The Work Buzz's Latest News: “Disability employment resources 101” plus 1 more
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Posted: 04 Jan 2012 06:07 AM PST
 By Sarah Laugtug, career consultant and executive editor of ilivewithadisability.com
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released the October 2011 disability employment data, and the news was encouraging. According to the news release, unemployment for people with disabilities ages 16-64 was 13.2 percent. This number may seem high, but in October 2010, unemployment for people with disabilities was at 14.8 percent. This means that in the past year, the number dropped by 1.6 percent.
To keep this number on the decline, here is a list of resources to help people with disabilities find jobs:
Sarah Laugtug is a writer, career consultant, and the executive editor at ilivewithadisability.com. You can view more of her work here.Career exploration Searching for a job in this economy is tough, so be kind to yourself by seeking support. There are several resources available to assist you during your job exploration stage. Check out the vocational rehabilitation services in your area; you can meet with a counselor to discuss how you can attain your vocational goals. If you are interested in starting your own business, talk to your VR counselor about that option. The U.S. Small Business Administration connects people with business resources. Visit your local Career OneStop center to find workshops in your town on completing applications, writing résumés and networking. OneStop centers have connections to employers and job fairs and can hook you up with a VR counselor. For job exploration ideas, O*NET can help you find jobs categorized by industry, skill set, interests, education level and career cluster. Having trouble filling out a job application? Need an accommodation? The EEOC provides practical examples and answers to questions specifically about job applications and accommodations. What can employers ask in an interview, and which questions are illegal? The EEOC is the enforcement agency for disability employment and investigates acts of employment discrimination. Resources for veterans with disabilities Authorized by Congress, Vet Success assists veterans with disabilities in finding and maintaining employment. Services include job training, apprenticeships, assistance in keeping jobs and independent living skills for those who need it. Career OneStop offers a dedicated re-employment of veterans section, which includes translating military job experience to civilian jobs. It also provides advice on making the transition into civilian life. Resources for youth and college students Young adults can find relevant information on the Department of Labor's Office for Disability Employment Policy website. "Essential Skills to Getting a Job" is an indispensible guide for high-school students and young adults entering the workforce. It offers tips on workplace behavior, networking and the soft skills necessary for successful employment. "Entry Point!" is an American Association for the Advancement of Science program that offers mentoring and internship opportunities throughout the U.S. College students should also seek out their campus career centers for job leads, résumé assistance and job fair information. Disability-friendly job boards There are many websites dedicated to helping job seekers find disability-friendly employers. Here are some sites to kick-start your job search:
Disability.gov offers a wealth of disability information of all sorts, including extensive employment tools. This website provides job seekers with links to career planning, job retention, self-employment and employment law. It also includes information for employers. The Job Accommodation Network, a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, offers employment guidance to job seekers, employees and employers. If you have any questions related to disability employment, this is the place to go. The great thing about the Internet is that information is so accessible, but with so much information available, it's easy to feel lost. Hopefully this list will serve as a helpful guide in your quest to find and keep a satisfying job. Already found a great job? Tell the world what you can do through the "What Can YOU Do?" disability employment campaign. |
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Posted: 03 Jan 2012 08:24 AM PST
 You’ve probably made countless New Year’s resolutions in your lifetime. The ones you’ve followed through on, though, you can likely count on one hand.Most of us start off the year with the best of intentions, promising ourselves things like, “I’m going to go back to school,” “I’m going to beat unemployment and find full-time work,” or “I’m going to get out of this thankless job once and for all,” only to find ourselves defeated a few months later. There’s a reason we often give up on the goals we set for ourselves each year — a lot of times, they’re hard goals to achieve. Returning to school is no easy task, and neither is finding a new job in an employment market that experts believe will continue to recover at a gradual pace over the next 12 months. But that doesn’t mean you should just throw in the proverbial towel on 2012. Achieving your career goal this year might be as simple as breaking down your resolution into smaller objectives. If you want a new job in 2012, resolve to try job-search strategies — like social networking or joining a professional group — that you haven’t tried, or make it a goal to write targeted, job-specific cover letters for each position you apply to. Another way to take a step toward job-search success this year? Apply to these 15 companies, all of which are hiring new employees in 2012. 1. AmeriLife Industry: Insurance Number of openings: 80 Sample job titles: Mortgage protection specialist (experience not required), sales consultant, sales representative, sales manager trainee, financial services representative, insurance sales representative Location: Fla., Ga., N.C., S.C., Tenn. 2. Apex Industry: IT Number of openings: 5000+ Sample job titles: Java, .net, ERP, EMR, project manager, business analyst, desktop/helpdesk support, epic, systems, network engineer, SQL, QA Location: Nationwide 3. Astellas Pharma US, Inc. Industry: Pharmaceutical, health care Number of openings: 106 Sample job titles: Senior medical director, regional sales manager, pharmaceutical sales, associate director, senior scientist Location: Chicago; Los Angeles; New York; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C. 4. Catholic Healthcare West Industry: IT and health care Number of openings: 340 Sample job titles: Applications operations, applications developers, IT business analyst, project manager Location: Phoenix; San Francisco; Sacramento; Pasadena, Calif. 5. Charming Shoppes Inc. (Lane Bryant, Lane Bryant Outlets, Fashion Bug, Figis, etc.) Industry: Retail, clothing Number of openings: 50+ Sample job titles: Payroll analysts, merchandise planners, replenishment analysts, product developers, director level IT positions Location: Columbus, Ohio; Philadelphia 6. Greatwide Logistics Industry: Transportation Number of openings: 100+ Sample job titles: CDL A driver, carrier procurement/carrier management manager, logistics/transportation supervisor, call center reps — fleet logistics/part-time Location: Nationwide 7. Griswold Home Care Industry: Home care, senior care, assisted living Number of openings: 4,500 Sample job titles: Caregiver, care coordinator, executive director of care, director of national accounts, marketing and communications manager Location: Nationwide 8. Mansfield Oil Company Industry: Oil and gas Number of openings: 70+ Sample job titles: LTL logistics analyst, business development specialist – MGES, operations manager Location: Nationwide and Canada 9. Mattress Firm, Inc. Industry: Retail Number of openings: 200+ Sample job titles: Sales manager in training, sales associate, store manager, assistant store manager, operations manager, warehouse associates Location: Nationwide 10. M Force Staffing Industry: Staffing, IT, engineering Number of openings: 90 Sample job titles: Engineer technician, .net developer, quality assurance lead, java developer, die cast engineer Location: Nationwide 11. Plymouth Auctioneering Industry: Sales/fine art/entertainment Number of openings: 55 Sample job titles: International fine art sales consultant, art auction sales associate Location: Onboard luxury cruise ships 12. Portfolio Recovery Associates Industry: Credit/loan/collections Number of openings: 50+ Sample job titles: Acquisitions manager, help desk analyst, account representative — collections, business analyst Location: Ala., Ill., Kan., Nev., Tenn., Va. 13. SoftLayer Technologies, Inc. Industry: Internet Number of openings: 65+ Sample job titles: Customer support administrator, systems administrator, software engineer, web developer Locations: Calif., Texas, Va., Wa. 14. State Farm Industry: Insurance Number of openings: 455 Sample job titles: Insurance and financial services agent Location: Calif., Ill., Ind., Mich., Penn., Texas 15. Town Sports International (New York Sports Club, Boston Sports Club, Philadelphia Sports Club, Washington Sports Club) Industry: Fitness Number of openings: 200 Sample job titles: Personal trainers, membership sales consultants, fitness managers, general managers, assistant general managers Location: Conn., D.C., Mass., Md., N.J., N.Y., Penn., R.I., Va. |
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