Which of the Career Planning Self-Assessments should you present based on your knowledge of the student? You have options of 1) Clerical Administrative Support Skills or 2) Library Skills or 3) Editing & Research Skills. How can you break them down to prevent the student from being overwhelmed?
Consider the various skills that may prove beneficial in office/business settings:
- Copy machine use
- Fax/scanner
- Laminator
- Calculators
- Billing, invoicing, data entry: reviewing and processing electronic orders, reviewing and processing mail orders and invoices, inputting data on records, using spreadsheets
- Incoming mail sorting, routing, filing process
- Electronic file management
- Paper file management
- Outgoing mail: copying, stuffing, addressing, sorting, packaging/wrapping materials for shipping
- Postage machine operation
- Office materials management: inventory, purchase, process, upkeep of office materials
- Answering phones: routing questions/calls, taking and delivering messages
- General computer skills: typing, word processors, navigating common operating systems (e.g. Microsoft Windows, Apple OS)
Do the specific skill sets of a library fit the strengths and interests of this student?
- Using a scanner to process returned books, CDs, DVDs
- Scanning books for checkout
- Addressing library card issues, customer service, entering data in system
- Re-shelving returned books, audio and video materials
- Scanning shelves for order (knowing Dewey decimal system)
- Arranging and organizing incoming periodicals, magazines and/or newspapers
- Processing new books
- Emptying and processing books from outside book return boxes
- Using microfiche/microfilm equipment
- Management of card catalogue (files or digital)
- Locating and using references
- Setting up materials for story times, small group meeting rooms
- Setting up displays of thematic materials
- Simple repair of books and materials
- Dusting shelves and counters, sweeping, vacuuming
- Customer service in finding materials: computer system use, sections, etc.
With regard to editing and research, it may be possible to find entry-level positions that involve these skills. These positions may be internships, extracurricular activities (e.g. yearbook staff), volunteer experiences, or certainly part of post-secondary activities. The skill sets are as follows:
- Searching online materials using multiple search engines with regard to a specific topic
- Searching books, periodicals, and other publications regarding a specific topic
- Recording details of resources, adhering to specific citation standards: publication date, issue and volume numbers, authors, editor, publisher, page numbers, web site information
- Organizing and categorizing information for access and review
- Copying and organizing materials for access and review
- Making contacts (email, text, phone, etc.) to obtain information/permission from sources
- Investigating to determine accuracy of information
- Compiling information for presentation, document, or report
Applying standard conventions of grammar and usage, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation when proofreading and writing.
What is the balance of variation and routine in duties or tasks that will support long-term success for the student? Do some of the tasks engage the student’s interests? Will he find satisfaction in the completion of at least some of the duties?
Is your experience that the student may fit in a clerical position with very concrete duties? Or is this student capable of more complex editing and research duties? Or will the student fit in a quiet library environment? Review the student’s self-assessment of his strengths and his projected interests and use the self-assessments to narrow down and define potential jobs that will benefit the student.
Clerical Interests – Administrative Duties
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Getting the Job Match
Aim at a job in which the student can quickly perform over 80% of job duties independently. This is the aim because Job-Keeping issues, or ‘soft skills,’ are often the major challenges that will require direct instruction, visual supports and emphasis. For the 20% (or less) of job duties that are a challenge, make sure that the student has emerging or partial abilities with those job duties. Can ‘working the desk’ be removed from the job description and replaced by other responsibilities that the student can complete well? If someone has to teach the student multiple concrete job skills for longer than a few weeks, is this a good job match? Ongoing monitoring of concrete job skills and job-keeping behaviors will be necessary to assure quality and improvement. However, ongoing teaching of multiple skills in a work setting is not consistent with independent work skills.
It is important to pay attention to the number and complexity of duties that are available in the specific office or library and/or in the job description. Many clerical administrative and library duties involve frequently practiced routines around concrete and finite tasks that are easy to structure. In creating the job match, it is critical to consider the activity needs as well as the environmental needs of the student. Will the student get bored with one particular office or library task that is primary in the job description? Will the student flourish in an environment where he has several different daily tasks between which he can move (i.e., scanning, copying, mail sorting, and bulk mail operations)? Clerical support positions can be an excellent option for many as a ‘first job,’ a summer job, part time employment or volunteer work because of the factors noted above. On the other hand, avoid temporary worker positions since these workers have to adapt to multiple environments and varying job conditions.
It is often critical to not only observe the skill in that setting, but to also go through the steps of the job yourself and list the steps as a result of performing the task. Listing the steps of a task allows you to identify the potential trouble spots and to develop visual supports that will support student independence. Doing this before expecting the student to perform the skill or task will prevent student, supervisor and instructor frustration and potential failure.
The instructor may feel like she does not have time to do this. Not doing so leads to failed job sites. If your goal is positive post-school outcomes, find a way to at least observe the task being performed and make the task analysis before expecting the student to perform it.