WISE Ticket to Work Webinar
Putting it Together: Ticket to Work’s Resumes and Interview Tips
August 28, 2019

Speakers: Sarah Hyland (Moderator); Lisa Brown Jordan (Presenter)

SARAH>> Good afternoon and welcome to today's Ticket to Work webinar, "Putting It Together: Ticket to Work's Résumé and Interview Tips." 

My name is Sarah Hyland, and I am a member of the Ticket to Work Team. I'm going to be your moderator of today's webinar. We are so glad you are able to take time to spend with us today to learn about Social Security's Ticket to Work Program and how it can help you as you start your path to financial independence through work. Each of us has our own path to follow, and we hope that you find some information today that will assist you in moving forward in your path to employment and financial independence.

We're going to get started by going over some functions of the webinar platform so you can interact and get the most out of the information presented today. 

First, you can manage your audio using the "Audio" option at the top of your screen. The "Audio" option is an icon that looks like a microphone or telephone. All attendees will be muted throughout today's webinar. Thus, when presented with options to join in for audio conference, choose "listen only," which appears at the bottom right-hand of the audio menu. Clicking "listen only" allows the sound to be broadcast through your computer speakers or your headphones.

If you're unable to connect to audio with your computer or prefer to listen to the webinar on your phone, please dial 1-800-832-0736 and enter access code 4189148#.

Next, we're going to share with you some information about webinar accessibility. On the Adobe Connect platform, you will notice that on your screen there are going to be four different boxes. These boxes are called "pods." We have the presentation pod with the slide here. Below that is the closed captioning pod. In the top right-hand corner, you will see the Q&A pod; and below the Q&A pod is the Web Links pod. We will talk about these pods in more detail in a little bit.

If you need assistance navigating Adobe Connect, an Accessibility User Guide with a list of controls is available on the Web Links pod at bit.ly/Adobe-Accessibility. This link is also available on the Web Links pod at the bottom right-hand corner that I just mentioned, and it's titled Adobe Accessibility User Guide.

Real-time captioning is going to be available throughout today's event; and it's displayed in the Captioning pod, which is the box that appears below the slide that is on your screen right now. You can also access captioning online by going to the Web Links pod, and it will be titled "Closed Captioning." 

We are here today to answer questions you have on the TTW Program. Please send your questions to us at any time throughout the webinar by typing them into the Q&A pod. We'll be directing questions to the appropriate speaker, which will be Lisa, during the Q&A portion of our webinar. We will be addressing questions at three different points throughout today's presentation. Go ahead and send the questions in, and we will do our best to get to as many as possible.

If you're listening on your phone, you're not logged into the webinar. You may ask questions by sending an e-mail to Ticket to Work. The e-mail address is webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. 

Another resource available that we think you will find extremely helpful is connecting to the different resources mentioned today in the Web Links pod you will find at the bottom right-hand side of your screen. This pod lists all of the links to the resources presented during today's webinar. To access any of these resources, highlight the topic you are interested in and you would like to connect to; and then select "Browse To" button at the bottom of the pod, and you will be taken to the website requested. 

If you're listening by phone and not logged into the webinar or don't have access to the "Web Links" pod, you can e-mail Ticket to Work. The e-mail address is webinars@choosework.ssa.gov, or reference the confirmation e-mail you received for today's webinar for a list of available resources. Also, please note that SSA cannot guarantee and is not responsible for accessibility of external websites. 

Today's webinar is being recorded, and a copy of it will be available within two weeks on the Choose Work website. You can find that link in the Web Links pod under "WISE Webinar Archives."

We hope that everyone has a great experience on the webinar today; however, if you run into any technical difficulties, please use the Q&A pod to send us a message; or you can send an e-mail to the Ticket to Work e-mail address, which is webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. 

As mentioned earlier, my name is Sarah Hyland; and I am a member of the Ticket to Work Team. I'm very excited to be here with you today as your moderator.

We are delighted to have Lisa Brown Jordan with us today. Lisa Brown Jordan is the president of Human Solutions. She has been passionate about providing workforce development and disability-related services to the Government, community-based organizations, and businesses for over 15 years. Through Human Solutions, Lisa manages a virtual employment network serving Social Security's beneficiaries in over 30 states. 

Thanks for joining us today. We have some great information planned for you. We will be discussing résumés, working for the first time, interviews, and job applications and disabilities. At the close of today's webinar, you will be able to better understand your Social Security Disability benefits; understand how the Ticket to Work Program can help you if you choose to work; recognize the different parts of a résumé and how to manage the interview process; be able to access additional resources related to the Ticket program, résumé writing, and interview process.

With that, it's my pleasure to introduce Lisa Brown Jordan to begin talking about the Ticket to Work program and résumés.

Thanks, Lisa.

LISA>>Hello, everyone. As Sarah said, my name is Lisa Brown Jordan; and I am from Human Solutions. I'm very excited to be here today to talk about this important topic. Before we get started, let's talk about Social Security's Ticket to Work Program. We'll start off with a brief overview of Social Security Disability Benefits.

Now, there are two Social Security Disability Benefits programs...Social Security Disability Insurance, or what we call SSDI, and Supplemental Security Income, which is SSI. While both programs provide cash benefits to people who meet the Federal definition of "disabled," the are different programs. 

SSDI is funded through your payroll taxes. You may be familiar with FICA; if you've ever worked, you'll see that sometimes on your paystub. Once you've accumulated enough work credits after you've worked a certain number of years, you're considered insured. SSI Disability Benefits are considered needs-based according to your income and assets. It's funded by general funded taxes, not from the Social Security Trust Fund, and has nothing to do with work history but rather with an individual's financial need.

Now, some of you may receive one or both of these benefits. We encounter ticketholders that are often unsure which benefit they're receiving. A good rule of thumb is this. SSDI is usually received on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of the month based on your birthday while SSI is received on the first of the month, sometimes the third and, very rarely, the second...so between the first and the third of the month. That's a great way to distinguish which benefit you're on. If you receive both, then you may be receiving checks at different times.

Now, I want to start out by emphasizing that the decision to work is a choice; and only you can decide if that's the right choice for you. There are some definite benefits to working. First, you can earn more income. You can also meet new people in the workplace, learn new skills, and gain financial independence. In addition to earning more income, you'll have a chance to get out and meet people. Especially those of you that may be transitioning to other employment, it gives you an opportunity to gain your financial independence.

Now, Social Security's Ticket to Work Program is a national employment program that offers additional choices for eligible individuals seeking services and supports to work...whether that's to enter or re-enter the workforce or to keep a job. It is a free and voluntary program for Social Security Disability beneficiaries ages 18 to 64. The goal of the program is to help individuals receiving those benefits obtain employment and work toward great independence and increased self-sufficiency.

Now, whether you're deciding if work is right for you, preparing to get back into the job market, already looking for a job, or currently working and need help navigating the workplace, Ticket to Work offers free employment services to help you succeed. If you choose to participate, you'll receive services from an authorized service provider, which could be your State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, a participating American Job Center, or another qualified organization referred to as an employment network. 

Services offered may include job coaching or career counseling, training, résumé or interview help, work incentive counseling, job placement assistance, or a variety of other services. Each provider is different, so be sure to take the time to check out a few and find one that's the best fit for you.

If you're not sure about working and earning a living through employment, take the time to learn about the services and supports available through the Ticket to Work Program. You may be very surprised at what you're able to do. There's a team of service providers here to answer questions and to help you start your journey towards financial independence.

Now let's get into one of our topics today, which is résumés. First, a few basics...if you're not familiar, a résumé is an informational document that you'll share with potential employers. They include information such as your work history, education, and any other information about you that's related to employment. A résumé is a tool to help you sell yourself as someone who is qualified for a job opening. 

In our program, we like to compare a résumé to a movie trailer. You aren't giving all of your information, but you are giving enough to get an employer interested in talking to you. Writing your résumé has a lot to do with reflecting on your previous work experience...whether that's paid, volunteer, or training; the skills you have that are a good fit for a job; and also the types of jobs or tasks you've enjoyed to help you target your search.

If you take away one thing from today's webinar, let it be this. You need to customize your résumé for each and every job you apply for to make sure your résumé fits the job. The first step in doing this is to review the job description for the required qualifications. Highlight anything you think is a key word for that particular job...thinks like experience with a particular software or any type of certifications that they may require. The job description might also emphasize what's called "soft skills," such as flexibility or your ability to work with a team. Be sure to include key words in your résumés that match your skills. 

Now if you're not aware, many businesses now use what's called an "applicant tracking system." These systems or software will scan your résumé for how well they match with the job being applied for. If the résumé doesn't include keywords or closely match based on skills or other requirements, it may never make it to a live person to be reviewed. 

We have our clients customize each and every one of the résumés they send out based on the job description, including changing up the title of the job to match the one you're applying for. Yes, it is a bit more work; but it certainly does pay off. 

Now, in most instances shorter is better. I would plan a one-page résumé if you can. Use standard one-inch margins all the way around. Select an easy-to-read font. Sans serif fonts, such as Arial, are the easiest to read; but Times New Roman is also a good, readable choice. Use 12-point font if at all possible, but please don't go below 10 point if you need to make it slightly smaller. For many of us, myself included, anything below 10-point may be very difficult to read.

Your contact information should stand out at the top of the résumé. We generally bold ours. Be sure to save your résumé in a format that you can easily edit, such as Microsoft Word. We always suggest to our clients that if the résumé is going to be sent electronically to save it as a PDF or in PDF format. PDF format offers the assurance that an employer will see your résumé exactly as you created it, including the formatting. It also eliminates compatibility issues, as well as any risk of it being altered.

Let's spend a few minutes to review each of the résumé sections. 

Let's start at the top. Many of you may be familiar with the résumé objectives. When we work with ticketholders, we teach them how to write a summary or what we like to call a "headline." If we look at the two examples here, "Seeking a position where I can contribute to the team," this is what I would call a standard objective. It's about the jobseeker versus the employer, and it's also rather vague and doesn't relate specifically to the job. 

If we look at the other example, "Self-motivated and precise accountant with more than 10 years' experience," this is getting us in the direction of meeting the employer's needs versus our own. I might even take it one step further to make it more powerful by adding two to three job-related examples; for example, developing, maintaining, and analyzing budgets or preparing accounting records that conform to procedural standards. These additional two to three related job examples can actually be ones that are listed on the job description that you know how to do. Also be sure to add your key words. If the job description calls an accountant a "controller" or calls it an "analyst," you should be sure to change the job title to match what they're asking for.

Now, your Skills and Qualifications section will go beneath the Summary. This will highlight your hard skills, like typing, with your soft skills, like your ability to delegate or adapt to change. I would suggest no more than four to five bullets in this section. This will give the employer or recruiter a quick glance at your skillsets. Be sure to include the skills or qualifications that are most important to the employer based on what's in the job description. You're going to be using this job description quite a bit.

Now for your employment experience, focus on your last three jobs and major accomplishments. I would limit your experience to the last 10 years. They say for technical jobs, you should actually limit it to the last five. This keeps your experience relevant, but it also helps with any potential ageism. If you have less than 10 years, don't hesitate to include things like internships, volunteer work, or any relevant classes you've taken. Volunteer work is a great way to build experiences into your résumé. We've had several of our Ticket to Work clients have their volunteer experiences actually turn into actual job offers.

For ease in reading, we suggest that you also use bullet points versus paragraphs to highlight your job duties. We have found that a lot of employers will not take the time to read in paragraph format. If the work you've done has saved an employer money, time, or streamlined operations or services in any way, be sure to include those measurable results.

If possible, address any gaps in employment with time spent for example, volunteering, going to school, being a caregiver. These are acceptable reasons for being temporarily out of the workforce and ones that you can also include on your résumé. You can record your volunteer work the same way you would your employment experience by listing the volunteer title if there is one, the organizations, the dates you participated or volunteered, and your volunteer duties. 

Education...your decision to list your high school on your résumé comes down to where you're at with your education. If you're still in high school or college, then list your high school. If it's a few years down the road and you have relevant experience, it's fine to drop the high school information unless the job is specifically asking for it. If you're running out of space, this might be a great place to save some space.

Now, education...you'll want to include any awards and high grade point average if that applies. If you're still in school, include your field of study and any projected graduation dates. You'll also want to include any internships, apprenticeships, and any relevant coursework. I would also say if you've been previously in the military, this would be a great spot to put in schools that you've attended while in the military.

Licenses and certification...same thing...include any licenses and certifications that apply to the job that you're applying for and include any memberships that are relevant. For graduation dates, I would recommend not adding any unless they are projective; again, this may show your age.

Some additional tips...number one is proofread. Get someone else to do it for you as well as yourself. Sometimes our mind will tell us something is okay because we're reading through it quickly; we're very familiar with the content. Having someone else do it may reveal something that we missed.

I would leave out any personal information. Without even meeting you, an employer may perceive a difference in values or in other things based on any personal information you share; so I would leave that out. 

Don't disclose your disability in a résumé. If you need an accommodation for the interview, you can ask for it; and we'll talk about that a little bit later.

And then check for professionalism. I would avoid any nicknames in your e-mail. We actually suggest to our clients that they create an e-mail specifically for Job Search. That helps avoid the possibility of missing an e-mail from a perspective employer, especially if you've used the same e-mail for newsletters and other things that you've signed up for. 

I'd also suggest reviewing your social media account. Many employers, whether they're supposed to or not, do look at social media when hiring. See what others can see and secure your account. 

Last, be sure to check your outgoing phone message. What would an employer think if they called you? You want to keep it simple, and you want to keep it professional and polite.

SARAH>>All right, thank you so much, Lisa. That was great information. Thank you for going over the Ticket to Work Program and résumé tips. We'll go ahead and pause here and take a few minutes to address some of the questions we've had coming in.

The first question we have is: "Will I send my application, or will a Ticket to Work service provider submit applications for me?"

LISA>>That's a great question. I want to say ultimately it will be the responsibility of the jobseeker to apply for jobs; however, your service providers will assist you in preparing résumés, assist you in creating a master application if that's what you ask for. But ultimately, we want to teach you how to go out and apply for those jobs on your own.

SARAH>>All right, great...the next question: "What should I do if I'm not qualified for a job that I'm interested in? Can the Ticket to Work Program help me find training, continue my education, or help me secure needed certifications to obtain jobs I'm interested in but not quite qualified for?"

LISA>>Good question...now, this goes back to spending the time to really get to know what the different providers offer out there. There are a number of providers that do offer training services or can assist with certifications, but everybody is different. I'll emphasize that again; everybody is different, so you really want to spend the time to get to know those different providers and see who offers specifically what you need
. 
Again, when you're working with a provider, we're going to develop a plan that's tailored to what your goals are. So if you're looking specifically for training or help securing those certifications, you'll want to make sure to find a provider that can assist you in doing that or a provider that can refer you to resources to assist you in doing that, which a lot of us do as well.

SARAH>>All right, great...another question we had is: "Do the participants even need a résumé to get a job? Is it required, or is it just recommended?"

LISA>>Well, not every job requires a résumé; sometimes you're actually submitting an application. I think one of the things developing a résumé does...what it does for you is it helps you refocus on your skills and abilities and getting that out. And what does that do? That benefits you in the interview process. So whether a job requires a résumé or not, I would suggest that you be prepared for those jobs that do and go through the steps of actually developing one. I think it's good practice, and I think it's also good interview prep to do that.

SARAH>>Okay, so you would say in general that even if it's not required for a certain job or they say, "Don't send your résumé," go ahead and get one prepared because that better prepares you for the road ahead. 

LISA>>Absolutely.

SARAH>>Okay, going off of that, how long would you recommend it be? Is there a too long? Is there a too short? Is it ever okay to go over one page? Is it recommended to go over one page?

LISA>>It's recommended one page is a great length to stay at if you can do that. If you have a lot of work history, I have seen them go a little longer; but I would definitely target a one-page résumé. You really only have...and I'm going to say five seconds, but that's probably being very liberal. You probably have maybe three seconds to get an employer's attention. So if your information is spread across multiple pages, it may be harder to get their attention that way.

The one time I have seen it go beyond that is, for example, those in education. And some people I've seen in my own field where they develop what's called a CV, a curriculum vitae, where it does go in great length into your educational background and the different things you've done. But that's very few and far between, so I would definitely target the one page. I think that's a great length to start with.

SARAH>>Great, Lisa. Okay, the next question is: "If I am out of the job market due to an illness for an extended period of time, how do I note that on a résumé? Is it necessary for me to disclose that paused/missed time, and how do you recommend portraying that?"

LISA>>Well, if you were out...if you have gaps in employment and you were out due to being in school or doing caregiving or doing an internship or doing something else that you could reasonably explain in a résumé, you could certainly include those activities. However, if it is something a little more personal in nature...and actually, even some caregiving...I would wait until the interview to disclose that if you're asked. Again, we want to avoid putting any personal information into our résumé; but if it does apply and it shows good work experience or participation in school or something of that nature, then you could certainly do that.

I have also seen that discussed...and we haven't talked about cover letters. I have also seen additional explanation...again, that's not personal...in cover letters to help explain some of those gaps if it doesn't get too personal in nature.

SARAH>>That's great information. The next question I have is: "Should everything be listed chronologically within the résumé within each section or overall chronologically?"

LISA>>I would list everything chronologically going with your most recent first. It doesn't matter if you're doing a straight chronological résumé or if you're doing what we call a "hybrid," where you're including a little bit of your skills and other things. Employers want to see what you've been doing, and listing your most recent experience first is always the best way to do that. I would also do that under education and your other sections in your résumé as well.

SARAH>>Okay, great.

"You have discussed the major sections of a résumé earlier. If you were to pick a section to really focus on and display your talents, which section would you pick?"

LISA>>Hm, that might be up for debate. 

Either way, we want to hear the answer.

If I'm an employer and I'm starting from the top, I'm working my way down...which is one of the reasons I said don't put things in paragraph form; make sure you bullet point. You're going to want to put the most important things at the top; so that Summary section at the top, I think, is really important and highlighting those things they're specifically asking for in the job description. And then I would spend some time focusing on your experience and what you've done.

Now, I've seen a lot of résumés where sometimes it's just a blanket list of different things that they're putting down there that they did. But I'm really not getting a feel of what the job applicant's contribution was, let's say, to the company. So that goes back to if you saved the employer time, if you saved money, you streamlined operations in any sort of way. That could be even implementing a new filing system that saves people time. You would want to then spend the time putting those types of statements into the résumé.

If an employer says education is the most important thing, then that may rise closer to the top than the back; but I think those two sections are the ones I would spend more time on because they're the ones that are going to be seen first.

SARAH>>Great.

"If I were to submit my application and résumé to an employer and I don't hear back from them, which way do you recommend following up, if at all?"

LISA>>Well, if you have the contact information and it doesn't specifically say not to contact...if it says not to contact, I would not contact because, again, a lot of times employers will put instructions into job applications to see how well people follow instruction. So if it doesn't say specifically not to call back, then I think it is appropriate to do follow-up. By doing follow-up, you get your résumé back on the top because the employer will be looking for it. So I think it's very appropriate to do unless specific instructions are given otherwise.

And finding that contact information goes back to your company research, which we will also be talking about during the Interview section.

SARAH>>Excellent.

"Will my Ticket to Work service provider help me customize my résumé for different job applications? For example, if I were looking into a couple of different fields to apply, would it be smart to have multiple résumés?"

LISA>>I think it's definitely smart to have multiple résumés; but even with those multiple résumés, you're going to want to customize them based on the job you're applying for. I can tell you as a Ticket to Work service provider, our goal is to teach you how to do the customization. So we're going to spend time with you initially teaching you how to do that. 

Sometimes a position comes up, and you may need to apply immediately. I've seen this happen a lot with our ticketholders. If we've done the appropriate job of teaching you how to do it, then you're able to go in and do that customization on your own which I think is very important.

SARAH>>Excellent.

"What would you recommend including on my résumé if I don't have any work experience at all?"

LISA>>Well, there are a lot of things; and I think this is one of the benefits of volunteer work. We do have ticketholders that come to us that don't have any work experience. So we dig a little deeper there and what have they been doing with their time. A lot of times, there are activities and things they've been participating in that would be appropriate for a résumé...volunteer work being one of them.

We do often have ticketholders without experience do volunteer work. That is something recent they can put on a résumé. Also, if you have been participating in any kind of coursework or classes that's related to the job you're applying for, that would be something you would put on there. I see this a lot too with people just coming out of school or coming out of college, where they're needing really to focus more on the activities and things they did while in education or while doing something else versus just the job experience. So that's very appropriate to do as well.

SARAH>>Great, I have a question about references: "Should I include a list of references when I submit my application and résumé for a job?"

LISA>>We suggest that you have one prepared and that you notify all of the people that you're putting on the reference list so they're not surprised when they get a phone call. And we suggest you supply it when requested, so that's kind of the protocol that we have been following...is, yes, have one prepared; notify those on the list; and supply it when requested. That's another way for you to interact with the employer...by supplying that reference list.

SARAH>>Great. 

Off of that question: "Would you recommend or not recommend using personal references over professional references?"

LISA>>I believe that professional references are always the best to use so there's not that perception that your personal reference...most of our personal references, and most references in general, we're not selecting people that won't say great things about us. But I think a professional reference holds a little more weight and credibility than our personal references. 

Now, you could if you don't have any professional references, it could be a clergyperson at your church that is that reference for you...or someone else that you know that's familiar with what you're doing in volunteer work. In education, if you're taking classes, I've often seen individuals use a teacher for something like that. So it doesn't just have to be work references, but I would start that direction first and then use personal references if you have to.

SARAH>>Excellent.

"Would it be okay to use an abbreviated or shortened first name...for example, John as short for Jonathan...on my résumé?
"
LISA>>That's a really good question. I would use what you go by, unless it's clearly a nickname. For example, my first name is Anna. My middle name is Lisa. I go by Lisa, so I am going to put "Lisa" on whatever I'm applying for. Now, application...it will generally specifically say first, middle, last name. Of course there I'm going to put the full thing, but I would put what you go by...what you're most familiar with. That would be my recommendation.

I think in the instances where I have not...like on a résumé, I have used my first initial "A" and then put my full middle name, which is what I go by, and then my last name.

SARAH>>Okay, that actually wraps up the question section for this portion. We are going to stop right here. We have more questions for you, but we will address those later on.

Before we move on, I would like to remind everyone that the accessible materials from today's webinar are available either in the Web Links pod or in your confirmation e-mail that you received. You can also e-mail Ticket to Work at webinars@choosework.ssa.gov.

Lisa, I'm going to turn it back over to you to go over "Working for the First Time" and some great interviewing insights.

Thanks, Lisa.

LISA>>Okay, so if you're working for the first time...I'm going to go back to volunteer work...I would definitely consider volunteer work. Donating your time can not only help others, but it also is going to have a positive effect on you and your life. It feels good to help other people. Getting out and doing something for others may help increase your self-confidence; create a greater sense of purpose, and we all need to have one to feel productive; and also, very important, help you build a social network, which can improve how you're feeling but also that social network within the job may be the pathway to a position.

An internship offers an opportunity to work and learn. They're generally a short-term work opportunity that provides you with hands-on experience in a particular field. It can help you to explore a field you're interested in, develop and practice those key job skills and, most importantly, going back to building your network. Networking is still one of the number one ways to find a job.

Now let's shift gears. You've started to send out your résumé; and remember, it's a numbers game. The more you send, the more likely it is that you'll get an interview. And now you get that call or that e-mail that an employer would like you to come in. What do you do?

First, you need to get prepared and do your homework. This includes learning about the organization. It could be their leadership, their culture, their values, their products, their competitors. You can do this by visiting their company website...that's the first place...by searching the Internet. Oftentimes, we will have our jobseekers type in a company name and add the word "review" after or "reviews" after it. I know for myself I use Yelp to check out businesses...the Better Business Bureau. 

There's also a website called Glassdoor that generally is employees that have worked in an organization are giving feedback about their organization, and there are a number of other ways to do your company research. I would check out their social networks as well as social networking... especially if this is a referral. So if someone you know has referred you over, I would check in your own personal network and ask friends, relatives, mentors, and others that may have experience with this particular organization.

Now, you want to make a strong and a good first impression. This is a time for an organization to determine if you're a good fit for their company, but I also want to remind you that this is a time for you to decide if they're a good fit for you; this goes both ways.
 
So first step...arrive early, and early doesn't mean on time. I like to tell people at least 15 minutes early. If it's an urban area, plan for traffic; plan for parking. This will also help calm your nerves if you aren't running in at the last minute. I'm sure most of you on this call have been in the situation where you've arrived just on time or a little bit late. It creates a stressful situation, so try to arrive at least 15 minutes early. 

Dress for the job you hope to get. For example, a skilled trade job, like construction, may not require you go in in a suit and tie; but you want to look great. We'll talk about some examples of what you might wear in just a moment. 

Turn off your cell phone. I'm going to repeat it; turn off your cell phone. I don't think I need to say anything more on that one. I would go as far as making sure it doesn't vibrate as well. So I would definitely put the "do not disturb" on, or I would physically turn it off so it doesn't disrupt at all. If you hear that go off or you have to silence it, a lot of times that kind of throws you off your game and the flow that you may have going during that interview.

Next, smile and take a deep breath. Smiling actually releases endorphins that will help improve your mood; they help you relax; and they also help lower your blood pressure if your blood pressure is up a little high because you're nervous.

Next, listen carefully. Don't jump ahead to a response. You want to take it all in. Sometimes where you may be nervous and were thinking ahead...okay, what am I going to say...slow down, listen. You'll have a moment to respond, and then go ahead and respond.

Then last, send a thank you note. A handwritten note is best if you have the time and a decision isn't being made immediately. Not a lot of people do this. It's also an opportunity for you to highlight anything you missed after reflecting on your interview. I'm going to talk about debriefing in just a moment, but you could say...in your mind, we're always going through, okay, how did I do? You can be thinking, oh gosh, I missed; I should have said this. You can use a thank you note for that.

We had a client that sent in a handwritten thank you note. He got a call from the hiring manager in Human Resources sharing that this was the first time in her five years there that she'd actually received a thank you note. While the position was filled, she kept his information and eventually made an offer to him when a position became available. I love to share that story because it's yet another way that you can stand out and be different from other people that are interviewing for a position. Be sure before you leave to ask for business cards of everyone that was in the interview because you'll want to send a personal note to each person.

Now, you want to look your best; but as I shared earlier, you want to dress according to the type of job you're interviewing for. You can research the organization or ask someone in your network that may be familiar with the dress, especially if this is a referral or they are familiar with the company. You can expect in an office setting you'll want to wear professional attire...like a suit for men or a dress for women. A suit for women is fine as well. In an outdoor job, you may consider khaki pants and a collared shirt. Whatever you wear, be sure it's clean and well-kept; and that could mean be sure it's pressed. 

This goes for your hair as well...clean and well-kept. And I'm going to just suggest, please check your nails. If you wear nail polish, check your nail polish. If you wear makeup, I would suggest going for a natural, neat look.

Now, there are organizations out there that offer low- or no-cost business clothing for interviews. There are actually some employment networks that offer these services as well. I would ask around to see what's available. These are two organizations...one for women's clothing, Dress for Success, and they do provide professional attire for women, and the other is Career Gear, and they provide professional attire for men. But again, check around. This may be a service that an employment network can assist with as well.

Now, common interview questions and how to answer them...we have a few of these we're going to go over. Be prepared for the standard questions often asked in interviews. "Tell me about yourself" is one of those questions. We always suggest to our clients that they ask a question back to determine what the interviewer is actually looking for. For example, "What specifically would you like me to highlight?" Then you can focus on how your skills and abilities align with the job you're seeking. If you elect not to ask a question back, I would focus on what you know about the position and relate your experience accordingly.

Another question that often comes up is, "Why are you interested in this position?" This is where your company research is going to come in. Maybe you've really connected with the company's mission, or perhaps you were really impressed with the services they provide or a product they produce. Take what you've learned and tie it back to why you're there. It really shows you made that extra effort to learn more. And I can tell you having been an interviewer, it's always really great when someone comes in prepared in that way and knows a little bit about the company and the position they're interviewing for.

Another question that often comes up is, "What are your strengths; what are your weaknesses?" For strengths, identify one that relates to the job requirements; so again, we're using our job description a lot here. For weaknesses select one that either doesn't affect the job position or, my preference, one that can also be a positive. 

An example...I chatted with someone recently. She was applying for an administrative assistant position. Prior to this, she was self-employed reviewing court reports, which required a very high level of attention to detail. She stated that her attention to detail could be viewed as a weakness; it drove her children a little crazy. But on the job, it was highly effective. And on a side note, it was an essential skill for the new position. It brought out a laugh from the interviewer, who could certainly relate to that; and she succeeded in helping to establish rapport. She was also ultimately hired for this job. But again, that's a way to take what could be perceived as a weakness in a different context or situation and turning it into something positive.

Another question..."Why are you the best person for this position?" Here you're going to talk about your skills and how they relate to the position that you're applying for.

"Can you tell me about a time when you faced a challenge and how you handled it?" This is called a situational interview question, and be prepared for those because we see them happening a lot more. I would think ahead on this one to a situation you've faced that had a successful outcome. You want to give enough details about what you did and why you did it.

Now, the last one is, "Do you have any questions for me?" And this is the interviewer asking the person they're interviewing do you have any questions for me. Be sure to have a couple of questions ready. This shows your interest in the job; however, this isn't the time to ask about salary and benefits. That comes later.

Here are some examples of questions you can ask during a job interview. I won't read all of them but highlight a few on here. 

First one...and, again, this may help increase your comfort level if you're asking certain questions as you go through the interview. For example, "How would you describe a typical day and week in this position?"

What are the biggest challenges facing the company right now? That's a great question because this gives you the opportunity to talk about how you can help address that challenge.

What do you like best about working at this company? Again, gives you a little insight into the culture because you're also interviewing the company at this time. 

And then a very important one...and I would suggest not ever leaving an interview without asking..."What are the next steps in the hiring process? " And to take it one step further, "Would it be all right with you if I followed up in X amount of days," based on what the answer is. You don't ever want to leave an interview without knowing what next steps are and how you can best follow up with that employer.

Now, for more helpful tips on how to polish your résumé or aids in interview, you can refer to the Web Links pod in the bottom right corner for a resource called "Résumé Tips and Helpful Resources."

SARAH>>All right, thank you, Lisa. That was some great information on working for the first time and interviewing, and we have some great questions for you. 

"Will the EN assist with interviewing?"

LISA>>I think most ENs that I know absolutely assist with interviewing. Interviewing is an essential and key thing when you're looking for a job. I know in our program, we do practice interviews with those that feel like they need it. Also, any key questions that they feel may come up in that particular interview, we will work with them on helping them craft a response and then encourage them to practice, practice, practice. So that is absolutely a service I believe a ticketholder could expect to receive from an employment network. If they don't provide it themselves, then they would definitely be able to provide a resource or referral for that.

SARAH>>Okay, so employment networks can provide a lot of great tools to help even if not specifically with the interview.

LISA>>That is correct.

SARAH>>All right, great.

"Do I need to share that I was terminated at my last job?"

LISA>>If that question comes up...that you were terminated...my answer to all questions like that is you need to be honest. If you were terminated from a position, that's another one that I would practice. What do you want to say? The one thing you don't want to do is say disparaging or negative things about the employer that terminated you because that will probably raise a few eyebrows in an interview. So I would suggest if you were terminated, be honest and share in the best way possible if an explanation is required what happened.

I wouldn't try to hide that. I don't know if that would be the first thing that I would share about in an interview; but if the question is asked, definitely be honest.

SARAH>>Absolutely.

"If I'm unable to work full time, will the Ticket to Work Program still support me in my transition to work?"

LISA>>I'll share a little bit just about some of the ticketholders that come to us. We have a number of individuals that may have been out of work for a little while due to their disability, and they are not quite ready to go back to work full time. We will absolutely work with ticketholders that want to start out part time. I would encourage you to talk to different employment networks to see the services. Again, we all provide different services; but we definitely assist individuals that want to work part time.
 
The goal is to get you back to self-sufficiency, and sometimes that path can take a little while to get there. So we will definitely assist individuals that want to work part time if they have the goal of eventually at some point working towards getting off benefits.

I just want to—

SARAH>Go ahead, I'm sorry.

LISA>>I was going to say, not everybody's journey is the same. A lot of us as providers recognize this; and where I may have someone come to me that's ready to work full time tomorrow, I may have someone else that isn't. So this program is about customizing the services that you receive; and if part-time work is where you're at, at this moment, we're going to work towards getting you towards self-sufficiency.

SARAH>>And that's the whole point of the Ticket to Work program...right, Lisa?

LISA>>It is.

SARAH>>All right, great.

"How can I determine if I should try an internship before trying to find a job?"

LISA>>Well, I think that's going to be an individual choice...whether you try out an internship or not. Some of the benefits of an internship is it allows you to explore a field. I can tell you not everybody that's coming to us is going back into the same field. Some individuals can't actually go back into the job they were doing before; so an internship is a great way to explore fields, to build a network. It's also another way to have recent work experience and freshen up your skills with an internship.

I would say...and I'm going to take that one step further...no, I'll leave it there. I think those are great reasons to consider doing an internship, especially the exploration part.

SARAH>>Okay, that's a great answer.

"Does Social Security consider any income from an internship differently from income that's earned from traditional employment?"

LISA>>Income from an internship is considered earned income. We always suggest...and I know one of the services and may other ENs provide the services...we provide work incentive counseling before an individual goes back to work. If it's not available through your employment network, Work Incentive Planning and Assistance programs, or WIPA programs, provide this; and there are other organizations that can assist with this. 

Knowing how your benefits are going to be impacted by work and also what the reporting requirements are, especially since an internship is considered earned income, is best found out before you go back to work. So, yes, it is considered earned income; and I would highly encourage anybody that's going back to work...whether it's an internship or anything else...to obtain that work incentive counseling assistance before doing so. It's always best to know ahead of time what's going to happen than find out later on.

SARAH>>Great, so it sounds like if it's the right path for you, interning before working can be a really great way to figure out your path and put it on a more clear one.

LISA>>Absolutely.

SARAH>>Great.

"You have mentioned not to ask about salary, but what if an employer brings it up as a topic? What do you recommend as a response to that?"

LISA>>Well, this goes back to doing some research. It may not be about that specific company; but before the interview, you want to learn about the company's salary ranges and benefits, as well as industry salary ranges. There are a number of tools that you can utilize to do that. You also want to learn about the company...it's competition and the industry. And then think about what you want from the job, both in terms of salary and benefits as well as opportunity and potentially upward mobility within a company.

Now, if the employer brings it up, it's one thing; but I'm going to reiterate, you never want to talk about money early on in the process. It's always best to let the employer bring that up. 

And then you want to know what you're worth. What does your experience equate to in a position like this, and then what is your bottom line? When I say what is your bottom line, what is the absolute minimum that you're willing to accept and still be happy? I've seen individuals go into that conversation when the employer brings it up and not be prepared on what the going range is for a position, and then they settle for something that they ultimately are not happy with. The likelihood that you're going to keep a job if it's gone below your bottom line or you have not established that isn't great, and the goal is for you to be successful on that job. So I would do your research. Search salary ranges. 

We actually had an individual use a resource called O*NET, which some of you may or may not be familiar with. It's run by the Department of Labor. They brought in the printout from the type of position they were applying for that gave the salary range in their area, and they were able to use that to negotiate that. So you've got to do your homework ahead of time to know what you're worth and what your bottom line is.

SARAH>>Okay, great...kind of off of that question, I know you said to go ahead and research salary ranges and industry standards for the job that you're applying for, why is it so important to research the organization; and what other things about the organization would you recommend researching prior to an interview, other than those standards and salary ranges?

LISA>>Well, the salary ranges are important just so you know how to negotiate when that conversation comes up; but the other thing I would be looking at is leadership, the culture of the organization. You can sometimes get that even from reading their blog, if one has a blog on their website. What are the products they're developing? Who are their competitors? There are a lot of things to look at about the organization because, again, you want to make sure that not only are you a good fit for them but are they a good fit for you?

Also in interviewing in terms of doing that research, part of what you're doing in interviewing is finding the need. What's the employer's need, and how can you fill it? The only way to do that is to understand the company and what they're looking for, what they offer, and so forth.

SARAH>>Okay, great.

The next question: "Should my internship be listed in the same section as paid job experience on my résumé, or should they be put separately?"

LISA>>Actually, I would list your paid internships under an Experience section if you have a mix of that. That section where you're talking about working in a job, we have had individuals include their internships in that section as well because that is; that's your work experience, and an internship is work experience.

SARAH>>All right, great.

"I have a physical disability that is very apparent. Can a potential employer ask questions during an interview about how that will affect my work?

LISA>>Probably one of the one and only questions an employer can ask is, "Can you perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation?" So whatever those essential functions are, the employer can ask a candidate if they can perform them with or without reasonable accommodation. So that's what an employer should limit their questioning to.

SARAH>>Great.

"I know that you have mentioned that employment networks will practice job interviewing with you. Is there any way that you'd recommend practicing on your own for a job interview or any specific skills that you've found to be great?"

LISA>>Well, one thing that I can tell you just on my own, if I have a speaking engagement or something else that I'm going to do, and we also do this with our candidates, is think of what the questions are and write down what your response might be. So then you're getting everything out that you could potentially say. 

Now, most of us speak very differently than we write; so then I would probably take what I wrote down after I'd refined it some, and then I would practice speaking out loud. If I can do it with someone I know, great; if I can't, then I'm going to be looking in the mirror and I'm going to be talking to myself practicing what I might say. The more you practice, the greater your comfort level is going to be. 

I'm going to say that again; the more you practice, the greater your comfort level is going to be because you've actually verbalized and said these things versus them either being on a piece of paper or just something you're thinking about. So I would definitely write them down and either find someone to practice with or do that on your own. But reading it out loud and stating it and practicing...I wouldn't try to memorize it, per say, because then you might fumble slightly if you forget what you memorized; but be familiar with the key points.

SARAH>>Okay, great.

"In your presentation, you went over some important questions to ask during an interview. What would you say is the most important question that you should ask a possible future employer during an interview?"

LISA>>That's a good question. Aside from some of the ones that were listed on the slide, I would definitely be asking what the follow-up process is. I know that's not a question that's exactly about the interviewer or the person being interviewed; but I would definitely ask, "What are follow-up steps and how can I follow up?" I would not leave the interview without asking that question.

SARAH>>Great, okay.

"What should I bring with me to an interview? For example, obviously we talked about résumé. Is there any red flag items you would say to not bring but, more importantly, what interviewers like to see at an interview?"

LISA>>I would bring several copies of your résumé, preferably printed on some sort of nice paper if you have that...nothing bright or colored. Off-white/white is fine. I would be bringing copies of your résumé and then any of your right-to-work documents just in case. That could be your driver's license, Social Security information, and other items like that. I would be prepared in case a job offer is made that I would have those right-to-work documents with me. I think those would be the two big things.

I would also bring something to write with...a pen or a pencil, preferably a pen...along. I would also bring a notebook in case there's anything I want to jot down directly after the interview to make sure I don’t' forget to mention that or do that...you know, send something to the employer afterwards.

SARAH>>"If an interviewer asks me about a specific skill or general knowledge that I don't have, what would you recommend that I respond? For example, if they ask about my experience with a specific computer program that I haven't used."

LISA>>Well, if I've used a similar one, I'm probably going to mention that. If I haven't used it, I would state such; but I would also at the same time be expressing my willingness to learn whatever that software is. Going back to soft skills, this is showing my adaptability; it's showing my flexibility; and it's also showing my willingness to learn. So it's fine if you haven't but the willingness to learn.

Now, we've had candidates, ticketholders, that applied for a job. They knew that it was requiring expertise in a certain software and have gone before they sent out the résumé or had the interview and got themselves enrolled in some sort of course to help them gain the skills that were going to be required. So then they could walk into that interview saying, "I know you require experience on XYZ computer program. I've enrolled myself in a class to learn that skill." And that's showing initiative too. So there are a couple of different ways that you could approach that.

SARAH>>Lisa, that's a great response. That sounds like an excellent way to turn what could be a negative into a very positive answer.

Okay, and that actually is our last question since we do have to move on. Before we do, I would like to remind everyone that accessible materials from today's webinar are available either in the Web Links pod or in your confirmation e-mail for today's webinar. You can also e-mail Ticket to Work at webinars@choosework.ssa.gov. 

We're going to go over our last topic of the day, Lisa; and that will be job applications and disabilities. It's all yours, Lisa, thanks.

LISA>>We'll spend our last few moments and minutes together talking about job applications and disability. Now, most of you on the call are probably familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act or the ADA. Under the ADA, employers are not allowed to discriminate based on disability or ask specific questions. I gave you the question that they were allowed to ask earlier...Can you perform the essential functions of the job with or without accommodation? But any other questions, there are guidelines on what employers can and cannot ask.

The ADA also addresses reasonable accommodations, which are any changes to the job or the workplace that allow you to participate in the application process or perform the essential functions of the job. Now, studies have shown that only one in four persons with disabilities actually needs an accommodation, with most of those needed being free or low-cost changes. An employer is responsible for paying for the accommodation, but the process is interactive between the individual requesting the accommodation and the employer.

If an adjustment or change to work is needed related to a disability, it's your responsibility to let the employer know what it is even if they already know you have a disability. So you may have a disability and it may be a disability that's very apparent; but unless you ask for an accommodation, it is not the employer's responsibility to know exactly what you need. 

When making the request, you may need to provide the nature of your disability; the limitations involved, and how your disability affects your ability to learn or perform the job successfully. We also encourage our clients to be solution-oriented since most of our clients know what they will need to be successful on the job. So I'm telling you that I need something, but I'm also providing you with a solution...what it is that I need.

Now, there are three reasons why someone may choose to disclose to their employer that they may need a disability:

Request accommodations...so disclosing your disability is necessary to request accommodations. Like I said, an employer won't know...even if they know you have a disability...that you need one unless you ask.
 
To receive benefits and privileges of employment...so what same benefits and privileges my coworker is receiving, you're entitled to receive those as well.

And to explain unusual circumstances...we'll explain unusual circumstances in the next slide.
Another example that isn't listed...we've had individuals choose to disclose they didn't need an accommodation to put an employer at ease. In these instances, the jobseeker had an obvious disability and wanted to ensure the employer knew they could do the job. It also put the focus back on them and not their disability. 

Now, that was their choice; and ultimately, it is your choice whether you choose to disclose. I would suggest weighing the pros and cons if you're not sure...should I do it/should I not do it? What are the pros of doing that? What are the cons of doing that? And consider if you need to disclose now, at all, or later. If you choose to disclose, be sure to practice, practice, practice. Again, there are a few areas you're going to need to practice.

What I have found often happens, especially around disclosure with disability, is people get very nervous; and they either say way too much, or they say way too little. We need to say just enough, so practice is going to be extremely important. Now remember, disclosure is your choice. So spend the time to be clear on what and why you're sharing. 

Now, here's an example of an unusual circumstance. I'm actually going to read this out loud to you:

During a meeting with his company's client, an employee interrupts and adds personal opinions unrelated to the discussion. The employee receives negative feedback about his behavior from his manager. The employee decides to disclose his disability to help clarify his behavior. The individual and his employer discuss and decide that the employee will work with a job coach and participate in role-playing scenarios to strengthen his workplace professionalism.

Now, keep in mind that if an unusual circumstance happens, it should be addressed as soon as possible...like it was in this example. If this behavior continued and the employer wasn't made aware it was related to a disability, it could be seen as a performance issue. So it's always best to be upfront when a situation happens so you and your employer can work together toward a solution or a plan of action.

Now, when you request an accommodation, you'll want to keep it simple. You don't need to mention the ADA or even the term "reasonable accommodation." I would suggest putting that request in writing. Although a verbal request is fine, making the request in writing creates a paper trail for you and the employer that may be helpful during the interactive process and also to document the process. There is a sample Reasonable Accommodation Request form for employers. The request form is in the Web Links pod. You'll want to check that out to see a sample of that form.

The last is make sure that you talk to the right people. This might be your supervisor, a manager, or the Human Resource representative. 

Now, when you request an accommodation for an interview, review the job posting and make sure you have the qualifications for the essential functions. The essential functions are tasks that you're required to perform with or without that accommodation.
 
Next, think about whether or not you'll need an accommodation for the interview. We encourage our clients to ask where it will be located, if wheelchair accessibility is needed, and what will be involved. For example, are there any tests that will require accommodations? Will they need someone to help them with the paperwork? If an accommodation is needed, be sure to request it as soon as possible so the employer can make the necessary arrangements. Having to address requests at the last minute may make the interview stressful for both you and the employer, so the goal is to make it smooth sailing for both of you if an accommodation is requested. 

SARAH>>All right, thank you, Lisa. We're going to start off with our last round of questions. That was great information on job applications and disability.

"If I resigned from my previous job due to illness, do I need to disclose my resignation and the reason for my resignation?"

LISA>>Could you repeat that question?

SARAH>>Absolutely, sorry.

"If I resigned from my previous job due to an illness or extenuating circumstance, do I need to disclose my resignation and the reason for resignation?"

LISA>>If it's in an interview process, I have generally not seen someone disclose that information other than the fact that they resigned. I don't want to say it's not an employer's business why you resigned, but I've generally not seen that an explanation is required during that instance. There may be circumstances I'm not thinking of where it might be, but I generally have not seen that you have to tell that's the reason you did it. A simple resignation should be sufficient.

SARAH>>Okay, great.

"At what point in the process should I disclose my disability and indicate that I'll need a reasonable accommodation for a job?"

LISA>>Well, I'm going to start off with that statistic again. Typically, only one in four people will need an accommodation. So you may need to request one if you're one of those one-in-four to either participate in the interview process; and, again, you'll want to do that ahead of time so the employer has time to prepare. You may find that you don't need an accommodation during the interview process; but once you get on the job, you say, "Oh, wow, I could use an accommodation to perform one of the essential job functions." You may be requesting an accommodation at that time.

Or down the road, in terms of receiving the same benefits and privileges as someone else that you work with, an accommodation request could happen at that point and then also to explain those unusual circumstances that we just discussed. 

Now, the only other one that was not on the slide that was an example that I gave was to dispel an employer's potential fear if you have a disability that is visible; and, again, that's a choice if you choose to disclose at that point because you really are not asking for an accommodation. It would be more, particularly in the interview process, to ease an employer's fears and concerns.

SARAH>>Okay, and a follow-up to that: "Do you have any specific suggestive language to begin that conversation, whether it occurs before employment or post-employment?"

LISA>>Again, we're only going to disclose the basic information about disability to give the gist. But I might say if I was asking questions, let's say for the interview, and I found out that there was a test that was going to happen and I needed additional time due to a learning disability to complete that, I might at that time say – I'll say the hiring representative is Anita. "Hello, Anita, I may require some additional time to complete the assessment due to a disability. Is there anything we need to do to prepare for that?"

So keep it very simple. I'm already providing the solution. I've let them know it's related to a disability. I may need to get more specific...you know, related to the specific thing in my learning disability...whether it is I just read things a little bit slower because I have dyslexia. I may or may not disclose that dyslexia, but I will say it's related to a disability. Does that make sense?

SARAH>>It makes perfect sense. Thank you so much for that.

LISA>>And just so everyone knows, this topic actually was extensively covered in our July webinar. You can find all of our past webinars in the "WISE Webinar Archives." That is going to be on the website, as well as in the Web Links pod under "WISE Webinar Archives." So if you were very interested in this topic and you wanted to look back, you can go ahead and click on that and get more information.

SARAH>Thanks, Lisa. The next question is: "What should I do if I don't think the company or the job that I'm thinking about applying for is a good fit for me?"

LISA>>Well, if you don't think it's a good fit for you, it's perfectly fine...especially if you're offered a job...to decline that offer. You don't have to state why it's not a good fit for you. You can certainly thank someone for the interview and the efforts they've made to interview you, but it's fine to decline an offer.

SARAH>>Would you say it's better to decline the offer than to go forth with it and be disappointed then?

LISA>>Well, part of our goal in getting people back to work is to make sure that they're successful on the job. If the job is not a good fit for them and they find this out a little bit later in the process, it's ultimately going to be up to the individual whether they continue. But I think we would be having a discussion about the pros and cons of that. If they're really getting a feel that that company is not a good fit, I'm very much about work environment; and if it's not going to be a good work environment for them, it would be up to them whether they chose to continue or not, but we would certainly have a discussion about that.

SARAH>>I think that's a great answer for a situation that a lot of people find themselves in, so thank you.

"Is it better to disclose a disability verbally or in writing?"

LISA>>You know, as I mentioned, it certainly can be done verbally; but we always encourage our ticketholders to do that in writing. It creates that paper trail; it documents the efforts that both sides are making because it is an interactive process, and everybody is supposed to be acting in good faith and doing their part. So I think in writing, it creates that trail.

But the other thing that I didn't mention is later on down the road, if a different type of accommodation is needed or something needs to be changed, you're able to take that information and say, "Okay, we tried this; let's try something else." And that whole process is documented. So I do believe it's best to make that request in writing.

SARAH>>"How far in advance should I ask a potential employer for accommodation for my interview?"

LISA>>I would say as far in advance as possible. This is why it's really good when an interview is requested...you get contacted by the employer...to take the time to ask questions when the interview is scheduled of what it will include. Will it be held in an accessible building? Are there stairs to go up and no elevator? Is there any testing that is involved? Then you'll be able to come back and let the employer know what you need right at that point. 

If you think about something afterward, I'd probably be doing it pretty quickly after the interview is scheduled. Again, you don't want it to be an awkward or uncomfortable situation for you when you get there; but you also don't want that to be for the employer. You want the focus to be on the skills and abilities you bring to the employer; and if that accommodation process is handled ahead of time, it paves the way for that.

SARAH>>"Can I ask for a reasonable accommodation that I would need for working, like working from home for example, during my job interview?"

LISA>>That's a great question, and I'm going to say this. A job interview is really a time for you and the employer to evaluate if you're a good fit. That's what we're looking at during the job interview. If down the line you feel that you need an accommodation on the job to perform the essential functions, that would be the time that I would suggest requesting an accommodation...is actually when it's needed.

Telecommuting...I know a lot of us like to telecommute; I would save that discussion for a little bit later and not during the job interview.

SARAH>>Okay and, Lisa, we have a lot of questions on the Ticket to Work Program coming through; so we're going to shift gears a little bit and go that direction. The next question is: "Can a service provider help me with the accommodation request process?"

LISA>>Service providers can absolutely assist with that request process. We do that all the time with our ticketholders that actually need those accommodations. We can talk about the decision to disclose, help find accommodations suitable for that individual's needs, and assist them in practicing and how or what they're going to say, and also that negotiation with the employer. Sometimes it's really – I think for most of us, asking for anything sometimes...sometimes it's hard. And I think as a service provider, that's part of our job...we're working with individuals with disabilities...is helping them to feel empowered to ask for that accommodation and do it in a way that's supportive to them. So we can absolutely assist with that; and if we're not the ones doing it directly, there may be organizations that will find the assistance for that individual to be able to make that request.

SARAH>>Excellent.

"Is there someone who can help me with benefits counseling in understanding my options?"

LISA>>That's a great question. There are certified benefits counselors at many employment networks and state vocational rehabilitation agencies, as well as American Job Centers. There are programs...and we have a lot of acronyms in our world. WIPA is this acronym, and it means Work Incentive Planning and Assistance projects. They also assist individuals that are going back to work and can provide that work incentive planning.

SARAH>>For more information on service providers, you can use the "Find Help" tool on the Choose Work website which, if you look down in the Web Links pod down in your bottom right, you will find the link to that. It's choosework.ssa.gov. Or call the Ticket to Work Help Line, and that number is also listed. It's 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 for TTY.

"Would you let me know where I can find information about employment networks that provide services in my specific area?"

LISA>>So if you're interested in participating in the Ticket to Work Program, you can find Ticket to Work service providers, like an employment network or your state vocational state rehabilitation agency, and assign your ticket using some of those same links that I just mentioned. The Ticket to Work Help Line is one place that you could call. You can also use the "Find Help" tool on the Choose Work website. And then with your service provider, you work to create a plan for employment and helping you meet whatever those goals are.

Those are great resources for you to be able to get a list of providers in your area. There is actually a ZIP Code function on there...we check it periodically to see ourselves out there...that's very, very helpful; and they've done some recent refinements to that tool as well.

SARAH>>All right, Lisa, we are unfortunately out of time for questions for today's webinar. 

Thank you all for sending such great questions and Lisa for being with us today. We hope we've provided answers to your questions on the Ticket to Work Program. 

LISA>>It was my pleasure to be here, thank you.

SARAH>>Great, thanks, Lisa.

Social Security's Ticket to Work Program has a number of service providers and resources ready to help you get started. Lisa had just gone over this, but I will say it again for those who need it. To get a list of providers in your area and to get answers to questions that you may have about the Ticket to Work and other work incentives, you can contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or, for TTY, 1-866-833-2967. That's Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

You can also visit the Ticket to Work website at choosework.ssa.gov anytime. You can also find us on social media or subscribe to the blog and e-mail updates by visiting choosework.ssa.gov/contacts. This link is going to appear in the Web Links pod under "Ticket to Work Contact Information."

Please join us for our next WISE webinar in this Putting It Together series, Healthcare and the Path to Employment, which will be held on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Registration is open, and we look forward to having you attend. To register online, go to choosework.ssa.gov/wise or you can always call 1-866-968-7842 or, for TTY, 1-866-833-2967.

Okay, and as always, your feedback is very important to us. It helps us plan for the future webinars. Please provide your feedback and tell us what you think about today's webinar by taking our survey. To take the survey, you can follow the link that will pop up after the webinar; but you can also visit the Ticket to Work website to complete this survey. 

Thank you again for attending today to learn about the Ticket to Work Program. Please take this opportunity to reach out to any of the resources we've discussed today.