Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from EmployReward Solutions, Inc.! We will be closed on Monday, January 2nd in observance of the New Year holiday.  We will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 3rd for your convenience. Please be safe and responsible, and have an enjoyable holiday!  We look forward to serving you in the new year!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from EmployReward Solutions, Inc.! We will be closed on Friday, Dec. 23 and Monday, Dec. 26 in order to allow our employees to observe the Christmas holiday with their families and friends. We will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 27 for your convenience. Please be safe and responsible, and have an enjoyable holiday season!

Toys For Tots

As part of the company's holiday celebration, employees at EmployReward Solutions, Inc. raised money this week towards the purchase of toys for the Toys For Tots campaign.  Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which donates toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major William L. Hendricks.

Happy Thanksgiving from EmployReward Solutions, Inc.!

Happy Thanksgiving from EmployReward Solutions, Inc.! We will be closed on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 in order to allow our employees to observe the holiday with their families and friends. We will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, November 28 for your convenience. Please be safe and responsible, and have an enjoyable holiday!

Learning to Handle Time Management

By Tripp, Senior Ticket Counselor

Do you find yourself overwhelmed and wishing for more time throughout the day?
Do you finish projects and tasks only to find more pile up for you to complete?
Do you struggle to devote the right amount of attention to your tasks because of frequent interruptions and lack of organization?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may struggle with time management.  Time management is how well a person controls the amount of time spent on activities or projects in an effort to increase their efficiency and/or productivity.  Sounds stressful?  It doesn’t have to be! 

Time management is an important skill to master, and certainly one that potential employers look for in employees.  When reviewing candidates for available jobs, employers want to make sure they are going to hire someone who uses their time on the job wisely.  If you aren’t sure how well you would rate your time management skills, try this free quiz by MindTools.com to measure where you many need to improve.

The key to good time management is organization.  From here the process will get easier as you go.  Below are some tips to help you get started on improving your time management.

1. Plan each day.  This can help you accomplish more and help you feel more in control of your schedule.  A to-do list with the most important tasks at the top can definitely help.  You may also want to keep a daily schedule so as to avoid any conflicts or last-minute rushes.
2.  Prioritize your tasks.  Don’t spend all your time on non-essential tasks.  By prioritizing your tasks, you will make sure to devote most of your attention and energy to the ones that truly matter, and allow for you to get back to the other tasks when it is more convenient. 
3. Delegate.  If you have too much on your to-do list, look for opportunities to delegate some of your tasks to others.  However, make sure this is okay with your employer BEFORE going ahead.
4. Take the time you need to do a quality job.  Take the time and effort to do a job right the first time.  While it may take you longer that you’d like, you won’t be spending any unnecessary time going back later to correct mistakes.  Your employer may appreciate this!
5. Break up large tasks into smaller ones.  If you have really complex tasks, take a few minutes at a time to work on them.  While it may seem small at first, the further along you get you will realize you are almost finished. 
6. Evaluate how you spend your time.  Keep a journal for several days that shows what you did and when.  Afterwards, go back and review what you completed.  You may notice that there are different tasks and time slots that can be used more wisely.  You may even be able to free up some extra time for breaks and/or relaxation. 
7. Limit distractions.  Block out some time in your schedule to tackle big projects.  This is a good time to shut that office door, turn off your phone, pager, e-mail, etc. to focus on the task at hand.
8. Get plenty of sleep, eat healthy, and exercise!  If you find that your ability to focus and concentrate at work is limited, make sure you are getting an appropriate amount of sleep, try eating healthier snacks and meals, or schedule a few minutes each day for some exercise.  Any amount will help! 
9. Take a break if needed.  Don’t let stress derail your attempts to get organized!  If you need a break, take one.  Take a mental health day to rest and re-energize.  If time off isn’t an option, short exercises at your desk may be the next best answer.  
10. Take a time management course.  This may sound like a silly idea, but in truth, it can certainly help!
11. Learn to say no.  This can be a hard lesson to learn in the workplace, but the sooner you learn it, the better.  Not everything asked of you is a requirement and taking on more than you can handle doesn’t always show an employer that you deserve more responsibility or respect. 

For more information on time management and how to improve these vital skills, visit some of the resources below.

Mind Tools – Time Management – Link

University of Illinois – University Housing – Link

Study Guides and Strategies – Time, Problem, and Project Management – Link

ERS Announces Changes to Office Hours

Effective immediately, ERS will observe the following office hours until further notice: 

Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST
Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST. 

Please give us a call at 1.888.322.9570 if you should need assistance.

Online Learning, is it right for me?

By Tripp, Senior Ticket Counselor

Are you looking to further your education, but…

• Don’t have enough time for a traditional school?
• Lack available transportation or funding to get to and from campus?

Are you interested in…?

• Learning around your personal/work schedule?
• Having access to your classes from almost anywhere at any time?
• Developing new or enhancing old computer skills?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may benefit from online learning programs.  Online learning programs are designed to give individuals the opportunity to complete a degree program without having to sit in a classroom.  These programs also allow you to learn at your own pace and in some cases you may be able to complete an online program in less time than a traditional classroom based degree program.  There are advantages and disadvantages to online learning programs, and it is important to determine up front if online learning is right for you. 

Some things to consider about online learning:

• Do I have the right motivation and study habits to handle an online program?

o   Take an online assessment by eLearners.com to see if you are ready for online learning.

• Do I have the right equipment at home and basic skills for online learning?

o   A high-speed internet connection.

o   A computer capable of accessing course material.

o   Current software to meet program guidelines.

o   Basic computer skills (typing, internet searching, etc.)

•  Is the school and program I am interested an officially recognized by my state or the US?

o   Can I transfer course credits to another school in the future?

o   Will a potential employer consider my online degree as acceptable for employment?

If you are looking to only attend an online program for a short period of time before transferring to another school, it is important to make sure that your classes from the online school will transfer.  If you are unsure about whether your classes will transfer, contact the Admissions Office at the school you will be transferring to and ask about the classes you are planning to take online BEFORE you begin the classes.  If the classes do not transfer to another school, you will be responsible for making them up at your new school. 

It is up to you to choose the program that is right for you.  Make sure the school you are choosing to attend is accredited and the program meets any state/federal regulations for employment in your area.  Accredited simply means that the school has demonstrated their academic quality to the public and are eligible to receive federal funds. Employers will verify the validity of your degree or certification with the school you attended or with the National Student Clearinghouse database.   If a degree or certification is required for employment and a potential employer is unable to verify your degree/certification you will run the risk of not being considered for a position with that company.  Typically a recognized institution with online degree programs will carry more weight with employers than a degree awarded by a lesser known school.  For additional information on accredited schools and degree programs, visit the Council for Higher Education Accreditation’s website.  For select degree programs such as nursing, social work, education, or certified nursing assistant/home health aides, it is best to check with the state licensing board(s) to see if the program is state approved

Financial aid is available for online degree programs.  You will still want to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) form and consult other services for funding such as FastWeb.com online scholarship database.  For more information on financial aid, visit our blog archives. 

There is no website that offers a one stop shop for information on online degree programs and which schools are best.  You will need to set aside some time to do research.  Contact the schools and ask questions such as “what are the admission requirements?” or “what’s the biggest complaint from current students?”  If you are still in doubt about a school or program, check with the Department of Education  or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. 

For additional assistance with your education planning, feel free to contact a counselor here at EmployReward Solutions.  Give us a call at 1.888.322.9570 (Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST) or visit us online at http://www.employreward.com/. 

Additional Resources:

Department of Education – Link – (1-800-USA-LEARN)

Department of Education Accreditation Database – Link

Council for Higher Education Accreditation – Link

Florida Distance Learning Consortium – Link

College Fair Questions – Link

BrainTrack (Universities, Colleges, & Careers) – Link

Resume Assistance Services

By Tripp, Senior Ticket Counselor

Did you know…

• How important having a current resume really is?
• Most prospective employers use your resume, not your job application, to determine if you are a qualified candidate for their vacancies? 
• Your resume isn’t always reviewed by a person, but rather a computer.
• That typically a prospective employer only reviews the first third of your resume? 

Your resume is an opportunity to showcase your skills, experience, and to set yourself up for that big interview!  If you have ever written a resume, you know that it can be a time consuming and stressful process.  Guidelines for resumes are constantly changing, and what may have been great 2 years ago may not be great today.  We want to help you stay ahead of the game on resumes and cover letters.  Our services include simple resume critiques for that resume you already have and assisting you in building a new one. 

We invite you to check out the free information and resources we have available on our website.  We offer several presentations and tutorials on resume and cover letter writing.  This is great for individuals that have the time and the initiative to write their own resume.  For those who may be a little uncomfortable with the process or are unsure where to even begin, we also have resume writers available to assist you with the resume building process. 

We can help you complete a new resume in 3 easy steps:

1.       Complete the resume building worksheet.  Be as detailed as possible!

a.       The worksheet is available…

                                                                  i.      Online

                                                                 ii.      Via e-mail at CareerServices@employreward.com

                                                               iii.      Or if you do not have access to a computer, call us at 1.888.322.9570 and we will gladly mail one to you.

2.       Return your worksheet to our office via mail, fax, or e-mail.

a.       Mail to:  EmployReward Solutions, Inc.

    Attn:  Resumes

  PO Box 5599

  Florence, SC 29502

b.      Fax to:  1.888.322.9640.

c.       E-mail to:  CareerServices@EmployReward.com

3.       We will critique the completed resume you submit, or build a new one for you using the worksheet within 7 to 10 business days.

For more information on the services available to ticket holders by ERS check out our website or give us a call at 1.888.322.9570.  We are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST to assist you!  Always remember, we don’t succeed unless you succeed!

Disaster Preparedness: Taking Steps to Ensure the Safety of Yourself and Others

By Tripp, Senior Ticket Counselor

This week we will be taking a break from discussing the Ticket to Work to focus on something equally important, disaster preparedness.  2011 has been a year of disasters, not only for the United States, but for many countries abroad.  In light of these disasters President Barack Obama has declared September as National Preparedness Month. 

Disaster preparedness is something we tend to take for granted, but as we have seen, disasters can happen at any time with or without notice.  For example, the East Coast experienced a 5.9 magnitude earthquake and the residents of New England who were not expecting a hurricane to come knocking on their door.  It is important to take a few minutes to develop a plan of action just in case you should ever need it. 

Disability.gov, the government’s online resource for disability related information, has developed a section on their website dedicated to emergency preparedness.  This portal includes tools and resources such as:

• Instructions for individuals with pets or service animals.
• Ex. First Aid for Animals
•  Pet Owner Information
• Pet Preparedness Toolkit
• Tips and tricks on emergency kits and supplies.
• Emergency Preparedness for People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
• Emergency Preparedness for People with Communication & Speech-Related Disabilities
• Emergency Preparedness for People with Mobility Disabilities 
• Test Your Preparedness
• Advice for Caregivers
• How to prepare for an emergency at work or school.
• Accessible Emergency Plans
• Effective Emergency Planning:  Addressing the Needs of Employees with Disabilities
• Emergency Planning for Employees
• Planning for an Emergency:  School & Workplace
• Disaster Preparedness for Children & Schools
• Recommended Emergency Supplies for Schools
• When Words Are Not Enough
• Handicap Accessible shelters and emergency housing.
• ADA Checklist for Emergency Shelters
• Evacuee Support Planning Guide
• Shelter in Place
• Tips on recovering from a disaster when it strikes.
• After a Disaster – A Guide for Parents & Teachers
• Disaster Assistance
• Self-Care & Self-Help Following Disasters
• Emergency Preparedness Information by State.

In addition to Disability.gov, there are many other resources available on the web for helping you plan and prepare for disasters.  Some of these resources include:

• Ready.gov
• Are You Prepared? Video Contest
• FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination
• DisabilityPreparedness.gov
• National Preparedness Month Coalition
• DisasterAssistance.gov
• Emergency Preparedness and You
• Citizen Corps
• American Red Cross

We hope you will find this information and resources useful in assisting you in making plans for how you will handle a disaster when it happens.  You never know whose life you save, whether it is someone else’s or your own.  Take a moment to be prepared. 

Happy Labor Day!

By Tripp, Senior Ticket Counselor

Happy Labor Day from EmployReward Solutions, Inc.! We will be closed on Monday, September 5 in order to allow our employees to observe the holiday with their families and friends. We will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 6 for your convenience. Please be safe and responsible, and have an enjoyable holiday!

Going Back to School

By Robert, Ticket Counselor

What can I do to increase my income and improve my job prospects?  Will going back to school give me the extra edge I need in today’s job market?

Have you ever asked yourself these questions?  I have.  Personally, I decided that I need to go back to school part time to expand my career opportunities while still working to support myself.

In doing my own research I came across this chart from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Click image to open large version.

According to their study, education affects:

• The amount you earn, and

• Decreases the likelihood of you being unemployed.  (Data is from 2010 annual averages for persons age 25 and over. Earnings are for full-time wage and salary workers.)

On average working full time without a High School diploma or GED you may earn roughly $444 a week.  Getting your High School Diploma or GED can help increase this to $626 a week.  This puts an extra $182 a week on your paycheck!

Here at EmployReward Solutions one of the great FREE services available to you is our Education Planning Assistance.  If you are thinking about going back to school, call us and let us know and we will be excited to help you find the schools that offer the classes you are looking for!  Whether you want to go to an online school or take classes in a traditional classroom setting, we will point you in the right direction.

The cost of school is a huge factor in deciding if you are going to go back to school.  There are a number of options when it comes to paying for school.  With Education Planning Assistance, we can help you explore your financial aid options.

A great place to start applying for financial aid would be by completing a FAFSA application at  http://www.fafsa.ed.gov (Free Application for Student Aid) to determine if you are eligible for Grants and or Loans.

Grants are government money that is awarded to you to help pay the cost of School.  These are income based and do not have to be repaid.

You also have the option of taking out student loans to cover the cost of school if grants are not available or don’t cover the whole cost of tuition.  These are generally low interest rate loans that only have to be repaid once you are out of school.

The financial aid office at your school is a great resource to guide you through this process.  I was intimidated and confused by the process until I was able to talk to the staff and they really helped me to understand what I needed to do and guided me through the steps I needed to take to get set up.   

Don’t forget that being in school counts towards your “Timely Progress” as well.  Not sure what I am talking about, take a look at our previous article on the subject:  Timely Progress.

So if you are a Ticket Holder and like me have been thinking about your future, consider going back to school it may make the difference between living from paycheck to paycheck and having enough money to do more.  Contact us we want to hear from you!

10 useless résumé words – and 10 eye-catching ones

By Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder

"Generic hyperbole belongs on cereal boxes, not on résumés," says Duncan Mathison, a career consultant and co-author of "Unlock the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Successful Job Search When Times Are Tough." "If it does not pass the 'So what, anybody can make that claim' test, leave it off."
Instead of being another candidate professing to be a "hard worker," revitalize your application with a little seek-and-replace exercise. Scan your résumé for empty, overused words such as the following:

1.  Outstanding
2.  Effective
3.  Strong
4.  Exceptional
5.  Good
6.  Excellent
7.  Driven
8.  Motivated
9.  Seasoned
10. Energetic

"Watch out for words that are unsupported claims of greatness," Mathison says. Adds David Couper, a career coach and author of "Outsiders on the Inside: How to Create a Winning Career ... Even When You Don't Fit In," "If you call yourself an 'excellent manager,' how do we know?"
The nouns following those subjective adjectives can be equally meaningless. Anyone who has ever had a co-worker can claim to be a "team player."

A better route to take is describing accomplishments and letting the hirer make his own judgment. Give specific, and preferably quantifiable, accounts of what you've done that makes you an "outstanding salesperson." Likewise, peruse your performance reviews for quotable material from supervisors that demonstrates why they consider you a "strong leader." Listing awards or other forms of recognition also can be used as support.

Some words should be avoided because they convey traits that employers consider standard for anybody who wants to be hired. "You're motivated? Hope so. A good worker? So happy to hear that; I didn't want to hire a bad worker," Couper says. Don't take up precious résumé space with unnecessary items.
Also on the "don't" side: words that seek to overcome what you might think are your shortcomings. "Using 'seasoned' for 'over 50' or 'energetic' for 'inexperienced' looks like spin and smells like spin," Mathison says. Keep the focus on what makes you right for the job.

On the  flip side, certain words can make hiring managers do a  double take. Light up their eyes with these 10 words and phrases:

1.  Created
2.  Increased
3.  Reduced
4.  Improved
5.  Developed
6.  Researched
7.  Accomplished
8.  Won
9.   on time
10.  Under budget

"We suggest that résumé writers include action words to describe their jobs," says Susan Ach, a career counselor at Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. Verbs project the image of someone who has the background and initiative to get things done. Employers can clearly comprehend what you've accomplished and can use that as a basis for envisioning future success with their company. Think about it: If you were hiring, would you rather take on someone who calls himself a "productive manager" or somebody who states that at his last job he "increased company profit by 3 percent," "reduced employee turnover in his department to the best level in five years" and "improved brand awareness by implementing a new social media strategy"?

Lastly, it can be beneficial to use verbs and nouns that are common to your specific industry. This shows your familiarity with the language of your field and optimizes the chances of getting past an automatic scan for keywords. But remember, too, that all companies tend to speak a universal language: money.

"Terms such as 'on time' and 'under budget' are often good. Hiring managers want to know you can get things done with minimum fuss," Mathison says. Tell them what makes you the most profitable choice for the job and employers will tell you the best word of all: "hired."

Beth Braccio Hering researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder. Follow @Careerbuilder on Twitter.

As an SSI recipient, what do I get out of the Ticket to Work Program and ERS?

By Robert, Ticket Counselor

Picking up from last week’s article, we will now look at SSI (Supplemental Security Income).

What happens to my SSI payment when I start working?

As with SSDI, you need to report your income to the Social Security Administration (SSA) each month.

SSI is affected by your income as soon as you start earning a paycheck.  Your SSI payment will be reduced based on your gross income – for instance, every $2 you earn above the automatic deduction amount (minimum deduction is $65 dollars but in some cases is slightly more) your SSI payment will be reduced by $1.

Example:

$1000 Gross Earnings from employment

$65 Automatic Deduction Amount

-------------------

$935 Countable Income

-------------------

$935 Countable Income

Divided by 2

-------------------

$467.50 Amount SSI can be reduced by.

So based on the example above, your SSI income would be reduced by $467.50 if your gross earnings for the month are equal to $1000.00.

So if your single and currently receiving $674 monthly. By working and earning $1000 monthly, you have increased your income by $532.50 to $1206.50 gross monthly.

If you get to the point where you SSI payments have stopped because of your Income, you have a 5 year period, of expedited reinstatement – whereby if your income falls back below the point where you would be receiving SSI you can call into the Social Security Administration and have your benefits reinstated on a temporary basis for 6 months while they review your case and determine if you are eligible to continue receiving benefits. 

Enrolling in TTW through ERS gives you access to our dedicated team of career counselors and all of the services we provide.

Employment Assistance:  Are you out of Work or looking for something better? Let us know what you are looking for and we can help locate opportunities for you.

Education Planning Assistance:  Thinking about going back to school?  We can help research the schools in your area to find the classes you are looking for.

Transportation Assistance:  Having trouble getting to and from places, we will look for information for you for Public transportation systems in your area that can get you where you need to go.

Housing Assistance:  Need to move?  Having trouble paying for your home, we can research alternatives for you finding information on local housing authorities, HUD, low income or affordable housing near you.

Resume Assistance:  Worried that your resume is making a bad impression?  Let us review it for you. Our counselors can look over your resume and make suggestion on how to improve it to help you make a good impression as you apply to jobs.

Online resources:  Our website is host to a wide variety of resources, presentations on, Resume Writing, Cover letters, Building self-confidence, Interviewing and much more.  

Still have questions, get in touch let us know and we can explain it in detail over the phone.

Our contact information is available here.

If we don’t have a service or resource that you are currently interested in, let us know and we will work with you to develop those services to meet your needs!

As an SSDI recipient, what do I get out of the Ticket to Work Program and ERS?

By Robert, Ticket Counselor 

As we try to educate people about the Ticket to Work Program (TTW) one question keeps coming up and understandably so; “What’s in it for me?”

This week, we will focus on SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) benefits, and next week on SSI (Supplemental Security Income), as the two benefits are treated differently in the program.

What happens if you don’t enroll in TTW?

1. Income needs to be reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) monthly.
2. Trial Work Period (TWP) - is a 9 month period where no matter your earnings, you will continue to receive your disability check.  To use one of these months your earnings need to exceed $720 gross.  If not, then you will not use up one of the TWP months.
3. After the TWP has been completed, if your reported earnings exceed $1000 a month your benefits may be reduced or stopped.
4. Reinstatement of benefits may require a new application for disability.
5. Continuing Disability Reviews will be scheduled as normal.

If you chose to enroll in TTW with an employment network or vocational rehabilitation agency:

1. Income still needs to be reported to the SSA monthly.
2. Participation in the Trial Work Period (see above)
3. 36 month Extended Period Eligibility (EPE) - after your 9 month TWP has been exhausted, instead of your benefits being stopped completely if you earn over $1000 gross a month, you will receive your SSDI check for the months where your income drops back below the $1000 threshold.
4. 60 month Expedited Reinstatement - for 5 years after you stop receiving you benefits because of your income you are able to have your benefits reinstated without a new application, temporary benefits are awarded for 6 months while determination of eligibility is assessed.  This 5 year period runs concurrently with the EPE.
5. Continuation of Medical Coverage - Medicare/Medicaid benefits are protected and stay in place for at least 7 years 9 months after you stop receiving your SSDI check because of your income.  In many cases it can continue longer depending on your income.
6. Suspension of Continuing Disability Reviews – reviews are suspended while enrolled in the program and making timely progress towards your goals. 
7. To maintain your enrollment in TTW you need to be making “Timely progress” please see our earlier article for an explanation of this:  Timely Progress Guidelines.

Why should I choose ERS as my employment network?

Choosing to assign your ticket to ERS gives you access to our team of dedicated career counselors who are available to assist you, Monday through Friday 8-6 (EST).

We are available to assist you with a variety of services including:

Employment Assistance:  Are you out of Work or looking for something better? Let us know what you are looking for and we can help locate opportunities for you.

Education Planning Assistance:  Would you like to go back to school and improve your skills?  We can help research the schools in your area to find the classes you are looking for.

Transportation Assistance:  Having trouble getting to and from places, we will look for information for you for Public transportation systems in your area that can get you where you need to go.

Housing Assistance:  Need to move?  Having trouble paying your mortgage or rent? We can research alternatives for you finding information on local housing authorities, HUD, low income or affordable housing near you.

Resume Assistance:  Worried that your resume is making a bad impression?  Let us review it for you. Our counselors can look over your resume and make suggestion on how to improve it to help you make a good impression as you apply to jobs.

Online resources:  Our website  is host to a wide variety of resources, presentations on, Resume Writing, Cover letters, Building self-confidence, Interviewing and much more.  

Still have questions, get in touch let us know and we can explain it in detail over the phone.

Our contact information is available here.

If we don’t have a service or resource that you are currently interested in, let us know and we will work with you to develop those services to meet your needs!

What Am I Qualified For?

By Robert, Ticket Counselor 

As we assist our ticket holders in completing their applications for the Ticket to Work Program, we are often faced with people who aren’t sure what they are qualified for.

One of the best resources we have found to help with this is a government website, Career One Stop.

There is lots of valuable information on this site including:

• Career exploration
• Education and training
• Resumes and interviews salaries and benefits and so much more

Possibly the best resources on the site is the Skills Profiler.

The profiler is a series of forms that helps you identify skills and activities you have used on the job or elsewhere.  This will create a Custom Skills profile for you including:

• A summary of identified skills and work activities.
• A list of occupations matched either to skills or work activities.
• A link to Occupation Profiles for more detailed occupation information, as well as links from there to the Employer Locator for names of employers in their area.
• A "Compare to Another Occupation" feature that identifies similarities and differences between the selected occupation and another occupation of interest.

Your Skills profile will help you:

• Prepare for interviews;
• Write resumes and cover letters; and
• Explore career paths and training options.

Having used the profiler myself, as part of my research for this article – I was impressed by its level of detail.

You can either start by selecting a job type, or if you are not sure what kind of job is right for you, start by rating your own skills to find a job type match.

Choosing a job type gave me a detailed list of work activities – that are common in my field to help me start creating my profile.

This helped me to think about what I had done before.  Having the list really helped me to focus on the things I had done throughout my career

This then takes you into a General Skills Section where you can select skills from a wide range of different areas.  It highlights the skills that it knows are important for the job type you selected earlier.

Once you have selected your skills, you will be given the opportunity to rate your level with a particular skill from 1 (Low) to 7 (High).

Having completed your profile you are given the opportunity to save it in a variety of different formats (Word, Html, XML, or you can bookmark your profile so you can return to it later).

The site then suggests different job types that might be good for you based on your custom skill profile.

You can then research these jobs. – This takes you into employment data for the various jobs, showing you the skills recommended for those jobs even watch sample videos of people doing these jobs. It also provides employment data around salary and job growth both at a national and state level.

Good luck with your searching I hope this helps you find the path that is right for you.  If you are a ticket holder and need help please give us a call.

Is your Voicemail affecting your Job Prospects?

By Robert, Ticket Counselor 

Are you hurting your chances of employment without even knowing it?

Recruiters call many people every day and have to make quick judgments on the suitability of candidates. Every day at ERS we make outbound calls to our tickets holders and hear the variety of voice mail messages our ticket holders have set up.  Some of them make us laugh, but some of them give us pause for thought and make us wonder:

What would I think if I was phoning this person to set up an interview or offer them a job?

Now I am not a recruiter – so I decided to see what recruiters I know had to say on the subject, and our observations were correct.  I contacted a colleague who works for a local hospital, and was advised that the voice mail message that was played could make them quickly rethink their position on a candidate.

From our own experiences here in the ERS call center we came up with a list of examples of bad voicemails that we had heard while calling out to our clients:

•  “Comedy” Voice messages with Cartoon Voices.
•  Rapping / Signing - Keep it for the shower or the American Idol Audition tape. :)
•  Cursing - no one wants to hire you if you hit them with an F-Bomb!
•  Long, rambling messages. 
•  Preaching – your voice mail probably isn’t the best place to spread the good word.

Examples of good voice mails should be fairly common sense.

•  Keep it Short and to the point.
•  Keep it Clean.
•  Make sure it’s understandable – play it back to yourself.
•  Would you want to hear that message if you were calling someone to work for you?

My recruiter colleague also asked me to remind you all to think about your email address too:

That “hilarious” email you have for your friends to send you stuff is probably not the best one to use when you are sending in resumes.  There are plenty of free email services so you can always set up a 2^nd professional email address so recruiters aren’t put off before they even get a look at your resume.

Special Accommodations Case Study

By Tripp, Senior Ticket Counselor

For individuals with disabilities, a special accommodation can make all the difference between being able to gain employment in a particular job, or not being able to pursue the job at all.  At ERS it is our goal to make sure that individuals in the Ticket to Work program are able to effectively utilize their skills and work experiences in employment positions that are a good match for them by providing Ticket Holders with job accommodation planning and career/job placement counseling. 

For example, Jacqueline of South Carolina pursued and obtained an employment opportunity last fall with a national retailer.  After a few months of employment, the employer decided that Jacqueline’s skills and work experience would make for a good fit in other positions within the store, such as a cashier, however because she is legally blind, it was difficult for her to transition into other positions that required strong visual acuity. 

Jacqueline spoke to a counselor at ERS about job accommodation planning and inquired about how to obtain a special accommodation so that she is able to further her employment as a cashier.  She had found that using a magnifying glass at home aided her in being able to read and see certain objects, but was not comfortable with using this one and only device at work as well.  The ERS counselor researched assistive devices for individuals with visual impairments and provided her with a catalog of reasonably priced devices and encouraged her to speak with her employer about applying for a special accommodation under the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Armed with the information provided by ERS and the encouragement to speak to her employer, Jacqueline was successful in obtaining the special accommodation necessary to allow her to continue training and transitioning into the cashiering position. 

Financial Aid for Individuals with Disabilities

By Tripp, Senior Ticket Counselor 

Obtaining an education can be an expensive, yet rewarding adventure.  For many, it provides an opportunity to obtain better employment or simply to fulfill a long held dream.  Once you have gone through the process of standardized testing, applying for schools and programs, and getting accepted, the next, and most important step, is securing the finances to fund your education.  There are many types of financial aid available, including scholarships, grants, and loans.  There are different ways you may qualify for each type of aid, however keep in mind that loans must be paid back.  When applying for financial aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) first.  This application will review your eligibility for federal aid including Pell grants and subsidized or unsubsidized Stafford loans.  Subsidized loans are not charged interest before repayment of the loan begins because the federal government is subsidizing the interest for you during your education.  Unsubsidized loans will accrue interest until the full loan balance is paid.  The interest is capitalized, meaning that you pay interest on any interest that has already been accrued.  One way to minimize how much interest accrues is to pay the interest as it accumulates.  For more information about federal financial aid, visit one of the links below:

U.S. Department of Education - http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – http://fafsa.ed.gov/

Disability.gov – https://www.disability.gov/education/financial_aid

In addition to federal student aid, there are plenty of programs out there providing scholarships, grants, and other loans, that may provide you with additional financial assistance in preparing for school.  One of these resources is an online database known as FastWeb.com.  FastWeb.com is free and requires you to register and build a profile before they can provide you with up to date information on financial programs that you may qualify for.  The site also provides instructions on how to apply or enroll in these programs.  For more information visit FastWeb today at http://www.fastweb.com/.