“Slay the Dragons!”
Job Development & Retention Strategies
Step 1: Look in the Mirror
Before the job development process even begins, it’s important for the job placement professional to first conduct a self-evaluation to evaluate his or her own attitudes, beliefs, and capabilities regarding serving people with disabilities. In effect, you’re looking in a mirror, and asking yourself:
“Do I have the ‘Right Stuff’?” You do, if you have:
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The Right Attitudes
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- You are on a “noble quest” – you believe finding jobs for persons with disabilities is worthwhile and necessary.
- Your goal is to serve the customer, not receive personal credit. You are dedicated to empowering others.
- You are open-minded, willing to learn new approaches.
- You believe in your customers’ ability to succeed.
- You believe in your own ability to help change the attitudes of others, to “slay dragons” of misunderstanding.
- You aren’t the “Lone Ranger” – you know you can’t do it all or know it all, and will enlist help of others if needed.
- You are a role model for job seekers, employers, and co-workers.
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The Right Goals
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- You try to match a job to a person’s ABILITIES, not their disabilities.
- You are realistic about a person’s disability regarding the possible impact it may, or may not have on job performance.
- You are realistic in the type of target jobs you encourage a person to pursue.
- You involve the customer in all decisions and in seeking accessibility solutions.
- You try to meet employers’ needs AND job seekers’ needs by presenting the right candidates, with the right skills, for the right job.
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The Right Skills
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- You have skills in job accommodations for persons with disabilities; you constantly strive to strengthen those skills.
- You constantly seek to increase your knowledge of disability issues and career empowerment strategies.
- You understand when to be a team leader and when to be a team player.
- You are on a mission to reach your own highest potential.
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Where to get the “Right Stuff”?
Training is available to equip One-Stop staff to deliver services to persons with disabilities:
- Employ ABILITY Partnership Disability Training
Monthly disability training sessions are offered for all Los Angeles One-Stop centers. For information and training schedule, contact Maria Escobar at: mescobar@goodwillsocal.org.
- Legacy Certification Program
Through the Legacy Certification program, One-Stop staff can complete on-line and classroom training to earn certification as a Disability Services Specialist. For information, contact Michael Pearson at: jmpearson@sbcglobal.net
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