Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Assistance

H

HappinessCounts

Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2015
Messages
209
Reaction score
19
Has anyone found employment through the help of VR? They send you to an agency that they think is best for you to assist you in your employment search. I have never used their help for employment. Only for tuition for college.

I am in the process of getting with one to find a better job. I am working part-time but it is not a challenging job or for long-term. I kind of had help finding this employment through another agency that was not VR because I was on a waiting list.

Discrimination is real whether you sign or not, have a college degree or whatever. I know it's a matter of finding the right employer, but sometimes I feel I may be missing out on connections that I don't know of? I am curious what connections VR has that maybe I am not aware of. I have a college degree that I hope to use.

I have usually found employment on my own through connecting with the right employer and the right timing.

I am uneasy about this for some reason. I feel that from some experience, (not VR) agencies help find you whatever and get your case closed quickly. I have read some good stories online--you know...testimonials? I wonder if they happen often or they choose the pretty stories to share.

My counselor does not seem like a mean person or anything in person, but the counselor jumps to conclusion about things I say, and then it turns out not to be true. I won't go through this story, but I have yet to find anything truthful from the counselor. The counselor seems compassionate and says I will find a good job, but then I haven't found the counselor to be truthful, so far--you know jumping to conclusion without knowing the facts. I fear not being happy with their help. The case will be closed if I don't accept their help.

I know I could change counselors, but I already did that because the prior one was robotic and lacked any emotion sympathy. The answer to questions I had was "Yes, we can help." "No, we cannot help." So when asked if I had questions I ended up saying, "no" only communicated what I needed and closed the case quickly last time. It was no use.

So, is there any hope? Anyone successfully found good employment through VR's help? Do they really have other connections? Sometimes I fear that they find you what is comfortable for them.

I do want to find a different job than my current one, but I guess I am nervous about not having a good experience. Is it really up to us to make this work?
 
In here, VR isn't doing their job to communicate with deaf clients so I noticed most of deaf people live in my state, drawing SSI and SSDI so they told me that VR didn't help them with employment, but they did good job to cover on school expense.

I don't know where you live in so you could try to ask to discuss with supervisor at VR office?
 
Might depend on the state on how much help you can get for employment help. Here they do- and I like my counselor. The first counselor I had the first time I lived here was really nice but she did say that many times they normally don't get someone with the years of experience I had. So.. only got help for hearing aids (twice in 10 years lol). I think every counselor I've had from PA and NC did want to help for jobs but seemed like that was a tough task as they may have a big workload- and expected me to look for work (I do).

I've heard some good stories about VR and some bad ones. Problem is over the years (decades really) Departments of VR get their budgets slashed a lot - I know that PA's was to the point they closed a few offices.

Man I miss my PA counselor- I could never forget his name either it was a bit unusual lol.
 
You confirm what I was thinking. It looks like it depends on the counselor. They take you and say they can help but there's never a concrete answer. It's true that they are good about paying your tuition and things you may need--just so so on employment. If I ask what kind of jobs other deaf people in the area have, I am not given a clear answer.
 
I had DVR in college for help with tuition and also job finding and I did get a job after; they also helped with purchase of post-college interview clothes and items. I know another person <hearing> who has been working with DVR for maybe 6 months and did get two job leads and assistance from them. This person is very happy with her experience and with her counselors.

I also overall had a good experience but there was quite a game of "musical counselors" going on with my case <sometime un-expectedly> and while i generally liked them, there was a degree of.....coldness is too harsh a word, but...dis-compassion about the whole affair. From my experience with the bureaucracy of it as well as the interpersonal experience, I can see where you may feel this way, HappinessCounts.

I'm wondering if you can request a meeting with the supervisor of your particular DVR office, and maybe have a friend or third person in with you if you do that, as witness to what goes on.

I think it really does vary by state and district as to people's satisfaction with DVR, and also DeafDucky has a good point about the budget cuts.
 
How do they help you find leads? Did they let you know of lead as they got one? I am trying to picture how they help out. You don't need to tell me personal details. I just want to know how it works. Were they concerned to help you find a good job or just whatever came along?

It seems from other employment agencies my experience and someone else is that they just want to get you whatever. I doesn't matter if it's low pay or part-time. To them, you're employed if you have a part-time job and that's good for them to cross you off their list. They stop helping you after that.

The counselor I have assumed what I wanted for a job from my resume and didn't even take the time to ask or listen to what I wanted.
 
My experience was that you worked with a counselor to fill out and carry through a written individual service plan <similar to an IEP, if you're familiar with that> , based on your needs/abilities/experience, and in order to continue as a client you have to follow the steps or guidelines wirtten in your plan. I think the degree to which they literally "find" things for you depends on the need of the person and if there are other providers involved. In my case I made my own contacts but some people may need help filling out an application, or preparing for an interview, how to dress,whatever. I also know from my experience as a case manager <not in DVR> working with people with cognitive disabilities, severe autism and dual diagnosis, that sometimes service providers can and do make direct contacts about potential jobs <they may go to a job site, see the set-up, how it could work with client, what would need to be modified, do we need a job coach and if so, for how long, etc> and can work as part of a team of professionals with one consumer.

Now, as far full or part-time and that kind of "official-ness" of getting something done so that it looks good - that can be part of any kind of state agency. I remember when I was first diagnosed with LD and knew I was going to have a DVR counselor - my folks and I got a call - "come meet with counselor" - so we did - she was like - "well, you do have LD and so let's get started" - it was very...."let's get to it, just another cog in the machine". There was no review of anything about the results of my testing <which DVR does not do and I know the therapist who did the test could and should have explained more regarding the details of what the test results showed, but at the time I didn't know to ask>.

So in my experience, there is this sense of - "let's just go through the motions so we can get through these numbers " <of clients>- which could lead to, or seems related to when you said "cross you off their list".
 
I've had the same experience as dogmom regarding the Individual Service Plan- have had one every time I had services with VR. With job hunting- sometimes they did pass on job leads to me if they came across any (the two in NC). Many times I don't think most VR counselors are able to find narrow niches of jobs like mine (IT- QA Tester)- they're more used to broader careers and jobs I think.
 
So that means that I will still have to look for a job like everyone else? I mean, I do that already, but then I wonder what's the point of seeking help with the VR counselor? The counselor say the agency they pick know people in the community to help you find a job, which sounds great, but then it ends up being like they are blowing smoke up your a$$. This was my experience with the other agency I used on my own. What am I going to get out of it? What should I expect to gain out of this supposedly helpful service?
 
Go with it and see- it sounds like they probably will help if they already have access to an agency they work with? Like I said-- depends on the state and all the way down to the office and counselors. They spend more time with those who need even more help with searching or interviews. I guess people like me are the low man because we already can do that ourselves (just need a shove once in a while lol).
 
HappinessCounts said:
So that means that I will still have to look for a job like everyone else? I mean, I do that already, but then I wonder what's the point of seeking help with the VR counselor? The counselor say the agency they pick know people in the community to help you find a job, which sounds great, but then it ends up being like they are blowing smoke up your a$$. This was my experience with the other agency I used on my own. What am I going to get out of it? What should I expect to gain out of this supposedly helpful service?
Click to expand...

Why not do both? Look for jobs yourself while getting services from VR because you never know.
 
HappinessCounts said:
This was my experience with the other agency I used on my own. What am I going to get out of it? What should I expect to gain out of this supposedly helpful service?
Click to expand...

If anything you can ask them to review your resume and ask them for interviewing advice. Like others are saying here your VR experience depends on your location. If you don't have a job and you don't have any leads, what can it hurt anyway if you see a VR? It will at least get you out of the house.
 
VR also provides other help. If you need HAs, for example, they might get them for you. They bought me one years ago. They may also help with other job-related tools you may need. Bottom line, I would go with using their services, and if you end up with nothing from them, so be it. At least you gave it a shot.
 
VR/DORS counselors have no incentives to help deaf clients with jobs. A lot of VR counselors get jealous or upset when deaf clients looking for jobs that paid more than they do.
The tip to VR is that you have to look for jobs yourself. Don't depend on VR to do everything for you.
 
mikemike said:
VR/DORS counselors have no incentives to help deaf clients with jobs. A lot of VR counselors get jealous or upset when deaf clients looking for jobs that paid more than they do.
The tip to VR is that you have to look for jobs yourself. Don't depend on VR to do everything for you.
Click to expand...
Again, that would depend on where you live and who you get as a counselor. Neither of my counselors ever seemed..."jealous". The first one I had DID send me some leads when she saw them. The problem is that VR counselors are not trained in specific areas of job hunting like for example recruiters for IT where IT recruiters HAVE to know what the buzzwords are and what they mean. Neither of my counselors would know exactly what to look for even with looking at my resume. I think with VR they assist with generalized job hunting not specialized. I still say it's not a bad idea to have VR in your corner for at least support and encouragement.
 
DeafDucky said:
Again, that would depend on where you live and who you get as a counselor. Neither of my counselors ever seemed..."jealous". The first one I had DID send me some leads when she saw them. The problem is that VR counselors are not trained in specific areas of job hunting like for example recruiters for IT where IT recruiters HAVE to know what the buzzwords are and what they mean. Neither of my counselors would know exactly what to look for even with looking at my resume. I think with VR they assist with generalized job hunting not specialized. I still say it's not a bad idea to have VR in your corner for at least support and encouragement.
Click to expand...

And as you and I know, even IT recruiters don't know how to read resumes. :lol:
 
mikemike said:
VR/DORS counselors have no incentives to help deaf clients with jobs. A lot of VR counselors get jealous or upset when deaf clients looking for jobs that paid more than they do.
Click to expand...

The issue with that logic is that it would apply to all non-management positions. Gosh my manager makes more money than me, I'm so jealous I'll do a crappy job just to spite him.

If you think of this way, if a VR fails to do a good job, well, the VR won't have a job anymore.
 
I realize it's better than nothing even though I do the job of looking, resume editing and applying. It is very hard because many use phone or have heavy public contact. I could use help with interview questions. I dislike them because you never know what type of interview you'll get--the casual, professional or grilling type. I know I need to practice.

I am worried about this crappy counselor. The counselor is giving me a hard time about communicating through e-mail since the beginning. I have been reassigned counselors before not because I requested it, but once I tell them to e-mail me, I never had a problem like this counselor is doing.

Well, I have had to e-mail the front desk to get ahold of the crappy counselor. Once the counselor does, it's as if my e-mail was not read. I am given an AM appointment, when I said I can meet in the PM. Then I ask to please confirm if I can get a PM appt. that day because I don't know if they have other clients to meet or whatever. I didn't get a response. I am through playing games.

I already complained politely to the supervisor but I didn't say why. I would rather in person. I feel this counselor makes me nervous such as jumps to conclusion like I said before telling me stuff that are later not true. My fear is that if I find a job I feel I won't like that I will feel pressured to accept it and keep it. That it'll okay and blah blah.

I have had this experience happen before with a different agency long ago, and I knew I was not going to last long. I was found a job I wasn't looking for. I was told I would, but then said to accept it because I didn't have experience. It's BS, they just wanted to close the case quickly.

I don't like anything about this counselor and I don't want to try to work it out. Usually, when you bring them up to supervisor, they get passive-aggressive and don't change.
 
Exactly. My brothers worked for IT tech companies and their managers got fed up with HR so the managers took it upon themselves to do the hiring.

BTW they preferred community colleges grads over BS grads. mostly to do with knwoing the current computer languages...


LoveBlue said:
And as you and I know, even IT recruiters don't know how to read resumes. :lol:
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top