Did you know that September is Disability Employment Month? In September 2014 the BC Government released Accessibility 2024, which is a 10 year action plan focused on making B.C.; “the most progressive place for people with disabilities in Canada by 2024”.

Here are some interesting facts about employment for people who identify as having a disability in B.C.:

• There are more than 546,000 people in B.C. over the age of 15, who identify as having a disability—that’s almost 15%.
• The employment rate for people with disabilities (aged 15 to 64 years) is 18 percentage points lower than for people without disabilities.
• On average, the total cost to accommodate an employee with a disability is under $500.
• Consumers with disabilities in Canada spend $25 billion a year and growing.
• Since April 2012, the Employment Program of BC and associated local WorkBC Employment Service Centres have helped nearly 8,000 people with disabilities reach their employment goals.
• Since 2012, more than $1.34 million has been spent assessing technology needs and providing assistive technology to almost 600 job seekers with disabilities through the Employment Program of BC.

Source: https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/creating-opportunities-disability-employment-month

 

Here at the Career Centre, as your WorkBC Employment Services Centre, we offer assistance to anyone who is looking for employment and is currently unemployed or working under 20 hours per week.  We can assist job seekers with diverseabilites and we also offer support to employers looking to hire.

We have programs and initiatives available to assist persons with diverseabilities reach their employment goals.

In addition, the Career Centre works with various service providers that provide support for persons with diversabilities including Vancouver Island Vocational and Rehabilitation Services (VIVRS) and Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre (IDHHC). Contact the Career Centre at 250.248.3205 or email info@careercentre.org for more information.

Job Shadowing

Are you looking for a new career but unclear on the direction you would like to go? Are you wanting to pursue a post-secondary education but not sure what career appeals to you? Job shadowing can be an excellent way to learn about a professional’s day-to-day responsibilities and decide whether their career appeals to you and aligns with your values and beliefs. It can also provide valuable opportunities to network with professionals in your chosen field.

A job shadowing experience allows you to explore a specific career of interest by observing an employee perform their work duties at their place of employment. The experience should provide realistic career information that will help you in making a career choice.

Job shadowing can provide enough information about the new and different job to alleviate fear of the unknown and to get a bigger picture of most of the requirements of the position. For example, I had a client who loved to spend time with seniors; she enjoyed listening to their stories and asking questions, organizing arts and crafts and helping them with chores. She was positive that being a Health Care Aide would be the perfect position for her! She met with a Health Care Aide at a senior’s facility, shadowed her for the day and realized that there were some aspects of the job she wasn’t sure she could do. One day of job shadowing helped with her career decision. This client is still in the helping field but in a different position.

Tips for a Successful Experience

Before you arrive for your job-shadowing experience, be clear on all the details. Be sure to confirm time to arrive, location, what to wear and anything else you may need to bring.

Do your research! Know as much about the company as possible. Jot down some notes and questions to ask. This will create a good impression, it will show initiative and help you learn more from the experience. At the end of the day shake hands, maintain eye contact, thank every person for their time and ask for their business cards. Sending them a personal thank you or email after you’re done shadowing can make a strong final impression.

You might have had a great job shadowing experience but realized that this is not the career for you. Stay positive and professional! You have made some great contacts.

 

Using Myers-Briggs to Explore and Understand Career Interests

If you are endeavoring to choose a career or assess your preferred work activities the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or MBTI can be a valuable tool in your research. At The Career Centre all staff members have taken the MBTI and two are certified to help you find your best fit.

The MBTI is a tool for self-awareness and gives us a common language to use when we talk about preferences.  We each have a preferred way for how we gain energy, gather information, make decisions and show up in the world.  Together this information forms a 4 letter code like the ones below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Type does not measure skills, abilities, training, or motivation or any other reason someone might choose a particular occupation. But there do tend to be trends for people with certain preferences being drawn to certain professions.   According to Isabel Briggs Myers in Introduction to Type one of the ways to explore these trends is to look at the middle two letters of your preferences or the columns of the type table.

ST’s Focus on: Facts
Handle these by applying: objective analysis and experience
Tend to Become: Practical and analytical
Find Scope for these interests using: Technical Skills with objects and facts
ST’s are attracted to careers in:

• Applied science
• Business
• Administration
• Banking
• Law enforcement
• Production
• Construction

SF’s Focus on: Facts
Handle these by applying: personal warmth, concern for others
Tend to Become: Sympathetic and friendly
Find Scope for these interests using: Practical help and services for people
SF’s are attracted to careers in:

• Health care
• Community service
• Teaching
• Supervision
• Religious service
• Support services
• Sales

NF’s focus on: Possibilities
Handle these by applying: Attention to people’s potential
Tend to Become: Insightful and enthusiastic
Find Scope for these interests using: Understanding and encouraging people
NF’s are attracted to careers in:

• Psychology
• Human resources
• Teaching
• Research
• Literature
• Religious service
• Health care
• Art and music

NT’s focus on: Possibilities
Handle these by applying: Theoretical concepts and systems
Tend to Become: Logical and analytical
Find Scope for these interests using: Theoretical and technical framework
NT’s tend to be attracted to careers in:

• Physical science
• Research
• Management
• Computers
• Law
• Engineering
• Technical work

If you would like to learn more about how understanding your personality type can impact your career decision making, please speak to an employment consultant about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

 

Cold Calling

While it may seem to be a daunting task to pick up the phone and call someone about a position that they may or may not have, a lot of good can come from that first call. The worst that can happen is they say no and you have only invested a few minutes, but think of the better outcomes!

• Employers may not have time to post jobs, sort resumes, then interview and hire. By making the call you are exhibiting a lot of the qualities an employer may be looking for:
  • Initiative
  • Can do attitude
  • Determination
  • No fear of rejection (very applicable for a sales position)
•  If you wait for a position to be posted at your favourite company, how many other people will be waiting for the same job posting?
• Getting your resume in before positions are posted can result in less competition for the job if one exists.

Be prepared with questions you may have about the company, as you are interviewing them as well.  Do some research and don’t ask obvious questions that you can get the answers to from their website.  Keep track of who you are speaking with in case they ask you to send them a resume.  This way you can address the cover letter to your new contact.  If they are not hiring at the present time, ask for names of others in the industry that might be.