Individuals with Disabilities
Find & Keep Work in the Community: |
Job Seeking & Retention Training |
Job Seeking and Retention Training is a classroom-training program designed to prepare participants for employment. Participants explore why people work, what it means to work, how working impacts on self-esteem and self-worth, and how working may affect current benefits. Participants also explore their employment attitudes and learn how to meet employers' expectations.
Additionally participants gain the skills necessary to apply for and obtain employment. Specific skills include: Accurately and effectively completing employment applications, answering employment questions in a positive manner, developing effective resume and cover letters, learning and practicing interviewing techniques through role playing and video taping interviews. Also included is instruction and assistance with developing a job search strategy, developing and using an employer network, job search dress, grooming and appearance, and appropriate and timely follow-up with potential employers. Instruction will also be provided on understanding employer benefits, income taxes, completing I-9's and W-4's and what they mean, and other pre-employment requirements such as physical exams and drug screenings that may be required by the employer.
Finally, participants learn the skills needed to maintain their job. These include: understanding office politics, understanding and accepting employer's expectations, understanding and following work rules, importance of letting supervisors know when/if there are problems and how to ask for assistance, understanding the need to go to work every day and how to inform supervisors if ill, how to ask for vacation or other needed time off, how to receive and communicate formal and informal information on the job, working and getting along with coworkers, when and how to expect salary increases, and how to earn promotions. Also included is identifying those areas in the individual consumer's life that may present problems on the job, and developing a plan to deal with those. The importance of developing a support network both on and off the job and how this network can be utilized is discussed as part of this group.
Cincinnati — Program Manager: Chrissy Perkins, (513) 347-1511 or e-mail cperkins@jvscinti.org
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