The Employment Process

Career Search

Action Steps

• Search online for career fields that may interest you.
• Volunteer at different places to get a better sense of where you would be happy working and what type of careers fit your skills and interests.
• Talk with friends, family members, and/or support staff about potential opportunities.
• Create your resume (either a traditional or video resume) and gather your references.

Questions and points to consider:

• Do you work better in a highly structured environment (like an office) or a less structured environment (like an art studio)?
• What type of career would fit your skills and interests?
  • Where can I look for careers?
• What should you put in your resume?
• Who should you ask for references?

The Interview

Action Step

Prepare for your interview. Practice what you are going to say in an interview but try not to sound like you are saying a script. This will help to make your interview sound more genuine and not rehearsed.

Questions and Points to Consider:

• What skills do you have that might be of interest to the interviewer?
• How would you respond to common interview questions such as:
  • “Tell me about yourself.”
  • “What is a strength/weakness?”
  • “Tell me about a time you had difficulty with a task.”
• How can you answer the questions in a positive way?

Accommodations and Support

Action Step

Identify any supports or accommodations that you may need and who is the best person to talk to about it.

Questions and Points to Consider

• You have the legal right to ask for accommodations in order to help you perform your job better. You may feel like it is inappropriate to ask for these accommodations, but it is your right and is fully acceptable. Make sure when asking for accommodations to frame it in a way that it is helping both you and your employer by making you a more efficient employee.
• In addition to technical skills, what other social skills will I need to be successful as a professional?
• Who is the best person to talk to about this?
• If you are unsure who to talk to ask questions:
  • “I am having a problem, who should I talk to about this?”
  • “I am having some difficulties, are you the correct person to talk to about making accommodations?”

Be Proactive

Action Plan

Create a plan to address difficult situations that might occur. Try to talk to a co-worker about this plan and get their thoughts on it.

Questions and Points to Consider:

• What might be difficult for you?
• How can you address things that are difficult for you?
• Is there a co-worker who can help you with questions you might have?
• What are the social expectations in the workplace?