Below are tools you can use with people to help them identify and reach their work goals.
These tools can help inform the person's positive summary and be included in their employment portfolio. Though the specific tools you use with each person will depend on their needs, the portfolio should ideally include documents that represent each of the following categories.
With a My Vault account, a person can complete employment activities as well as store and share relevant documents with their employment support team. This helps support professionals coordinate and deliver employment services that meet the person's needs.
The Charting the LifeCourse daily life and employment guide (PDF) can help the person explore what daily life will look like as an adult.
Below are additional tools that can help a person:
My profile: Work This My Vault activity helps people complete, save and share their profile— a way to tell others what matters to a person and how to best support them.
My profile: Work (PDF) The profile can also be completed as a fillable PDF, if the person prefers not to use My Vault.
My resources and supports: Work This My Vault activity helps people complete the integrated supports star — a way to see where supports are strong and where more attention might be needed.
My resources and supports: Work (PDF) The integrated supports star can also be completed as a fillable PDF, if the person prefers not to use My Vault.
Relationship map (PDF) This person-centered activity helps people identify family members, friends and others who offer support.
Like and admire activity This activity from Support Development Associates helps to identify a person's positive attributes.
Values checklist (PDF) This checklist from Think College presents common satisfaction factors that people receive from their jobs.
My communications profile This My Vault activity helps people identify how they like to communicate.
Communication chart (PDF) This chart from Helen Sanderson Associates helps improve communication with someone who expresses themselves nonverbally.
The resources and tools section of the benefits planning toolkit offers videos, guides and other resources you can use to help people understand benefits and work.
Below are additional tools that can help a person:
Work and benefits This Hub page helps people see how work and benefits can go together. It also introduces helpful tools and information in Disability Benefits 101.
Getting past the myths This Disability Benefits 101 article explains the truth about working.
It's important to know what benefits the person is getting when talking about the impact of work on benefits. The person can confirm their benefits with the benefits lookup activity in My Vault.
Benefits videos This collection of short videos describes different types of benefits and work incentives. Watch the videos that relate to the person's specific benefits.
CareerOneStop This site provides career profiles, labor market information, self-assessments, videos and other tools to help people explore careers.
Career and education explorer This tool from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development helps people explore potential jobs and where they can get the necessary education.
Finding a job that is right for you This practical guide from the Job Accommodation Network outlines a four-step process to find the right job.
Below are tools that can help a person:
Disclosure decisions to get the job (PDF) This guide from the Virginia Commonwealth University describes three steps to disclosing a disability.
Disclosure decision worksheet (PDF) This worksheet from the MS Society can be used to weigh the pros and cons of disclosure.
Disability disclosure This article from the Job Accommodation Network describes when and how to disclose a disability.
The Job Accommodation Network is a starting point for the accommodation process, including:
Assistive technology e-learning course This free online course help people understand assistive technology and how it can help them succeed at school or work.
Below are tools that can help a person:
Sample application template (Word document) This template can be used to practice filling out job applications.
Online resume templates Choose from a collection of free resume templates from the Indeed resume builder.
Using a visual resume for job development (PDF) This guide from Marc Gold and Associates describes how to use a visual resume (photographs and descriptions of skills, abilities, experiences, and contributions) to make a first impression on an employer.
My positive summary (PDF) The positive summary can also be completed as a fillable PDF, if the person prefers not to use My Vault. Use this guide (PDF) to fill out the topics in the positive summary.
My profile: Work