Youth Transition: Everyone Can Work!

What does it mean to find a good job match? It means getting a job that matches your skills, strengths, and interests while staying away from tasks or environments that don’t work well for you. It means finding where you will shine.

The first step is to make a list of the things you do well and the types of jobs you think you would be good at. Ask yourself some key questions:

• Would I like to work inside or outside (or a combination of both)?
• Would I like a busy workplace with a lot of excitement or a quieter workplace?
• Do I do my best at work in the morning, afternoon, or evening?
• Do I like interacting with customers or do I want a job where I don’t have to interact with customers?
• Are there any businesses that are close to me that I have always wanted to work at?
• Do I like the idea of helping people or making things?
• Do I have any special skills that I want to use in my job (such as being able to use technology or organizing things)?

The second step is to explore the types of jobs that match your work preferences. Keep in mind that there are thousands of different types of jobs and places to work. We sometimes make our job search too narrow by only choosing options that we are familiar with.

For example, you may want to work at a certain store because that is where your family shops, but there are many retailers to explore that might be a better fit.

Get Hands-On Work Experience

Use job shadows, tours, and internships to see if a career is a good fit.

Lastly, once you find 3-5 types of jobs you are interested in, ask your teacher, pre-ETS provider or OOD counselor to help you get a tour or work experience. We never know if a job is a good fit unless we are able to spend time there doing the work and meeting the people.

Did you know?

Did you know that your first job likely won’t be the only job you have in your life? It is common for people to have many jobs as adults. People change jobs for various reasons. You may find that you want to try something new or you may want a job at a different location.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to stay in a job for a long time. But there is also nothing wrong with exploring new jobs along the way.

Charting the LifeCourse Trajectory for Employment Planning

Instructions: Have a family member, teacher, or Pre-ETS provider help you complete the Charting the LifeCourse Trajectory for Employment Planning. That tool helps you create a vision for what types of jobs you think would fit your strengths and interests the best. Share your trajectory during your next IEP team meeting.