Update on DS job hunt

[Guest guest]

I haven’t posted in awhile, life had been too

depressing lately. DS, 25, graduated from Job Corps in August with culinary

arts training and immediately began a job search. He really wanted to work in

an assisted living ctr., loves older people. The most recent place, after two

interviews, he failed the “corporate compatibility” test that he

took on their computer. Then right before Thanksgiving they called him back!

They wanted to “waive” the test, the chef liked him and they wanted

to hire him. He went back for paperwork to start TB test, and drug test, etc.

He met the division president. And then we waited. He called every week and

every time they told him they were still waiting on paperwork and/or background

check. Finally after six weeks of this we contacted Voc Rehab. He’s been

working with them and they had gone right over to the center as soon as they

wanted to hire DS to say that they have federal stimulus funds to pay DS salary

during training, provide a job coach, nice perks. Well, finally they told Voc

Rehab the truth, that they had hired someone else. They overruled the chef and

didn’t have the _ _ _ _ _ to tell my son. It was all I could do to hold

back from trotting right over there and telling them off. DS wrote chef a

“thank you, I sure am disappointed” note. ARRGH! More than AARGH. I

think this is the rudest, most horrible way to treat anyone that I have heard.

Perhaps a sign he should be glad he is NOT working for them.

DS has sent out over 70 resume’s and cover letters,

which means customized resume, contacts etc. and he’s had over 15

interviews at this point. One place even reported back to VR that DS

“flabbergasted” them in how well he did in interview. Did they

offer him a job, NO, did they even call him back, NO!

So, after some time to recover his sense of worth, he headed

back out and this Monday got hired at CheeBurger CheeBurger as prep cook and

cook! And this part really blew me away--the owner asked DS to bring in his MOM

to second interview! He said that helps him get a better feel for “what

him employees are all about.” So I went with him Monday, tried very hard

not to open my mouth and he offered son the job right on the spot. I wanted to

cry! But, am not getting my hopes up yet, very cautious! He will have a full

time coach from Voc Rehab in with him while he learns.

A few lessons learned on my part include: I loved Job Corps,

but--big but--I think many employers were suspicious of the name, didn’t

know what it was. I don’t’ know but after about 65 resume’s

and cover letters we left it out and just talked about “culinary

training.” I also dearly love the people at Voc Rehab, but, again big

but, the word “Rehabilitation” is a scary, trigger word. The idea

that they would come in and provide job coach was weird to employees. It was a

tightrope walk all the time for my son whose communication skills are poor at

best. Do you say “disability” or not? Do you say

“autism?” How about “learning disability or ADD?” With

this manager, we decided ADD was a good middle ground. DS told him what he does

to compensate such as to-do lists since his short term memory is terrible and

telling him more than 4 things at time won’t work. We told him that he

may have to give him a little more time to learn or tell him more often to

focus. And everything else we will just deal with as it comes up.

I know most of you on this list are not anywhere near

dealing with these issues. But I found—surprise—all that stuff in

the IEP just never goes away! You deal with it differently at different ages,

like remembering sequences of things or several directions at a time. Or maybe

most others just “outgrow” their disabilities and difficulties. But

in our experience, they were all still there just waiting to pop out!

Sue in Tn

[Guest guest]

Sue, I am sooo sorry for what your son and you have been thru!!!

It is devastating to think you have a job covered, and they drag

their feet instead of coming right out and telling you. GAH that

makes me ANGRY when they do that. My husband's work is marketing,

and I think he is a little aspergerie, and he has had tons of

employment ups and downs. Soooo frustrating.

I am so glad for the new job tho!!! I guess I will remember that

about " disclosure " . I have a disability about how long I can work

on my feet, and I was an OR nurse. I never told at the interview,

then obtained a dr excuse to not work over certain amount of hours.

I learned that the hard way. I am now too disabled to work.

I think we parents need to remain flexible and encouraging for a

longer period of time than maybe we thought we'd signed on for.

My husband and I sorta grieved that to be truthful, we had looked

forward to the " empty nest " years for each other. I know that

sounds mean, but there it is. AND I still think they will get

there where they are at their happy place and independent,

every one is at a different place in their disability with this

stuff. Everyone has their own pace. I'm not in zen land everyday.

My counselor helps me with that.

Best wishes for his working! Jo

[Guest guest]

So good to hear your update!!! I hope it works out.

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

From: Sue Lowery <sue@...> Sent: Wed, February 17, 2010 7:32:41 PMSubject: ( ) Update on DS job hunt

I haven’t posted in awhile, life had been too depressing lately. DS, 25, graduated from Job Corps in August with culinary arts training and immediately began a job search. He really wanted to work in an assisted living ctr., loves older people. The most recent place, after two interviews, he failed the “corporate compatibility†test that he took on their computer. Then right before Thanksgiving they called him back! They wanted to “waive†the test, the chef liked him and they wanted to hire him. He went back for paperwork to start TB test, and drug test, etc. He met the division president. And then we waited. He called every week and every time they told him they were still waiting on paperwork and/or background check. Finally after six weeks of this we contacted Voc Rehab. He’s been working with them and they had gone right over to the center as soon

as they wanted to hire DS to say that they have federal stimulus funds to pay DS salary during training, provide a job coach, nice perks. Well, finally they told Voc Rehab the truth, that they had hired someone else. They overruled the chef and didn’t have the _ _ _ _ _ to tell my son. It was all I could do to hold back from trotting right over there and telling them off. DS wrote chef a “thank you, I sure am disappointed†note. ARRGH! More than AARGH. I think this is the rudest, most horrible way to treat anyone that I have heard. Perhaps a sign he should be glad he is NOT working for them.

DS has sent out over 70 resume’s and cover letters, which means customized resume, contacts etc. and he’s had over 15 interviews at this point. One place even reported back to VR that DS “flabbergasted†them in how well he did in interview. Did they offer him a job, NO, did they even call him back, NO!

So, after some time to recover his sense of worth, he headed back out and this Monday got hired at CheeBurger CheeBurger as prep cook and cook! And this part really blew me away--the owner asked DS to bring in his MOM to second interview! He said that helps him get a better feel for “what him employees are all about.†So I went with him Monday, tried very hard not to open my mouth and he offered son the job right on the spot. I wanted to cry! But, am not getting my hopes up yet, very cautious! He will have a full time coach from Voc Rehab in with him while he learns.

A few lessons learned on my part include: I loved Job Corps, but--big but--I think many employers were suspicious of the name, didn’t know what it was. I don’t’ know but after about 65 resume’s and cover letters we left it out and just talked about “culinary training.†I also dearly love the people at Voc Rehab, but, again big but, the word “Rehabilitation†is a scary, trigger word. The idea that they would come in and provide job coach was weird to employees. It was a tightrope walk all the time for my son whose communication skills are poor at best. Do you say “disability†or not? Do you say “autism?†How about “learning disability or ADD?†With this manager, we decided ADD was a good middle ground. DS told him what he does to compensate such as to-do lists since his short term memory is terrible and telling him more than 4 things at

time won’t work. We told him that he may have to give him a little more time to learn or tell him more often to focus. And everything else we will just deal with as it comes up.

I know most of you on this list are not anywhere near dealing with these issues. But I found—surprise—all that stuff in the IEP just never goes away! You deal with it differently at different ages, like remembering sequences of things or several directions at a time. Or maybe most others just “outgrow†their disabilities and difficulties. But in our experience, they were all still there just waiting to pop out!

Sue in Tn

[Guest guest]

Sue, I'm thinking good thoughts for him, really hope he likes it and does well!

How do you like his job coach? (always the same person?)

Regarding the company that left him hanging -- with my oldest, NT, son I had a

couple like that. He was trying plumbing at one time, worked some days one

week, they were to call him with more jobs (said they were caught up...) and

then I saw an ad that next week in paper where they were hiring! I told my son

apparently you were fired. Have to laugh a bit at this -- was a couple years

later I had an emergency problem with a commode on a Sunday and I looked in

yellow pages and called a company whose name was familiar and said handled emer

calls. Well, yep, my memory, it was THAT company. Guy came, fixed it for me,

asked after my son, said they mailed out their bills, didn't have to pay then --

and I never got a bill!

Target was another. Left him hanging, yes they hired him, waiting on this/that,

re-do this.... Well let's just say I don't shop at Target after that personnel

disaster.

Keep us updated. My (OCD, Aspergers) is still in college and will

someday be looking like your's!

>

> I haven't posted in awhile, life had been too depressing lately. DS, 25,

> graduated from Job Corps in August with culinary arts training and

> immediately began a job search. He really wanted to work in an assisted

> living ctr., loves older people. The most recent place, after two

> interviews, he failed the " corporate compatibility " test that he took on

> their computer. Then right before Thanksgiving they called him back! They

> wanted to " waive " the test, the chef liked him and they wanted to

[Guest guest]

Yay! I'm so glad to hear he got the job!! Definitely we will all wait to hear how he is doing. I pray that he finds his place in that work environment and gets to stay.

Roxanna

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." E. Burke

( ) Update on DS job hunt

I haven’t posted in awhile, life had been too

depressing lately. DS, 25, graduated from Job Corps in August with culinary

arts training and immediately began a job search. He really wanted to work in

an assisted living ctr., loves older people. The most recent place, after two

interviews, he failed the “corporate compatibility†test that he

took on their computer. Then right before Thanksgiving they called him back!

They wanted to “waive†the test, the chef liked him and they wanted

to hire him. He went back for paperwork to start TB test, and drug test, etc.

He met the division president. And then we waited. He called every week and

every time they told him they were still waiting on paperwork and/or background

check. Finally after six weeks of this we contacted Voc Rehab. He’s been

working with them and they had gone right over to the center as soon as they

wanted to hire DS to say that they have federal stimulus funds to pay DS salary

during training, provide a job coach, nice perks. Well, finally they told Voc

Rehab the truth, that they had hired someone else. They overruled the chef and

didn’t have the _ _ _ _ _ to tell my son. It was all I could do to hold

back from trotting right over there and telling them off. DS wrote chef a

“thank you, I sure am disappointed†note. ARRGH! More than AARGH. I

think this is the rudest, most horrible way to treat anyone that I have heard.

Perhaps a sign he should be glad he is NOT working for them.

DS has sent out over 70 resume’s and cover letters,

which means customized resume, contacts etc. and he’s had over 15

interviews at this point. One place even reported back to VR that DS

“flabbergasted†them in how well he did in interview. Did they

offer him a job, NO, did they even call him back, NO!

So, after some time to recover his sense of worth, he headed

back out and this Monday got hired at CheeBurger CheeBurger as prep cook and

cook! And this part really blew me away--the owner asked DS to bring in his MOM

to second interview! He said that helps him get a better feel for “what

him employees are all about.†So I went with him Monday, tried very hard

not to open my mouth and he offered son the job right on the spot. I wanted to

cry! But, am not getting my hopes up yet, very cautious! He will have a full

time coach from Voc Rehab in with him while he learns.

A few lessons learned on my part include: I loved Job Corps,

but--big but--I think many employers were suspicious of the name, didn’t

know what it was. I don’t’ know but after about 65 resume’s

and cover letters we left it out and just talked about “culinary

training.†I also dearly love the people at Voc Rehab, but, again big

but, the word “Rehabilitation†is a scary, trigger word. The idea

that they would come in and provide job coach was weird to employees. It was a

tightrope walk all the time for my son whose communication skills are poor at

best. Do you say “disability†or not? Do you say

“autism?†How about “learning disability or ADD?†With

this manager, we decided ADD was a good middle ground. DS told him what he does

to compensate such as to-do lists since his short term memory is terrible and

telling him more than 4 things at time won’t work. We told him that he

may have to give him a little more time to learn or tell him more often to

focus. And everything else we will just deal with as it comes up.

I know most of you on this list are not anywhere near

dealing with these issues. But I found—surprise—all that stuff in

the IEP just never goes away! You deal with it differently at different ages,

like remembering sequences of things or several directions at a time. Or maybe

most others just “outgrow†their disabilities and difficulties. But

in our experience, they were all still there just waiting to pop out!

Sue in Tn