Job Searching - Job Developing
Searching for job opportunities requires preparation and planning. Based on a variety of current sources, the following steps are recommended for successful job searching:
- Review preferred career path and aim the job search in that direction
Refer to the Career Development section on the Project 10 website. - Develop an appealing resume
Be interesting while being professional. Proofread your resume. Have others proofread your resume. Use online proofreading programs. Please proofread. - Network with personal connections to identify job opportunities
Networking can happen online and face-to-face. - Network with career assistance organizations such as CareerSourceFlorida
CareerSourceFlorida provides career assistance to individuals through EmployFlorida.com. - Network with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
Apply at a local VR office to meet with a counselor who will work with you to determine if you are eligible to receive vocational rehabilitation services. - Decide how you will organize your job search
Set up a system to keep track of what you do. Record job opportunities and networking contacts. Keep a running task list and track your progress.
This section contains resources for students who are looking for employment, educators who develop jobs and family members who support their students.
Resources
Internal
Project 10 - Key Economic Reasons to Include People with Disabilities in Your Workforce (pdf)
This one-page summary from the Able Trust provides a number of reasons that hiring people with disabilities is good business. Supporting data is provided from the U.S. Census and a national study that showed that 87% of people surveyed said they would prefer to patronize businesses that hire people with disabilities.
External
AbilityLinks.org
Nationwide job opportunity web site for people with disabilities and leading employers with information on job training programs and mentoring/networking opportunities.
About.com: Job Searching
Information and tips on job listings, online job searches, networking, job fairs, jobs for teens and working from home.
CareerBuilder.com
For job seekers and employers; search by location, keyword and job category; provides job tools such as salary calculator, career fairs, career advice, etc.
CareerSourceFlorida
Connects businesses with the workforce and training needed to grow economic opportunities in Florida.
DisaboomJob.com
Job Search site for people with disabilities including articles on how to determine if a company’s culture is disability friendly before you apply.
EmployFlorida
Florida's official online portal to virtual job-matching services with job searches by zip code, city, county, region or the entire state and a "virtual recruiter" to search for jobs.
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
Provides information on one-stop career centers serving job seekers and Disability Program Navigators who work to improve services to people with disabilities.
Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
DVR provides services for eligible persons with physical or mental impairments designed to enable them to prepare for, get, keep, or regain employment. Youth services include job placement and more.
JobAccess/AbilityJobs
National job search Web site for people with disabilities and employers who want to hire them. Also includes information on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
JobHuntersBible.com
Provides guidance for researching and applying for jobs on the Internet; developed by the author of the acclaimed job hunting guide, What Color is Your Parachute?=
Labor Market Statistics Center - Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation
Provides timely and reliable Florida labor statistics and analyses to improve economic decision-making regarding employment, wages, the labor force, economic indicators and population characteristics.
Monster.com
Features include personal profiles, job hunting strategies, career mapping, career benchmarking, explanatory videos, career advice and more.
National Business & Disability Council Job Seeker
National job search page for people with disabilities. Also includes information on internships; career events; and webcasts on topics such as disclosure and networking.
2014 National Study of Employers: Including the Talents of Employees with Disabilities (pdf)
Families and Work Institute’s (FWI) 2014 National Study of Employers (NSE) is the most comprehensive and far-reaching study of the practices, policies, programs and benefits provided by U.S. employers to enhance organizational and employee success by addressing the changing realities of today’s economy, workforce and workplace. The NSE, conducted in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), is based on the Institute’s landmark 1998 Business Work-Life Study (BWLS). Its scope was broadened to cover issues of importance in the changing economy and has been conducted four additional times since the BWLS survey was completed (2005, 2008, 2012 and 2014).
Personal Attributes of Highly Successful Employment Specialists (pdf)
The Center on Transition to Employment for Youth with Disabilities has released a new research brief, The Personnel Factor: Exploring the Personal Attributes of Highly Successful Employment Specialists Who Work with Transition-Age Youth. The brief identifies four attribute categories of successful employment specialists: principled optimism, cultural competence, business-oriented professionalism and networking savvy.
RecruitAbility
A national recruiting site for job seekers with disabilities, employers and agencies. Also included information on accommodations and employment rights.
References
Milewalk. (n.d.). The art of a successful job search. Retrieved from http://milewalk.com/mwblog/the-art-of-a-successful-job-search/
Net Impact. (n.d.). Six steps to job search success. Retrieved from https://www.netimpact.org/careers/six-steps-to-job-search-success
Quintessential. (n.d.). Job search checklist for job-hunting success. Retrieved from https://www.livecareer.com/quintessential/job-search-checklist
The Balance. (n.d.). How to get a new job fast. Retrieved from https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-get-a-new-job-fast-2060712