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Making work part of your plan.

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“I had a job coach for my first job. After 40 hours, I could work on my own. Anyone can work with the right kind of help.”
– A Hub user

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Work

Finding a job

Working at a job you like can give you purpose and self-confidence.

The best way to find satisfying work is to focus your job search on your interests and the type of work that you enjoy. Finding a job isn't always easy,  but you're not in it alone. Tell the people you know — like your family, friends, neighbors and others — that you're looking for a job. Take advantage of resources designed to help people find jobs. 

There are a lot of resources to help you find a job. Minnesota CareerForce Centers, Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) and Ticket to Work employment networks can help you write a resume, practice interviewing, explore work options and find the right job.

Disability Benefits 101

Learn more about finding the right job for you »

If you need job training, talk with Vocational Rehabilitation. A vocational rehabilitation counselor can help you get the training you need to return to work, try a new type of work or work for the first time. Given the right training and supports, anyone who wants to work can work.

Help is also available for things like using public transportation, managing a budget or communicating in the workplace. If you have a case manager, ask about independent living skills. Otherwise, contact the Hub for help.

“” Key resource

Get tips on how to use vocational rehabilitation for job training and placement »

Begin by telling the network of people who support you — like your family, friends, case manager, counselors and teachers — that you want to make work part of your plan. You can also tap into your social networks. These are the relationships and connections you have with people in the community, like the people who work at your grocery store, your favorite coffee shop, the library or other places you go often. Any of these contacts might have job leads.

Consider these four strategies to find a good job from the Institute for Community Inclusion. You can also use the Charting the LifeCourse trajectory tool to help you plan where you want to go with your employment and what you need to get there. See examples of how to complete the trajectory tool on pages 21 and 22 of this employment and discovery toolkit.

If you prefer to plan without a tool, consider the following four areas that can help you find a good job fit:

  • Conditions. Conditions are the things you must have in a job. For example, if you take medication that makes you sensitive to heat, you might need to work in an environment that offers a reliable room temperature. Looking at it another way, you might need to rule out any work that involves exposure to extreme heat. If you have multiple conditions that may narrow your job search, make sure the conditions are truly required rather than simply wanted.
  • Preferences. Preferences are the things you want in a job, but missing some of them won't keep you from accepting the job. For example, you might prefer to have weekends off, but you'd be able to work weekends if needed. Other preferences could involve specific job tasks, either based on previous work experience or what you identified in the planning process.
  • Contributions. Contributions are the skills, abilities and talents you'll bring to your new job. Everyone has contributions, so it's important to develop a strong list of all the reasons an employer would want to hire you. Skills and abilities are things like operating equipment or typing 50 words per minute. Also include your attributes, such as positive attitude, sense of humor, taking initiative and dependability. Employers don't hire on skills and abilities alone. They want to make sure that you can get along with other employees and that you're teachable.
  • Support needs. Your support needs are the things you'll need to be successful on the job. Everyone needs some type of support, so it's important to identify what types of support you'll need early on. These can include things like getting to work or being on time as well as learning the job or physically doing the job.
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