Getting Hired: A Trainer's Manual For Conducting Workshop Job Seekers With Disabilities
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Ge+ing Hired: A Trainer's Manual for Conducting
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Keywords
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INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION
10th Floor, UN Building
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue
PO Box 2-349, Rajdamnern
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: +662 288 1792
Fax: +662 288 3043
Email: disability@ilo.org
Websites: www.ilo.org
www.ilo.org/abilityasia
www.ilo.org/employement/disability
ISBN 978-92-2-120860-0
International
Labour
Organization
A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop
for Job-Seekers with Disabilities
Getting Hired
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop
for Job-Seekers with Disabilities
Getting Hired
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Copyright © International Labour Organization 2008
First published 2008
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ILO
Getting Hired: A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers with Disabilities
Bangkok, International Labour Office, 2008
Second edition
Printed version: ISBN 978-92-2-120860-0
Web pdf version: ISBN 978-92-2-120861-7
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Printed in Thailand
Teaching people the skills they need to find their own jobs can be empowering for both
trainers and trainees. The ILO’s AbilityAsia programme has published Getting Hired: A
Trainer’s Manual for Conducting Workshops for Job-Seekers with Disabilities to help trainers
help people with disabilities get hired by teaching job-seeking skills.
This manual is designed for job placement or employment officers, social workers, staff who
work at organizations of and for people with disabilities and others who want to provide job-
seeking skills training. The manual has a special emphasis on people with disabilities since
they face specific barriers to entering the labour force, however the job-seeking skills that are
the basis of the curriculum are the same for any job-seeker and therefore the job-seeking
training workshops that are offered can be for both disabled and non-disabled persons.
The companion Getting Hired: A Guide for Job-Seekers with Disabilities (referred to simply as
“the guide” or “guide for job-seekers”) should be used along with the this trainer’s manual
when workshops are offered. Both the trainer’s manual and the job-seekers’ guide can be
downloaded from www.ilo.org/abilityasia or www.ilo.org/employment/disability.
The guide can be used independently if training workshops are not feasible; however most
job-seekers with disabilities will benefit from some training in job-seeking skills.
The guide and trainer’s manual were originally developed for use in ILO projects in Tanzania
and Kenya during the 1990s, but have been updated and adapted for use in Asia and the
Pacific. They were field-tested in Africa but have also been used in some Asian countries in
the former formats. This updated version of the trainer’s manual was reviewed by employers
and job placement experts from a number of different countries in Asia.
Getting Hired: A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting Workshops for Job-Seekers with Disabilities
also has relevance to other regions of the world besides Asia and the Pacific. And, since job-
seeking practices can vary within the region, guidance on how to tailor the curriculum to
national or local practices is provided in Appendix I.
This training manual takes on increased importance as the attitudes about disabled persons
are changing. People with disabilities are no longer viewed as requiring protection and care;
they are seen as individuals who have rights, including the right to access training and
employment. With preparation and training, it has been proven time and again by employers
who hire people with disabilities that the overall performance, productivity and safety records
of disabled persons is on par with those of their non-disabled peers.
Further, the right to meaningful, decent work is guaranteed in a number of international
instruments. Most recently, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which entered into force on 3 May 2008. It is now
being signed and ratified by many countries around the world and those who have ratified
it are starting the process of implementation. The ILO Convention concerning Vocational
Preface
Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons), 1983 (No. 159) promotes equal
treatment and equal opportunity for people with disabilities in work and training situations.
The ILO Code of Practice on Managing Disabilities in the Workplace provides guidance for
employers on how to implement these principles in the workplace. At the national level,
many countries also have laws to protect the right of people with disabilities to engage in
work and to access the services to help them find decent work. To learn more about these
instruments and local laws, consult the websites listed in the Section “Useful Websites” in
Appendix VII and national ministries of labour, trade unions and disabled persons’
organizations.
The ILO wishes you success in conducting a job-seeking workshop in your country.
Hopefully, this trainer’s manual will assist you and that, as a result, many of the workshop
participants will be getting hired!
G e t t i n g H i r e d
A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers with Disabilities
- iv -
Preface iii
1. Purpose and How to Use this Manual 1
1.1 Purpose of the Manual 1
1.2 Organization of the Manual 1
1.3 Organizing a Getting Hired Workshop 2
2. Module One: Introduction to the Workshop 9
2.1 Purpose 9
2.2 Learning Objectives 9
2.3 Trainer Introductions (Presentation) 9
2.4 Purpose (Lecture) 9
2.5 Rules and Expectations (Group Brainstorming and Discussion) 10
2.6 Review the Workshop Objectives and Agenda (Lecture) 10
2.7 Interests, Abilities and Skills - Participant Introductions (Group Activity) 11
2.8 Learning from a Job-Seeker’s Experience (Dialogue with a Guest Speaker) 11
3. Module Two: Self-Assessment 12
3.1 Purpose 12
3.2 Learning Objectives 12
3.3 Module Introduction 12
3.4 Relation of Interests, Abilities and Skills to Job Goals 14
(Lecture, Worksheet and Group Discussion)
3.5 Relation of Interests, Abilities and Skills to the Job Interview (Short Lecture) 15
3.6 Assessing the Potential Impact of Your Disability (Short Lecture and Group Activity) 15
4. Module Three: Learning about Jobs and Employment Practices 19
4.1 Purpose 19
4.2 Learning Objectives 19
4.3 Module Introduction 20
4.4 The Rights-Based Context – Ways of Promoting Employment for People 20
with Disabilities (Lecture)
4.5 The Basic Employment Agreement (Lecture and Activities) 22
4.6 Job Availability, Security and Advancement Opportunities (Lecture and Discussion) 25
4.7 Implications of Employment Practices and Job Market Factors on the Job 26
Search (Optional Small Group Activity)
5. Module Four: Preparing Application Documents 27
5.1 Purpose 27
5.2 Learning Objectives 27
5.3 Module Introduction 27
5.4 Using a Personal Data Sheet (Lecture) 28
5.5 Completing Job Applications (Lecture and Group Activity) 28
5.6 What Application Forms Say about Applicants (Large Group Activity) 30
5.7 Preparing a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Résumé (Lecture and Discussion) 31
Contents
6. Module Five: Finding and Responding to Job Openings 33
6.1 Purpose 33
6.2 Learning Objectives 33
6.3 Module Introduction 33
6.4 Locating Job Openings (Large Group Activity) 34
6.5 Ways of Responding - The Basics (Group Activity) 35
6.6 Ways of Responding – Practice (Group Activities) 39
6.7 Homework Exercise: Writing an Introductory Statement for a Job Interview 41
7. Module Six: Job Interviewing 43
7.1 Purpose 43
7.2 Learning Objectives 43
7.3 Module Introduction 43
7.4 Preparing for a Job Interview (Visioning and Group Discussion) 44
7.5 The Job Interview Process (Lecture) 45
7.6 The Job Interview in Action (Demonstration) 46
7.7 What to Do in a Job Interview (Group Activity) 46
7.8 The Interview Introduction (Role Play) 47
7.9 Responding to Questions from the Interviewer (Lecture and Group Activity) 47
7.10 Asking Questions of the Interviewer (Group Activity) 50
7.11 Getting Practice (Optional Role Play) 50
7.12 Following up on the Job Interview (Lecture) 52
8. Module Seven: The Employer’s Perspective 53
8.1 Purpose 53
8.2 Learning Objectives 53
8.3 Module Introduction 53
8.4 The Employer’s Perspective (Dialogue with a Guest Speaker) 53
9. Module Eight: Starting the Job Search 55
9.1 Purpose 55
9.2 Learning Objectives 55
9.3 Module Introduction 55
9.4 Organizing the Search (Group Discussion) 55
9.5 Action Planning (Lecture and Individual Activity) 56
9.6 Workshop Summary and Follow-Up (Lecture) 57
9.7 Evaluation of the Workshop 57
9.8 Closing 57
Appendices 58
Appendix I: Tips for Adapting this Manual to Your Country 59
Appendix II: Sample Workshop Agenda 61
Appendix III: Trainer Preparation Checklist 62
Appendix IV: Sample Résumé 65
Appendix V: Sample Letters of Application 66
Appendix VI: Training Adults – Techniques and Tips 68
Appendix VII: Useful Websites 74
Appendix VIII: Certificate of Participation 76
Appendix IX: Worksheets 77
A Word of Thanks 94
1
Purpose and How to Use this Manual
1.1 Purpose of the Manual
The purpose of this manual is to assist disabled persons’ organization (DPO) staff,
employment placement officers, Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers, social
workers and others in conducting a job-seekers’ training workshop for people with
disabilities. It provides the necessary information about how to prepare for the workshop,
what to cover, suggested training activities and sample worksheets and examples.
The purpose of the job-seekers’ workshop is to assist people with disabilities in finding and
keeping employment in the formal sector, including government agencies, private companies
and the non-profit sector. It is designed to introduce participants to the basic steps and skills
involved in looking for a job. The steps and skills, with the exception of asking for reasonable
accommodations, are similar for disabled and non-disabled job-seekers alike. Therefore,
classes that are inclusive of all types of job-seekers can be organized. However, people with
disabilities often face unique barriers. This manual and the accompanying Getting Hired: A
Guide for Job-Seekers with Disabilities, which supports the training workshop, addresses the
unique barriers and challenges disabled persons face in seeking decent work.
The job-seekers’ guide includes similar content to this manual and the information to be
covered in the workshop. The guide also includes some additional activities and worksheets.
Copies of this trainer’s manual and the job-seekers’ guide can be downloaded at the
publications section of the ILO’s regional and global disability websites, www.ilo.org/abilityasia
and www.ilo.org/employment/disability.
1.2 Organization of the Manual
Getting Hired: A Trainer’s Manual is organised into nine chapters with nine appendices. The
first chapter contains the basic purpose, workshop outline and preparations necessary to
organize the training event.
Chapters 2 to 9 contain the content and suggested training activities for each training
module. Each module in turn includes a statement of purpose, the estimated training time
and the learning objectives. A module is divided into sections organized around various
topics and associated learning activities. Learning activities include lectures, discussions,
individual activities, group activities, role plays and others.
The appendices contain samples of job-seeking documents and guidance for the trainer.
Some of the samples will need to be adapted to reflect the local employment market and the
needs of the individuals who are targeted for training. The appendices also include sample
worksheets that can be copied for use in the workshop, although you may wish to modify
some of them to make them more relevant to the local situation first.
G e t t i n g H i r e d
A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers with Disabilities
- 2 -
Trainers are advised to read though the entire manual before determining what adaptations
are required. There is some guidance about how to adapt this manual in Appendix I.
1.3 Organizing a Getting Hired Workshop
Getting Hired Workshop Objectives
The objectives of the workshop curricula are to:
. assist participants in assessing their interests, abilities and skills as they relate to a job
goal;
. teach job-seeking skills such as how to locate and respond to job openings and how to
present oneself and conduct a job interview;
. provide support to job-seekers and to give them an opportunity to discuss some of their
problems and concerns.
Workshop Overview
The workshop covers basic information about self-assessment, learning about jobs and
employment practices, job seeking and interviewing for a job. The content is designed
around the following eight modules.
Module 1: Introduction to the Workshop
Module 2: Self-Assessment
Module 3: Learning about Jobs and Employment Practices
Module 4: Preparing Application Documents
Module 5: Finding and Responding to Job Openings
Module 6: Job Interviewing
Module 7: The Employer’s Perspective
Module 8: Starting the Job Search
Time
Ideally, the workshop should be presented over two days. However, to accommodate
practical considerations (e.g. limited resources, travel constraints, etc.), it may be delivered
in one and a half days. A sample two-day agenda is shown in Appendix II. The trainer will
need to pay close attention to time to cover all the material. Some trainers may prefer to
adapt the timeframes and to extend the training time over several shorter sessions; other
trainers may decide to delete some activities to ensure a more relaxed pace within the
timeframe they have available. Several activities have been marked as optional and their use
will depend on participant needs.
Morning and afternoon breaks of at least fifteen minutes each should be part of the
schedule. A midday lunch break of one hour is also essential. Trainers should plan ahead of
time when breaks will be scheduled and include them on the agenda. Adjust the timetable to
best suit local customs and the needs of the participants.
G e t t i n g H i r e d
A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers with Disabilities - 3 -
Audience
The workshop is intended for job-seekers who are looking for jobs independently as well as
for those who are working with a placement officer. Although anyone can benefit from
developing job-seeking skills, this workshop is particularly designed for people with
disabilities who are disadvantaged in seeking employment. Including non-disabled people or
other disadvantaged participants to provide for a more inclusive workshop setting is
encouraged, although this manual addresses disability-specific issues.
A disadvantaged person is anyone who faces a barrier to employment that results in
exclusion from the labour market. Barriers may be related to gender, age, youth, lack of work
experience, disability or poverty that puts an individual at a disadvantage in competing for
jobs. With guidance and improved job-seeking skills, such individuals can develop an
advantage. They will learn how to present themselves positively and to stress their abilities.
The materials are tailored specifically to be relevant to the Asian and Pacific labour market.
There is guidance for trainers about how to tailor the course further to a specific country in
Appendix I.
Number of Participants
The workshop is intended for approximately fifteen to twenty participants. Trainers can
experiment with larger or smaller groups. The larger the group however, the more difficult it
will be to discuss activities and attend to individual questions and concerns.
Pre-Screening Workshop Participants
If possible, it is useful to determine the job-seeking needs of workshop participants before
delivering the training to be sure that all participants are ready for employment. The
workshop is not a vocational exploration course; therefore participants should already have a
realistic job goal in mind. They should be prepared to find and accept a job after completing
the workshop.
Further, it is useful to determine the literacy level of participants and to have some idea about
the types of jobs they are seeking before the workshop. For example, those seeking
professional jobs will need to know about résumés or curricula vitae (CVs), whereas those
who are entering the labour market for non-professional positions may not require such
paperwork.
Trainers will need to consider the specific needs of participants with disabilities in their
planning and how to make necessary accommodations. Depending on the participant’s
impairments, trainers may need to consider presenting information both visually as well as
orally, hire a sign language interpreter, make materials available in Braille or electronically.
Physical access to the workshop facilities should also be considered as well as how to teach
slow learners or make adaptations for those with psycho-social disabilities.
G e t t i n g H i r e d
A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers with Disabilities
- 4 -
The easiest way to pre-screen participants is to hold a short meeting with them, or talk with
them or their referral sources over the phone. Ask about their expectations, their previous job
search experiences, their goals and job readiness. This will also give the trainer an
opportunity to ask about any specific needs the prospective participants may have due to
their impairments.
Workshop Adaptations
Time
The material in this workshop can be easily adapted to meet different timeframes
such as a series of two-hour classes. It is also possible to expand many of the activities to
cover more information, do more activities, include more outside speakers, etc. A
number of suggestions on how to change the timing of the workshop are included in the
materials as “Trainer Notes”.
Content
Certain content items may not be necessary for certain groups of participants. For
example, résumés will only be required for individuals looking for certain types of work.
If most participants plan to look for factory, non-professional work or jobs in the trades,
this section may not need to be covered, depending on local practices. If, by contrast,
the participants are college graduates or professionals, discussion of résumés will be
essential.
Cultural or Local Differences
As noted, this manual was prepared to meet the needs of job placement personnel and
non-governmental organizations primarily in Asia and the Pacific. Since culture
influences behaviour and job-seeking practices may vary according to locality, the trainer
will need to adapt the curriculum to local cultural and job-seeking practices. For
example, in some cultures, direct eye-to-eye contact demonstrates self-confidence; in
others, it is a sign of disrespect towards elders or superiors. Similarly, job-hunting
practices may vary. As noted, there is more guidance in Appendix I about how to further
adapt the materials to suit a specific country.
Accommodating People with Different Impairments
Trainers will need to be alert to their audience both when planning the workshop and
conducting some of the learning activities. Adaptations will need to be made accordingly.
For example, activities that involve reading or writing will need to be adjusted for those
who are visually impaired or unable to read or write. (Requiring two participants to talk to
each other about the writing task, or asking a sighted member of the group to write for
visually impaired members would be appropriate alternatives.) Activities involving role
plays and communication may require that those who are Deaf or hearing impaired to
work together and that a sign language interpreter be present.
Trainer Qualifications
It is recommended that two trainers conduct the workshop. Ideally, trainers should be job
placement specialists or other individuals who are knowledgeable about the job market and
the job-seeking process in their communities. Training skills and knowledge of adult learning
principles are also desirable trainer attributes.
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If trainers lack job-seeking skills or labour market knowledge, they might assemble an
advisory group of volunteers from an employers’ association, a professional personnel
association, an NGO resource centre or business club such as the Rotary or Lions. In
addition, human resource professionals or personnel specialists from companies and
representatives from trade unions or government offices related to labour or employment
could also be of assistance on such an advisory group. Chambers of Commerce, including
local chambers or international ones, such as the American Chamber of Commerce
(AmCham) or the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham), are often willing to provide
people to assist with this kind of activity.
The purpose of the advisory group would be to provide trainers with accurate labour market
information and to describe appropriate job-seeking practices in their communities. Such an
advisory group would also serve as a pool of prospective guest speakers for the workshop.
Sometimes trainers may lack experience. It will be important to follow the training outline
more carefully until the trainers build confidence and gain experience in conducting
workshops for adults.
For more information on adult learning principles and training tips see Appendix VI.
Advertising the Course
If participants will be invited personally to the workshop, letters should be mailed out to
announce and describe the course and to invite job-seekers to attend. Participants should
be
advised to bring job-seeking information with them (e.g. certificates, résumés or applications
that they have already prepared, etc.) as well as advertisements for jobs they are interested
in. Advise participants if they need to bring lunch, pens and paper, etc.
If the workshop is offered to the general public or requires advertisement, consider posters,
flyers, public service announcements on television or radio, newspaper announcements, etc.
If you issue an open invitation you may need to also advertise contact information and accept
only the first twenty applicants to avoid overcrowding. If you are faced with overwhelming
demand, keep contact details of people who miss out and schedule a second workshop, if
possible. Remember to advertise using a variety of media formats to reach people with all
types of disabilities.
The Training Setting
The best place to conduct the workshop will be at a venue near public transport and one
with adequate parking for all participants. Ideally, the training room should be equipped with
tables so that participants can take notes. Chairs and tables should be moveable to allow
participants to form small groups, and to allow chairs to be removed to accommodate
wheelchairs. The workshop should be held in a facility that is accessible to those with
mobility impairments and to accommodate those with other disabilities. Remember to check
the accessibility of toilets, parking and break areas as well as the main training room.
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The training room should be large enough to fit all participants comfortably with space to
move around. If any of the participants use wheelchairs, you will need a larger space so they
can move around easily. Check the air circulation and heating or cooling systems if the latter
are needed. In some locations, opening windows may result in external noises that can be
distracting.
Materials
A blackboard or whiteboard with the appropriate writing implements or flipchart paper and a
stand is a basic minimum requirement to deliver the workshop. During the activities, it will be
necessary to list responses to questions posed to the group. Ensure there are enough
coloured markers and that they are of three different colours for variety.
For any visual tools such as overhead projector sheets, flipcharts or posters, writing must be
clear and readable from the furthest point in the room. To accommodate minor vision
impairments, writing may need to be bigger than usual.
Worksheets suitable for reproduction are included in Appendix IX. However, if resources are
not available, participants can use a blank piece of paper to record responses or to complete
activities. If pre-printed forms are not used, the trainer will need to provide clear directions on
how to complete activities or worksheets.
If multimedia materials such as videos, DVDs or PowerPoint presentations on job-seeking
topics are available, they can easily be used to supplement the information delivered in the
workshop. Remember that this will add additional time to the training.
Companion Guide for Job-Seekers
Try to secure the companion job-seekers’ guide, Getting Hired: A Guide for Job-Seekers with
Disabilities, which has already been described, and distribute copies to all the participants.
Points of reference to the guide are noted throughout the Training Outline and it is assumed
that workshop participants will have a copy.
Trainer Preparation
The following is a basic overview of preparations needed to conduct the workshop. See also
the Trainer Preparation Checklist in Appendix III. In each module, the suggestions for trainer
preparation are highlighted in text boxes. Trainer Notes are also highlighted in text boxes for
easy reference.
1. Review this trainer’s manual thoroughly.
Trainers should ensure they understand all the information and material in the manual.
Seek advice from the advisory group, if you have organized one, or from other
professionals or experts in business, government or trade unions if certain items require
clarification. In some cases, the trainer will need to locate information appropriate to his
or her country such as information on labour laws and minimum wages. See Appendix I
for more guidance on how to adapt the training course to a particular country.
Review the job-seekers’ guide and note how it can be integrated into the workshop.
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2. Select the target audience.
Advertise the course or otherwise invite and select participants. Analyze their needs and
the adaptations to the curriculum that may be required.
3. Make any required adaptations to the curriculum.
See “Workshop Adaptations” in this Introduction and Appendix I for more information.
4. Personalize the curriculum.
Trainers should add their own personal stamp to the curriculum. Flavour it with stories,
anecdotes, proverbs or examples that will add interest to and make the workshop more
memorable. Use examples that are meaningful to the participants such as stories about
local employers or people with disabilities. Prepare flipcharts or other visual presentations
if materials are available. Skits and role plays can also be used. Be creative and make the
workshop enjoyable for both the trainers and the participants.
5. Identify two guest speakers for Modules 1 and 7.
The curriculum calls for two guest speakers. The first speaker (Module 1) should be a
person with a disability who has been successful in gaining and maintaining meaningful
employment in a mainstream business, not in an enterprise specifically for people with
disabilities. The speaker should be positive and motivational. Ask the guest speaker to
stress the positive aspects of job seeking and finding a job to motivate the participants.
He or she can share the struggles faced but also how they were overcome. The overall
theme should be motivational, not discouraging.
The second speaker (Module 7) should be a personnel manager or human resource
specialist from a company, factory, hotel, government office or other workplace who is
willing to discuss hiring tips from the employer’s perspective. Again, the guest speaker
should be encouraging and also reinforce the course content.
Brief the guest speakers before the workshop to ensure they understand the purpose of
their presentations. Give them some information about the workshop and the participants
to help them prepare.
Module 6 on the second day of the workshop includes some interview role playing. This
activity can be made more realistic for participants by inviting some human resource
officers to attend and conduct the practice interviews. Local Chambers of Commerce or
business associations may be able to provide people who would be willing to attend and
assist with interviews.
6. Create an agenda for the workshop.
The agenda should include, at a minimum, specific topics and the time allocated to
each. The names of presenters or trainers may be added. Breaks and lunch should be
included on the agenda. Appendix II is a sample two-day agenda.
7. Make arrangements for specific needs.
Such arrangements may include child care, transportation or necessary adaptations for
individuals with disabilities.
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8. Prepare course materials, handouts, room set-up and refreshments.
See sections in this manual on room set-up and materials. If audio-visual equipment will
be used, make certain that it is in proper working order and plan for what to do in the
event the equipment malfunctions. Make arrangements for lunch or refreshments, if they
are to be provided.
9. Assign sections of the workshop to trainers.
Make training assignments so that each trainer is clear about his or her responsibility and
is prepared accordingly. Trainers should be thoroughly familiar with the entire curriculum,
not just their sections.
Workshop Follow-Up
Although this workshop is presented as a stand-alone activity, follow-up or the support of a
job placement officer is recommended. It would be most useful to provide opportunities for
participants to meet again to review workshop content, to develop skills further and to share
job-seeking experiences. Regular follow-up sessions are often referred to as a “job club”. Job
clubs bring groups of job-seekers together to review their job search efforts and to exchange
suggestions, advice and job leads. Job-seekers can practice their skills and provide each
other with support and assistance. A job club also provides a chance for job placement
officers to share information about job openings and to learn more about the individuals who
attend.
2
Module One:
Introduction to the Workshop
Estimated Time
One hour.
2.1 Purpose
The purpose of this module is to introduce participants to the trainers, to the workshop and
to each other. Participants will start to get an understanding of their interests, abilities and
skills.
This module is also designed to begin to motivate and prepare job-seekers for their tasks by
introducing them to a successfully employed disabled person with whom they can identify.
2.2 Learning Objectives
After this module, participants should be able to:
. explain the objectives of the course;
. describe the experiences of one job-seeker who has found employment.
TRAINER PREPARATION
• Prepare agenda. (See Appendix II.)
• Prepare a visual representation (on board, flipchart, transparency or
PowerPoint) of the workshop objectives.
• Review Section 2 “Assessing Yourself” in the job-seekers’ guide.
• Photocopy the Interests, Abilities and Skills Worksheet (Worksheet One).
• Arrange for a guest speaker.
• Brief the guest speaker on his or her role as a motivational speaker. See
Section 1.3 for more information.
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2.3 Trainer Introductions (Presentation)
Trainers introduce themselves to the participants and present their background and how it
relates to job seeking.
2.4 Purpose (Lecture)
Give a brief overview of the purpose of the training, noting sponsors or any other relevant
information.
2.5 Rules and Expectations (Group Brainstorming and Discussion)
Rules (Optional)
Since the group will be working together for some time, it is helpful to agree on some rules
for how to work together. Provide one or two examples to get them started, such as:
• Be on time.
• Only one person may speak at a time.
• Switch off mobile phones.
• No smoking in the room.
Ask participants to suggest other rules or norms of behaviour for the time you will all spend
together. When the list is complete, ask participants to agree to abide by the rules for the
duration of the training. Write the rules on the board or flipchart paper so they are visible
throughout the workshop. Revisit the rules as needed or add new ones that come up.
Expectations (Small Group Activity)
TRAINER NOTE
Rules or norms will be more necessary if you are planning to meet for more
than one session or over an extended period of time than if you have a short
workshop.
TRAINER NOTE
It is important to discuss expectations as some participants may think they will
be given a job or a job referral as a result of participating in the workshop.
Discuss expectations before reviewing the course objectives and agenda.
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Ask participants what they expect to get out of the workshop and what they expect to learn.
Ask individuals to work in small groups to write up their expectations on a flipchart paper.
Review participants’ expectations as a lead into the course objectives. Explain which
expectations will be met by the course and which will not.
2.6 Review the Workshop Objectives and Agenda (Lecture)
Review the course objectives and the overall agenda and show how the agenda will meet the
expectations and objectives.
2.7 Interests, Abilities and Skills - Participant Introductions
(Group Activity)
Explain to participants the difference between an interest, ability and skill by using the
following.
• An interest is something you like or prefer to do. For example, playing football,
reading, knitting or making things. Ask people to name some of their interests. Most
people want jobs doing things that interest them.
• An ability is something you are naturally good at or learn easily. Abilities or talents
can be developed through training, but they exist without formal training. For
example, some people have good singing voices that can be developed with voice
lessons. Other people may be good with their hands, which makes it easier for them
to develop skills in carpentry, sewing, assembly or computer repair. Ask the group for
other examples of abilities.
• A skill is something you have learned to do. For example, reading and writing are
skills learned in school; metal working and sewing are skills and so are things like job
seeking or preparing legal briefs. Ask the group for other examples.
TRAINER NOTE
Participants sometimes experience difficulty in understanding the difference
between an ability (also called an aptitude or talent) and a skill. Stress that
abilities or aptitudes make it easier to learn skills. This is what makes it
important to understand natural abilities, aptitudes or talents. It is important to
select jobs or training programmes based on abilities.
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Getting to Know Each Other and Ourselves: Interests, Abilities and Skills Worksheet
(Group Activity)
Ask participants to find a partner, someone they don’t already know well. Ask participants to
interview their partners, using the Interests, Abilities and Skills Worksheet (Worksheet One).
They should fill in the worksheet for their partners, including at least three items in each
section. Give them at least ten minutes to complete the interviews. Provide direction and
clarification as needed.
When participants have finished, ask them to introduce their partners to the group, by
highlighting one of the partner’s interests, abilities and skills.
2.8 Learning from a Job-Seeker’s Experience
(Dialogue with a Guest Speaker)
Introduce a successful person with a disability who is currently employed. The speaker will
describe his or her experience and provide personal advice. Allow time for questions,
answers and discussion.
3
Module Two:
Self-Assessment
Estimated Time
One hour.
3.1 Purpose
The purpose of this module is to give participants more opportunity to consider their
interests, abilities and skills and link these to their job goals.
3.2 Learning Objectives
After this module, participants should be able to:
. relate their interests, abilities and skills to their job goal;
. identify some potential impacts their disability may have on their job goal.
TRAINER PREPARATION
• Review Section 2 “Assessing Yourself” in the job-seekers’ guide which
corresponds to this module.
• Review Section 4 “Setting Your Job Goal” in the guide for more information
about job goals.
• Prepare copies of the Skills Checklist (Worksheet Two) for the exercise in
Section 3.4.
3.3 Module Introduction
Introduce the module by reviewing its purpose and learning objectives.
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TRAINER NOTE
In many countries it is not common for people to get a job based on their
interests and abilities, but on whatever option is open to them. Traditionally,
many rural people have been involved in agriculture. Or people may work in
family businesses or learn a particular craft because that is what the village
has always specialized in. The concept of being able to choose a job based on
interests and abilities may be unfamiliar to some participants and may require
explanation.
Refer participants back to their Interests, Abilities and Skills Worksheet (Worksheet One).
Explain that it is important to consider interests, abilities and skills when job seeking as one
basis for deciding what job to do. It is also helpful to assess interests, abilities and skills in
relation to job goals since employers often ask questions about them on job interviews.
Explain that disadvantaged job-seekers face a lot of myths and stereotypes about their skills
and abilities. As a job-seeker it is important to ignore these stereotypes and be realistic about
skills and abilities.
Explain that people are more likely to be content with their job, achieve success on the job,
and stay with a job if it matches their interests, abilities and skills. While there are many other
factors to consider in job seeking (such as the availability of jobs, job security, pay, etc.), it is
important to consider interests, abilities and skills.
Ask participants to take out their Interests, Abilities and Skills Worksheet. Hand out the Skills
Checklist (Worksheet Two) and ask participants to re-visit their interests, abilities and skills
and add any others they can think of.
Setting a Job Goal
Explain to the participants that a specific and realistic job goal will help them in their job
search. A specific goal will help them to decide which employers or job leads to pursue, and
to prepare for interviews accordingly. A job goal should also be realistic. A realistic job goal
should be based on their interests, abilities, skills and the availability of jobs in their
communities.
Explain the Sections D and E of the Interests, Abilities and Skills Worksheet and ask them to
write and evaluate their job goal in terms of the skills they have or need to achieve the goal.
Prepare some examples of goals and ask participants to write their own goal and complete
sections D and E of the worksheet.
3.4 Relation of Interests, Abilities and Skills to Job Goals
(Lecture, Worksheet and Group Discussion)
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The trainer should circulate around the room to determine if participants need assistance.
Check for participants’ understanding of the concepts, and check for individuals who may
not be able to read or write well. Provide assistance without bringing it to the attention of the
group.
When all participants have identified a vocational goal, ask the group the following question
and then discuss their responses.
“Do you have the abilities and skills to do the job you desire?”
• Ask those who respond “yes” to explain. Use their examples to show how interests,
abilities and skills relate to job seeking. If they are not good illustrations, tactfully use
their examples to explain how it is important to choose jobs based on interests and
abilities, or how you can develop needed skills.
• Ask those who respond “no” to explain. Use their examples to illustrate that
sometimes it may be necessary to change a job goal (especially if someone lacks the
ability to do the job). Other times it may be necessary to develop necessary skills
through training. If possible, use the example of someone from the group and briefly
describe ways that participants can develop the skills they need, whether through job
experience, self-teaching or formal and informal training programmes. Use local
examples.
• Ask those who respond “don’t know” how they can get more information about their
interests, abilities and skills or how they can learn more about the requirements of
their job goals.
3.5 Relation of Interests, Abilities and Skills to the Job Interview
(Short Lecture)
Explain that self-assessment is important to answering questions at job interviews. It can be
used to make positive statements in response to interview questions. (Refer to Exercise 2.3
“What Do I Have to Offer” in the job-seekers’ guide.)
Interests, abilities and skills are only some of what job-seekers have to offer employers in
terms of the job or jobs they desire. They must also be good workers and have good work
habits. Note that these types of general work skills and behaviours will be discussed later in
the workshop.
Once someone has in mind a job that meets his or her interests, abilities and skills, he or she
can begin seeking that job.
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3.6 Assessing the Potential Impact of Your Disability
(Short Lecture and Group Activity)
Explain that many people, including some employers, think that someone with a disability will
have many difficulties at work, and need a lot of expensive accommodations. This is a myth.
Research from a number of different countries proves that the majority of people with
disabilities do not need any accommodation to do a job effectively, and the majority of
accommodations, when needed, are inexpensive and easy to implement.
Explain to participants that it is important that they understand the potential impact their
disabilities may have, so that they are prepared for the job-seeking process. For example, if
mobility is a problem, the disabled participant may decide to look for work close to his or her
home.
Employers are likely to be worried about the possible impact of disability, so it is important
that participants understand the real impact so they can reassure the prospective employer,
and address any misunderstandings.
Assessing the Impact of Your Disability (Small Group Activity)
TRAINER NOTE
This activity uses six common types of disabilities. Depending on the
participants, you may need to adapt the exercise to include other disability
types and sample accommodations to suit the participants. For example, you
may want to add psycho-social disabilities, back injuries or seizure disorders
to reflect the composition of the group. Take care however to avoid breaching
the confidentiality of any group member who may not want a hidden disability
known to the group. Some of the websites listed in Appendix VII and their
links will provide information for adapting this activity.
Divide participants into groups of five people by asking one participant to say the number
“1”, the participant next to them to say the number “2” and so on until they reach the
number “5”. The next person then starts again at number “1”. Once every participant has a
number, ask all of the number 1s to sit in a group, the number 2s in another group and so
on.
Explain to the participants that the groups are going to be assigned different types of
impairments (e.g. wheelchair user, visual impairment). Their first task is to identify the
possible impacts of the impairments in the workplace.
Write an example on the board or flipchart paper:
Impairment Possible Impacts
Visual impairment • Difficulties moving around the workplace.
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Use the six impairments listed below: wheelchair user, mobility impairment, visual
impairment, hearing impairment, speech impairment, and learning disability. Give each
group two types of impairments. (Each type of impairment can be used by more than one
group.)
Give each group a piece of flipchart paper. Instruct the groups that they have five minutes to
identify as many possible impacts they can think of for the two impairments they have been
given. Ask them to write their answers on the flipchart paper.
After five minutes, explain to the groups that they are now going to identify accommodations
to overcome the possible impacts they have written down.
Write an example on the board or flipchart paper:
Impairment Possible impacts Accommodations to reduce impact
Visual
impairment
• Difficulties moving
around the
workplace.
• Keep workplace clear and neat and
avoid rearranging things unnecessarily
and without notifying the visually
impaired person.
Give the groups another five minutes to identify accommodations.
When the groups are finished ask them to stick their responses up on the wall. Invite all the
participants to circulate around and read the other groups’ responses. Facilitate a short
discussion, clarifying any issues that are not clear, answering participants’ questions, and
adding any impacts or accommodations that haven’t been covered using the list below.
In the discussion also explain that accommodations should be worked out between the
employee and the employer and should be reasonable. For example, if it is possible to move
a work task to an accessible work space on the first floor, this might be more reasonable than
asking a small employer to install an elevator. The employee should also have a voice in the
process, for example, he or she may know the best and most cost-effective software for the
computer.
It should also be noted that the impact of disabilities, often referred to as difficulties in the
following chart, are often the result of the physical or social environment in the workplace or
the society. For example, difficulty getting to work on time usually results from inaccessible
transportation.
Note also that there are many other types of disabilities that were not addressed, such as
psycho-social impairments, seizure disorders, brain damage and neurological impairments,
back injuries, limitations resulting from arthritis and others that also might require
accommodations.
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Impairment Possible impacts Accommodations to reduce impact
Wheelchair
user
• Difficulties moving around
the workplace and using
facilities.
• Difficulties getting to work on
time.
• Difficulties joining in social
activities held for workers.
• Expensive modifications
required.
• Not able to respond quickly
to an emergency situation.
• Provide ramps and wide aisles and
doorways.
• Keep workplace clear and neat so
wheelchair can move around easily.
• Reduce the height of tables/work-
spaces, if needed. (Some wheelchairs
use transfer to a regular chair.)
• Provide railings and wide doors
in bathrooms.
• Allow flexible starting times, if needed
or help to arrange transport with other
employees.
• Hold social activities in accessible
locations and try to identify inclusive
activities.
• Work with safety personnel to find
easy exits in case of emergencies
and identify a “buddy” to help.
• Conduct disability awareness training
for co-workers.
Mobility
impairment
requiring an
assistive
device
(stick,
crutches)
• Difficulties moving around the
workplace.
• Difficulties getting to work on
time.
• Difficulties joining in social
activities held for workers.
• Expensive modifications
required.
• Not able to get out of
workplace in an emergency
situation.
• Provide railings on staircases and in
bathrooms.
• Adapt workplaces as needed by the
individual.
• Others as appropriate from above list,
such as disability awareness training,
inclusive social activities, etc.
Visual
impairment
• Difficulties moving around
the workplace.
• Difficulties getting to work
on time.
• Difficulties joining in social
activities held for workers.
• Expensive modifications
required.
• May not be aware of or quick
to respond to an emergency
situation.
• Difficulties receiving written
information.
• Keep workplace clear and neat.
• Have good and clear signage.
• Notify if changes are made to the
lay-out of the workplace.
• Install audible emergency alarms as
well as visual.
• Use meetings or verbal communication
instead of written.
• Provide screen reading software or
other tools according to needs.
• Adapt or reassign unessential work
tasks as needed.
• Others as appropriate from above lists.
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Impairment Possible impacts Accommodations to reduce impact
Hearing
impairment
• Difficulties communicating
with managers and co-
workers.
• Difficulties getting instruction
from managers or
participating in training
situations and meetings.
• Difficulties joining in social
activities held for workers.
• May not be aware of an
emergency situation.
• Use written communication, email and
even text messaging on cell phones for
those who are completely Deaf. Speak
directly to the person for those who can
read lips.
• Provide training in sign language.
• Install visible emergency alarms as well
as audible.
• Others as appropriate from above lists.
Speech
impairment
• Difficulties communicating
with managers and co-
workers.
• Difficulties joining in social
activities held for workers.
• Difficulty participating in
meetings or training.
• Use written communication, email, or
cell phone text messaging, as needed.
• Demonstrate patience and respect in
trying to understand the person.
• Others as appropriate from above lists.
Learning
Impairment
• Slowness in learning
how to do the job.
• Slow at work, less productive.
• Difficulties in attending
meetings, training.
• Difficulties fitting in
with co-workers.
• Extra time required by
supervisors in training and
supervision.
• Provide instruction in written as well
as verbal form. Demonstrate tasks
or work whenever possible.
• Provide additional time for training.
• Assign a willing person as a job coach.
• Allocate a “buddy” to help with social
adjustment and in an emergency,
if needed.
• Design creative ways to help with
memory and work tasks such as using
pictures, checklists or colour coding.
• Others as appropriate from above lists.
4
Module Three:
Learning about Jobs and Employment Practices
Estimated Time
One hour.
4.1 Purpose
The purpose of this module is to provide a general orientation to job and employment
practices and international instruments promoting employment for people with disabilities. In
particular, it deals with employment terms and job market conditions that participants must
understand to conduct a meaningful job search.
4.2 Learning Objectives
After completing this module participants should be able to:
. recognize the basic international instruments that protect the rights of people with
disabilities to work;
.
describe the basic employment agreement between an employer and an employee;
. distinguish between various terms of employment such as casual, part-time,
permanent employment and other types;
. describe methods of compensation, including monetary and benefits;
. explain job availability, job security and advancement opportunities.
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TRAINER PREPARATION
• Review Section 3 “Learning about Jobs and Employment Practices” in the
guide.
• If trainers are not aware of local labour practices and laws related to hours,
benefits and other employment practices, research them by contacting a
job placement service, local employer association, trade union or the
appropriate office in the Ministry of Labour.
• If trainers are not already aware about the status, nature and impact of
labour legislation and regulations affecting disabled workers, research and
include these issues in the training.
• Prepare benefits and their explanations on small pieces of paper for the
“Job Benefits” exercise in Section 4.5.
• Review the optional activity in Section 4.7 “Implications of Employment
Practices and Job Market Factors on the Job Search” and prepare some
job/employer pairs that are relevant to the local job market.
• Add local examples to make the material more relevant and engaging.
• Contact the local United Nations and/or ILO office to see if they have
translations of key UN documents in local languages to give to
participants.
• Adapt word usage and delivery style to accommodate the listening
comprehension level of the group, if it is known.
4.3 Module Introduction
Introduce the module by reviewing its purpose and learning objectives.
4.4 The Rights-Based Context – Ways of Promoting Employment for
People with Disabilities (Lecture)
Disability is now increasingly viewed as a matter of human rights rather than as a social
welfare or medical issue. The human rights approach promotes integration and inclusion of
people with disabilities into mainstream society.
In 2006, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD), which entered into force on 3 May 2008. The CRPD aims to “promote,
protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental
freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.”
Article 27 of the CRPD specifically outlines the rights of people with disabilities to work and to
earn a living. It encourages countries to prohibit discrimination and promote employment
and self-employment opportunities in all sectors.
For the full text of the CRPD in English see: http://www.un.org/disabilities.
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The ILO, a specialised agency of the United Nations, is committed to ensuring fair and
decent conditions of labour for all people, including people with disabilities. ILO standards
aim to promote decent work for all men and women, most basically through the ILO
Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998). For people with
disabilities specifically, there is one Convention concerning Vocational Rehabilitation and
Employment of Disabled Persons (No. 159), two Recommendations and, primarily for
employers, the ILO Code of Practice on Managing Disability in the Workplace (2002). They
call for equal treatment and equal opportunity for people with disabilities in work and
training, in inclusive settings whenever possible, and for the provision of vocational
rehabilitation services and employment promotion in the regular workplace.
See the Publications section of www.ilo.org/abilityasia for a list of current ILO publications
related to disability, including the full text and a summary of the Code of Practice. Other parts
of the website provide the text of Convention 159 and the Recommendations.
Many countries have specific legislation designed to protect people with disabilities and
promote favourable environments, including work environments. There are various ways that
countries can promote employment for people with disabilities. The two key ways are through
non-discrimination legislation and employment quotas.
TRAINER NOTE
Modify the following materials depending on the legislation and policies of the
country. It is important for job-seekers to know their rights and responsibilities,
and to understand what kind of assistance they are entitled to. Encourage job-
seekers to contact their local authorities or trade union representatives and
request assistance.
Non-Discrimination Legislation (Lecture)
Non-discrimination legislation makes it illegal for employers to reject a job candidate, or fire
an employee, or deny benefits, training or promotions simply based on disability. This
legislation recognizes that people often discriminate based on personal characteristics such
as race, disability or gender and makes it illegal to do so.
Quotas (Lecture)
Quota schemes are a common means of promoting employment of people with disabilities in
many Asian and Pacific countries. This policy requires employers with a certain number of
employees to hire a specified percentage of disabled workers. For example, in Vietnam three
per cent of all workers should be people with disabilities; two per cent is the requirement for
heavy and dangerous industries.
Some quota schemes require that employers pay a levy if they do not meet the quota. The
resulting resources are often used to adapt the workplaces of employers who comply with the
quota requirement or for general activities to promote employment and vocational training for
people with disabilities.
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Other Support Measures (Lecture)
Some countries provide other forms of support for workers with disabilities or job-seekers
with disabilities. For example, many countries provide free or subsidized training and/or
financial assistance to employers to make job accommodations for workers with disabilities.
Some countries provide free job placement assistance for job-seekers with disabilities.
4.5 The Basic Employment Agreement (Lecture and Activities)
Explain to participants that the basic employment contract calls for employees to perform
specific job tasks (usually referred to as job duties or terms of reference) in exchange for a
salary or wage. Sometimes benefits are also included.
Job requirements refer to the skills and abilities applicants must demonstrate to carry out job
duties. Examples are physical strength or good communication skills. Sometimes jobs may
require workers to have resources such as tools or a car. Job qualifications refer to specific
training, experience or certificates that applicants must demonstrate to be considered for the
job. For example, to qualify for some jobs, it is necessary to have a college degree or to
complete a skills test.
Ask one of the participants to share his or her job goal and his or her understanding of the
duties, requirements and qualifications associated with that goal. Add to the information as
needed. Request another job goal if further explanation is needed.
Terms or Types of Employment (Large Group Activity)
Explain that the terms of employment describe the type of agreement or relationship an
employer and employee establish.
What Type of Employment Am I? (Quick Quiz Game)
Organize participants into two teams.
Write up on the board or flipchart paper the five different kinds of employment contracts
(temporary, casual, permanent part-time, permanent full-time, contractual).
Explain that you are going to read out a description of a type of employment, and the
teams must call out which type it is.
The first team to call out the correct answer will get one point. If they can also provide an
example of that kind of job, they will get an extra point. The team with the most points at
the end wins.
Read out the following descriptions of the different kinds of work.
1. Temporary employment
I am employment that lasts for a specified period of time, usually a short period such
as several months. I can be full-time or part-time and usually I do not come with any
benefits. When the agreed upon work period ends, the worker may be extended, laid
off or hired on a permanent basis. I am common in the service industries.
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2. Casual employment
I am employment for an agreed amount of time such as a few hours, a day, a week or
a month. Typically, the employee receives no benefits, only a wage for the period of
time worked. I may become a permanent job, but there is no guarantee. I am
common in construction, agriculture and other types of manual work.
3. Part-time permanent employment
I am employment of less than a full work week. (The length of the typical work week
is determined by local practices or labour laws; for example, in many countries it
involves a five-day or forty-hour work week, but trainers should use the local
standards.) I may include benefits, depending on local labour laws. I am usually for
an unlimited period of time. I am common in the service industries, office work and
other areas of work.
4. Full-time permanent employment
I am employment for the full work week and usually involve a formal contract or
agreement between the employer and the employee. My type of employment is
indefinite, and usually includes benefits in addition to a salary. I am common across
many different kinds of industries.
5. Contractual employment
I am employment for a specific task and a specific period of time, according to a
contract which lays out the job duties, tasks and pay. I am most common in the
consulting field or in service businesses such as home repair.
Ask participants what they think is the most desirable type of employment and why.
Salary and Wages (Lecture)
Explain that when a person is hired for a job, there are various ways of receiving income from
that job. People may be paid a daily rate (as with casual or day labourers), an hourly rate
according to the number of hours worked or a piece rate. Piece rate means that wages are
paid in accordance with the type and number of items made or completed. For example, in
tailoring, pay may be based on units of work produced, e.g. the number of trouser legs
completed.
Some people receive salaries, which means they are paid a certain amount of money per
week, which is often unrelated to productivity. For example, a worker in a shop may receive a
salary per month, regardless of the amount he or she sells each month.
Explain that people usually receive their salaries on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis.
Note that certain deductions may be taken from the salary. Give examples of common
deductions in your country and explain them (e.g. taxes, social insurance, costs of housing at
the worksite, costs for uniforms, etc.).
Employers may prefer to transfer salaries into a bank account rather than make cash
payments. It may be necessary to discuss with the group how to set up a bank account and
how to safely use it. You many need to cover issues such as identity protection, use of cash
cards and ATMs.
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Job Benefits (Small Group Activity)
Explain that in addition to salary and wages, some jobs include benefits as part of the
compensation package. Give an example of a benefit from the list below and describe it.
In preparation for the activity, list each benefit name (below) on a small piece of paper and
each explanation on another small piece of paper. Adapt or amend the list to suit the local
situation. You will need enough sets of the benefits and explanations to provide a complete
set to each group (e.g. if you have five groups you will need five sets).
Organize the participants into groups of approximately five people. Distribute one set of
benefits and explanations papers to each group.
Explain to the participants that the activity is to match the benefit name with its explanation.
Give the groups ten minutes to work on the activity. Check that each group has matched
correctly, explaining any that have caused confusion.
• Medical leave
Being paid for absences due to illness or injury.
• Annual leave
Being paid for absences for vacation or other purposes, usually must be requested in
advance and is not available until the employee has been working with the company
for a specified period of time.
• Paid holidays
Days off with pay on special days determined locally or by labour laws.
• Housing or housing allowance
Being paid for or provided with accommodations.
• Social security or pensions
Usually government sponsored, this plan will pay workers a certain amount of money
when they retire. Often the worker contributes a certain amount of money to the
programme while the employer is also required to make a specified contribution.
• Transportation allowances
Money paid to cover the costs of getting to and from work.
• Meals, uniforms or other allowances
The provision of food, clothing or tools or the resources for employees to purchase them.
• Worker’s compensation
Financial and/or medical assistance when an employee becomes sick or is injured on
the job.
• Medical insurance or access to a medical clinic
A plan to cover costs of sickness or injury. Some larger employers, particularly in
manufacturing, provide medical clinics at their workplaces.
• Maternity leave / paternity leave
Being paid for a period of leave for parents after giving birth.
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• Other types of insurance or savings plans
Different types of insurance or savings schemes to help employees manage their lives
and their future for retirement, education of children, etc.
• Bonuses
Extra money (beyond salary or wages) paid for extraordinary performance, or for
special days (Christmas bonus, Chinese New Year bonus).
• Profit sharing
A scheme whereby employees can share in the profits of the company.
After reviewing the game, ask participants if they know of any other examples. Record each
example on the board or flipchart paper. Then review the additions. Discuss questions and
types of jobs in the local area which provide such benefits.
4.6 Job Availability, Security and Advancement Opportunities
(Lecture and Discussion)
Explain that job availability is related to being able to get a job or the number of job openings
that may be available in a labour market. Job security refers to having stable employment
that is not expected to end for a long time. Opportunities to advance or learn new skills are
important in your job or career.
Job Availability (Lecture)
The availability of jobs is dependent on the local economy. In a growing economy, jobs are
more plentiful. A second factor in job availability is the types of businesses that are in the
local area and how those types of businesses or industries are doing. In seaport towns, there
are jobs related to shipping, but such jobs will not be found inland. As computers become
more common, so are jobs for people skilled in programming or operating them. Are private
businesses and government growing? In many countries, governments are cutting back on
civil service jobs.
Explain the link between job availability and getting hired: The greater the number of jobs
that are available, the better the chances of getting hired. The fewer the jobs, the greater the
competition among job-seekers, increasing the importance of skills training.
In most of Asia, the economy is changing, and thus the availability of jobs is also changing.
The economies of Asian countries are becoming less dependent on agriculture, and more
jobs are available in manufacturing and service industries such as tourism, retail and
hospitality.
Job Security (Discussion)
Ask participants what is meant by a secure job. Ask them to think of people they know who
have stable jobs, and give some examples.
Make the point that a secure job is one that is stable and where layoffs are unlikely. Positions
with stable or growing companies or in fields where growth is expected may have good
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security. Some jobs, like temporary or casual labour positions, have little security. Other jobs
may lack security because machines are replacing people.
Job Advancement (Discussion)
Ask participants what is meant by job advancement.
Make the point that opportunities to learn new skills and advance on the job may be
important to future employment. Some employers train workers on the job or have formal
apprentice programmes that offer the opportunity to learn a trade such as carpentry or
mechanics. Other jobs may provide opportunities to advance to more responsible positions
such as a supervisor or a manager.
4.7 Implications of Employment Practices and Job Market Factors
on the Job Search (Optional Small Group Activity)
Develop a list of job/employer pairs that are representative of many different aspects of the
local job market and employment practices (e.g. office clerk/government or sewing machine
operator/garment factory, etc.).
Divide participants into groups of approximately five people. Give each group several
examples of jobs. Ask groups to apply the concepts learned to the different jobs by asking:
• What are the duties, requirements and qualifications of this job?
• What would be the likely terms of employment?
• What is the expected salary or benefits?
• How available is this job in the urban area where the training is taking place? In other
cities or towns?
• How secure is the job?
• What are the opportunities for advancement or learning new skills?
Ask the groups to write down their answers and then ask each group to report back.
In processing this discussion and answers, make the following points.
• Note that desirable job factors such as salary, benefits and security make it more
difficult to get desirable jobs.
• Jobs that are most desirable in terms of permanence, salary, benefits, security and
opportunities for advancement are more likely to require greater abilities, skills and
qualifications.
• Note the value in taking jobs that offer opportunities for training, advancement or
developing a work history and experience.
• Stress the value of taking a job to meet basic needs for income or benefits.
5
Module Four:
Preparing Application Documents
Estimated Time
One hour.
5.1 Purpose
The purpose of this module is to learn how to prepare job applications and résumés
to use for applying for jobs.
5.2 Learning Objectives
After this module, participants should be able to:
. use a Personal Data Sheet to complete a job application;
. know how to prepare a neat and complete résumé / curriculum vitae (CV).
TRAINER PREPARATION
• Adapt the Personal Data Sheet (Worksheet Three) if necessary and make
photocopies for participants.
• Collect sample blank job applications from local employers to conduct the
activities in Section 5.5. The alternate method of presentation of Sections
5.5 and 5.6 will require a prepared job application.
• Discuss with employers and with other professionals how to handle difficult
job application questions so participants receive the best guidance in the
activity in Section 5.5.
• Prepare a sample résumé to use as part of the activity in Section 5.6 that
includes the information dictated by local job-seeking practices. Appendix
IV provides an example.
• Make copies of Preparing an Introductory Statement (Worksheet Five) for
the homework exercise in Section 5.7.
5.3 Module Introduction
Introduce the module by reviewing its purpose and learning objectives.
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5.4 Using a Personal Data Sheet (Lecture)
Explain that most people cannot remember all of the information required on job
applications. The Personal Data Sheet is a tool to help applicants complete job applications
correctly, quickly and completely.
Distribute blank Personal Data Sheets (Worksheet Three).
Review the Personal Data Sheet, which should contain all the information typically requested
on a job application. It should be taken on job interviews or used any time an employer is
contacted. Information can be copied from the Personal Data Sheet onto the job application.
(This is particularly useful for individuals who have limited literacy skills since it will only
require that they copy information.)
Instruct participants to complete the Personal Data Sheet after the workshop (or make this
an assignment). Encourage the participants to ask someone with knowledge of jobs and
employment practices to review their completed Personal Data Sheet to check for spelling,
grammar, completeness, accuracy and appropriateness of the information.
Tell participants they should also have photocopies of certificates or letters of reference
prepared and filed with their Personal Data Sheet. If participants are completing the Personal
Data Sheet as an assignment, they should bring copies of the certificates and references with
them the next day.
5.5 Completing Job Applications (Lecture and Group Activity)
TRAINER NOTE
An alternative way to deliver the content in Sections 5.5 and 5.6 is to prepare
a sample application that can be critiqued by the group. In critiquing and
discussing the prepared application, all content points should be noted.
Purpose and Information (Lecture and Discussion)
Explain that the job application is a form for recording the applicant’s education, work history
and skills, health record, references or other pieces of information. Employers often ask
applicants to complete an application as part of the hiring process.
Distribute copies of a sample application that is commonly used in the local area and ask
participants to review the items of information requested. Review each section of the
application form with participants and provide guidance about what should be included.
Ensure that participants understand each section and provide clarification where necessary.
Also explain that increasingly, many employers, especially large and multinational employers
may ask for or accept applications on their online websites. Share local examples you
know of.
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Dealing with Disability (Discussion)
Participants are likely to be concerned about whether they should mention their disability on
an application. Some people choose not to mention it to avoid any discrimination during the
early stages of the interview process. Employers may be unhappy if they find out later that an
applicant did not bring up the issue of disability. One way to respond to questions about
disability status is to write “Will discuss at interview”. Sometimes a simple, straightforward
answer that does not create concern may be the best approach. It depends on the employer
and the job.
Facilitate a brief discussion about this so that participants can clarify how they will handle it
in their individual situation.
Examples of how to handle difficult questions on application forms:
Question:
“Do you have any health problems or disabilities?”
Possible answers:
“I have a slight mobility impairment, but this will have no impact on my ability to do the job.”
“I am blind but fully capable of getting around independently and handling the tasks of
this job.”
These responses explain the nature of the disability in non-medical terms and stresses the
ability to do the job.
If the applicant has a mild disability, or doesn’t want to disclose his or her disability at this
early stage he or she could answer:
“I have no disabilities or health problems that affect my ability to do the job.”
“I will discuss further during the interview.”
Question:
“Have you ever been injured on the job or made a worker’s compensation claim?”
Possible Answer:
“I had a minor injury; now I am completely recovered.”
Applicants should not withhold information that puts themselves, their prospective employer
or their co-workers in jeopardy or in danger of legal proceedings.
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Referees or References (Lecture and Discussion)
TRAINER NOTE
The use of written references is completely dependent on local custom and
the type of job or industry. Find out whether written references are commonly
used in the local labour market, and which types of jobs require them, prior to
the training so you can advise participants. They may or may not be asked for
on the job application.
Explain to participants that some employers and many application forms will ask for referees
or references and what they are. Explain that a referee is someone who can speak about the
job-seekers’ skills and experience.
Ask several participants who they would use as referees and why. Make sure they
understand that referees should have known them for at least a year. A referee should be
someone who will attest to the good character, qualifications and work habits of the job-
seeker. Former teachers, employers, instructors and religious leaders make good referees. It
is not appropriate to use family members as referees. Ideally, referees should be employed or
knowledgeable about jobs and employment practices.
5.6 What Application Forms Say about Applicants
(Large Group Activity)
Explain that in addition to giving employers information about the job applicant, they also tell
employers about the applicant’s work habits. They are, in fact, a work sample.
Ask participants what an application can tell an employer about the applicant, other than the
skills, qualifications and experience that are recorded. Make note of answers on the board or
flipchart paper. Among other things, participants should recognize that the job application
tells the employer about the applicant’s:
• neatness;
• ability to follow directions;
• ability to complete tasks;
• ability to read and write;
• grammar and spelling level;
• honesty and accuracy.
Additional Tips (Large Group Activity)
Ask participants for tips or guidelines that are important for completing written or electronic
application forms. Write them up on the board or flipchart paper as participants call them
out.
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Make sure that the following are covered and tailor for online and written applications.
• Use a blue or black pen, if written.
• Use your prepared Personal Data Sheet for accuracy.
• Read and follow directions carefully.
• Print clearly, except if a signature is requested.
• Cross out mistakes neatly or ask for another application if written.
• Be honest.
• Avoid leaving questions blank, since it may appear that you failed to respond. (Write
“not applicable” or “NA” if the question is not relevant or other appropriate response.)
• Use positive, businesslike language.
• Use a clean sheet of paper and attach it to the form if you need additional space on
written applications.
• Re-read and check information before handing in the form, or pressing “submit” for
an electronic form.
• Make sure any attachments to electronic applications are a small file size and
relevant to the application.
• Do not attach photos or certificates unless requested.
5.7 Preparing a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Résumé
(Lecture and Discussion)
TRAINER NOTE
Traditionally, curricula vitae were used in the government sector and by
academics and résumés were used to get jobs in the private sector. However
today most people use these terms interchangeably. For the purposes of this
training, treat them as the same thing.
Résumés are usually required for professional and academic positions and for
certain types of management and office work. Discuss résumés only if
they are relevant to the group or some of its members. At best, time will allow
for only a brief introduction. Refer participants to Section 5 “Preparing the
Job-Seeking Documents” in the job-seekers’ guide for more information or
schedule a separate session to assist in preparing résumés.
Purpose and Content of Résumés (Lecture)
Discuss the purpose of résumés and when they are used. The main purpose of a résumé is
to impress an employer so that he or she will want to interview the job applicant. Résumés
are attached to letters of inquiry or letters in response to job openings or are delivered to
employers in person.
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Ask participants what should be included in a résumé. Write answers on the board or flip
chart. The list should include, at minimum:
• Name, address and telephone contact
• Education and certifications
• Work history (or voluntary work history)
• Special skills such as foreign languages, computer literacy or ability to work with
certain types of equipment, software, etc.
The following items may also be relevant depending on local practices.
• Date of birth
• Marital status and dependents
• Career objective
• Special or sporting achievements
• Hobbies
• References or referee contact details.
Sample Résumé (Modelling and Discussion)
Distribute a sample résumé for participants to review. (See the example in Appendix IV.)
Make the following points.
• Do not use the word “I” in a résumé. For example, when describing job duties,
write “Prepared payroll” instead of “I prepared payroll”.
• Use action verbs to describe job duties and accomplishments.
• List the most recent job or educational experience first (unless local practice differs).
• Use standard business-size paper.
• Type the résumé and ensure it is free of errors.
• Keep the résumé short; maximum of three pages.
• Stress the importance of careful review before giving a résumé to employers.
TRAINER NOTE
If time allows, ask participants to prepare a résumé using the same format as
the sample as an exercise in the training, or set this as an assignment. Ensure
that you allow time to review the résumés highlighting good points and
making suggestions for improvement. If time does not allow, offer to review
participants’ résumés at a later date.
6
Module Five:
Finding and Responding to Job Openings
Estimated Time
Two hour.
TRAINER PREPARATION
• Make copies of Responding to Job Leads (Worksheet Four) for the exercise
in Section 6.5.
• Prepare sample letters similar to those in Appendix V to use in the activity
in Section 6.6. Use the locally acceptable business letter format and make
the letters relevant to the groups. Make photocopies for the participants.
• Prepare a role play to present to demonstrate an effective telephone
response to a job lead in Section 6.6. Refer to Section 6 in the guide for an
example, but develop a different role play presentation.
• Discuss with employers and with other professionals how to handle
disability issues when responding to job leads.
6.1 Purpose
The purpose of this module is to review sources of job leads and to discuss how to respond
to job openings.
6.2 Learning Objectives
After this module, participants should be able to:
. identify ways to locate job openings;
. describe how to respond appropriately to job openings.
6.3 Module Introduction
Introduce the module by reviewing its purpose and learning objectives.
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6.4 Locating Job Openings (Large Group Activity)
Ask participants to identify ways to find out about job openings or possibilities. Make a list on
the board or flipchart paper. The list should include:
• Stories in newspapers and business publications
• “Help Wanted” signs
• Advertisements in newspapers
• School counselling or job placement offices (at secondary or trade schools, colleges
or training centres)
• Government employment and personnel offices
• Special job placement programmes for disabled persons
• Organizations of and for disabled persons
• Personnel or human resource offices of large companies
• Managers or owners of small companies or stores
• Bulletin boards that post job openings (both online and others)
• Trade unions
• Telephone books or business directories (e.g. Chamber of Commerce membership
directory)
• Internet job sites (some examples are listed in Appendix VII)
• Employer, professional or trade groups
• Private or public employment agencies (private agencies may charge a fee)
• Non-governmental or community organizations
• Friends, relatives, neighbours and other personal contacts.
Make the following points.
• Be aware that some private employment agencies may charge a fee to the job-seeker
for their services; other agencies charge the employer. You must be cautious in using
private agencies. You may end up paying a lot of money and still not have a job.
• Do not rely on one source of job leads. Use as many as possible.
• Stress that one of the best sources of job leads is personal contacts. Encourage
participants to talk to everyone they know about their interest in finding employment.
(Refer to Exercise 6.1 “Building Your Personal Job-Finding Network” in the job-
seekers’ guide.)
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6.5 Ways of Responding - The Basics (Group Activity)
TRAINER NOTE
Participants are likely to have particular concerns about how to deal with their
disabilities or other personal characteristics or aspects of their job histories
that could adversely affect their chances of getting a job. Try to anticipate the
concerns the members of your group are most likely to have. These concerns,
such as having a disability, health problem or having been fired, need to be
discussed in the workshop. Options, and the specific pros and cons of each
option, should be discussed. For example, some applicants may not want to
disclose their disabilities on a job application. Make sure they are aware of the
implications of this decision.
Trainers should seek the advice of local human resource professionals and
disabled persons as well as disability employment experts about how to
handle the specific concerns of people with disabilities in local job markets.
Ask for their professional opinions about the possible responses that are
discussed in this section and which approaches they would recommend.
Their advice should be shared with the participants to enable them to make
educated decisions.
Ways of Responding to Job Opportunities (Group Activity)
Explain to participants that there are generally three ways to follow-up on the different kinds
of job openings: by letter or email, by telephone and in person. Explain that the participants
will now examine each of these three methods in small groups.
Put participants into groups of five to six people. Ask each group to choose one member to
report back to the group (preferably someone who has not yet spoken) and one member to
take notes.
Each group will discuss one of the ways of responding to job advertisements (in writing, by
telephone, in person). Note that if you have more than three groups, two groups can work on
the same issue. Hand out the appropriate worksheets (Worksheet Four, Parts A, B and C) to
the groups. Give them fifteen minutes to complete the worksheet. Circulate around the
groups clarifying and assisting when necessary.
After fifteen minutes, ask each group to report back their findings. (If you have more than
one group working on the same issue, ask the second group to add any new points they have
rather than repeating points.)
Facilitate a discussion and add any additional points the groups have not come up with.
Ensure that the groups have covered all the information below in their discussions.
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Method 1: Responding by Letter or Email
Content of a Letter or Email
The letter or email should:
1. introduce the applicant to the employer;
2. state the type of work being sought;
3. state how the applicant learned about the job;
4. describe his or her qualifications;
5. express interest in interviewing for the job;
6. provide contact information;
7. include copies of diplomas or certificates if needed.
Tips for Responding by Letter
The list should include ideas related to both content and appearance. The letter should:
• be neat and clean;
• be typewritten;
• read easily;
• use correct grammar and spelling (If using a computer, use the spell check and
grammar function.);
• be logically written;
• use the correct business format;
• include all necessary information;
• be one page or less.
Note the importance of having someone else review the letter. It is difficult to find your
own mistakes.
Dealing with Disability When Responding by Letter
Participants will probably have questions about whether to mention their disability in the
letter. They should remember the following points.
• It is a personal choice whether to mention the disability or not. If the impairment is
mild and does not require any job accommodations, then many people choose not to
mention this in order to avoid jeopardising their chances of getting a job. See Section
6 “When and How to Tell an Employer about Your Disability” in the accompanying
job-seekers’ guide for more tips.
• If the job-seeker chooses to mention disability in a letter, make it positive e.g. “I have
vision difficulties; however I have learned to use text to speech software on the
computer, which I find faster than normal reading and typing”.
• Suggest to participants to seek out other people with disabilities and disabled
persons’ organizations to get advice about when and how to mention disability issues.
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Note that this discussion of letter writing pertains to responding to a job lead. Letters of
inquiry are also written to employers asking about job openings and they are structured
similarly.
Method 2: Responding by Telephone
Content of the Telephone Call
Example answer for Worksheet 4B.
1. Greet the person who answers the telephone: “Hello, this is Cho-Hee Kim speaking,
can I please speak to Mr Kim.”
The job-seeker should ask for the personnel manager, supervisor or individual who is
hiring for a given position or for a particular person if the applicant has a contact.
2. Introduce yourself: “Good morning Mr Kim, my name is Cho-Hee Kim.”
3. State the purpose of your call: “My friend Eun-Jung Yu works at your factory and she
mentioned to me that you may need to hire additional staff. I have recently
completed an industrial sewing course, and I am wondering if it would be possible for
me to come in to complete an application form, or have an interview to work at
Happy Shoes.”
4. Wait for a response.
If Mr Kim responds that all the jobs are filled: “Thank you very much for your time
today. Can I ask when would be a convenient time for me to call again about other
opportunities?”
Tips for Responding by Telephone
Tips should include the following.
• Research the company and the job before you call.
• Prepare what you need to say ahead of time; you may want to write a script.
• Have any papers or information you need in front of you.
• Make sure you are in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed.
• Have a paper and pencil ready or some other way to record information.
• Talk directly into the mouthpiece.
• Speak clearly and cheerfully.
• Listen carefully.
• Avoid making any negative comments about yourself and say nothing negative about
others.
• Say thank you at the end of the call.
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Dealing with Disability When Responding by Telephone
Having a disability should not prevent participants from contacting employers by
telephone. After hearing the suggestions from the group about whether they would
mention their disability, facilitate a discussion. The following points should be covered.
• If any participants have a hearing or speech impairment and cannot use the
telephone, they can ask a friend or interpreter to make the call and organise a time to
meet with the employer in person.
• It is a personal choice whether or not to mention the disability. If the impairment is
mild and does not require any job accommodations, many people choose not to
mention it in order to not jeopardise their chances of getting a job. See Section 6
“When and How to Tell an Employer about Your Disability” in the job-seekers’ guide
for more tips.
• Suggest to participants to seek other people with disabilities and disabled persons’
organizations to get their advice about when and how to mention disability issues.
Method 3: Applying in Person
How to Prepare
Ensure the group(s) working on “applying in person” have included all the following
points in their list.
• Research the company and the job possibilities before visiting the workplace.
• Try to find whom to contact and get a name. If the job-seeker was referred by
someone, they should use that person’s name. If no name is available, the job-seeker
should ask to speak with the personnel manager, human resources manager,
supervisor, owner or individual in charge of hiring; whoever is the most appropriate
person.
• Prepare appropriate dress and attend to grooming and hygiene.
• Take necessary documents such as a résumé, copies of certificates, etc.
What to Say
Example answer for Worksheet 4C.
1) Introduce yourself and state the purpose of your visit: “Good morning, my name is
Cho-Hee Kim. I would like to speak to Mr Kim about current job vacancies.”
The job-seeker should ask for the personnel manager, supervisor or individual who is
hiring for a given position or for a particular person if the applicant has a contact
name.
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2) State the purpose of your visit: “My friend Eun-Jung Yu works at your factory and she
mentioned to me that you may need to hire additional staff. I have recently
completed an industrial sewing course, and I am wondering if it would be possible for
me to complete an application form, or have an interview to work at Happy Shoes.”
Job-seekers should greet the person, identify themselves and state the position they
are interested in. They should note how they learned about the job, give a brief
reference to skills and ask for an application form or an interview.
3) Wait for a response.
If Mr Kim responds that all the jobs are filled: “Thank you very much for your time
today. Where can I find advertisements for future jobs with the company? Can I ask
when would be a convenient time for me to come again or call about opportunities?”
Dealing with Disability When Responding in Person
Having a disability should not prevent participants from making visits in person. After
hearing the suggestions from the group about whether they would mention their
disability, facilitate a discussion. The following points should be covered.
• If the job-seeker has a visible disability then it will be obvious to the employer. In this
case, the job-seeker should prepare how he or she will talk about the impairment and
be ready to explain the impact it has.
• Job-seekers should explain to the employer if they require any job accommodations.
• Job-seekers should be very positive when talking about their disabilities, and focus on
their skills and abilities rather than limitations or impairments.
Refer participants back to the activity in Module 2 on identifying impact and accom-
modations. Refer participants to Section 6 ”When and How to Tell an Employer about
Your Disability” in the guide for more tips.
6.6 Ways of Responding - Practice (Group Activities)
Explain to participants that they are now going to do some activities to put into practice what
they have just learned about responding to job opportunities.
TRAINER NOTE
The activities below provide an opportunity for participants to practice the
three main methods of contacting employers: in writing, by telephone and in
person. Doing all these exercises is very valuable for participants, but will take
time. If time is limited, choose one or two exercises based on the needs of the
participants and local employment practices. For example, if contacting
employers by letter is not very common in the local area, but telephone
contact is common, then it would be valuable to do the telephone role play.
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Evaluate Sample Letters (Small Group Activity)
Put participants in small groups of approximately five people and ask each group to choose
one member as a group reporter.
Provide each group with two sample letters; the first should be an effective, well written letter
and the other should illustrate a negative approach with several mistakes. (See Appendix V
for examples.)
After distributing the letters, instruct one member of each group to read the letters aloud to
the other members. The groups should then discuss the good and bad points of each letter.
Allow fifteen minutes for the activity and then call on the group reporters to share the group
findings. Lead a discussion about the letters.
When processing the activity, reinforce what was discussed and make it clear that letters
should not play on employer sympathies, divulge personal problems, make negative
comments about former employers or include anything that creates a bad impression.
A Sample Telephone Response (Modelling)
Trainers should develop a brief role play to demonstrate the flow of a telephone call in
response to a particular job lead. The two trainers should play the roles of employer and job-
seeker to demonstrate the call.
Ideally, you should use a relevant job that could be appropriate for the participants to apply
for. Try to model an effective telephone call. If you make mistakes, note the errors. Discuss
with the group the good and bad points of the demonstrated telephone call.
Telephone Role Play (Small Group Activity)
Divide participants into groups of three and then give the groups the following directions.
• Select one person to be the employer, one the job-seeker and the third the observer.
• Ask each job-seeker to choose a job they are going to call an employer about.
Assume the job was advertised in the newspaper classified advertisements.
• Explain that the employer should try to act like a real employer as much as possible.
The employer should question the job-seeker about their skills and experience for
the job.
• Explain that the observer should watch and listen carefully so that he or she can
provide feedback to the job-seeker about the good and not so good aspects of the
job-seeker’s performance.
• Instruct groups to conduct the role plays making a telephone call to an employer
about a job opportunity.
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• After the role play, give the observer time to share feedback and for the group to
discuss the role play.
• Instruct the groups to change roles and repeat until all three people in the group have
had a chance to practice all three roles.
The trainers should circulate around the groups and provide feedback to improve the
telephone skills of the job-seekers. Highlight positive points of the role plays, and provide
suggestions to improve any weaknesses.
At the end of the activity, provide an opportunity for all participants to ask questions or share
their experiences of the role play.
6.7 Homework Exercise: Writing an Introductory Statement for a Job
Interview.
TRAINER NOTE
This exercise relates to Module 6, which will be delivered on the second day of
the two-day training. The activity should be set as a homework exercise for
participants. The introductory statement participants prepare in this activity is
used in Section 7.7. If the workshop has been amended in such a way that
the timing does not allow this to be homework, give participants time to
complete this activity during the workshop.
Explain to participants that the next session will focus on job interviewing. Explain that you
are going to give them a short homework assignment that they need to complete and bring
with them to the next session.
Explain to participants that they have a limited opportunity to make a good impression on the
employer. They will be nervous at the beginning of the interview, but if they have a well
prepared statement about themselves, this will help them make a good first impression and
to overcome nervousness.
Sometimes in a job interview, one of the first job-related things an employer may say is “Tell
me about yourself” or “Why have you applied for this job?”. Responding presents the job-
seeker with an opportunity to sell themselves. The job-seeker’s answer to these questions
should focus on his or her skills and abilities, and explain why he or she is the best person
for the job. Such questions also provide the job-seeker with a chance to present his or her
disability in a positive way.
Hand out Preparing an Introductory Statement (Worksheet Five).
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Explain to participants that they should first choose a job advertisement or job opportunity
that they are interested in. They should then imagine they have been offered an interview for
this position. The homework task is to prepare an introductory statement for that interview.
The sample answers below refer an introductory statement for a job as an auto-parts clerk.
Read these answers aloud to the participants.
Employer: “Why have you applied for this job?”
Effective answer:
“After I finished secondary school, I worked with my uncle in his coffee shop where I was
really good with the customers and the inventory. However, I have always worked on old
cars. I enjoy working with engines and I have learned a lot by helping the taxi drivers who
come to the coffee shop to fix their cars. That’s why I decided to apply for this position as
an auto-parts clerk. As you can see, I have a problem with my legs and I use crutches to
walk; However, this will not be a problem, I can travel by motorbike to get to work, and
easily get around the office.”
Ineffective answer:
“I was born in the town to the north of the city. My parents were farmers so we were very
poor. When I was five I got polio and it affected my legs so that I have had to walk with
crutches since then. I had a lot of difficulties at school because the other kids teased me.
I have been helping out my uncle in his coffee shop, but it requires a lot of walking and I
get tired easily. I want to work in your company as an auto-parts clerk because I think it
will be easier.”
Ask participants why the second answer is ineffective. Write the responses on the board
or flipchart paper. As you put the negative aspect on the board, ask the participants to
note what happened in the first reply to make it effective. Make sure participants cover
the following points.
• Ineffective: Tries to make the employer feel sorry for the job-seeker.
Effective: Stresses his or her positive characteristics, interests and experience.
• Ineffective: Gives irrelevant life history and fails to mention work experience.
Effective: Focuses on skills, abilities and life experience as it relates to the job.
• Ineffective: Talks about the disability before talking about abilities, skills and
experience.
Effective: Discusses interests, abilities, skills and qualifications first.
• Ineffective: Is negative about the disability.
Effective: Anticipates and explains concerns employers may have and describes
the disability in a non-medical and factual way.
• Ineffective: Is negative about a previous job and his or her ability to do it.
Effective:
Talks about a previous job in a positive way and stresses what was learned.
• Ineffective: Is negative about the position applied for by describing it as ”easier”.
Effective:
Expresses interest in the job and the job tasks and ability to do the work.
7.1 Purpose
The purpose of this module is to prepare participants for the job interview and to provide
them with an opportunity to practice job interviewing techniques.
7.2 Learning Objectives
After this module, participants should be able to:
. describe how to prepare and dress for a job interview;
. describe the job interview process;
. identify specific behaviours that will increase their chances of getting hired;
. explain how to respond effectively to questions;
. use role playing as a way to practice interview skills.
7
Module Six:
Job Interviewing
Estimated Time
Three hours (if role plays are included)
TRAINER PREPARATION
• Prepare a job interview role play and four signs as described in the activity
in Section 7.5.
• Prepare questions and responses for the “What to Say” game in Section
7.9.
• If possible, ask some human resource professionals to attend and help
with interview role plays in Section 7.11 or if there is time, the optional role
plays. The next module requires an employer speaker, so it may be
possible to ask the employer guest speaker to participate in both Modules
5 and 6.
7.3 Module Introduction
Introduce the module by reviewing its purpose and learning objectives.
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7.4 Preparing for a Job Interview (Visioning and Group Discussion)
Personal Attributes Employers Are Looking for (Individual Activity)
Lead participants through the following visioning activity by delivering the following script (or
a version that you develop) in a slow, soft voice.
“Relax. Sit comfortably in your chair. Let your body go limp. Close your eyes. This is a
fantasy activity.
Imagine for a minute that you are in business for yourself, doing something you have
always dreamed about. You have worked very hard to develop and build a business.
You have invested time and money. You are succeeding, and now you need help with
your business. What type of person do you want to hire? What personal characteristics do
you want that person to have?”
Ask participants to imagine what would be important to them. Ask them to open their eyes
and to share what the characteristics might be. Record responses on the board or flipchart
paper and add more if necessary. Responses might include words such as honesty,
conscientiousness, working hard, friendliness, being positive, politeness, etc.
Explain to participants that when they are preparing for an interview it’s a good idea to put
themselves in the employer’s shoes. Think about what kind of person the employer wants to
hire. In an interview, they need to convince the employer that they are that kind of person.
Explain that the purpose of the job interview is for the employer and the job applicant to
decide if there is a job match. The outcome of the job interview may be a decision to hire on
the spot, or the employer may wish to interview others before making a decision. For some
jobs, the interview may be long and formal; for others, brief and informal. Regardless of the
nature of the interview, the applicant will conduct a better interview if he or she is prepared.
Explain that first impressions are important and that often a hiring decision is made in the
first few minutes of a job interview. Preparation and getting off to a good start on the interview
are important.
Ask participants what they can do to prepare for a job interview. Record the responses on the
board or flipchart paper. Add the following to the list if not included.
• Conduct detailed research about the job and the employer including the
requirements of the job, specific qualifications, typical wages, what the employer
tends to look for in a job applicant, the type of work the company is engaged in, etc.
• Know exactly where the interview is to be held and how to get there. Plan to arrive
early.
• Gather together all necessary job-seeking documents such as a Personal Data Sheet,
job references, copies of certificates, résumé, etc. and have clean copies available
to leave with the employer.
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• Think about what types of questions the employer might ask and how best to
respond.
• Consider questions to ask the employer.
• Prepare what to wear and attend to personal hygiene.
• Practice interviewing with a friend. In particular, rehearse introductory comments.
Appearance (Group Problem-Solving)
Draw a line down the board or flipchart paper. Make columns for dos and don’ts. Ask
participants to suggest dos and don’ts for how to look on a job interview. Provide an example
to get participants started. Include the following on the list.
Make the following points in the discussion and include guidance related to the local area or
customs.
• As a general rule, you should dress a little better for the interview than is expected on
the job.
• While it’s advisable to wear nice clothes, don’t dress too formally for the job. For
example, if an applicant for a metal worker position wears a suit and tie, the
interviewer may think he or she doesn’t want to get his or her hands dirty. A suit and
tie would be appropriate for many office jobs.
• Clothes do not have to be new, but they should be clean and in good repair.
• Good hygiene and grooming is critical.
Additional discussion questions (optional) might include the following depending on the
needs of the group.
• Ask participants what they should do to be well groomed. Responses should include
proper bathing, tending to hair, etc.
• Ask participants for examples of jobs they will be applying for and what they should
wear on the interview.
DO DON’T
• dress appropriately; • use too much perfume;
• wear clothes that are clean • dress too formally;
and in good condition; • wear too much make-up or jewellery (women);
• make sure you are well • wear trendy clothes or T-shirts with
groomed. questionable messages or words.
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7.5 The Job Interview Process (Lecture)
Describe the job interview process using the following four stages of the interview process.
1. Introductions
Applicant: Greets interviewer, introduces him or herself, explains what job he or she is
interviewing for and notes if someone referred him or her.
Employer: Responds and takes the lead.
2. Employer Explains Job / Questions Applicant
Employer: Explains the job and usually asks the applicant about his or her abilities and
qualifications.
Applicant: Responds to the employer’s questions, asks questions related to what the
employer says or asks the employer to clarify. Explains how his or her
interests, abilities and skills meet job requirements and explains his or her
qualifications if the employer does not specifically ask about them.
3. Applicant Questions Employer
Applicant: Asks questions about the job, salary, etc. (The applicant needs to judge
when it is appropriate to begin asking these questions. Often, when the
employer is finished asking questions he or she may ask the applicant if the
applicant has questions.)
Employer: Responds to applicant’s questions about the job.
4. Closing
Employer: Indicates when the interview is over. (For example, “Do you have any other
questions? We should be making a decision soon.”)
Applicant: Asks when a hiring decision is to be made and what he or she should do to
follow-up. Thanks the employer for the chance to appear for an interview.
7.6 The Job Interview in Action (Demonstration)
Using the four phases of the process noted (introductions, employer questions applicant,
applicant questions employer, closing), the two trainers prepare and demonstrate a role play
of a job interview.
Prepare four signs with the names of the phases on them and hold up the appropriate sign
as each phase switches to illustrate the shift.
Demonstrate effective job interview behaviours as part of the role play and for use as the
basis of subsequent discussions.
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7.7 What to Do in a Job Interview (Group Activity)
Ask participants what behaviours are important in order to make a good impression on a job
interview. Record the responses on the board or flipchart paper.
Responses should include the following.
• Being on time
• Making a good physical presentation (appearance, dress, hygiene, posture and
confident stride)
• Shaking hands and introducing oneself (adhere to local customs for handshaking)
• Appropriate eye contact (adhere to local customs)
• Waiting to be invited to sit down
• Speaking clearly and with confidence
• Answering questions directly and thoughtfully
• Being polite
• Showing interest in the job by showing you have researched the job and company
• Asking appropriate questions.
Note that applicants should not smoke or chew gum during the job interview.
7.8 The Interview Introduction (Role Play)
Ask participants to get out their homework, that is, the introductory statement. (See Section 6.7.)
Set up two chairs at the front for an interview. Ask a volunteer to come to the front to be
interviewed by one of the trainers. The trainer should ask “Tell me about yourself”. The
participant will then use his or her prepared statement to respond.
Repeat with another volunteer until all participants have had a turn. If some participants are
too shy, do not force them to perform, however, explain that this is a good opportunity for
them to practice.
Provide feedback on the statements, focussing on the positive elements and explaining how
weaknesses can be improved. Involve other participants in providing feedback after the first
one or two when they have a better understanding of the weaknesses and will provide
positive feedback.
7.9 Responding to Questions from the Interviewer
(Lecture and Group Activity)
Content of Questions (Large Group Activity)
Ask participants to identify specific questions that they think employers might ask. Record
the feedback on the board or flipchart paper.
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The list should include questions about the applicant’s:
• qualifications;
• previous work experience;
• items on an application or résumé;
• knowledge about the company;
• personal strengths and weaknesses;
• skills;
• training;
• disability;
• transportation;
• salary expectations or other requirements;
• etc.
General Principles for Answering Questions (Lecture)
Explain to participants that answering the employer’s questions effectively is a chance to
“sell” themselves. Selling themselves means letting the employer know what they have to
offer to the employer and the job.
Even if the requirements of the job are minimal or the applicant lacks formal skills, he or she
still has interests, abilities and skills to offer the employer.
Remind participants of the Interests, Abilities and Skills Worksheet. Refer them to Exercise
2.3 “What Do I Have to Offer?” in the job-seekers’ guide. Advise participants that a job
interview is not a time to be modest. While applicants do not want to appear boastful, they
need to present what they have to offer honestly and directly.
Applicants should be as specific as possible when answering questions, and use real
examples to illustrate what they say. Anyone can say “I am a good team player”; but it is far
better to tell the employer about a situation when the applicant successfully worked on a
team.
Describe the following dos and don’ts of answering questions.
DO DON’T
• listen carefully; • ask about salary and conditions
• ask for clarification if you don’t understand too early in the interview;
the question clearly; • try to make the interviewers feel
• give yourself time to think before answering; sorry for you because you have
• speak in a clear voice that can be heard; a disability.
• turn off your mobile phone;
• use specific, real examples from your life to
illustrate your answer.
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Refer participants to Section 7 “Interviewing for a Job” in the job-seekers’ guide for more
information.
What to Say (Game)
In this game, participants have a chance to ask the trainers a job interview question. Each of
the trainers offers a response (one should give a clearly preferable response). Participants
say which “applicant” they would hire based on the response and why.
Explain to participants that the game “What to Say” is a way to explore some of the principles
related to job hunting.
Follow the process described below to conduct the activity.
• Ask participants to write one job interview question on a piece of paper. Collect the
questions.
• Read one of the questions aloud or display it visually.
• Respond to the questions. Each trainer gives a response; one is a good response, the
other should be an ineffective response. The questions and responses should be
selected to illustrate key points. Examples follow.
Question: “Why do you want this job?”
Effective Answer:
“I have heard good things about working at this company. I have completed training in
carpentry and I believe I have the necessary skills for this job.”
Ineffective Answer:
“I really need the money and this is the only place with job openings.”
TRAINER NOTE
Two trainers should be involved in this activity. Ideally the questions should
come from the participants as that will give the trainers a better understanding
about what issues are of particular concern to the participants, and also
involve the participants more directly in the training. However, the first few
times you conduct the workshop the trainers may prefer to have better control
by preparing the questions and an effective and ineffective response for each.
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Explain that applicants should take every opportunity to discuss their interests and skills.
Question: “You don’t have any experience. Why should I hire you for this job?”
Effective Answer:
“I know I don’t have any formal work experience, but I have finished my training at the
rehabilitation centre with top grades in clerical skills. I helped out in the office at the
centre where I answered phones, filed and typed. I have a good recommendation with
me from the office manager.”
Ineffective Answer:
“Everybody wants experience but no one will give you a chance. Since I am disabled, it’s
even harder for me. Won’t you give me a chance?”
Explain that selling yourself means telling employers what you have to offer, not making them
feel sorry for you.
Difficult Interview Questions (Lecture and Modelling)
Continue using the game format to illustrate how to answer some particularly difficult
questions.
Question: “Why haven’t you worked in the past three years?”
Effective answer:
“I was helping my family with the farm and the household since my father fell ill. I took
care of planting and harvesting the crops. For the first time, we had enough to sell extra
produce in the market.”
Ineffective answer:
“I stayed in my home community until my cousins invited me to come to the city.”
Explain the importance of showing that you were active, responsible and successful even if
you were not formally employed.
Question: “As a wheelchair user how will you get to work?”
Effective answer:
“I have a three-wheel motorbike that I use to get around the city. I came here today by
motorbike. During my training course I arrived on time every morning. If I’m hired, I am
confident that I can get to your office on time.”
Ineffective answer:
“I have a lot of difficulties with transport, and I need you to sympathise with me. When it
rains I won’t be able to come to work.”
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Explain that persons with disabilities are entitled to equal opportunities and equal treatment,
not exceptional treatment beyond a reasonable accommodation. Workers with disabilities still
have to meet the employer requirements and regulations.
Refer to Section 7 “Interviewing for a Job” in the job-seekers’ guide for additional examples.
Dealing with Disability (Lecture and Discussion)
Explain that if the applicant has a disability, he or she should respond honestly to the
employer’s questions about his or her impairment. Applicants should stress the ability to do
the job and offer to demonstrate, if needed.
If applicants have a visible disability, the applicant may want to bring it up. Employers may
feel uncomfortable bringing up the topic but they may be concerned about the applicant’s
ability to do the job.
When applicants bring up the topic of being disabled, they should do so positively. The
following are some examples that could be used.
“You may be wondering how a blind person will be able to get around the factory. I have
had mobility training and, within a couple of days, I will be completely acquainted with
the factory and will be able to get anywhere I need to be without a problem.”
“You may wonder how someone with one arm can operate the metal working equipment.
When I was in training, I learned how to operate all of the machines using my one hand
and my other arm. If you are concerned, please let me show you.”
A person who is Deaf: “If you show me what to do, I will be able to follow your
movements easily. If you want to write something down, I can read and write.”
Refer to the job-seekers’ guide for additional examples.
Ask participants to share their personal examples or concerns and discuss the best way to
respond.
7.10 Asking Questions of the Interviewer (Group Activity)
Ask participants what questions they might have about a job and list them on the board or
flipchart paper. The list may include the following.
• What training and development opportunities are available in this company?
• What is the salary?
• What kind of orientation is available for new employees?
• What performance review processes does the company have?
• What benefits (e.g. social insurance, transportation allowance) are applicable to
this job?
• When do you expect to advise applicants of the outcome of the recruitment process?
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7.11 Getting Practice (Optional Role Play)
If there is time, ask participants to role play an entire job interview. This is a very valuable
activity but is time consuming. For twenty participants, you will need at least forty to sixty
minutes for this activity.
If you have human resource experts or employers present, ask them to be the interviewers.
This will make it more real for the participants.
Divide participants into groups of three and then give the groups the following directions.
• Select one person to be the employer, one the job-seeker and the third the observer.
• Ask each job-seeker to choose a job they are interested in to role play an interview.
• Explain that the employer should try to act like a real employer as much as possible.
The employer should read Section 7 of the job-seekers’ guide to select several
questions to ask the job-seeker.
• Explain that the observer should watch and listen carefully so that he or she can
provide feedback to the job-seeker about the good and not so good aspects of the
job-seeker’s performance.
• Instruct groups to conduct the interview role plays, remembering all the tips and
instructions already covered in the training.
• After the role play, give the observer time to share feedback and for the group to
discuss the role play.
• Instruct the groups to change roles and repeat until all three people in the group have
had a chance to practice all three roles.
The trainers should circulate around the groups and provide feedback to improve the
interviewing skills of the job-seekers. Highlight positive points of the role plays and provide
suggestions to improve any weaknesses.
After all groups have finished ask participants to share some of their experiences of doing the
role plays. Invite participants to talk about some good practices they saw in the role plays.
Invite the participants to talk about any interview questions they found particularly difficult to
answer and ask the group to come up with some possible answers. Facilitate a discussion
about how to improve interviewing skills. The trainer should discuss how to address any
common weaknesses that arose, without embarrassing particular participants.
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TRAINER NOTE
If possible, use a video camera to video the role plays. Play back to
participants and provide constructive criticism. It is easier for participants to
see what they are doing well and what they need to improve through video.
However, you must be careful to provide a lot of positive feedback to ensure
that the experience is a positive one and does not weaken the job-seeker’s
confidence. Note that this activity will take approximately three times as long
by the time you have replayed the video and provided feedback.
7.12 Following up on the Job Interview (Lecture)
At the end of most job interviews, the employer will provide guidance to the applicant about
what will happen next. In particular, the employer will normally advise when the applicant will
be told of the outcome of the interview. Explain to participants the importance of following up
according to the instructions the employer gave at the end of the interview.
In order to follow up on a job interview applicants can consider the following points.
• Applicants can make a favourable impression by writing a brief thank you note to the
employer immediately after the job interview.
• If the applicant fails to hear from the employer within the appointed time, he or she
should contact the employer and express continued interest in the job.
• If the applicant does not get the job, he or she should ask about other opportunities
or future openings.
8.1 Purpose
The purpose of this module is to provide participants with an opportunity to hear from a
personnel or human resource professional about what he or she looks for in hiring and what
is expected from employees on the job. The module also provides a chance for participants
to ask questions of a personnel specialist in a comfortable environment.
8.2 Learning Objectives
After completing this module, participants should be able to:
. describe some of the things that at least one employer looks for in a job applicant and
expects from an employee.
8
Module Seven:
The Employer’s Perspective
Estimated Time
Forty-five minutes
TRAINER PREPARATION
• Invite a personnel director or human resource professional to speak at the
workshop.
• Brief the human resource professional about the intent of the workshop
and what information to cover. It is important that the selected person is
positive about hiring people with disabilities; preferably, he or she should
have experience hiring or working with disabled people. He or she should
present a realistic, but positive view of employers and employment
opportunities for people with disabilities.
8.3 Module Introduction
Introduce the module by reviewing its purpose and learning objectives.
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8.4 The Employer’s Perspective (Dialogue with a Guest Speaker)
Introduce the employer, giving his or her name, title, company and why the guest speaker
has come to speak to the group.
The employer should then speak for approximately twenty minutes. Ideally the employer will
cover a number of the issues that have been raised in the previous modules. He or she
should describe:
• the company, its benefits, the types of contracts or employment agreements used,
recruitment process, etc;
• how the company prefers to be contacted (letter, email, phone or in person) and tips
for how to make a good impression;
• common interview questions asked and what the interviewer looks for in answers;
• his or her perspective on how an applicant should handle talking about a disability;
• what he or she expects in terms of dress, manner, etc. at a job interview;
• common mistakes people make in job applications/letters and job interviews;
• experience with hiring people with disabilities;
• other points you wish to stress or reinforce.
Questions and Answers (Discussion)
Invite participants to ask questions about the hiring and employment process. If participants
do not address questions or issues that came up during the workshop, raise them with the
employer.
9.1 Purpose
The purpose of this module is to encourage participants to begin their job search. It provides
a method for organizing a job search as well as an action plan for immediate activity.
9.2 Learning Objectives
After completing activities, participants will be able to:
. describe one method of organizing a job search;
. identify at least one action they will take in each of the next four weeks to begin a
job search.
9
Module Eight:
Starting the Job Search
Estimated Time
One hour
TRAINER PREPARATION
• Prepare copies of the Employer Contact Sheet (Worksheet Six).
• Prepare copies of the Action Planning Worksheet (Worksheet Seven).
• Prepare copies of the Evaluation (Worksheet Eight).
• Photocopy and fill in the Certificate of Completion (Appendix VIII) if it is
used.
9.3 Module Introduction
Introduce the module by reviewing its purpose and learning objectives.
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TRAINER NOTE
There are no right answers in this activity. The purpose is to engage
participants in a discussion of some of the fears that might prevent them from
initiating their job search and to discuss the rejection factor, which can stop
people from maintaining their job search.
Explain to participants that job seeking can arouse many fears in people and that most
people get nervous when they interview for jobs. They may perspire, get shaky or have
negative thoughts that they will fail. Share a personal experience or anecdote to illustrate,
especially one that might be considered humorous.
Then ask participants to call out some of the fears or things that might make job-seekers
nervous and list them on the board. These might include fear of failure, rejection, success, of
looking foolish, of discussing their disability, of others learning that they cannot read or write,
etc.
Explain that most job-seekers must contact many employers and apply for many jobs before
they get hired. It can be very discouraging. To sell themselves successfully, job-seekers must
maintain a positive outlook and must confront their fears.
Ask participants to consider ways they can remain positive and overcome their fears during
the job-seeking process. Make a list of participant responses on the board or flipchart paper.
Some might include the following.
• Working with a job-seeking partner or group that can help you stay positive. (See
Section 1 in the job-seekers’ guide for more information on this topic.)
• Spending time with people who make you feel good.
• Talking about your feelings with someone you trust.
• Doing something that you are good at or that helps you feel good.
• Working with a group of job-seekers and supporting each other in the process.
Refer participants to Section 8 in the job-seekers guide which discusses techniques for
maintaining a positive attitude.
9.4 Organizing the Search (Group Discussion)
Fears and Rejection (Large Group Discussion)
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9.5 Action Planning (Lecture and Individual Activity)
Getting Started and Staying Organized (Lecture)
Stress the importance of getting started on the job search. Present the following simple
approach as a way to get started.
• Have a clear and specific job goal of what you want to do. (Refer participants to
Section 4 “Setting Your Job Goal” in the job-seekers’ guide).
• Select a location where you want to work.
• Begin to identify job leads by contacting the sources suggested in Module 4.
• Start writing, calling or visiting employers. Set a goal to make a certain number of
contacts per week.
• Use the Employer Contact Sheet (Worksheet Six) to keep a record of the employers
you contact and the next things to do.
• Keep a diary or calendar of what you need to do each day.
Action Planning (Individual Activity)
TRAINER NOTE
The Action Planning Worksheet is a way for participants to identify what was
most significant for them about the workshop and make a commitment to
action. Encourage participants to improve their job-seeking skills and to
initiate a job search. Refer participants to the exercises in the job-seekers
guide as a way to improve their skills. Use the discussion following the activity
to summarize the workshop and to encourage action.
Distribute the Action Planning Worksheet (Worksheet Seven). Give participants twenty
minutes to complete it.
As a way of discussing the activity, ask some participants to share one thing they learned in
the workshop and one action they will take after the workshop.
Advise the participants to keep their Action Planning Worksheets as a reminder of what they
have learned and what they commit to doing.
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9.6 Workshop Summary and Follow-Up (Lecture)
Summarize the workshop by using the participant responses and describing any important
points that participants did not include.
Make the following points.
• This workshop was a start in helping to develop skills. Role playing and actually
applying for jobs are the best ways to build skills and to get hired.
• Planning and setting goals are important ways to motivate yourself and to evaluate if
progress is being made.
• The most important thing to do is to take action and begin the job search.
Inform participants of any follow-up workshops, job clubs or any other related activities.
9.7 Evaluation of the Workshop
Distribute the Job-Seekers’ Skills Workshop Evaluation (Worksheet Eight) and ask
participants to complete it and hand it in before leaving.
9.8 Closing
Distribute Certificates of Completion (Appendix VIII) to participants.
Make closing comments and invite participants to make any closing comments they wish.
Optional Closing Activity
Go around the room and ask participants to offer one word or phrase of encouragement or
advice to inspire fellow participants in their job search.
Appendices
Tips for Adapting this Manual to Your Country
Getting Hired: A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers with
Disabilities and the supporting Getting Hired: A Guide for Job-Seekers with Disabilities were
developed with job-seekers in the Asia Pacific job market in mind. However, the materials
can be further modified to be more relevant and appropriate for a specific country or locale.
The more the training is tailored to the local situation, the more relevant it will be.
Throughout the manual areas where trainers can include local examples and situations have
been highlighted.
In order to tailor this manual to a specific country, trainers will need to do some research and
preparation at least a few weeks before the planned training workshop. The key sources of
information for you will be the Ministry of Labour (or equivalent), employers’ associations,
trade unions, chambers of commerce, local employers and disabled persons’ organizations.
Tips on how to localise the workshop materials to a particular country:
• Module 1 “Introduction to the Workshop” and Module 2 “Self-Assessment” do not
require significant localisation.
• To localise Module 3 “Learning about Jobs and Employment Practices”:
n Find out about the labour market in your country or locale. Ask employers’
organizations or the Ministry of Labour about the main growth industries, how
the economy is developing, skills shortages and which industries are growing
or in decline.
n Find out about local labour laws, typical contracting procedures and working
conditions. Tailor the information to reflect local labour law and standard
benefits for your country.
n Find out about laws and policies affecting workers with disabilities. What
policies aim to promote employment for people with disabilities in your country,
what kind of assistance is available to disabled job-seekers and to employers
wishing to hire people with disabilities? Are there specific regulations in the
labour law affecting workers with disabilities? Your Ministry of Labour, or
Ministry responsible for people with disabilities should have this information,
as should disability organizations dealing with training and employment.
I
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• To localise Module 4 “Preparing Application Documents”, Module 5 “Finding and
Responding to Job Openings” and Module 6 “Job Interviewing”:
n Get copies of local job-seeking materials; job applications, standard résumés
and real or acceptable cover letters. Focussing on the growth industries, talk
to employers and employer organizations about their recruiting practices and
materials. Try to get copies of job applications, résumés and letters to show
participants as examples, and to help you prepare letters and résumés for the
activities.
n Find out about the main recruiting practices in the key growth industries. Talk to
chambers of commerce and other employer organizations about how they
recruit.
n Find out about job placement agencies, recruitment companies, recruitment
websites and job clubs in the city or town where the training is being held. Make
a list to give to participants.
n Speak to human resource professionals and employers about how to handle
issues of disability in job applications and interviews.
n Get an understanding of the key concerns of local employers when hiring people
with disabilities and work with participants in the training to develop ways to reassure
employers.
n Talk to local employers about the types of questions they typically ask of job-
seekers. Ask local employers what the main mistakes people tend to make in
job interviews, and how to avoid them.
n Make sure you understand local cultural norms in terms of body language, eye
contact and polite behaviour to a superior/employer.
• Module 7 “The Employer’s Perspective” and Module 8 “Starting the Job Search” do
not require significant localisation.
Job-Seekers’ Workshop
Agenda
Day One
08.00 - 08.15 Registration of participants
08.15 - 09.30 Introduction and Guest Speaker
09.30 - 10.30 Self-Assessment
10.30 - 11.00 Break
11.00 - 12.00 Learning about Jobs and Employment Practices
12.00 - 13.00 Lunch
13.00 - 15.00 Preparing Application Documents
15.00 - 15.30 Break
15.30 - 17.00 Finding and Responding to Job Openings
Day Two
08.00 - 08.15 Welcome and Introduction to Day Two
08.15 - 10.30 Job Interviewing
10.30 - 11.00 Break
11.00 - 12.00 Job Interviewing, Continued
12.00 - 13.00 Lunch
13.00 - 13.45 The Employer’s Perspective
13.45 - 14.00 Break
14.00 - 15.00 Starting the Job Search
15.00 - 15.30 Summary and Presentation of Certificates
Sample Workshop Agenda
II
Instructions: This checklist can be used by trainers to prepare everything for a job-seekers’
workshop. Fill in the target date and person responsible for that task at the beginning of the
preparations, the list can then be used to monitor progress.
Pre-Training Preparation
Step 1: Review the trainer’s manual thoroughly. Date Who
- Read through all materials.
- List possible changes needed.
Step 2: Select the target audience.
- Prepare invitation letter. Include in the letter what the
trainees should bring with them (e.g. CVs, certificates,
job advertisements).
- Prepare registration form (if necessary).
- Prepare advertisements for workshop (if necessary).
- Follow up by telephone to invitees to ensure invitation
received.
- Retrieve registration forms (if used) or contact invitees
to confirm their attendance.
- Consolidate list of participants.
Step 3: Make any required adaptations to the curriculum.
- Speak to employers, NGOs, job placement experts to
get more information about the local labour and job
market.
- Check for local resources (video, brochures, posters
etc.) that could be relevant to the workshop.
- Two weeks prior to the workshop, finalize adaptations
to materials. Speak to employers, NGOs, job placement
experts to get more information about the local labour
and job market.
- Print and compile master copy of training materials.
- Send materials for copying (one week prior to
workshop):
• Copies of job-seekers guide
• Copies of presentations and visual materials
(if necessary).
Trainer Preparation Checklist
III
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Step 4: Personalize the curriculum. Date Who
- Include any local resources found and information from
local resource people/advisory committee.
- Prepare and include stories, anecdotes, etc. to make
the curriculum more fun.
Step 5: Identify two guest speakers for Modules 1 and 7.
- Contact local NGOs, disabled persons’ organizations,
community organizations and employers’ organizations
to find an appropriate speaker for Module 1.
- Contact employers’ organizations to find an appropriate
speaker for Module 7.
- Send invitations to both guest speakers inviting them to
participate (two weeks prior to workshop).
- Meet with both guest speakers to discuss their role, the
overall goals of the workshop and the characteristics of
the participants (one week prior to workshop).
- Confirm attendance with both guest speakers (two days
prior to workshop).
Step 6: Create an agenda for the workshop.
Step 7: Make arrangements for specific needs.
- Visit workshop facilities and check accessibility for
people with disabilities. Make any modifications
required.
- Make arrangements for transport for participants.
- Make arrangements for child care (if necessary).
Step 8: Prepare course materials, handouts, room set-up
and refreshments.
- Photocopy worksheets and any other necessary
materials for participants.
- Prepare copies of companion job-seekers’ guide.
- Prepare budget for workshop.
- Prepare/book for tea breaks (two per day).
- Prepare training room and set-up.
- Prepare for lunch for participants, or advise participants
to bring their own lunch.
- Prepare for tea/water in the training room.
- Prepare for reception outside class room (first
morning):
• Name tags
• Registration sheet
• Participants’ materials.
- Prepare for interpretation (if required).
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Prepare equipment.
- Book/prepare required equipment including:
• Overhead projector (OHP)
• LCD projector (if necessary)
• Laptop (if necessary)
• Flipcharts
• Tape recorder (if necessary).
Prepare stationary.
- Prepare list of stationary needed:
• A4 paper
• A0 paper (flipchart paper)
• Pens
• Markers
• Name tags
• Tape
• Scissors
• Post-it stickers
• Others.
- Create a stationary box to keep stationary between
training workshops.
- Buy necessary stationary (three days prior to training
workshop).
Step 9: Assign sections of workshop to trainers.
- Agree between the two trainers which parts of the
training each will do.
- Discuss how to organise the activities between both
trainers.
Ms Nguyen Thi Hong Minh
1 Dang Dung Street
Hanoi
Telephone: (04) 123 456
Email: Hongminh@gmail.com
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS
2001-2004 Vietnam National University
Bachelor of Economics (Accounting)
1995-2001 Dong Da Secondary School
WORK EXPERIENCE
2005-2007 A/S Design and Printers, Limited
P.O. Box 4337
Hanoi
Tel. 435 671
Title: Accounts Clerk
Duties: Prepared payroll records and administered payment of cheques
for entire office.
2004-2005 Tuong Lai Auditors
130 Kim Ma St
Hanoi
Tel. 430987
Title: Accountant Assistant
Duties: Managed credit control and balanced account books;
operated personal computer using dBASE 3 and Excel.
LANGUAGES: Vietnamese – mother tongue
English – intermediate level reading, writing, speaking
Sample Résumé
IV
Thawatchai Chongdee
Room 108, Srithana Condominium
Soi Srithana, T Suthep, A Muang
Chiang Mai, 50300
Tel. 123 456
Email: chongdeet81@gmail.com
14 January 2007
Khun Siripan Kuna
Managing Director
Thai Silp Manufacturing Company
528 Ratchatewi Rd
Bangkok 10340
Thailand
REF: APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF ACCOUNTANT
Dear Khun Siripan,
This letter is in reference to the accounting job, which was advertised in the Bangkok Post of
Friday, 11 January 2007. I think I am well qualified for the job having completed CPA I and II
in 2005, and having worked in the accounting field since that time. I have always enjoyed
working in accounting, and am hard-working and responsible. In my previous jobs I have
learned the latest accounting software and I am proficient with Quickbooks and Mind Your
Own Business (MYOB).
In February 2005, I secured a job with Thaksin Silk Co., Ltd., where I worked as an Accounts
Clerk until September 2007. In October 2007, I joined the One Tambon One Product (OTOP)
Information Centre in Chiang Mai, where I work as an Assistant Accountant, often taking on
the tasks of the Chief Accountant when necessary. Unfortunately, OTOP is moving offices and
reducing its staff. I feel that I am now ready to take on new challenges and additional
responsibilities.
Copies of my certificates are attached. I am happy to provide referees, if you wish to talk to
any of my previous employers or others who know me.
I look forward to hearing from you. I am ready to come for an interview at any time.
Yours faithfully,
Thawathchai Chongdee
Sample Letter 1
(Example of an Effective Letter)
Sample Letters of Application
V
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Thawatchai Chongdee
Srithana Condominium
Chiang Mai, 50300
Thailand
Email: pumpingiron@gmail.com
Managing Director
Thai Silp Manufacturing Company
528 Ratchatewi Rd
Bangkok 10340
Thailand
REF: OPPORTUNITY – ACCOUNT CLERK
I am walking by crutch. Dear Mr Sir, I need job to get money and support my old mother and
my brother and sisters too.
Please sir, when I saw you advertisement I felt very happy. I ask you please consider me. I am
a form four leaver and I have done ACNC I and II and CPA II.
I have a lot of experience in Accounts office. I worked with Thaksin Silk Co Ltd. for two years,
then I left and worked with OTOP in Chiang Mai for some months before I had a car accident
and because the boss did not like disabled people, he sacked me.
I beg you sir to feel sympathy for I as a disabled person. We disabled are looked down upon
but some of us can be very good workers.
Please write back to me soon and tell me when to come for an interview. I wish you could
help me.
Yours faithfully,
“Chai”
Sample Letter 2
(Example of an Ineffective Letter)
There are various techniques you can use to train adults. The following methods are described.
1. Explaining or lecturing
2. Showing or demonstrating
3. Learning by doing: Guiding, discovering and practicing
4. Role playing
5. Using questions and assignments
6. Exposure visits.
The more different techniques you can use in your training workshop the better. This makes
the training more interesting and fun and people are more likely to learn effectively. Certain
techniques are particularly relevant for learning some content, as outlined below.
1. Explaining
Explaining means telling someone how to do something or giving information. Explaining
can be done by talking, using sign language or in writing. When explaining is done in a large
group it is often called lecturing.
Best Uses
• If your trainee is able to read, it is good to explain both verbally and in writing. If the
trainee can write, he or she can take notes.
• Explaining is good for short training periods and useful for trainees that have no
prior knowledge of a topic.
• Lecturing is more commonly used in large groups or formal settings.
• Used alone, explaining is not very effective for teaching practical skills. However,
explaining while using other methods can be very effective.
Disability Issues
Trainees who have hearing difficulties (completely or partly deaf):
• Use writing, if your trainees can read.
• Use sign language, if you and the trainee know sign language.
• Pictures, drawings and diagrams help trainees to understand more quickly.
Training Adults – Techniques and Tips
VI
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Trainees who have seeing difficulties (completely or partly blind):
• Written explanation requires Braille for disabled people who can use Braille.
•
If the trainees don’t read Braille, read out any printed materials, or record on a tape.
• Large print is useful for people who are visually impaired.
Trainees who have learning difficulties:
• Use simple words and pictures or other visual representations especially for trainees
who are illiterate or have difficulties learning.
Tips
• Use simple language.
• Give examples for what you mean.
• Present information and ideas in a logical way.
• Explain in different ways if you can, such as verbally, by writing on a board or by
writing and showing at the same time.
• Encourage the trainee to write or draw pictures to represent what is being explained,
if he or she is able to do so.
• Interact with the trainee by encouraging or asking questions or starting a discussion.
2. Showing or Demonstrating
Showing or demonstrating is physically doing the activity you want your trainee to learn.
Sometimes trainees just observe while the trainer demonstrates. Showing or demonstrating is
a good way for almost all groups of people to learn except for those who are blind or visually
impaired. Showing is especially important for people who are deaf.
Best Uses
Showing or demonstrating is an especially important training method for teaching
complicated tasks or those that have many steps. Tasks with many steps should be broken
down into small steps and demonstrated one at a time. You may even want to let the trainee
practice or learn by doing in between parts of the demonstrations.
Disability Issues
Trainees who have seeing difficulties:
•
For completely or partially blind people you can describe what you are doing as you work.
•
You can also use touch or physical guiding (see the method learning by doing below).
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Tips
• Plan demonstrations and think about what you want the trainee to learn.
• Make sure you have all the materials and tools at hand.
•
Conduct the demonstration more slowly and, if possible, explain as you do it. You can
also ask your trainees questions at the same time to make sure they understand.
• Combine demonstration with other methods such as learning by doing.
• Ask trainees to repeat the tasks you demonstrate.
•
Praise what they do right and correct what is wrong by showing the right way to do it.
• Repeat the demonstration or show the steps several times if needed.
3. Learning by Doing: Guiding, Discovering and Practicing
Giving the trainee the chance to do a practical task, or learning by doing, is an important way
to train. It is also a way to evaluate or test to see if the trainee is learning, A number of
learning by doing activities are included in this training manual, such as getting the trainees
to develop their career statement during the training, or practice writing a résumé.
There are different approaches to this method.
a. Guiding
There are two ways to guide: verbally or physically. In verbal guiding the trainer
tells the trainee what to do. The trainer coaches the person through each step of
the process. In physical guiding, the trainer may physically take the persons hands
(or other body part) and take them through the steps. You should always ask the
trainee first if you can use physical guiding.
b. Discovering
The trainer creates a situation where the trainee has to figure out or discover what
to do. This method is less useful for learning job-seeking skills, but is a very good
way of teaching practical skills. An example would be asking participants to critique
a poor résumé in order to learn how to create a good résumé, and how to avoid
common mistakes.
c. Practicing
Once someone understands how to do a task, the trainer could ask the trainee to
practice the task over and over to develop skills or improve speed. Practice
sessions are an important part of learning. In these materials we encourage the
trainees to practice skills such as interviewing – complex and new skills like this
need a lot of practice.
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Best Uses
• Learning by doing is an important way to teach and develop practical skills. It is also
a way to evaluate how well the trainee has learned.
• Learning by doing can be used on its own or with other training approaches.
• Practice sessions will help improve quality and fluency. It is also a way of measuring
progress.
•
If the tasks are carefully planned, learning by doing can help build trainees’ confidence.
Disability Issues
Trainees who have hearing and/or speaking difficulties:
• Learning by doing is especially suitable for persons with hearing and/or speaking
difficulties. It relies on seeing and doing rather than hearing.
Trainees who have seeing difficulties (completely or partly blind):
• Physical guiding is a good way to teach blind people. Let them feel the product or
outcome that is expected before they start. You can guide and explain as they try to
learn by doing.
Trainees who have learning difficulties:
• Learning by doing is especially important for those trainees who have limited
education or difficulties in learning.
• Combine showing and guiding for these trainees. First, break the task down into
small steps. Show the step and then guide the trainee through repeating the step,
either verbally or by touch. Repeat each step as needed until he or she is able to do
it correctly. Then go to the next step, until the process is complete.
• Many repetitions may be needed. It is important to remain encouraging. You will
also need to gradually put each step together so the trainee learns the sequence of
the steps.
Tips
• Be creative. There are many ways to use learning by doing. Use it as a way to
improve learning, to assess progress and to develop speed and quality.
• Give feedback during practice sessions and ask questions. Positive feedback will
encourage motivation and confidence. Correcting mistakes prevents the trainee
from learning incorrect methods.
4. Role Playing
Role playing is like a game or a skit. It involves setting up a scene, assigning roles and acting
out a scene so the trainee can learn something. Role plays are particularly useful for
practicing job interviews. The trainer can assume the role of the employer (or get someone
else to play this role) and the trainee would act as the job-seeker.
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The trainer must carefully design the activity. He or she must also make the roles very clear
to the trainees or people playing the roles. The people playing the roles must be encouraged
to take it seriously so that the role play is as real as possible.
It is very important to discuss the role play afterwards. Ask trainees what they learned from
the experience. Also ask them how they would do it differently next time. You can repeat the
role play many times or change it so the trainee can develop his or her skills related to the
role play’s purpose.
Best Uses
• Role plays are a good way for people to learn new skills, especially those that involve
interaction with others. If people are afraid of interacting with others or are shy, it is a
good way to learn how to be comfortable and confident.
•
Role playing is also suited for teaching a complex series of skills, such as interviewing.
• Role plays are very effective and fun to use in group situations.
•
Role plays can be used to test the trainees’ understanding. For example, role playing
a job interview can provide the trainer with an opportunity to see if trainees have really
understood the need to “sell” themselves, and assess their communication skills.
•
Role plays can be used to build confidence, break stereotypes and change perceptions.
Disability Issues
• You need to consider how well the trainee is able to communicate with others,
because role plays often involve speaking and other communication.
• Role plays may be particularly useful to build social and interactive skills among
disabled people who have been socially isolated.
Tips
The following steps are involved in developing a role play.
1) Decide what you want to teach through the role play. Create a simple role.
2) Define the roles or characters in the play. Consider how many you need and what
each should do. The trainee should play him or herself so he or she can have the
experience of what to do. Ask other people to play characters or roles in the play.
3)
Make sure that each person in the role play knows his or her role and the key words
to say. You may want to keep certain parts of the specific situation secret from some
roles. For example, if you want the trainee to learn how to address their disability, you
may want to keep the specific disability of the job-seeker a secret from the employer.
4) By the end of the role play, you should ask the trainees what they thought it was
about, what they learned and what they would do differently.
5)
After the discussion, you should conclude by reinforcing the main lesson of the role play.
6) You can repeat the role play to develop skills.
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5. Using Questions and Assignments
Questions and assignments are often used with other training methods. Using them is a good
way to encourage active participation of your trainees and to check what they already know
or if they have understood your teaching.
Trainees have to respond independently either by answering a question or completing an
assignment
given by the trainer. They need to use what they know to find a solution to a
problem or practice a task.
a. Using Questions
Questions are an easy form of problem solving and testing the trainee’s knowledge.
Asking questions is a simple way of finding out if the trainee knows something. It
can be useful to incorporate questions into lectures as a way of keeping trainees
involved and testing if they understand the material. For example, after presenting
a lecture on benefits, you could ask the trainee to explain the range of different
benefits that might be included in a government job.
b. Using Assignments
The trainee is given a task to do by him or herself. If you are delivering this training
over several sessions, assignments can be used to reinforce the learning and
develop the job-seekers’ job-seeking materials between sessions. You can set
assignments for the trainees such as doing their skills audit and developing a
career goal, or writing their résumé. A lot of the exercises in the job-seekers’ guide
can be used as assignments.
Best Uses
Questions and assignments are best used to help the trainees learn by thinking or doing on
their own. This method can also be used to find out if the trainee really understands what to
do. They encourage trainees’ creativity and initiative.
Disability Issues
• A simple question can be used with most people.
• More difficult assignments or questions with complex stories may only be useful with
people who have more educational background.
Trainees who have hearing and/or speaking difficulties:
• You need to consider the trainees’ abilities to communicate with others when
presenting questions and assignments.
Tips
• Use questions with other training techniques.
• Use simple assignments to test a trainee’s understanding.
• Use more complex assignments and questions to build new knowledge.
• Gain experience before you use more complex stories or assignments.
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• Consider the trainee’s experience level also. Difficult questions and assignments can
lead to frustration and failure. Those carefully designed can challenge and build
their confidence.
6. Exposure Visits
Exposure visits are similar to the showing or demonstrating method, but they have a broader
purpose. An exposure visit or field trip can be a very effective way for trainees to learn about
the world of work, and different industries. Exposure visits are usually arranged for a small
group of people, but can also be done for individual trainees.
Best Uses
• Exposure visits are a good way for trainees to see the reality of work in different
industries and work environments.
• Exposure visits can be a good way to encourage and motivate the trainees.
• Exposure visits work best when they are combined with other training methods such
as using questions and assignments.
• Exposure visits are most useful when the trainees have some previous experience so
they can understand what is being observed and are able to ask questions. For
example, ask the trainees to do some research about the particular industry before
visiting the employer, so they can ask appropriate questions.
Disability Issues
You need to consider issues of barriers, transportation, cost and suitability of the place visited
for disabled people. The workplace visited should be comfortable with disabled people and
deliver positive messages about their ability to do the work.
Trainees with moving difficulties:
• The place visited must be accessible to people with moving difficulties.
Trainees with hearing, seeing, speaking and/or learning difficulties:
• You may need to provide some assistance in explaining what is going on to those
who are blind, deaf or slow learners.
Tips
• Consider using a facilitator to provide guidance and ensure learning when an
exposure visit is organized for a group.
• Be focused and well-prepared, have a clear purpose and expected outcome.
• Prepare the trainees for the visit. Tell them the goals and what they can expect to
see and learn. Coach them on asking questions beforehand.
• Summarize the visit at the end to emphasize what was learned.
This appendix is adapted from ILO, 2008, Training for Success: A Guide for Peer Trainers,
pp11-23.
General Information about Employment and People with Disabilities
The ILO’s disability programme in Asia and the Pacific, AbilityAsia, provides information,
resources and a list of publications related to various disability issues in the region.
www.ilo.org/abilityasia
The National Centre for Promotion of Employment for People with Disabilities, India includes
information about many issues related to employment for people with disabilities in India,
including laws and policies.
www.ncpedp.org
The Job Accommodation Network, United States includes a lot of useful information about
how to make reasonable accommodations for different kinds of disabilities.
www.jan.wvu.edu
Disabled Peoples International – Asia Pacific Region (DPI-AP) includes news, information,
reports and publications relevant to people with disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region.
www.dpiap.org
Information about Labour Laws and Policies
The AbilityAsia website links to relevant laws and policies for many Asian and Pacific
countries.
www.ilo.org/abilityasia
Search for the Ministry of Labour in your country for more detailed information about labour
laws and policies.
Selected Recruitment Websites
Jobs Database has listings of jobs in Australia, China, India. It has sites in a number of Asian
countries. Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and
Thailand. It also includes information for job-seekers. English only.
www.jobsdb.com/default.htm
Job Street is one of the largest online job sites in Asia and the Pacific with sites for Malaysia,
Singapore, Philippines, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Japan, Vietnam. It also has a site
specifically for people with disabilities.
www.my.jobstreet.com
jobs4disabled.jobstreet.com (Malaysia only currently.)
Useful Websites
VII
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Thailand Jobs Database. Thai and English.
th.jobsdb.com/TH/EN/V6HTML/Home/default
Vietnam Works is the largest recruitment site in Vietnam. Vietnamese and English.
www.vietnamworks.com
Jobs Ahead is a recruitment site for India. English only.
www.jobsahead.com
Australian Job Search is the government sponsored recruitment site in Australia.
www.jobsahead.com
China HR is the largest online recruitment site in China. English and Chinese.
www.chinahr.com
Monster.com is one of the largest online recruiting companies in the world. It has sites in a
number of Asian countries.
Hong Kong : www.monster.com.hk
Singapore: www.monster.com.sg
India: www.monsterindia.com
Job Information and Recruitment Websites Specifically for People with
Disabilities
The Business Advisory Council Cambodia has a jobs database for people with disabilities and
a range of information.
www.bac.org.kh
The Employers Forum of Ceylon is a very active employers’ organization promoting
recruitment of people with disabilities. The site also includes a database of job-seekers.
www.empfed.lk/employment.htm
Jobs for Disabled in India includes a range of information for job-seekers with disabilities, as
well as a database of jobs.
www.jobs4disabled.com
Job Street Malaysia has a specific site for jobs for people with disabilities.
jobs4disabled.jobstreet.com
SHL Solutions offers pre-employment testing for employers. Their site also has free practice
tests. English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Finnish,
Swedish, and Japanese.
www.shl.com/shl/en-int
Certificate of Participation
VIII
JOB-SEEKING SKILLS
WORKSHOP
DATE
THIS CERTIFICATE IS AWARDED TO
____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR PARTICIPATION IN AND COMPLETION OF
GETTING HIRED, A JOB-SEEKING SKILLS WORKSHOP
___________________________________
Administrative Sponsor
___________________________________
Job-Seeking Skills Trainer
___________________________________
Job-Seeking Skills Trainer
Worksheets
IX
• Worksheet One: Interests, Abilities and Skills
• Worksheet Two: Self-Assessment Checklist
• Worksheet Three: Personal Data Sheet
• Worksheet Four: Responding to Job Leads
• Worksheet Five: Preparing an Introductory Statement
• Worksheet Six: Employer Contact Sheet
• Worksheet Seven: Action Planning
• Worksheet Eight: Job-Seeker’s Skills Workshop Evaluation
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Worksheet One: Interests, Abilities and Skills
Instructions: Complete each column with as many items as possible. Ask a job-seeking partner or friend to read your lists and suggest any
others they can think of.
A. INTERESTS – The things I like or prefer to
do include:
B. ABILITIES – The things I am naturally good
at or learn easily include:
C. SKILLS – The things I have learned or have
been trained to do include:
D. MY JOB GOAL - I Would like to work as a _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
E. Do your interests, abilities and skills match your job goal? (Circle one) Yes / No
If you do not have the necessary skills, what actions can you take to learn or improve them? ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet Two: Self-Assessment Checklist
Instructions: Read the following list of personal and work characteristics and score yourself
on each item using the following scale.
1 – Weak 2 – Some skill 3 – Average 4 – Good 5 – Very Good
Skill Score
Interpersonal
Getting along with people
Listening
Being sympathetic
Having sensitivity to others
Understanding other people’s
feelings, situations
Helping others
Accepting others
Cooperating with others
Providing good customer service
Entertaining
Motivational
Motivating individuals & groups
Raising funds
Persuading
Building teams
Selling (things and ideas)
Settling disputes
Encouraging others
Promoting others
Verbal/Written Communication
Expressing ideas
Communicating clearly
Reporting information
Speaking clearly
Writing clearly
Articulating ideas clearly
Defining
Editing
Translating
Speaking a foreign language
Skill Score
Teaching & Counselling
Explaining concepts
Give advice
Inspiring others
Demonstrating
Training
Instructing
Encouraging, coaching
Leading groups
Leadership
Motivating others
Self-starting
Working without supervision
Trying new things
Acting quickly in emergencies
Running effective meetings
Identifying and solving problems
Adapting to new situations
Accepting responsibility
Making decisions
Coordinating activities
Delegating responsibility
Managing conflict
Physical
Demonstrating athletic ability
Demonstrating strength
Enduring physical activity
Displaying good coordination
Moving quickly and with agility
Driving a vehicle
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Skill Score
Creative & Visionary
Having insight
Developing new ideas
Judging
Thinking originally
Showing foresight
Displaying creativity
Imagining
Learning
Noticing and observing accurately
Synthesizing
Remembering things
Reading and writing
Questioning and evaluating
Detail & Completion
Meeting deadlines
Editing
Memorizing information
Persisting on tasks
Organizing work
Proof-reading
Entering data
Following complex instructions
Typing
Working under pressure
Keeping records
Numbers
Counting and computing
Using statistics
Managing money
Performing accounting and
bookkeeping tasks
Creating and using budgets
Estimating and appraising
Hands-On
Carpentry
Using tools
Constructing
Preparing
Cooking
Gardening
Repairing
Skill Score
Administrative
Filing
Typing
Setting & meeting goals
Being punctual
Planning
Setting priorities
Follow-through
Managing time
Meeting goals
Organizing (self and others)
Accepting responsibility
Analysis and Research
Gathering information
Synthesizing
Analyzing
Categorizing
Evaluating
Making decisions
Drawing conclusions
Researching
Imagining alternatives
Solving problems
Extracting important information
Presenting
Speaking in public
Performing (singing, dancing,
acting, playing instruments, etc.)
Making presentations
Helping others enjoy themselves
Being enthusiastic
Artistic
Creating
Designing
Making music
Photographing
Visualizing ideas
Performing, acting
Designing web pages
Drawing, painting
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Instructions Continued: Now go through the list again. Find the items that you particularly
LIKE or ENJOY. Circle these.
When you have finished, look at the items that you have both scored as 4 or 5 and circled.
These personal and work characteristics will help you identify your overall strengths and help
you to identify a job goal. Write them below.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Instructions Continued: When you have identified the things you are both good at and enjoy,
think about experiences you have had where you have used these skills, abilities and
characteristics. These experiences may be from work, volunteer activities, family, community
activities, training, etc. These experiences provide good examples you can use in application
letters and job interviews. Record these experiences below.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Adapted from:
Quintessential Careers.com - http://www.quintcareers.com/transferable_skills_set.html
Dr Daniel J Ryan, (2000), Job Search Handbook for People with Disabilities, JIT Works,
Indianapolis, p5-6.
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Worksheet Three: Personal Data Sheet
The type of information requested on application forms will differ among countries. The most
important thing to remember in completing any form is to read it carefully and to answer all
items completely and accurately. This Personal Data Sheet will help you to have all relevant,
accurate information with you.
Instructions: Complete this form and use it to complete job applications, online
applications, letters to employers and résumés.
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
Name: Telephone:
Address: Mobile phone:
Email address:
Date of birth: Place of birth:
Identification number: Marital status:
Number and names of dependents:
II. EDUCATION
A. Primary
Name of school:
Location:
Highest level completed:
B. Post-Primary/Secondary
Name of school:
Location:
Courses taken:
Dates:
Qualifications:
C. Post-Secondary/Trade School
Name of school:
Location:
Courses taken:
Dates:
Qualifications:
D. College/University
Name of college/university
Courses taken:
Dates:
Qualifications:
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E. Other courses or certificates etc.
Name of training provider:
Courses taken:
Dates
Qualifications:
III. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
A. Employer
Name:
Address: Employed from: to:
Supervisor: Telephone:
Job title: Email:
Description of duties: Salary:
Special equipment operated/achievements:
Reason for leaving:
B. Employer
Name:
Address: Employed from: to:
Supervisor: Telephone:
Job title: Email:
Description of duties: Salary:
Special equipment operated/achievements:
Reason for leaving:
NOTE: Attach additional job information on a separate sheet of paper.
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IV. REFEREES
(List at least three referees, including name, title, contact information and how long you have known
them.)
Name: Title:
Address: Telephone:
Email:
Name: Title:
Address: Telephone:
Email:
Name: Title:
Address: Telephone:
Email:
List any other information here that you may need to complete your job application.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet Four: Responding to Job Leads
Worksheet 4A – Responding by Letter or Email
Content of a Letter or Email
The purpose of the letter or email is to interest the employer in your skills and qualifications.
The desired outcome is for the employer to respond to the letter by contacting you for an
interview or to get more information.
Given this, what information should be included in your letter to an employer?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tips for Letters or Emails
It is important that your letter or email makes a good, positive impression on the employer.
What tips for content and appearance can you think of to ensure the employer gets a positive
view of you?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How to Handle Your Disability
Would you tell an employer about your disability in an enquiry letter or email?
(Circle one) Yes / No
Explain your answer.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet 4B – Responding by Telephone
Content of the Telephone Call
The purpose of the telephone call in responding to a job lead is to secure an interview or
information about how to apply for the job. Telephone calls also may be used to inquire about
job openings or to request information.
Telephone calls follow a simple format. Write a script for the telephone call you would make
in the following situation.
Your friend works at Happy Shoes Footwear factory and she has told you that they are hiring
because they just received a large order from the United States. She told you that the Human
Resource Manager, Mr Kim, will be responsible for hiring new staff.
1. Greet the person who answers the telephone: __________________________________________________
2. Introduce yourself: _________________________________________________________________________________
3. State the purpose of your call: ____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Wait for a response.
If Mr Kim tells you that all the jobs have already been filled, how should you respond?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tips for Effective Telephone Calls
What can you do to make a good impression on the employer when you are speaking over
the telephone?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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How to Handle Your Disability
Would you tell an employer about your disability in an enquiry telephone call?
(Circle one) Yes / No
Explain your answer.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Worksheet 4C: Responding in Person
Responding in person is often the most direct way to find out about a job possibility. If you
inquire about a job or apply in person, you must be thoroughly prepared; you could be
interviewed for a job.
How to Prepare Before Responding in Person
What should you do to prepare before visiting a company?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What to Say during the Visit
Your friend works at Happy Shoes Footwear factory and she has told you that they are hiring
at the moment because they just received a large order from the United States. She told you
that the Human Resource Manager, Mr Kim, will be responsible for hiring new staff.
You have just finished an industrial sewing course and really want a job. You decide that the
best way will be to go and visit the company and try to speak to Mr Kim.
Write the script for your visit to the company.
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You are met by the security guard at the gate.
1. Introduce yourself and ask to speak to the relevant person:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The guard shows you to Mr Kim’s office.
2. State the purpose of your visit: _________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Wait for a response.
If Mr Kim tells you that all the jobs have already been filled, how should you respond?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How to Handle Your Disability
Would you tell an employer about your disability in an enquiry visit? (Circle one) Yes / No
Explain your answer. ___________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet Five: Preparing an Introductory Statement
In a job interview, you have a wonderful opportunity to make a good impression on the
employer; however, you will have limited time. At the beginning of the interview you will be
nervous, but if you have a well prepared introductory statement, it will help you to make a
good first impression and to overcome nervousness.
Usually in a job interview, one of the first questions the employer will ask is “Tell me about
yourself”. This is your opportunity to “sell” yourself. Your answer to this question should
focus on your skills and abilities, and explain why you are the best person for the job. This is
also your chance to present your disability in a positive light.
Assignment:
Find a job advertisement, or opportunity that you are interested in. You have been offered an
interview for this job.
Prepare an introductory statement that you can use to answer the request “Tell me about
yourself”. Your statement must be no more than two minutes. Write the statement and
practice it to make sure it’s only two minutes long.
Here are some examples to help you.
Effective Answer:
“After I finished secondary school, I worked with my uncle in his coffee shop where I was
really good with the customers and the inventory. However, I have always worked on old
cars. I enjoy working with engines and I have learned a lot by helping the taxi drivers who
come to the coffee shop to fix their cars. That’s why I decided to apply for this position as
an auto-parts clerk. As you can see, I have a problem with my legs and I use crutches to
walk. However, this will not be a problem, I can travel by motorbike to get to work, and
easily get around in the office.”
Ineffective Answer:
“I was born in the town to the north of the city, my parents were farmers so we were very
poor. When I was five I got polio and it affected my legs so that I have had to walk with
crutches since then. I had a lot of difficulties at school because the other kids teased me.
I have been helping out my uncle in his coffee shop, but it requires a lot of walking and I
get tired easily, so I want to work in your company as an auto-parts clerk because I think
it will be easier.”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Date
of Contact
Employer’s Name,
Address and
Telephone Number
Position
Applied for
Person
Contacted
Contact Method
(Letter, Telephone,
In Person, Email)
Results Further Action
Required
Worksheet Six: Employer Contact Sheet
Name: _______________________________________________________________________ Date from: __________________________________ to: ____________________________
Instructions: Use this form to keep a record of all employer or job-seeking contacts.
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Worksheet Seven: Action Planning
Instructions: Please start this worksheet before you leave the workshop. Keep it as a reminder
of what you learned and what you plan to do.
1. What I Learned
The following are some of the most important things that I learned in this workshop.
1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What Skills I Need to Improve
The job-seeking skills that I need to improve most are (check those that apply):
________ Assessing myself ________ Letter writing
________ Developing a job goal ________ Using the telephone
________ Researching jobs ________ Meeting employers in person
and employment practices
________ Completing applications ________ Job interviewing
________ Developing a résumé ________ Finding job leads
3. My Plan to Improve My Skills
In order to improve these skills, I will take the following action.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Within the next week, I will:
1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
G e t t i n g H i r e d
A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers with Disabilities
- 96 -
Within the next three months, I will:
1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What I Will Do to Start My Job Search
I realize that the best way to get a job is to start the job-seeking process. The following
is my plan of action to get hired.
Within the next week, I will:
1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
Within the next month, I will:
1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
Within the next three months, I will:
1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
G e t t i n g H i r e d
A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers with Disabilities - 97 -
Worksheet Eight: Job-Seeker’s Skills Workshop Evaluation
Instructions: Please complete this evaluation sheet as honestly as you can and hand it in
to the trainer. You do not need to put your name on it. The information will help to improve
future workshops.
Rate each item by circling the appropriate number.
1 - strongly disagree 3 - neutral 5 - strongly agree
1. The workshop will be helpful to me in my job search. 1 2 3 4 5
2. The information was clearly presented. 1 2 3 4 5
3. The activities were useful. 1 2 3 4 5
4. The trainers were effective. 1 2 3 4 5
5. The guest speakers were motivating and informative. 1 2 3 4 5
6. The visuals were effective. 1 2 3 4 5
Please answer the following questions.
1. What did you like best about the workshop?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What did you like least?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Additional comments:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you
A Word of Thanks
Getting Hired: A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers with
Disabilities and the accompanying Getting Hired: A Guide for Job-Seekers with Disabilities
were initially developed and field-tested by Debra A. Perry in Kenya and Tanzania in 1995.
Since their original publication in 1995, the documents have been translated into the local
languages for several countries in the Asia and Pacific region, including Cambodia, Sri Lanka
and China. This version of Getting Hired: A Trainer’s Manual was updated by ILO consultant
Caitlin Wyndham and tailored to be more relevant for job-seekers with disabilities in Asia and
the Pacific. The ILO acknowledges both of them for their hard work in preparing the guide
and the manual.
A number of experts, including disabled persons, job placement professionals, employers
and trade unionists, were asked to review the guide and manual and to make comments.
Thanks to the following people who responded and made valuable enhancements to Getting
Hired:
• Arunee Limmanee – Department of Music Therapy, Mahidol University, Thailand
• Robert Hermelin – Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), Thailand
• Ran De Silva – UBS, Hong Kong
• Nguyen Thi Lan Anh – Inclusive Development Action (IDEA), Vietnam
• Vu Thi Binh Minh – Inclusive Development Action (IDEA), Vietnam
• Nguyen Thi Thuan – Spanish Red Cross, Vietnam
• Richard O’Brien – Volunteer Service Overseas, Vietnam
• Daragh Halpin – Adult Training Expert, Vietnam
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION
10th Floor, UN Building
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue
PO Box 2-349, Rajdamnern
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: +662 288 1792
Fax: +662 288 3043
Email: disability@ilo.org
Websites: www.ilo.org
www.ilo.org/abilityasia
www.ilo.org/employement/disability
ISBN 978-92-2-120860-0
International
Labour
Organization
A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop
for Job-Seekers with Disabilities
Getting Hired
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
