1. Getting to Know You: Job Seeker Assessment Tools
Elena Varney MS, CRC
Institute for Community Inclusion
National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult
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2. Information on Demand 1-888-886-9898 Listserv Promising Practices
Publications
Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
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3. Identify Yourself!
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4. What does it mean to you? DISABILITY
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5. Disability Includes wide range of conditions
Impact on people’s lives varies
Often not apparent
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6. Disability is individualized and idiosynchratic
Be careful of blanket assumptions about disability and people with disabilities
Disability is individualized and idiosynchratic
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7. One-Stop Customers Job Seekers Employers
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8. Job Seekers with Disabilities
People who have an apparent disability and/or disclose their disability to you
People who have a non-apparent disability and choose not to disclose
People who are not aware they have a disability
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9. Getting to Know You: Current One-Stop Assessment Practices
Interest inventories
Achievement tests
Aptitude tests
Personality assessments
Intelligence Testing
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10. Formal Assessment Tools & Tests
Computer Software
Internet Resources
Psychological and Educational Tests
Achievement Tests
Intelligence Tests
Personality Tests
Interest Inventories
Vocational Aptitude Tests
Work Sample Systems
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11. Shortcomings of Testing for People with Disabilities
When modified, scores are uncertain
Tests that reflect disability do not provide info about potential
Predictive assessments used in a different environment are limited
Norm-referenced difficulties: most pen/paper tests were standardized on people without disabilities
cannot determine how he/she does in comparison to others
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12. HOW DO WE FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT?
What motivates them?
What interests them?
What are their strengths and skills?
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13. Customize the Process! One size does not fit all
Flexibility of staff roles allows for modifications in the ways in which services are provided, based on the individual’s needs
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14. Critical Elements of Assessment/Exploration
Customer Driven
Respecting Preferences and Choices
Focus on Desires, Strengths, Abilities
Get to Know Him/Her: Ask, “Why?”
Ongoing Process
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15. Degrees of Customization: Assessment
-Self-directed computer search
-Staff assisted computer search
-Formal assessment tools
-Staff assisted group assessments
-Individualized exploration
- Discovery
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16. ASK LISTEN OBSERVE LOOK FOR COMMON THEMES
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17. GETTING STARTED… Communicate with job seeker
Talk with others who know job seeker - different perspectives can really help
Have a meeting……..or not!
Spend time with job seeker in different settings
Help job seeker understand basic job choices
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18. CATALYSTS FOR PLANNING & SOME WAYS TO GENERATE IDEAS
CREATIVITY
SOME WAYS TO GENERATE IDEAS
Story Telling: about focus person’s past, or vision for future
Get Artistic: have participants use/create drawings, possibly of future “vision”
Place Categories: likes & dislikes
e.g., home, community, school, work
Activity Categories: likes & dislikes
e.g., work, chores, hobbies, leisure, fun
Experiences (leisure, learning & labor) & Preferences (people, things, information)
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19. Individualized Exploration/Planning
Rally the troops
Tap into those resources!
Who knows them well? Who can help identify skills/abilities?
Develop a Vocational Profile
Likes and dislikes
Past experiences
Skills and abilities
Task list
Identify Employment Outcomes
Job choice
Environment of choice
Develop Placement Plan
-Matching interests & supports
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20. TASKS, SKILLS, ENVIRONMENTS
What environments does the individual enjoy?
What environments have they succeeded in?
What social skills do they bring to the work environment?
In what environments would their personality & social skills be an asset?
What types of work environment are least favored?
WHY?
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21. Expanding the Tools in the Toolbox
O*Net
Job Seeker Planning Tool
Situational Assessments
Harrington O'Shea
Discovery
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22. O*Net Online http://online.onetcenter.org/skills/
Welcome to O*NET TM OnLine!
Making occupational information interactive and accessible for all... If your search identifies occupations that require skills or abilities that may be difficult to use because of a health problem or disability, please consider job accommodations .
Skills Search Use a list of your skills to find matching O*NET-SOC occupations.
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23. Harrington O’Shea
Authors: Thomas F. Harrington Ph.D. and Arthur J. O’Shea Ph.D.
Self-assesses abilities, interests, and work values
Can be used to simply structure conversation around employment
Individual or group career exploration tool
Profiles the current United States job market
CDM software option.
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24. Job Seeker Planning Tool
A good job is a result of a good fit.
What’s your profile?
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25. SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENTS
ASSESSMENT USING INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SETTINGS FOR:
CAREER EXPLORATION TO DETERMINE VOCATIONAL INTERESTS
AS A JOB “TRY OUT” PRIOR TO HIRING PROCESS - Marketing tool - Reduction in risk to consumer and employer
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26. THE GOAL:
Helping people get exposure to various jobs, while identifying their strengths along the way.
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27. SITUATIONALASSESSMENT WHO’S IT FOR?
PEOPLE:
WITH LIMITED WORK AND LIFE EXPERIENCES
WITH INTERESTS NEEDING FURTHER EXPLORATION
WHO WANT TO CHANGE JOBS/CAREERS AND NEED DIRECTION
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28. WHAT WE LEARN FROM SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT
JOB PREFERENCES
WORK ENVIRONMENT PREFERENCES
TASK SKILLS OF INDIVIDUAL
SOCIAL SKILLS OF INDIVIDUAL
TASK AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS OF JOB
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29. The Discovery Process
The individual expresses their dreams, goals, personal preferences, life experiences and needs regarding employment
The individual decides who will participate in creating their profile (family, service providers, school staff..etc)
The individual is the primary source of information, with other participants providing ideas and suggestions
Information can be gathered one-on-one or in group meetings, as formally, or informally as the individual requests
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30. The Discovery Process
Additional information about life skills and competencies is gathered through observation
Visit the individual in their home, work and social environments
Needs related to the identified goals should be discussed
Career exploration
Additional training/skills building
Job support needs such as job coaching, travel training, counseling
Accommodations such as assistive technology, ASL interpreters, modification of hours, duties..etc
Concerns and questions regarding the impact of working on Social Security benefits should be discussed
Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach Programs
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31. The Vocational Profile
Regardless of which assessment approach is used, information from the exploration process will be documented in a Vocational Profile
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32. The Vocational Profile
The profile should include
Specific tasks in which the individual is competent
Contributions of the individual
Environments of choice
Personal and professional network contacts
Outlines roles and responsibilities of all
Sets timeframes and points for evaluation of progress
Specific employers to contact based on task list
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33. OTHER METHODS OF EXPLORING INTERESTS & SKILLS
Informational Interviews
Tours
Job Shadowing
Volunteer Work
Community Exploration
Community & Business Research
Taking A Class
Career Centers
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34. Long Term Employment Success
Requires that potential
support needs and barriers be
identified and addressed throughout
the assessment process.
Accommodations are presumed
available as needed.
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35. Here I Am! Representation to Employers
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36. The Resume A great tool for many people
Resume representation not always the best option
Gaps in work history
Numerous jobs
Lack of work history
Non-readers
ESL issues
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37. Alternate Options Portfolio Web site CD Portfolio
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