[ Music ]
Narrator: Plan it.
Try it.
Do it.
It's Your Career.
It's that moment you've been waiting for,
when all those years of college will start to pay off.
At least, they will for some people.
Jean: I think there's a myth
that if you have a college degree,
you've got a job no matter what, and that's not accurate.
About 20 percent of college graduates are underemployed.
And the reason is partly because while they're
in college they really don't start preparing
for the job search.
[ Music ]
Narrator: You need a career-seeking strategy
and a little experience, otherwise you're likely
to be just another face in the crowd, another resume
in a stack of hundreds.
And that's true for anyone, with or without a disability.
Debbie: The academics alone are not enough.
You really should think about an internship
or a cooperative education experience.
Narrator: Internships
and cooperative education experiences offer work-based
learning opportunities.
They're arranged between schools, employers and students;
they may involve academic credit; and,
sometimes, they're even paid.
The sooner you start checking these out, the better.
Brent: Biggest thing I would say, is start early.
Because I started my sophomore year,
and I think that was the prime time to start.
Narrator: Brent is a success story.
While in college, he found a program that places students
in business and engineering internships.
Between that program and his own skills, he was accepted
for two internships at Primex Aerospace.
He liked the company right from the start,
and those internships helped him clearly define his career plans.
Brent: I knew at the end of my first internship
which areas I didn't want to go into, which is just as helpful
as what you do want to possibly do; so, like,
weeded out the ones I didn't want to do; I didn't want
to do electrical engineering and that kind
of stuff, it just bored me.
So I was, like, all right, I've narrowed down the focus
because I know what I don't want to do.
And so I went back, these are the kinds of jobs I want to do,
and they said, 'All right, we'll try and set you up.'
Narrator: Attitude and talent paid off.
When Brent graduated, there was a job waiting for him at Primex.
John: When Brent came in through his internship here,
into the quality department,
we found that he could do the job and excel in his job.
So we basically knew when he was going back to college
for his last few semesters that we wanted to make sure
that we brought him back, because we needed
that expertise that he brought in.
Brent: If you have the internship with the company
and they know your work style, and they want you
to keep coming back for your second
and third internship, it's totally cake.
It's really easy to get in and it works very well.
Narrator: While not every internship will lead
to a job offer, there are other benefits as well.
For example, there can be a lot of self-discovery.
Debbie: I'd say it's typical
that most students don't know what they're actually going
to be doing in the workplace;
and probably even more important,
don't understand what motivates them and what doesn't.
And doing a co-op or an internship is a low risk way
to discover, what do you like to do,
before you're actually out in the workplace.
You can discover that in 3 to 6 months instead of the 18
to 24 months of a typical first job.
Narrator: It can also be the first step on the road
to independence, especially if the internship is out of town.
Minda: I think it was a good stepping stone
to make me realize what it's like to work
in the business world.
And also just to live on my own.
I lived on my own this whole summer, so it's good for that.
Narrator: You'll also learn that you have
to bring something to the company.
Randy: Especially in information technology,
they're looking for someone that's going to come out
and be a quote unquote fast burner.
[ Phone rings ]
Randy: : Hi, ITS Help, this is Randy
Randy: They're going to want somebody that's going to,
you know, be going to get the, you know, the job done
and wanting to learn from the internship.
They can't have somebody just come in
and kind of sit there all day.
Co-worker: Hey, Randy
Narrator: You have to treat an internship just
as you would a 'real' job.
Develop a confident and cooperative attitude.
Randy: You have to work with your co-workers.
No person works alone.
And you always have to work with the team,
especially in this day and age.
A lot of people coming out of college are very cocky
about their position: I'm new, I'm fresh,
I know all this stuff;
and that's what hurts a lot of people.
You've got to realize that you are still learning.
Narrator: Randy became involved
in an information technology cooperative education program
at Weyerhaeuser Company.
As with most companies, they expected more
than just basic skills.
Debbie: Technical capability is important, but it's maybe 15%
of what makes a successful contributor.
Randy: So what I'll do is I'll have a technician come
and fix those pins for you.
Debbie: Communication skills, interpersonal skills,
self-motivation, and initiative are some key attributes
that we look for.
We also are looking for a high level of integrity,
because that's very important to us at Weyerhaeuser Company.
Narrator: Randy helped people with computer problems.
And since he's blind, he had to learn how
to interface his own adaptive technology with other systems.
Randy: Every place you go to is going
to be using different stuff, and so you're always going to have
to make a little accommodation.
But every time you go to a new spot,
I take the same adaptive equipment with me.
And so I learn a few more tricks about it in, you know,
adapting to the new situation.
Which, whenever I go to the next place, I'll be able to,
you know, apply those skills that I learned
in just using the software that I'm using.
And the hardware.
Narrator: And there was another accommodation Randy had to make;
one that was completely unexpected.
His supervisor turned out to be allergic to his guide dog.
Randy: So I had to make some accommodations for her, in fact.
Things like heavy grooming, using special powders or salves
to keep down whatever it is that causes dog allergies.
It's kind of interesting, I've never had
to actually make an accommodation
for another person before, besides other disabled people,
so it's kind of interesting to have to work with her.
Narrator: Work-based learning gives you a chance
to practice those communication skills.
Narrator: Employers need to work with you on accommodations.
But they can't read your mind,
and they may sometimes be uncomfortable
about what to ask or do.
You need to become an expert on what works
and doesn't work for you.
Learn to articulate your needs clearly.
John: You're paving the way for other people, too.
You know, because employers are as much interested
in what they need to do to make sure their workplace is
accessible, and the only way
that they can really truly understand what the needs are is
when they have people that are interns and such like that,
that they can come in and have to deal
with a few physical barriers that have to be removed.
Narrator: Besides internships
or cooperative education programs,
there are other opportunities for work-based learning.
Job shadowing allows you to visit a business
and observe people at work.
It's a good way to start narrowing your career goals.
Employer: There would be someone here 24 hours a day.
Camp volunteer: Write your name.
Narrator: Service learning is volunteer work, allowing you
to use your skills while making a contribution
to your community.
You may even be able to arrange academic credit.
Dan: You want to go into the Internet folder.
Narrator: A faculty member can help you develop an independent
study project.
This could be career research, or it might be a paid job
in your field which you discover on your own.
And while you're doing any of these things,
you'll be gaining valuable experience in writing resumes
and cover letters, as well
as practicing your interview skills.
And that is vital for your job hunt.
Jean: The job search, on the average, will take a student 6
to 9 months to complete.
Getting, you know, your research in on the companies,
getting your materials in order, your resume,
practicing your interviewing skills,
sending out those resumes, actually getting an offer,
is a very long tedious process.
It really is competitive out there;
it really involves being prepared by practicing,
you know, your own interview skills, knowing how you're going
to present yourself; things of that sort
that are real important.
[ Music ]
Narrator: Besides content, you have to think packaging.
[ Music ]
Narrator: When you go to an interview,
leave that casual campus look behind.
A professional image is absolutely required,
no matter where you're applying.
Take out the nose and eyebrow rings, and let your resume
and personality speak louder than your clothing.
Narrator: Informational interviews will help you gain
job information, interview experience,
and networking opportunities.
Interviewer: Nice to meet you.
Narrator: It's also a good time
to practice disclosing your disability
and discussing accommodations.
Jean: There are jobs out there.
The best way to find out about them, I think,
is through networking and informational interviews.
That's something students can often find people are willing
to talk with them while they're in school and tell them
about how they got into their jobs; but once they graduate,
employers are less likely to take the time and help them out.
Narrator: Another resource is the Career Center
or Career Services Office on campus.
They'll have information on employers
and current job openings.
There may also be job fairs, workshops,
or counselors available to help
with career planning and job searching.
Make some calls.
Randy: Go do it.
You just have a go-getter attitude,
and somebody will eventually see that and they will bring you on.
Narrator: To get started, you could use the CAREERS acronym,
developed by the DO-IT Center at the University of Washington.
Narrator: So, long before commencement looms,
get going on some real-world experiences.
Start doing everything you can now
to make yourself attractive to future employers.
The resources are available; you have to make use of them.
Randy: There's a lot of people out there.
A lot of people competing for jobs.
But it helps because I know some of the stuff.
I've got some of the experience.
I've worked with some of the gurus and masters.
And I've learned from them.
Narrator: And you can do it too.