Finding a job means having some idea of what you want to do. The first things you need to think about are, what are your areas of strength, what skills do you have, what are you interested in doing and what are your goals for employment? When you think about these things you need to understand your Intellectual Disability(ID) and what effect if any it will have on you being successful with this area of employment.
Talk to your family and friends as many people get jobs by people knowing what you are interested in and telling you when they hear of a job becoming available. Other jobs can be found by using the internet to search,as many employers post their jobs directly online or with employment agencies online.
Be ready to apply for a job by getting the following tasks completed or underway:
- Identify your strengths and skills
- Have your resume ready
- Decide whether you want to work part time or full time
- Understand what impact your ID may have on any aspects of the job
- Practice looking for jobs online
- Look at workplaces in your local area and if you like them, leave a copy of your resume with them
- Think about whether you are going to disclose information about your ID to the employer
- Do you have another learning disability such as Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) as well as your ID and if so how will this impact upon your job search
Remember we don’t always get the job we want at our first attempt, but we need to keep trying. If you want a full time job but can’t get one, then sometimes taking a part time job often leads to a full time job. Remember to think carefully about the type of job that may be suited to you, then organise your thoughts, search and apply for a job.
