The Basics

Getting a job can be difficult, even for people who don’t have disabilities. Finding a fulfilling career is an even bigger challenge, but it is possible with the right tools and help. There are steps that you can take to make it easier to find and follow your chosen career path.

Whether you are planning your first career or looking for a new one, it is important to find a career that helps you earn enough money to meet your needs, that you can do well, and that is satisfying to you. Your ultimate career goal may seem far off, but keeping your long-term goals in mind helps you figure out what steps to take right now. You might need education or training. Maybe you just want to test out a job in a field that interests you to see if you enjoy it. No matter where you are, this article can help you get started.

The first thing you should do is to think carefully about yourself. What are the things you are most interested in? What are your strongest skills and talents and which of them do you enjoy using the most? There are many tools that can help you see the types of careers you might enjoy most, but actually working may be the best way to help you choose a career direction.

Then, see how you can get experience. Apprenticeships, internships, informational interviews with employers, and volunteering are all common ways to get into a new field. Of course, paid work is also a great way to get experience, including regular employment, customized employment, self-employment, and working from home.

To get into the field you want, you need to know about any help you can get to find training, education, a job, and other resources. You also need to know about reasonable accommodations — changes in the work environment or in the way things are usually done — that will give you an equal opportunity to perform your work.