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Home / Programs & Resources / TATRA / Knowledge Center / Resources for Teen Job Hunters

Knowledge Center

Resources for Teen Job Hunters

• Summer Employment
• Advice for Job Hunters
• Web sites on Self Advocacy and Careers for Teens
• Online Job Postings and Job Banks
• Vocational Services
• International Career Development Opportunities

Summer Employment

Summer jobs are a great way to get experience and prepare yourself for a successful career. For young people with disabilities, finding the right summer job can take some additional time and effort. However, don't get discouraged. With a little planning, you will find the right job for you. Here are some tips to help you get started with your search:

• Ask yourself what your interests are. Do you like working outside? Maybe you can find a job at a park or a beach. Do you like animals? The local zoo or animal shelter might have a job for you.
• Talk to your parents and relatives. They might know of summer job opportunities at their places of work. Your friends may also have some ideas about where to find good summer jobs.
• If you are in high school, talk to your teachers and/or guidance counselor. If you are in college or technical school, visit your career guidance office. These people might be able to assist you with your job search by connecting you with employers who are looking for summer workers and interns.
• Think about volunteering. Many community service organizations need more volunteers, especially during the summer. Some places that might need volunteers are libraries, hospitals, food banks, and daycare centers.
• Call or write to different employers and ask them if they have any jobs available. Many employers are happy to respond to such inquiries. They might even give you an interview if you can tell them why you are interested in working for them.
• Think about starting your own business. For example, you could mow lawns or walk your neighbors' dogs. You could also give computer lessons or design web pages for a small business or non-profit agency.
• Search the Internet for summer job listings. Visit on-line job banks and do a search with the keyword "summer." Check the job listings in your local newspaper. You never know what you might find!

Advice for Job Hunters

Looking for a job can be a time-consuming and emotional process, especially for people with disabilities. A job search can last for several weeks or months and it is easy to become discouraged. There are many things that you can do to keep your spirits up and make a job search more effective. Below are a few suggestions.

• Many people find jobs through networking. Networking means talking to friends, family members, former employers, and other people you know. They might be able to direct you to other people who might be able to tell you of job openings. You can start networking by calling or e-mailing ten friends and tell them that you are looking for a job. You will be surprised at how quickly your network grows.
• Send your résumé to employers that really interest you, even if they do not have any positions available at the moment. They will be sure to keep you in mind for any future openings once they know of your interest.
• Follow up on résumés that you have sent to an employer. If you have not heard from an employer after two weeks, it is perfectly acceptable to call and ask if they have received your application. This shows the employer that you are definitely interested in the position.
• While you are looking for a job, try to keep yourself occupied. It can be frustrating to sit around the house all day and wait for the phone to ring. Use your free time to do something that you enjoy, like writing or going for walks. You might also think about doing volunteer work in your community. By staying busy and doing things you enjoy, you will feel less stressed about your job search.
• Don't beat yourself up if you can't find a job. Looking for a job is never easy. It is natural to start feeling depressed. People without disabilities often have similar feelings when job hunting. But don't give up. You will find something that is right for you. It will take time and lots of work, but it will happen if you keep trying.

Web sites on Self Advocacy and Careers for Teens

• CareerConnect® is a site developed by the American Foundation for the Blind for people who want to learn about the range and diversity of jobs performed by adults who are blind or visually impaired throughout the United States and Canada. Job seekers can explore possible careers, contact a visually impaired mentor for advice, create their own resume online, and more.
• Career Connections - a web page of the Fairfax County Public Schools (VA) with links to some great on-line resources and activities
• Career Information for youth from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Career Voyages - information for youth from the US Departments of Labor and Education
• ISEEK - Minnesota Internet System for Education and Employment Knowledge
• Jobland - information for youth from the Tomkins Workforce Center New York.
• Kids as Self Advocates
• Minnesota Statewide Family Network - Online favorites of the MSFN Youth Advisory Board
• National Youth Leadership Network
• Partners Online - This program connects youth with disabilities to adult mentors and peers with similar disabilities in a safe online community.
• What Job Seekers with Disabilities Need to Know, tips from the US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
• Students.gov - a comprehensive information portal providing answers to questions on education, financing education, career development, government, military service, travel, community service, and more.
• US Department of State's Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities
• The Work Site - Information for Youth with Disabilities from the Social Security Administration
• Youth at Work, a Web site created by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC to help all youth learn what their rights are in the workplace, what constitutes employment discrimination, and what to do if discrimination has occurred
• Youth Corner - information for youth from the US Department of Labor
• Youth Jobs (Canada)
• Zigawhat! a web site with links to numerous Internet sites for teens with disabilities maintained by the National Dissemination Center for Youth with Disabilities

Online Job Postings and Job Banks

The sites below, many of which are targeted at persons with disabilities, list job openings in many different fields with employers that are located here in Minnesota and across the nation. Many of these employers are actively looking for employees with disabilities.

After looking at some of the resources on this page, you might consider sending your resume to an employer or setting up an appointment with a rehabilitation counselor. The road to a satisfying career may seem like a long and time-consuming process, but every journey begins with the first small step.

• America's Job Bank - is the nation's largest database of job openings by individual state and occupation areas.
• Careers & the disabled - A list of corporations and government agencies who are actively recruiting persons with disabilities.
• JobAccess - A collaboration between CareerMosaic and Ability Magazine. Visitors to this site can browse job listings and post their resumes online.
• Monster.Com - A general employment site that contains a broad array of job postings from across the nation.
• Minneapolis Star Tribune Jobs - Job listings from the newspaper's Sunday Employment section.
• Minnesota Job Bank - An extensive listing of public and private sector jobs across Minnesota.
• USA Jobs - A database of job openings in various branches of the federal government.

Vocational Services

The vocational services listed on this page are agencies that work with persons with disabilities to help them find jobs that match their individual interests and abilities. These agencies employ rehabilitation counselors and job coaches who have a great deal of experience in helping persons with disabilities assess their abilities and find appropriate job placements.

State Rehabilitation Services

This agency offers comprehensive vocational services to persons with disabilities. Services can include job training and placement, assistance with college tuition, and assistance with obtaining appropriate assistive technology.

State Services for the Blind

This agency provides vocational services to individuals with substantial visual impairments. The services offered by SSB are very similar to those offered by Rehabilitation Services.

International Career Development Opportunities

There is a whole world of opportunities open in the international affairs, development and exchange fields. This can include working in U.S. embassies overseas or the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC. It can mean working in an international consulting firm, college or university study abroad office or international refugee organization either in the United States or abroad. Even in difficult economic climates, international affairs graduates can find exciting careers because of the strength and versatility of this type of degree. As the Association of Professional Schools in International Affairs 2002 graduates reported, 88% found work within six months after graduation, which is a competitive placement rate in comparison to professional degrees in law or business. The largest percentage of graduates (42%) found work in the public sector with about a quarter each working in the nonprofit and private sectors.

Many people go into international affairs, development or exchange fields to make a difference in the world or explore other cultural perspectives. Most have had international experiences that made an impact on their own life choices. Since positions are low to middle range salaries until one increases to consulting or senior level positions and responsibilities, they find motivations other than money to attract them to this field of work. International travel will entice some students to international careers, although travel opportunities will vary with positions. Some positions involve administrative, research or policy level work, while others may be doing direct assistance, marketing or advising.

If students can dedicate themselves to learning a foreign language through an international exchange program, it will open more doors for them and get their foot in the door. "The U.S. government alone requires 34,000 employees with foreign language skills, and American business increasingly needs internationally and multi-culturally experienced employees to compete in a global economy and to manage a culturally diverse workforce," reports the Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange.