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Solution Tool 2: Access a Resource

IF YOU DON’T ASK, YOU WON’T RECEIVE

Accessing a resource is often the simplest way to overcome a barrier, but it does require action on your part. Resources include items, like a computer with Internet access or professional tools, services, such as résumé writing or an image makeover, and information , like a list of colleges offering the training you need or employers looking for your skills, as well as referrals that allow you to access these resources. Finding and using resources can make your barriers disappear.

Sometimes, all that is stopping you from getting the job is a simple item. Howard’s tools were stolen from his truck the night before he was to start a new carpentry job, so he called friends and family and borrowed what he needed to get started. Jeana was an excellent florist, but her dyslexia made it impossible to accurately write down phone numbers or addresses when taking orders, so she purchased a simple handheld tape recorder to take down customer orders as she repeated them back. Often, accessing items can help you quickly create solutions and eliminate employer concerns.

SAMPLE ITEMS JOB SEEKER MAY NEED

• Professional-grade tools

• Interview and work clothing

• Equipment or technology to accommodate a disability

• Access to a computer, the Internet, and a high-quality printer, scanner, or fax

• Bus pass or a vehicle

• Personal identification

• Professional briefcase or portfolio

• Image-creating jewelry

• Pay-as-you-go phone or personal voicemail box

Other times, you can overcome barriers by accessing a service. Some services are free, and others cost. To find the service you need, start with the Internet, a local library, the United Way, a Workforce Center, or your friends and family. TJ was a customer service agent in a framing shop who wanted to become a sales associate in an art gallery. He knew his image was getting him screened out, so, inspired by a television makeover show, he paid an image consultant to help him look the part. Maleeka’s parents discovered a job coaching program for adults with mental disabilities that could work with her until she was proficient in her job as a grocery bagger. Often, utilizing the expertise of others can help you eliminate an employer’s concerns so you can stay focused on proving your value.

Knowledge is power. Often, new information is the resource you need to overcome a barrier. Jess had always worked in manufacturing and didn’t know what else he could do. At www.onetonline.com he discovered in-demand careers that use his skills, and decided to pursue one of the growing number of jobs as a refrigeration mechanic/installer. Georgette had used her criminology degree for less than a year before going overseas to work with an international aid organization. Upon returning to the United States a decade later, she realized she was seen as out-of-date. To change that perception, she visited the university library to read contemporary criminology textbooks and articles so she’d learn current industry vocabulary, as well as trends and happenings to discuss during interviews. Having new, useful information at your fingertips can help you remove your barriers, and give you added confidence as you market yourself.

SAMPLE SERVICES JOB SEEKER MAY NEED

• Résumé writing

• Job search assistance

• Haircutting and styling

• Psychological counseling

• Negotiation training

• Dental work

• Speech coaching for an accent or an impediment

• Tattoo removal

➵ DID YOU KNOW?

Most industries change their core vocabulary every five to ten years. Terminology is one way job seekers show that their knowledge is current, because employers know if they are out-of-date.

Some resources are easy to access, but others require time and finances you may not have right now. Getting a referral from someone who can access the item, service, or information for you may be your best choice. Justine needed a car to get to the job site, but couldn’t afford to get hers fixed. Her uncle talked with his mechanic, who agreed to fix the car and let Justine make payments. Russell needed experience, but even unpaid internships were hard to come by in the film industry. His sister’s friend, a visual effects producer, referred him for a volunteer position building movie sets on an independent short film, which helped him establish his network and begin his career. Partnering with people who have access to the things you need will help you overcome barriers and shorten your job search.

CREATING SOLUTIONS BY ACCESSING RESOURCES

The process of creating solutions by accessing resources is pretty simple. Determine what you truly need, discover the best way to get the resource, and then access it. Your research can be as thorough or quick as you choose.

1. Determine what you truly need. If you don’t identify the employer’s actual concern, your solution won’t work. Remember, their concern always comes back to profit. For Jeana, the florist mentioned earlier, the employer’s concern was not her dyslexia but her ability to accurately record orders, because inaccurate orders decrease profit. If Jeana had seen her dyslexia as the barrier, she might have spent years trying to improve her condition before pursuing the job she loved. Accurately identifying the employer’s concern allowed her to come up with a much simpler solution—using a tape recorder to insure orders were always accurate. Consider your prospective employer’s true concern and determine the resource you need to eliminate that concern.

2. Discover the best way to get the resource. To quickly come up with lots of options, brainstorm with others about where to go. Often, the best source turns out to be the third or fourth idea you consider. When Howard, the carpenter above, had his tools stolen, his first thought was to call and quit before he even started the job. He considered getting the tools he needed by pawning some personal items, or explaining his bad luck to the employer and asking to borrow their tools, or requesting an advance on his pay. Luckily, he talked with friends and discovered he could piece together enough tools to start his new job the next day. If you’re embarrassed to approach friends, consider asking strangers or investigating online, like TJ did when he looked for an image consultant. When you investigate online, be sure to review consumer comments and ratings.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES FOR RESOURCES

• Former teachers and employers

• Local and federal government agencies

• Chambers of commerce

• Places of worship, charities, or community services

• Local service clubs

• Professional associations

• Staffing agencies

• Schools and universities

• Yellow pages or local resource guides

• Libraries

3. Access the resource. This may require you to ask for help. If that scares you, then don’t ask for help, just ask for information, which sometimes turns into an offer of help. Using the telephone is a quick and easy way to investigate and access resources. Before making any calls, create a script and practice so you sound calm and get the information you want.

Once you have accessed the resource and resolved the barrier, employers don’t need to know about it, because it is no longer a concern. However, there are three reasons you might choose to share your solution with employers:

• If how you resolved the issue demonstrates a skill or quality the employer needs. Russell could share how he got his start in the film industry through his networking ability and connection with a respected visual effects producer.

• If your solution offers a resource the employer needs. Maleeka’s parents could explain how their daughter’s job coach can save the company money in training.

• If employers will become aware of the issue when they meet you, check your references, or watch you work. In this case, you must prepare a good answer. Jeana knew that at some point employers would notice she had a problem reading and writing, so in addition to accessing the handheld recorder, she crafted a good answer that acknowledged the issue and shared her simple and creative solution.

Think of the reasons employers are screening you out. Which of your screen outs could be removed if you accessed an item, a service, new information, or a referral? Remember, with the right resource many barriers can be completely eliminated, so the employer never knows they existed.

Another great way to avoid getting screened out is to target jobs and employers for which your issues are not barriers. The next chapter will show you how.