The Job Developer's Handbook: Practical Tactics for Customized Employment

One of the most practical employment books available, this forward-thinking guide walks employment specialists step by step through customized job development for people with disabilities, revealing the best ways to build a satisfying, meaningful job around a person's preferences, skills, and goals. Internationally known for their innovative, proactive job development strategies, the authors motivate readers to expand the way they think about employment opportunities and develop creative solutions.

Readers will get fresh, proven tips and ideas for every aspect of job development for youth and adults with significant support needs:

• discovering who the person is and what he or she really wants



• ensuring goodness of fit between employer and employee



• finding—or creating—"hidden jobs" in smaller companies



• empowering people through resource ownership (investing in resources that employers need)



• skillfully negotiating job duties while managing conflicts that might arise



• creatively maximizing benefits using social security work incentives



• encouraging family support while respecting the individual as an adult

To make each part of job development easier, the book arms readers with practical content they can really use: easy-to-follow, step-by-step guidelines; checklists of critical questions to answer; success stories in both urban and rural settings; and sample scenarios, dialogues, and interview questions.

Equally useful to veteran professionals and those just starting out, this compelling guidebook breathes new life into the job development process and helps readers imagine a wider world of employment opportunities for people with disabilities.