Australia’s Disability Employment Services (DES) exist to help people with disability find and keep meaningful employment. It has two critical parts essential for long-term job satisfaction.
First, Disability Management Service assists people with disability, injury or a health condition as they search for a job and work to maintain employment.
Second, Employment Support Service is for job seekers with permanent disabilities who need help finding and keeping a job.
These services are administered by DES providers like Asuria, which are organisations devoted to assisting people with their employment. But how do you choose the right DES provider?
It’s tough to know what to look for in a Disability Employment Services (DES) provider, and it might be even more challenging to tell if your current provider is meeting your needs. Therefore, we suggest taking a few minutes to ask yourself these questions to evaluate whether a particular provider is a good fit for you.
1. Do They Understand Your Big-Picture Goals?
Your job is important, but it’s just one part of your life. And it would be best if you had a Job Coach who would listen carefully and understand how it fits in with your big-picture goals. For example, maybe you want a job that provides you with enough flexibility to spend quality time with family and friends. Or perhaps you’re seeking a position where you can learn specific skills that will help you land a different job that you want even more.
While you have a responsibility to convey your long-term goals to your Job Coach, they also have a responsibility to listen and direct the job search in that direction.
2. Do You Feel Understood?
In the same vein, you should feel that your DES provider understands and respects you. You’re not just another name on a list. You’re a unique individual, unlike anyone else. A competent Job Coach will need plenty of information about you to do their job well. For instance:
- - Your education
- - Your past employment experiences
- - Your skills and talents
- - Your strengths and weaknesses
- - Accommodations that help you to perform well
- - Plans and aspirations.
And that’s just the beginning. For a successful job-seeking partnership, you need to feel understood by your DES provider.
3. Do You Feel Satisfied with the Level of Communication?
Communication can make or break a job search. Therefore, your DES provider should provide an excellent level of communication that is flexible and fits with the way you live.
Do you prefer to talk on the phone? Text? FaceTime? Check-in at physical locations? As a job search progresses, feedback is critical. Your Job Coach needs to know how your interviews went and how you felt about certain employers.
When choosing a DES provider, be sure to ask about how they will communicate with you and what you can expect. And always seek the opportunity to give input and be heard during all phases of the process.
4. Does the DES Provider Help with Goal Setting and Keeping Commitments?
Let’s face it. Most of us need someone to help us stay on track with our goals and commitments, and this is especially true when you’re searching for a job.
A supportive, helpful Job Coach will follow up with you and encourage you to reach each milestone. And when you do, your provider will pat you on the back and celebrate your achievements.
5. Do They Provide Ongoing Support to You and Your Employer?
Suppose you’ve already found a position; congratulations! But you know that the journey doesn’t end there. Ongoing support from your DES provider will help you continue performing your best at your new job.
As we mentioned earlier, the big picture is important because you’re a whole person with a long life ahead of you. So your DES provider should provide post-placement support that keeps your health and wellbeing in mind.
Your employer may also need some support, especially if they’ve never worked with a person experiencing your injury, illness or disability. But, again, liaising between all parties and keeping the lines of communication open will ensure a positive outcome for everyone involved.
6. Do They Start Listening Carefully From Day One?
In some organisations, it’s easy to feel that there’s a one-size-fits-all approach for each case. But at Asuria, we know that’s not true.
So from the very first contact with you, we start to get to know you--the real you. After you fill in our online contact form, an Asuria Job Coach will contact you within one working day. This isn’t just a formality; it’s an in-depth conversation where you’ll get to introduce yourself in more detail.
The Job Coach will find out what kind of job you’re interested in and ask many questions to determine which of our matching services you qualify for. Then, we’ll start guiding you to the next steps in your job search.
Our Job Coaches are friendly, professional and eager to help. If you’re ready to start the process, get in touch! We look forward to working with you to help you achieve your goals.
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1800 773 338
