Career and Placement Planning

Searching for a job takes planning

For confident job seekers who know what they want, job search planning may be minimal, while others may spend a substantial amount of time soul searching before starting the hunt.

Job seekers with disabilities are no different, yet the reality is that limited work and life experience can make planning for the job search more difficult.

In fact, some seekers may find themselves interested in a field of work because it is the only type of work they know about or because others have told them it is what they should do.

A good planning process for people with disabilities — and for anyone else — must empower the individual and promote self-reflection, personal insight and creativity. A useful approach is person-centered planning, which develops individual solutions through collaboration, creative thought, and problem solving.

Some key elements of person-centered planning include

• helping a person identify needs, interests, choices, desires, and dreams
• identifying employment options that fit well with the job seeker’s personal vision
• guiding and supporting the individual — not being an “expert” who makes decisions on the person’s behalf
• engaging family, friends and community resources to generate career directions, employment contacts, and supports
• considering relevant multicultural issues

Suggested Steps in the Planning Process

Assess his or her needs.
Does the job seeker know what he or she wants in a job? Will there be significant planning and assessment before starting the job search?

Who is involved?
Job development is more effective and efficient when different perspectives are involved. Essentially, the job seeker may require:

• assistance developing a clear vision about the type of job and career to pursue
• information about the needs of the job market
• contacts for job leads and career exploration.

Potential participants include: 


Job seeker contacts.
Job seekers can rely on people close to them to provide different perspectives and share positive work experiences. Contacts may include family, friends, housemates, business proprietors, former co-workers, school contacts, and other professionals in their lives.

Service provider contacts.

Service providers may have contacts to help job seekers, including staff members, businesses owners and other job seekers.

What does the job seeker need?
Before involving others, the job seeker and service provider should clarify his or her employment needs, then determine a direction for the job search and help the seeker get ideas about exploring career possibilities.

Determine methods for involving others.
A brainstorming session of peers and supporters can help the job seeker explore ideas and job opportunities. Brainstorming, especially in a large group, can be an effective way to create the energy and enthusiasm needed to generate ideas and maximize creativity in the job search. Input may also be solicited on a individual basis if that is the job seekers preference.

Explore.
When conducting a person-centered planning process, it’s important to delve beyond the person’s education and work experience. Help job seekers explore their lives by asking when, where, and in what kinds of environments and places have they:

• had the most success
• been the happiest
• enjoyed themselves
• found fulfillment
• not enjoyed or not liked what they were doing

Also find out:

• What they like to do with their free time?
• What types of hobbies do they enjoy?
• If he or she is part of any clubs or organizations?
• Include both past and present experiences
• Be sure to look at all aspects of the individual’s life including school, home, community, and employment experiences
• Explore the underlying reasons why the job seeker has felt either positively or negatively about experiences and activities.

Develop a Job Search Profile.
After gathering information about the job seeker, it’s time to develop a job exploration or job search goal as well as determine which type of positions would be a suitable match.


When you develop a profile, it is essential to keep the job seeker’s interests in perspective — not what his or her peers might consider appropriate. The profile may list specific goals such as “working in an office doing clerical work” or more general criteria such as “work that involves music” or “a position requiring no customer contact.” The profile can include a number of options. For each option, note whether it is absolutely essential or somewhat optional.

Develop a Plan of Action
At this point, you should consider these questions:

• Is there enough information available to begin the job search?
• Should the job seeker consider career exploration activities to assess potential ideas and generate more information before beginning the actual job search? Career exploration activities include such things as community and business research, informational interviewing, job tours, job shadowing, volunteer work, and situational assessments.

In the action plan, be sure to specify:

• tasks to be completed by the job seeker
• tasks to be completed by the service provider
• tasks to be completed by other individuals who are part of the career exploration and job development process

Revise the Plan of Action as Needed.
If a goal of the plan is to explore careers, the plan should be revised when enough information has been generated to begin the actual job search. It is also a good rule of thumb to revisit and possibly revise a plan every 30 to 45 days if the individual is not yet employed.

Resources

Resources on Person-Centered Planning

Whole Life Planning: A Guide for Organizers and Facilitators
by John Butterworth, David Hagner, Bonnie Heikkinen, Sherill Faris, Shirley DeMello, Kirsten McDonough (1993)
Published by the Institute for Community Inclusion
Children’s Hospital, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA
Voice: (617) 287-4300
TTY: (617-287-4350
email: ici@umb.edu

Manual and video available from Training Resource Network, Inc.

Listen to Me!
Allen Shea & Associates in collaboration with Michael Smull, Steve Sweet, Claudia Bolton and Pam Lopez Greene
Available from: USARC/PACE
419 Mason, Suite 105
Vacaville, CA 95688
Voice: (707) 448-2283

It’s Never Too Early, It’s Never Too Late: A Booklet About Personal Futures Planning by Beth Mount and Kay Zwernik (1988)

It’s My Choice: Individual Plans- Individual Employment Plan
Published by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities
370 Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar Street
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
Voice: (651) 296-4018
Email: admin.dd@state.mn.us

More Than Just a Job: Person-Centered Career Planning
Institute for Community Inclusion
Institute Brief – Vol.12, No 1
By Colleen Condon, Kristin Fichera, Danielle Dreilinger

Planning Possible Positive Futures: Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope by Jack Pearpoint, John O’Brien, Marsha Forest

Person-Centered Planning with MAPS and PATH by John O’Brien & Jack Pearpoint
Available from Inclusion Press International
24 Thome Crescent
Toronto, ON., Canada M6H 2S5
Voice: (416) 658-5363
Fax: (416) 658-5067
email: includer@idirect.com

The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices

Self-Determination: A Fundamental Ingredient of Employment Support
Institute for Community Inclusion
Tools for Inclusion – Issue #22
By: Lora Brugnaro, & Jaimie Ciulla Timmons

Starting with Me: A Guide to Person-Centered Planning for Job Seekers
Tools for Inclusion – Vol. 10, No. 1
By: Melanie Jordan, & Lara Enein-Donovan