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I HAVE A BRAIN INJURY

FINDING A JOB WHEN YOU HAVE A BRAIN INJURY.

TBI BRAIN INJURY FINDING A JOB EMPLOYMENT DISABILITY WORKING.jpg

Having a job provides us with feelings of self-worth, responsibility and independence. It nurtures our sense of accomplishment.

Common Challenges.

  • ​Asking for accommodations

  • Over-Cautious employers

  • Mixed or very short working schedules

  • Making money and loosing essential support services

  • Bringing your personal assistant

  • Maintaining concentration and attention.

  • Quick or extreme fatigue

  • Speech

  • Memory loss

  • Social relationships

  • Emotional

  • Behavioral

  • Physical abilities

  • Limited vision

Assessing Your Abilities and Skills.

Think about factors in the workplace that will negatively affect your condition. Some conditions may make you sensitive to certain environmental conditions, such as temperature extremes or certain substances in the workplace.

  • For example, you may have respiratory issues that are aggravated by humidity in the air or dust and fumes. Or you may have hearing issues that are irritated by noise or vibrations from moving machinery. You may also have a discomfort working at heights or with certain odors.

  • Identifying your comfort levels with these factors will ensure you only pursue work positions that will suit your condition and not harm you in any way.

Use a Variety of Job-Seeking Techniques

  • Personal contacts

  • Classified ads

  • Campus job-placement services

  • Job-placement assistance through temp agencies

  • Disability advocacy or support groups

  • Vocational rehabilitation agencies

  • Take advantage of the Internet

  • When you apply for a position, FOCUS on your qualifications and abilities.

Do Your Homework First.

  • Research the company you're applying to.

  • Check with disability advocacy groups to see if the company has a good reputation for hiring, training and promoting workers with disabilities.

  • Find out their strengths and weaknesses.

  • Many corporations' Web sites provide lots of information

  • Know how your background and experience fit with the company. 

  • Be prepared to discuss why your strengths.

  • Being familiar with the company, shows you're motivated to work for them.

Know What Technologies Can Help You Work Effectively

  • Your skills may be maximized through assistive technology.

  • Speech recognition software

  • StickyKeys

  • Auto-correct, for instance

  • Adjusting a monitor's resolution can make big difference when reading small print easier for people with limited vision.

Decide When to Disclose Your Disability

  • Even though federal law states you aren't required to reveal your disability, unless it relates to completing essential job functions, consider being open on this subject.

  • If you volunteer this information, the employer may see you as a strong and confident person.

  • Depending on the circumstances, you could describe your limitations in a resume, cover letter, or job application.

  • If you need a special schedule make this clear on your application, employers dislike being mislead. 

  • Identify your physical abilities. Consider how your condition affects your ability to do certain work-related activities like sitting, standing, walking, lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling.

Make the Interview Easy for the Employer

  • If you are bringing an interpreter, wheelchair, guide dog, etc.

notify your interviewers so they can prepare in advance.

  • As needed, inquire about accessible entrances to the building and the best route once inside to get to your interview.

Role-Play

  • If your disability makes you do certain tasks differently, are you comfortable explaining how you will perform the job?

  • Try role-playing the situation with a trusted friend, team member or family member.

  • Practice explaining how you will perform your job and what accommodations, if any, you need.

  • Describe how the company would benefit from hiring you. 

Dress Appropriately

  • Unless specifically encouraged to dress casually, follow the universal code about what to wear to an interview:

  • Dress business casual.

  • For people with limited mobility, the process of dressing for a job interview can be quite a challenge, but it's worth it.

Bring Samples of Your Work and Extra Resumes

  • A clean, printed resume.

  • Ask friends and family to write short references about your abilities.

  • Your employer may want to know how well you maintain concentration and attention in a workplace, and your ability to understand, remember, and carry out instructions.

  • Samples allow you to illustrate your skills with specific examples.

Anticipate and Address Potential Concerns Directly

  • You know some people have fears and prejudices about workers with disabilities, even when they don't express these attitudes directly. If you want the job, you must allay these concerns. Using examples from your own life or prior work experience, discuss how you accomplish activities that challenge you, like getting around the workplace, communicating with others, using equipment and so forth.

Handle Illegal Interview Questions with Grace

  • The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 made it illegal for employers to ask about medical history during an interview.

  • If you are asked inappropriate question, respond diplomatically. Try: "Nothing in my personal life will keep me from doing an outstanding job in this position." This answer should satisfy a prospective employer's concerns about your ability to get the job done.

Start identifying your career path 

Finding a Job - ( Some Great Options )

Look for a position through a temporary agency.

Temporary agency employment is a great way to get back into the workforce, gain skills, and reorient yourself to the current job market. Some of the largest temporary agencies are:

Useful Resources 

National Resources for TBI individuals, employers, and caregivers

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act
BIA Brain Injury Association of America
BTF Brain Trauma Foundation
Brain Injury Alliance
California TBI Advisory Board report
CDC Center for Disease Control and Prevention TBI Information
Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center
JAN Job Accommodation Network
Mayo Clinic
NARIC National Rehabilitation Information Center
NASET National Association of Special Education Teachers
The Interactive Brain
Traumatic Brain Injury National Database Center
US Department of Labor Disability Employment Policy
VA Department of Veterans Affairs
Wounded Warrior Project

Alabama TBI Rehabilitation Program (334) 293.7500
Alaska TABI Traumatic and Acquired Brain Injury Program (907) 465.1605
Arizona Department of Economic Security TBI Services (800) 563.1221
Arkansas Healthy Arkansas TBI Services (501) 661.2000
California Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board (800) 952.5544
Colorado Adult TBI Supportive Services (888) 331.3311
Connecticut Department of Social Services (855) 6.CONNECT
Delaware Brain Injury Association of Delaware (302) 346.2083
Florida TBI Resource and Support Center (800) 992.3442
Georgia Brain Injury Resource Directory (404) 712.5504
Hawaii TBI Board of Hawaii (808) 586.4400
Idaho Idaho State University TBI Virtual Program Center (208) 373.1773
Illinois Healthcare and Family TBI Services (800) 843.6154
Indiana Brain Injury Association of Indiana (317) 356.7722
Iowa Advisory Council on Brain Injuries (866) 227.9878
Kansas Brain Injury Association of Kansas (913) 754.8883
Kentucky NeuroRestorative of Kentucky (800) 743.6802
Louisiana Brain Injury Association of Louisiana (504) 982.0685
Maine Disability and Developmental Services (207) 287.9200
Maryland TBIMD Support Groups (410) 448.2924
Massachusetts Statewide and Specialized TBI Community Services (617) 204.3852
Michigan TBI Resource Guide (517) 335.1980
Minnesota Hennepin County Medical Center TBI Services (612) 873.3284
Mississippi Brain Injury Association of Mississippi (601) 981.1021
Missouri TBI Guide and Resources (573) 751.6400
Montana Department of Human Services TBI Fact Sheet (888) 279.7532
Nebraska Brain Injury Advisory Council (308) 865.5012
Nevada TBI Community Enrichment Program (702) 259.1903
New Hampshire Brain Injury Association of NH (603) 225.8400
New Jersey NJ Traumatic Brain Injury Fund (888) 285.3036
New Mexico BrainLine of New Mexico (505) 292.7414
New York Vocational Rehabilitation Services (800) 222.JOBS
North Carolina TBI Resources Office (919) 715.5989
North Dakota Head Injury Association of ND (877) 525.2724
Ohio Ohio State University BI Rehabilitation Program (800) 293.5123
Oklahoma Head Injury Resource Directory (800) 522.0203
Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Services for Disabled Adults (800) 452.1694
Pennsylvania PDH Head Injury Program (877) PA.HEALTH
Rhode Island Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island (401) 228.3319
South Carolina SC Vocational Rehabilitation Department (803) 896.6040
South Dakota USD TBI Research and Services (605) 357.1439
Tennessee Traumatic Brain Injury Program (615) 741.1230
Texas Texas Education Agency TBI Resources (512) 463.9734
Utah Brain Injury Alliance of Utah (801) 716.4993
Vermont Traumatic Brain Injury Program (802) 871.3069
Virginia Brain Injury Services Coordination (800) 552.5019
Washington Traumatic Brain Injury Council (877) TBI.1766
Washington DC Brain Injury Association of Washington DC (202) 659.0122
West Virginia Center for Excellence in Disabilities 1-877-724-8244
Wisconsin Brain Injury Resource Center (262) 770.4882
Wyoming Brain Injury Alliance of Wyoming 1-800-643-6457

CONNECTICUT BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GRO
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