explanation of when, where, why and how you will
disclose your blindness. (Example for staff- Not until I arrive for the
interview. Then, as I interview, I bring it up as early as I can. I make
sure to explain how I will use my alternatives to handle each part of the
job duties. This is my first and maybe only chance to educate and convince
them that I can do the job and that I am the one they want.)

Second: The small group will share approaches. 

Third: The MC will ask for a few examples for discussion.

-Exercise 2: Are you ready to answer the questions that will be asked of you
in the interview? (10-20 minutes)
(One question)

First: Write down the top 5 questions that you feel will be asked of you in
an interview. (Example for staff- Use your discretion; a list is available
in the handouts.)

Second: The small group will share questions.

Third: The MC will ask for examples of questions and the value of what is
learned. (A handout of sample questions is provided to the participant) 

-Exercise 3: Why thank the interviewer? (10-15 minutes) 
(Two questions)
First: Every participant is given two thank you notes with envelopes. As
homework, after the mock interview, each participant is required to write
out and send a thank you note to the person who interviewed him or her.
(Example for staff- Remind your group to be sure to get the interviewer's
full name, address and phone number; another example of the importance of
literacy.)

Second: Write out your answer as to why a person should keep track of his or
her job seeking contacts and give examples of what you would keep record of.
(Example for staff- Date-name of business contacted: To make timely
follow-up contacts looking for new openings, or a note that the business
does not have what you are looking for. Date-interviewers name and contact
information: To make timely follow-up contacts.)

Third: The small group will share answers.

Fourth: The MC will ask for a few examples for discussion.

-Exercise 4: Each participant will have a mock interview. (Arrange for
volunteers to come in from local company HR departments.)

-Final Activity- After the mock interview, each participant must seek out
his or her small group facilitator and engage in a debriefing of how he or
she measured up to being ready having all strengths and weaknesses brought
to light during the workshop. This conversation is to be recorded digitally
and passed along to the participant's VR Counselor.

~~Homework: Note to Facilitator- Inform the participant that there is a
homework assignment relating to this step and that it can be found on the
"Homework" handout. (Writing out their answers to the top ten interview
questions.)
***End of workshop exercises*** 

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