Employment Discovery Process
What Is Discovering Personal Genius™?
Individuals with disabilities are successful in jobs that are a match for their unique interests and skills. The job match is what determines success, not the individual’s disability. Traditional ways of finding jobs tend to fit the person into the job and often the “fit” is problematic. Kaposia uses Discovering Personal Genius™, a customized employment process, to find a job that fits the individual.
Finding a job is important, but keeping the job is equally important. Success is all about the job match. The steps to a successful job match are:
In-depth Learning Process about the Person Before We Start Looking for a Job
- Identify interests, skills/strengths, conditions and supports necessary for success through activities such as observations in a variety of settings, skills testing, and interviewing people who know you well.
- Analyze that information to identify 3 broad vocational themes such as helping others, culinary, working with hands, etc. We also identify the conditions that will make the person successful in a job, such as the right workplace environment, culture and social requirements.
In-depth Analysis of Businesses that Match the Person’s Interests and Skills
- Break vocational themes into a variety of jobs that fit the theme.
- Research potential businesses that might be a match by developing a list of 20 businesses for each of the person’s three vocational themes to drill down to ones that go beyond available job openings or a job developer’s limited knowledge base.
- Identify businesses to target for information interviews, including niche and small businesses which might otherwise never be explored. Smaller businesses create more jobs than large businesses and it is easier to get to the person who makes hiring decisions. Small businesses also are more likely to customize a job based on their business needs.
Finding an Optimal Job Match Between the Person and the Business
- Select the businesses for information interviews that seem most promising. Information interviews get the person inside a workplace to actually see what it is like and to have a one-on-one conversation (not a job interview) with an employer who shares their interests and skills. Information interviews provide an opportunity to go beyond the information on a resume or job application to present skills in a variety of ways. We follow leads for additional information interviews until a job offer is made. It can take time to find a job, but the results are worth it.
- Work with the business after a job offer is made, to create a job that is customized to the person and the needs of the business. With customized employment, the employer is already invested in seeing the individual succeed.
If you are a job seeker, a family member or professional, here are the steps to take to get started with the Discovery Process:
1. Call us. Discover if our services are are right for you.
2. Contact the professional who works with you.
3. Learn more in person. We will work with anyone who wants to work and finds our services a fit.
4. Meet with a Career Consultant and an Employment Consultant who will support you on your employment journey.
5. Begin your customized job search. We will work with you to uncover your top skills and desires and effectively network within your community.
6. Our ongoing support, customized to fit your needs, will enable your independence on the job.