VOCATIONAL EXLORATION and RESEARCH: How To's!

Sunday, November 21, 2004 | 0

What to Do While You Are Waiting:

The time that you spend on medical recovery can often be confusing and seem endless, without any sense of purpose for some injured workers. There are medical appointments to attend, legal meetings, physical therapy...........

Life can sometimes feel out of control. The doctor tells you things you cannot do and often injured workers are looking for a way to gain some sense of control and find some meaningful activity during the "waiting game".

While you may have given some thought to other things you might want to do, it is just as likely the whole process may have thrown you into a tailspin and it is hard to know which way to go.

This method will give you some tips on how you can start looking into some return to work ideas, gather information, become knowleagble and find some sense of control while you are in the system.

The process will require a telephone and talking to anyone and everyone you know, letting them know you are starting to look into return to work options. If you have a computer, you can conduct some of the research there. It will also basically involve talking to people in some of the areas you have thought of.

What I have found in 21 years of helping injured workers in return to work planning is once upon a time, before you went into the type of work you were doing, there was another path or road you did not take.

Many were raising a family; many needed to just get to work to pay the bills. Think about what other ideas you may have had earlier on in your life. Maybe this can be the time to go in that direction.

Tools:

1. Telephone

2. Contacts through community, church, your children(s)' school or activities, family: let them know you are starting to look at your return to work planning. Find out what they do for work and ask a lot of questions.

3. Newspaper: go through the classifieds and circle ads that are attractive to you. What is it about the description that appeals to you? Hours? Working conditions? Job duties?

At this stage, do not become concerned with whether or not you are qualified. Remember, you are not looking for a job right now, but you are doing this to see what interests you.

Take notes and write down the information.

4. Yellow pages: this is one of the greatest research tools. If you are interested, for example, in working in a law firm, see the different types of law specialty areas and call some of the contacts. If you are interested in clerical work, flip through and see types of office settings and businesses that interest you, such as medical.

Now, how to do it and what to say:

Ask anyone you talk to if they will help you and if you can take several minutes of their time. Be sure to let them know you are doing some research into vocational areas. Most people want to help others, but you will have a better chance of gathering your information if you don't call first or last thing in the workday as most are busy with their work and would not have the time.

What To Ask:

* Within the last six months, have you filled any positions with your company? Are there any openings right now and what is the way people who want to get into the field of --------- start with your company?

* When hiring for a position in the area of ----------------------, what are some of the requirements, skills or things you are looking for to work in your company?

* What are some of the physical requirements for this type of work? Does it involve any heavy lifting and would this type of work be able to be performed by someone who has a restriction of---------------------------; ask questions about hand usage and/or extended sitting or standing. Is there opportunity to change positions by doing other tasks?

* Would your company be interested in hiring skilled worker and offer on-the-job training in the areas of -----------------------, for which you may be able to receive payroll reimbursement of a determined amount for a given period of tie in exchange for the training?

If you are working with a vocational rehabilitation counselor, they can help in talking with the employer and developing an on-the-job training agreement.

* I know this may be a difficult question to answer, but I wonder if you could give me a rough idea of the starting salary and the advancement potential for positions in the ______________ field?

* Are there particular types of training and specific schools you would recommend or have hired from?

* Ask if they like their work, what are the positives? What does someone thinking about that type of work need to know about it?

If you have ever thought about Self-Employment, start thinking about anything and everything you would want and need to do considering your idea: if you really had the chance to do this, what would the picture look like, who would use your services, how would you do it? Really think about your dream!

By starting early on in the research process, there will be many benefits for you. Some of them include knowing you are doing something productive to help yourself, and taking action and doing something positive for yourself. You are learning about different vocational areas and you will have firsthand information about different types of work and what is required.

If you start working with a vocational rehabilitation counselor, you will then have much information to bring in and will be somewhat closer to what it is you might want to do.

Article submitted by Jamie Charter, Return to Work Consultant. Jamie has 21 years of experience assisting injured workers and their employers in return to work issues. She is a frequent article contributor to workcompcentral.com, is active on the injured worker forums and is the Newsletter Editor of CARRP, the California Association of Rehabilitation and Reemployment Professionals; CARRP has been KEEPING CALIFORNIA WORKING SINCE 1975; VISIT CARRPS' WEBSITE AT FOR THE INJURED WORKER RESOURCE SECTION.

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The views and opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of workcompcentral.com, its editors or management.