Strategies to Help You Find a Job

Finding the right job is hard work and usually takes lots of time and energy. Your job search strategy should be as unique as you are, and should include a combination of techniques that go beyond just looking at openings on-line and in the newspaper.

What are some good general job search strategies?

• Take time to consider factors important to you such as values, philosophy and work culture. This will lead to a greater chance of long-term satisfaction and success.
• Vary your job search practices. Tap the hidden job market. Include job fairs, face-to-face walk-in inquiries, lots of networking, and informational interviews. You never know what will lead you to a great opportunity.
• Be creative in meeting your needs! Perhaps you cannot work full-time, or can only do certain tasks of a job. Job Sharing is a flexible work option that allows two or more people to share the tasks and responsibilities of one job. It may be helpful to find the person you would share the job with and present the idea to an employer together.

What are specialized job placement strategies?
Individualized job placement services are available to provide job seekers facing significant barriers with specialized assistance. It is sometimes a challenge to easily fit into pre-existing job openings. The following are strategies to be used with the help of a job placement professional:

• Job Carving is when you identify which tasks in a job description match your needs and skills. A job is then "carved" out of one or more existing job descriptions. For instance, a worker is hired in an office to do only copying and filing duties.
• Job Creation is when a new position is developed where none had previously existed. The professional identifies an unmet employer need and then matches this needs with the job seeker’s skills and interests. An example would be the new role of a mail delivery clerk at a business where personnel used to pick up their own mail from a central location. Although a good solution for some, beware that job creation can take a long time to identify and negotiate.

Where can I get help with my job search?

• One-Stop Career Centers offer core services including computer stations, career resource library, current job postings and job seeking skills workshops, all of which you access on your own. Typically, there is a fee for individualized counseling at One-Stop Centers. However some centers have specialized funding to offer intensive placement services for customers with disabilities.
• If you are eligible for their services, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) or the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) can assign you a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor who can directly assist you with your job search or can fund a community service provider to offer you more intensive placement services. If you cannot get public funding for services, private payment may be an option.
• There are also private businesses that offer resume development and job placement assistance. Check the Internet or your phone book fro resources in your local area.

What should I know about employment services?
There are a variety of community-based employment services (referred to also as community rehabilitation providers or CRP’s) available to assist job seekers with disabilities. These placement programs may differ in regard to size, extent and range of assistance, philosophical approach and values. Some programs serve individuals with specific disabilities such as Clubhouse programs which provide employment and other related supports for individuals with mental illness. "Supported Employment" is a term often used to describe the activities provided by employment service programs. Placement staff can be called different titles such as employment specialists, job developers, or community development specialists. Job seekers should “shop around” to choose the placement program that best suits their style and their needs.

For Further Information:

• Getting the Most from the Public Rehabilitation System
• Four Strategies to Find a Good Job: Advice from Job Seekers with Disabilities
• Quality Employment Services: Will You Know It When You See It?
• Networking: A Consumer Guide to an Effective Job Search- http://www.communityinclusion.org/publications/text/to7text.html
• One-Stop Centers: A Guide for Job Seekers with Disabilities
• http://www.detma.org/WSjobskills.htm
• http://www.detma.org/FPjsforms1.htm
• http://www.careeronestop.org/employmentcenter/EmploymentCenterHome.asp
• http://www.rileyguide.com/
• http://www.wetfeet.com/advice/networking.asp

	MassHealth/CommonHealth is a comprehensive health insurance program that provides benefits for disabled children, working and non-working adults who have disabilities. Learn more about the eligibility and application process; view a presentation on the Ticket to Work MassHealth and CommonHealth programs.
	Massachusetts Medicaid Infrastructure and Comprehensive Employment Opportunities Grant (MI-CEO). For additional information and resources visit one of the other three grant websites: Policy Makers and Advocates- www.mi-ceo.org/ Direct Service Providers- www.MassWorks.org/ Employers- www.ForEmployers.com/

This grant is funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CFDA #93-768) and administered by UMASS Medical School, Center for Health Policy and Research; UMASS Boston, Institute for Community Inclusion; and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. For more information visit: www.MI-CEO.org

The information contained herein is intended, in its entirety, to serve only as a guideline. While we strive to show the most accurate representation of the various benefits within this website, we take no responsibility for any implied or misconstrued interpretation of the information contained herein.