1 Getting to Know You: Job Seeker Assessment Tools Elena Varney MS, CRC Institute for Community Inclusion www.communityinclusion.org National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult www.onestops.info
Mar 28, 2015
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Getting to Know You: Job Seeker Assessment Tools
Elena Varney MS, CRC
Institute for Community Inclusion
www.communityinclusion.org
National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult
www.onestops.info
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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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Identify Yourself!
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DISABILITY
What does it mean to you?
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Disability
Includes wide range of conditions
Impact on people’s lives varies Often not apparent
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Be careful of blanket assumptions about disability and people with
disabilities
Disability is individualized
and idiosynchratic
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One-Stop Customers
Job Seekers
Employers
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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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Getting to Know You: Current One-Stop Assessment Practices
Interest inventories Achievement tests Aptitude tests Personality assessments Intelligence Testing
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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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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
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What motivates them?
What interests them?
What are their strengths and skills?
HOW DO WE FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT?
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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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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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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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ASK
LISTEN
OBSERVE
LOOK FOR COMMON THEMES
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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
GETTING STARTED…
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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)
SOME WAYS TO GENERATE IDEAS
CATALYSTS FOR PLANNING & CREATIVITY
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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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TASKS, SKILLS, ENVIRONMENTSTASKS, 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?
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Expanding the Tools in the Toolbox
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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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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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Job Seeker Planning Tool
A good job is a result of a good fit.
What’s your profile?
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SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENTS
CAREER EXPLORATION TO DETERMINE VOCATIONAL INTERESTS
AS A JOB “TRY OUT” PRIOR TO HIRING PROCESS - Marketing tool - Reduction in risk to consumer and employer
ASSESSMENT USING INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SETTINGS FOR:
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THE GOAL:
Helping people get exposure to various jobs, while identifying their strengths along the way.
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SITUATIONALASSESSMENTWHO’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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WHAT WE LEARN FROM SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT
JOB PREFERENCES
WORK ENVIRONMENT PREFERENCES
TASK SKILLS OF INDIVIDUAL
SOCIALSKILLS OFINDIVIDUAL
TASK AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS OF JOB
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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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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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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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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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OTHER METHODS OF EXPLORING OTHER METHODS OF EXPLORING INTERESTS & SKILLSINTERESTS & SKILLS
Informational Interviews Tours Job Shadowing Volunteer Work Community Exploration Community & Business Research Taking A Class Career Centers
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Long Term Employment Success
Requires that potentialsupport needs and barriers beidentified and addressed throughoutthe assessment process. Accommodations are presumedavailable as needed.
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Here I Am!Representation to Employers
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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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Alternate Options
PortfolioWeb siteCD Portfolio