OFFICE OF DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT POLICY

Essential Skills
to Getting a Job
What Young People with Disabilities Need to Know

Work Ethic, Communication, & Problem-Solving

Soft Skills: Professionalism or work ethic
The Competitive Edge Oral and written communication
What do employers look for in new Teamwork and collaboration skills
employees? According to the 2006 report Critical thinking or problem-solving
Are They Really Ready to Work? Employers skills
Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and
Applied Skills of New Entrants to the 21st In 2007, the U.S. Department of Labors
Century U.S. Workforce, it may not be what Office of Disability Employment Policy
some young job seekers expect. This in- (ODEP) discussed the importance of such
depth survey of 461 business leaders con-
skills with the Circle of Champions, a
ducted by the Conference Board, Corporate
distinguished group of U.S. businesses
Voices for Working Families, Partnership
for 21st Century Skills, and Society for that have received the Secretary of Labors
Human Resource Management reveals that New Freedom Initiative Award for innova-
while the three Rs (reading, writing, and tive and proactive efforts to recruit, hire,
arithmetic) are still fundamental to every and promote people with disabilities.
employees ability to do the job, employers As part of this dialogue, the companies
view soft skills as even more important identified the following competencies as
to work readiness. The report also finds key to the success of young workers in
that younger workers frequently lack these the 21st Century workplace.
skills, which include:
Networking It may also make it easier for you to think of ad-
Simply put, networking involves talking with ditional questions to ask prior to accepting a job
friends, family members, and acquaintances offer.
about your employment goals, interests, and
desires. It also involves reaching out beyond Once employed, continue to demonstrate en-
people you already know in order to expand the thusiasm by taking initiative and seeking new
opportunities that may be available to you. When and more challenging work. In some work set-
it comes to finding a job, networking is essential. tings, this may mean performing tasks needing
According to Cornell Universitys Career Center, to be done before being asked. In a restaurant,
80 percent of available jobs are not advertised. for instance, in between meal rushes, a server
Therefore, if you are not connecting with other might show initiative by wiping off dirty menus
people, you are likely to miss out on many job or filling salt and pepper shakers. In other work
opportunities. settings, you can show initiative by volunteering
to take on needed work or pitching a new project
To start networking, make a list of everyone who idea to your supervisor. If he or she likes the
may be able to help you job search. Next, talk idea, offer to do more research and follow up
to people on the list and tell them that you are with him or her. This provides you with some
looking for employment. Ask if they know of any ownership of the project and shows your com-
openings and to introduce you if they do. But mitment to the company.
dont stop with the names on your list. Talk to
cashiers, barbers, clergy, and anyone else you Professionalism
meet about their work and ask if they know of Make sure your resume is dressed to impress.
any jobs that match your interests. It is also es- Having an organized resume is essential to mak-
sential to follow up with those with whom you ing a positive first impression. A good tip is to
have networked. Talking with a person once will have a college professor or a career counselor
only provide leads available at that point in time. read your resume and recommend edits before
But by establishing an ongoing relationship, you you submit it to a potential employer.
may learn of other opportunities as they arise.
Once you have been called for an interview, it is
Once you find a job, it is important to continue important to research the company and find out
to network effectively. Through ongoing net- more about your potential job responsibilities.
working you can develop relationships with col- This will not only allow you to ask better ques-
leagues and increase your ability to move up in tions during your interview, but also ensure you
the organization. are well-informed should the company make you
an offer.
Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm is also essential to success. When Business etiquette and work ethic go hand in hand
interviewing, you are likely to stand out in an for employers. Some tips when it comes to mak-
employers mind if you show excitement about ing a good impression once employed include:
the job. Prior to the interview, check out the
companys Web site to learn about the business. Dressing properly for the work setting
Think of questions you might want answered, Arriving on time and staying productive until
because asking questions is one way to show you leave
interest. Other strategies include arriving a few Turning cell phone ringers off while at work
minutes early to the interview, dressing profes- and returning phone calls and text messages
sionally, and staying engaged in the conversation. while on breaks or after work hours
You should also bring a pad and pen so you can Using computers, if you have access to them,
take notes during the interview; just make sure only for work-related tasks
to ask if it is okay to take notes first. This shows Speaking in a respectful manner with
the interviewer that you are actively engaged and supervisors, peers, and customers
paying close attention to what they are saying. or clients
Also remember that even when you are technical- of the organization. One way to improve your lis-
ly off-duty in the lunchroom or at a reception, tening comprehension skills is to ask questions.
you are representing the organization and are Other tactics include restating what you thought
expected to act professionally. Dont contribute you heard to confirm you understood correctly,
to office gossip or banter around too much with and taking notes.
your co-workers. Although you are allowed to
have fun and enjoy your job, you are still there Teamwork
to work. Successful businesses rely on team players. This
skill is so important that an article in a Society
Communication Skills for Human Resource Management magazine en-
Communicating ideas in the workplace is differ- courages employers to include teamwork as part
ent than in an academic setting. In a classroom, of the performance appraisal process if collabo-
the instructor usually leads group discussions or ration is essential to the job. Understanding how
assigns written homework, and students respond to act as a member of a team may begin when
or ask questions when directed to do so. In the you play sports or work on group projects in
workplace, however, the format for interaction school. In the workplace, knowing how and when
varies. Sometimes your supervisors may spe- to lead and follow takes practice, as does know-
cifically ask you for your opinion or ask you to ing how to avoid unnecessary conflict. Working
express that opinion in writing. More often than on a team also allows you to build closer relation-
not, however, they assume that if they need to ships with your co-workers, which can make any
know something, you will bring it to their at- job more fun and interesting. When working on
tention. The challenge of communicating in the a team, make sure that the workload is shared
workplace is learning how and when to share and that everyone is communicating. While some
your ideas or concerns. competition between team members is healthy
and contributes to productivity, too much
If you need to tell your supervisor about some- negative personal interaction can have the
thing that is not going well, it is important to opposite effect.
remember that both timing and your attitude
are extremely important. For example, if you Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
are a cashier at a carry-out restaurant and the Problem solving and critical thinking refers to
long lines during the lunch rush stress you out, the ability to use knowledge, facts, and data to
causing you to give customers incorrect change, effectively solve workplace problems. As a new
it is best to wait to talk to your supervisor about employee, you may question why an organiza-
the problem during a slower period. At an ap- tion follows certain steps to complete a task. It
propriate time, you may want to ask if it would be may seem to you that one of the steps could be
possible to have someone assist you during busy eliminated saving time, effort, and money. But
periods. And if you are able to explain that this you may be hesitant to voice your opinion. Dont
would not only allow you to make fewer mistakes, be; employers are usually appreciative when new
but also allow the business to provide better ser- employees are able to offer insight and fresh
vice by making the line move more quickly, he or perspective into better and more efficient ways
she will be more likely to take your ideas serious- of doing things. It is important to remember,
ly. Another proactive strategy would be to talk to however, that as someone new to the organiza-
your supervisor or another senior employee about tion, you may not always have the full picture,
how you could do your job more efficiently. and thus there may be factors you are unaware
of that dictate that things be done a particular
Listening is also an important communication way. Another important thing to remember is
skill. Employers report that the average entry- that when you are tasked with solving a problem,
level candidate struggles with knowing how to you dont always need to answer immediately.
listen carefully. They may not immediately pro- The ability to develop a well thought out solution
cess essential instructions or be able to under- within a reasonable time frame, however,
stand how their tasks relate to the overall goals is a skill employers value greatly.
Resources This fact sheet targeting young people with dis-
The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Work- abilities provides information about disclosure
book for Youth with Disabilities in the workplace.
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Pub-
lications/411.html This publication, designed Youth Information, Training and Resource
for youth and the adults who work with them, Centers
helps young people make informed decisions http://www.addyic.org Funded by the U.S.
about whether or not to disclose their disability Department of Health and Human Services
and understand how that decision may impact Administration for Children and Families and
their education, employment, and social out- Administration on Developmental Disabilities,
comes. these resource centers work to increase the
ability of individuals with developmental dis-
Improving Demand-Driven Services and abilities to exercise greater choice and self-de-
Performance: Toolkit For Effective Front-line termination and engage in leadership activities
Services to Youth in their communities.
http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/Tool- Youthwork Information Brief No. 20: Work
kit-improve.cfm This toolkit contains numerous Readiness Skills
worksheets to assist youth in figuring out how http://ohioworkforce411.gov/docs/youth/info-
to address their career goals and to develop soft brief20-WorkReadinessSkills.pdf
skills. Sponsored by the Ohio Department of Job and
Family Services, this information brief describes
MonsterTRAK: Measure Your Soft Skills Smarts soft skills that youth need and employers are
http://content.monstertrak.monster.com/re- looking for to gain a competitive advantage.
sources/archive/jobhunt/softskills/
This Web site contains a short self-assessment References
youth can use to rate their soft skills. Are They Really Ready to Work? Employers
Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Ap-
National Youth Leadership Network plied Skills of New Entrants to the 21st Century
http://www.nyln.org The National Youth Lead- U.S. Workforce (2006). The Conference Board,
ership Network is a youth-led organization Corporate Voices for Working Families, the
creating opportunities for youth with disabili- Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and the
ties to gain leadership skills and network with Society for Human Resource Management.
each other.
Cornell Career Services, Cornell University. Ca-
Social Skills: Finding Friends and Persuading reer and Alumni Connections website.
People http://www.career.cornell.edu/careerConnec-
http://www.addresources.org/article_social_ tions/contactsNetwork/generalInfo.html Site
skills_brown.php?menu_off=true Viewed November 13, 2007.
This document, geared to young people, pro-
vides useful strategies for developing the soft Leigh, Wilhelmina A., Deitra H. Lee, and Malinda
skills needed in the workplace. A. Lindquist. Soft Skills Training: An Annotated
Guide to Selected Programs. Washington, D.C.:
Youth, Disclosure, and the Workplace: Why, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies,
When, What, and How 1999. Contact the Joint Center for Political and
http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/ydw.htm Economic Studies at 202/789-3504.

Office of Disability Employment Policy - U.S. Department of Labor

200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210
Voice: 1-866-ODEP-DOL (633-7365) TTY: 1-877-889-5627
www.dol.gov/odep
09.08