October is here, which means it is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). That is right; it is time to "get your NDEAM on" with all kinds of disability employment activities and awareness projects. This is the year to stop believing "okay" is good enough, and it is time to push hard for improvements. In the past year, there have been positive improvements, but we still have a long way to go.

Focus on Recruitment and Disclosure

Due to the Rehabilitation Act's Section 503 utilization goals, there has been a lot of motion by federal contractors and subcontractors to recruit people with disabilities and to encourage current employees to disclose disabilities. In monitoring job announcements and contacts with corporations, an effort is being made to creatively recruit and maintain employees with disabilities. AFB CareerConnect has offered to assist by creating blog posts, social media posts, and messages to subscribers to announce specific employment opportunities. AFB CareerConnect is more about inspiration, assisting individuals with career exploration, preparation for navigating the employment process, advancement in employment, and e-mentoring. AFB CareerConnect staff can be utilized by corporations in efforts to encourage current employees with disclosure. CareerConnect staff can assist with this by speaking on personal experiences, providing stories of mentors, addressing positives and negatives of disclosure in the workplace, and providing engaging stories. As AFB CareerConnect Program Manager, I have provided services and made presentations to all types of audiences. Corporate recruitment representatives have also sought out AFB CareerConnect staff for assistance on strategies for recruiting more individuals who are blind or visually impaired

Transition Services

The ratification of the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) offers a larger focus on transition services provided by state vocational rehabilitation agencies and their contractors. In fact, state vocational rehabilitation agencies will be spending 15 percent of their service dollars on pre-employment transition services. For most states, this is a lot more than in past years. This legislation goes into effect July 2016. Transition services provide students with activities on career exploration, employment skills, work experience, and so much more. The focus is to provide students with a better opportunity for success in employment with earlier preparation than in the past. The legislation provides a consistent focus, which is something that has been missing, and the use of partners in the education arena is encouraged. The fact is, transition services have been provided through many forms, but with a consistent and widespread implementation, the goal is improved success rates for the future.

AFB CareerConnect Teen Employment Workshops

AFB CareerConnect is a resource for these state vocational rehabilitation agencies through online content, and staff can provide workshops and events. Over the last three years, AFB CareerConnect has conducted over 70 teen employment workshops with students from around the United States. This experience provides CareerConnect staff with insight into some of the most compelling employment obstacles and best practices for job search strategies. From September 1, 2014 through August 30, 2015, the AFB Teen Employment Workshop series had 25 sessions with 573 youth participants. AFB continually looks to see how it can bring these workshops to more audiences.

The United States Business Leadership Network

The United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN) has been a strong advocate for connecting employers with job seekers with disabilities. The USBLN connects and provides employers with guidance on the policies and structure within organizations to help employers embrace and support disability. The USBLN developed a tool called the Disability Equality Index (DEI), which was modeled after the successful Corporate Equality Index that assisted with large strides for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population in the past. The DEI offers employers the ability to assess their organization on many levels, as to their ability to support employees with disability through policies and hiring practices. The USBLN is a membership organization for employers, and there are local leadership networks around the United States. If you are an employer or connected with employers, encourage their participation with these types of groups. The USBLN supports a widening of diversity in the overall workforce, including the hiring of underrepresented populations such as people with disabilities and veterans.

In addition, the USBLN CareerLink Student Mentoring Program offers college students a great opportunity to participate in a structured mentoring program with corporate professionals as mentors. The program links college students with disabilities to corporate mentors, which over 50 percent of the mentors have disabilities. The program has seen great success and expansion due to the impact made.

AFB CareerConnect has partnered with the USBLN by developing a session for its mentors and mentees on the disability disclosure process and current initiatives. AFB values the work that the USBLN is doing to move the needle for the employment of individuals with disabilities.

Technology and the Employment Process: Benefits and Challenges

In most cases, the employment process involves the submission of employment information online via a job portal. At this point, even if you are able to submit your resume and cover letter via e-mail, you still need to be able to access online job opportunities. Many large companies still have inaccessible job portals or utilize platforms that are poorly designed for accessibility—a disappointing reality in a time when such importance is placed on user experience. Many companies trust their contractors or an automated check to determine if their website is accessible, when true accessibility assessment takes education and understanding. The AFB Technical Solutions Program Manager, William Reuschel, works with businesses and organization on recognizing the complexities of accessibility. His team provides consultation on the development of and fixes to websites and apps for businesses around the United States. The team can coach developers on navigating through the standards and evaluating their current state of accessibility.

The AFB Technical Solutions team is passionate about innovation and bringing access. AccessNote, an accessible note taking app designed by the AFB Tech team to be used with keyboard commands, has been released for Android and the Apple iOS platform for free. The team has provided an update to the AFB AccessWorld app by adding a powerful search feature and customized appearance. The team also developed the new version of the CareerConnect app that includes access to the CareerConnect profile. In addition, the team developed the AFB Vision Connect app, which allows users to search for their local services and connect to a variety of online resources.

Last year, the importance of LinkedIn and accessibility was discussed, and there has been some major progress made in the accessibility of the LinkedIn app. See the review in this issue for much more on the accessibility of LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a large player in access to employment. LinkedIn users utilize the job search feature, network with other professionals, monitor and comment on groups, and are recruited by businesses via their LinkedIn profilesb.

Useful Apps and Innovations for Accessible Job Searching and Profesional Productivity

The KNFB Reader app offers access at a cost, but it is a pretty useful app for individuals who are blind. The app provides the ability to access print documents, menus, and a lot more in your life and employment through an app solution. People are using the app to get access, and the developers continue to add new features.

The Be My Eyes app is a free app that allows people to volunteer to video chat in order to provide visual assistance to people who are blind or visually impaired. People use this app for access to all kinds of information ranging from captchas to thermostats in hotels.

Blind Square offers users access to their surroundings and much more through a mix of GPS technology and Foursquare innovation. It is like Around Me taken to a higher level for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Find out what is around you within 75 meters with specific utilization of clock directions. Blind Square added a way to run the app without draining your battery by allowing it to sleep. This app is useful, but it is not meant to be a full GPS app for travel. No matter what app you use, an app will not replace the use of proper orientation and mobility skills with a white cane or dog guide.

Aside from mobile apps, there has been a lot of innovation prompting accessibility to be discussed within mainstream media and among many businesses. One such project is Depict, a crowdsourced image description tool to aid visually impaired web users to browse the web with ease. Depict is a two-part project composed of a browser extension and website that provides web users with visual impairments with a platform to request image descriptions from sighted web users. The developer researched common issues faced by Internet users who are blind or visually impaired. The creator of Depict, Niamh Parsley, stated, "I want to get people thinking about web accessibility. Depict deals directly with image descriptions, but is part of a much wider conversation."

2015 Employment Resources Revisited

AFB CareerConnect

The CareerConnect website is a fully accessible AFB subsite dedicated to promoting the employment of people with vision loss. CareerConnect boasts a number of helpful resources, such as articles about the employment process, stories from successfully employed people with vision loss ("Our Stories"), and connections to mentors who are blind or visually impaired and who are employed in many fields. These mentors are great resources for career specific questions, job accommodation information, and more. CareerConnect also offers useful links for job seekers, career exploration, and résumé development tools. In addition, CareerConnect provides useful tools and activities for professionals working with clients who are blind or visually impaired.

Social Networking: CareerConnect Profile

In February 2014, AFB launched the new version of the CareerConnect profile, which turned out to be a much larger change to the program than anticipated. The project involved a massive rebuild of the structure of the e-mentoring program and aspects of the CareerConnect profile. AFB brought a modern feel to the CareerConnect mentoring system, which now allows status updates, associations to mentors, suggested mentors, customizable profile, and new ways to interact.

Maintaining and Advancing in Employment

CareerConnect's Maintaining and Advancing in Employment course is the latest addition to the free, information-rich resources built into the registered section of AFB CareerConnect. The new course follows the model of the fully accessible and self-paced Job Seeker's Toolkit. The Maintaining and Advancing in Employment course offers 25 unique lessons and assignments to assist adults and youth in getting ready to maintain their employment and aim for future advancement. Professionals can sign up for free and associate to users as well. So, stay on the job and prepare to move up the employment ladder with this great resource.

The Job Seeker's Toolkit

CareerConnect's Job Seeker's Toolkit is a free, self-paced online course aimed at people who are new to the employment process. The Toolkit consists of a series of lessons and assignments that cover self-awareness, career exploration, job seeking tools, pre-interview and interview skills, and job maintenance. As you work your way through the Toolkit, you can save your assignments (ranging from your network contacts, to your resume and cover letter, to a list of job leads, to your My CareerConnect portfolio) where they can be accessed for future reference or use.

CareerConnect App, Version 2

AFB launched the free, fully accessible CareerConnect App on June 24. The app offers access to the CareerConnect Blog, Our Stories section, and the Lesson Plans for Teachers and Professionals section. In June 2015, AFB launched version 2 of the CareerConnect app, which added access to the CareerConnect social networking features. Use this feature to connect with mentors and accept connection requests.

NIB CareersWithVision

The NIB CareersWithVision website is the result of a collaborative effort between AFB CareerConnect and the NIB. The NIB has compiled a large list of jobs from around the US within organizations that do work in fields related to blindness, or that have hired people with visual impairments. A unique feature of the site is that you can submit your CareerConnect résumé to participating organizations in order to apply for jobs. This service requires the creation of a free CareerConnect user profile to gain access to the job board, develop a resume, and apply to positions.

Hadley School for the Blind

The Hadley School for the Blind offers online and correspondence courses for people with vision loss in subjects related to blindness skills, business writing, employment, and more. Hadley's exciting program, the Forsythe Center for Entrepreneurship, offers in-depth information and training for entrepreneurs who are blind or visually impaired and who want to start their own businesses. This resource has seen growth and innovation through partnerships with groups like the Veteran's Administration and others.

Accessing Federal Jobs

Federal agencies have two job application methods available for people with disabilities: competitive and noncompetitive placements. Job applicants must meet specified qualifications and be able to perform essential job duties related to any position with reasonable accommodations.

Jobs that are filled competitively are advertised on USAJOBS, the official job-posting site used by the United States government. There are approximately 16,000 jobs available on the site each day. Once you register on the site, you can set up notifications for job advertisements related to selected keywords. Jobs filled non-competitively are available to those with mental, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities who have appropriate documentation as specified by the US Office of Personnel Management.

The US Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) offers useful connections to resources for self-employment, youth employment, employer advisement, the latest disability policies, and more. This office advises the US Department of Labor and other government agencies on employment issues regarding people with disabilities.

Job Accommodation Network

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is an online resource for accommodation advice for all disabilities. The website also allows users to submit questions regarding special accommodations and ADA issues in the workplace. JAN hosts webcasts on the provision of job accommodations, and the programs can be accessed through their website.

Career One Stop

Career One Stop is a free resource provided by the US Department of Labor that allows you to search state job bank databases.

Career Centers

Career centers help people perform research to support professional goals. Colleges, universities, and postsecondary and vocational schools often have career centers, and many are available to the public. You may have to visit, call, or do some online research to find out what is available to you locally. Keep in mind that many career centers maintain robust websites accessible to anyone with an Internet connection, and these sites may offer many free resources and materials. Career centers are often underutilized, and most are eager to have visitors. Some receive grant money to offer services to the community or state, and some actively recruit people with disabilities to their centers.

Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

Vocational rehabilitation helps people with disabilities prepare for entry or re-entry into the workforce. Your local vocational rehabilitation agency will offer a range of programs, resources, and services to help you prepare for and find work. The range of programs offered by these agencies varies from state to state, so research your local vocational rehabilitation agency, determine what programs and services you are eligible for, and register.

In most cases, these organizations exist to help you become job-ready and find employment. Some may also train you in independent daily living, orientation and mobility, and access technology. These organizations will also know about other available resources in your community and state. To find a local or state agency near you, use the AFB Directory of Services.

Stephen-Bradford Search

Stephen-Bradford Search is an executive consultant search firm that looks to connect the right person with the right job. The motivation and passion from their personnel explodes through the phone. Their core values are accountability, growth, integrity, positive culture, and respect.

The firm is dedicated to improving people's lives by identifying talented individuals and is known as a forward-thinking, highly ethical search firm. Its expertise is in marketing, sales, business development, account management, and operations across many industries, including the following: advertising, beauty/luxury, consumer goods, digital/social media, emerging technologies, and market research for nonprofit organizations. The management and recruiters come from the industries for which they recruit, and they are dedicated to helping clients build their business with people who drive growth and results.

Stephen-Bradford Search is not an organization that is specifically aimed at the recruitment of people with vision loss. It aims to find talented people who are qualified individuals and can get the job done. That said, the firm does have personnel who are visually impaired, and if you are working in any of the fields listed, this is a recommended organization to contact.

Bender Consulting Services

Bender Consulting Services is a highly successful recruitment firm that specializes in meeting employers' needs through the employment of qualified people with disabilities in the technology, science, government, and other employment sectors. The organization has been making a difference for a long time. Joyce Bender also hosts a popular audio show specific to disability and the employment process.

disABLED Person, Inc.

DisABLEDperson, Inc. is a non-profit public foundation with the mission to reduce the extremely high unemployment rate amongst the disabled by providing online recruitment solutions as well as program initiatives. A primary goal associated with this mission is to connect individuals and veterans who have disabilities with employers who are proactive in hiring them. It accomplishes this goal through their disability job matching system.

Another goal is to assist its community members in gaining marketable job skills that will translate into sustainable employment, accomplished through their Microsoft IT Academy program. Recently, the organization has created a partnership with the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation and an alliance with the United States Business Leadership Network. You can visit the Web portals at the disABLEDperson, Inc. website or the Job Opportunities for Disabled American Veterans (JOFDAV) website.

Eyes on Success

The Eyes on Success audio show is an excellent resource to find interviews with successful people who are blind or visually impaired and get employment tips. There are over 200 shows accessible online that offer tips on job seeking and the use of resources. Find out about great blindness-related resources and inspirational stories.

NFB Where the Blind Work

The National Federation of the Blind has a resource that allows persons who are blind or visually impaired to post information about their work. Where the Blind Work is a portal for learning about what work people who are blind are doing.

Project Aspiro

Project Aspiro is a website developed by the World Blind Union around addressing the employment issues specific to the needs in Canada and abroad. This is a career exploration resource that aims to illuminate employment options and programs without a Western-centric focus.

Final Thoughts

During NDEAM, take the time to evaluate your presentation to the public, online, and when approaching employment opportunities. When you step out into your local community or professional community, what brand are you presenting? Every one of us has our own brand, and it is up to us to evaluate that brand to see if it supports our intended message. The perception of the public is their reality of who we are as an individual. Put forth the best brand possible. We all are unique and offer valuable skills. Even the professionals with the best brands have to reevaluate their messaging from time to time. Define the message you want to present in the public, create that message and image, seek feedback, correct your brand, and test your revamped brand in the community. This could be the difference between being employed and not being employed. This doesn't have to cost a lot of money.

Take the time to reevaluate your online presence. Look at your presentation through social media, and evaluate whether this is the professional image you seek. Social media offers both new opportunities and obstacles in the employment process. More and more jobs are released first through social media and associated online contacts. Corporations and recruiters are mining online profiles for qualified and talented candidates.

Even the most seasoned professional needs to practice their skills for navigating the employment process. Individuals who have been employed for longer periods might be even more in need of this practice and effort. The employment process has changed, and our skills for interviewing and addressing the needs of new employers may be stale. The employment process is about bringing your skills to meet the needs of an employer. Defining and listening to the needs of an employer can be the thing that gets you a second interview. Each employer is different, and the fact is most interviewers have little to no training in conducting an interview. Most operate on their own biased assumptions of what an effective interview should be. Interviewers don't typically role play or practice the process, especially those who are executives or not human resources professionals. The people who will typically interview you are professionals in a specific field. Take the time to practice your interviewing skills with various professionals who work both in and outside of human resources, This is a lot of time and preparation. We all have misjudged our own skills and proficiency in this area.

Besides getting your brand to the highest level, take the time to give back to the community. Make the effort to schedule time to assist in creating a better awareness around the employment of individuals who are blind and visually impaired in employment. We are more than our blindness and vision loss. We are corporate professionals, nonprofit managers, retail associates, sandwich artists, scientists, counselors, lawyers, entertainment stars, and so much more. Track the AFB CareerConnect Blog this month, as we will be providing updates throughout the month on possible activities or new resources.

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Author
Joe Strechay
Article Topic
Employment Resources