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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