A Carve Out (job)
A Carve Out is an employment opportunity; working in the community, in a position that was created with the Job Seeker’s strengths in mind. Who creates these jobs? I do – as a Case Manager/Career Counselor assisting adults with varying disabilities obtain and maintain employment.
When would a Job Seeker benefit from a Carve Out?
When an individual’s maximum work hours per week are less than 10 hours (based on recommendations of their health care provider, to maintain physical and/or emotional stability).
When an individual will need long term on-site support (on the job support/Job Coaching, due to disability and level of support needed to maintain successful employment).
When an individual’s work skills and strengths are specific to one area or task (this Job Seeker would likely be most successful with an accommodating employer, who can Carve Out a position, performing a single or minimum number of tasks).
If it has been determined that an individual would be most successful in a Carve Out position, the first step towards this goal is to address the Job Seeker’s Stability: Medical, Psychiatric, Residential and Transportation (for more details, refer to the 4 Areas of Stability).
Why is this important? If the Job Seeker is actively suffering from psychiatric and/or medical condition(s), is ‘in between residences’ or does not have a reliable way to get to/from work (i.e., is lacking stability in one of the 4 Areas); short- or long-term employment success (even a Carve Out) will likely be negatively affected.
The next step is to identify appropriate job matches. I use a questionnaire, motivational interviewing and take a person-centered approach: to engage the Job Seeker seeking feedback on their employment goals, interests and needs. Feedback is key. Often what was initially reported, in terms of needs/interests/goals, change throughout the job search process. Therefore, I request feedback weekly and adjust the job search focus as needed until employment is obtained.
As the Case Manager, I always consider the following information, when seeking a Carve Out opportunity: a job that meets their interests, strengths, work hours, transportation needs, work environment, work restrictions, and all other needs/preferences reported by the Job Seeker. I then work with the individual’s strengths, working around potential barriers. By anticipating the Job Seeker’s individual barriers to employment, and reduce/eliminate those barriers with a plan, employment goals can be realized with more success and less frustration. This is where Preparation Meets Opportunity.
How do I go about finding a Carve Out job? I have found that privately owned companies, which includes franchise owners (not national chains that are Corporately owned), are excellent places to seek Carve Out opportunities. With privately owned companies the owners and/or decision makers are more accessible to discuss their company’s needs, which then allows me to speak with the decision maker about possible Carve Out opportunities and the value the Job Seeker/candidate would bring to the team if hired.
Why not national/chain companies?
My experience has been that ‘chains’ are duplicated systems, often with corporately driven budgets that support those (duplicated and proven) systems, which limits that company’s local location’s management from making Carve Out decisions. Example: during a recent conversation with a Store Manager, of a national chain retail location, I asked if she had ‘stock only’ job opportunities, as the Sales Associate job description for her location included ‘cross training’ and register work. The response received included the Store Manager’s frustration that all hires are required to perform register duties, due to the companies limited monthly payroll budget.
A Carve Out position is beyond a reasonable accommodation(s); it’s a request of an employer to create a position that otherwise did not exist. Once the Carve Out is secured, on the job support/Job Coaching may be of benefit to the New Employee: learning their job task(s) and company policies, developing natural supports, communicating with co-workers and management, and the numerous other details associated with starting a new job – all in effort to support the goal of successful community employment.
The result:
Carve Outs create employment opportunities for those individuals who require more support, coupled with an appropriate job match, working in the community: promotes independence, builds self-confidence, boosts self-esteem, not to mention – the increased pride and dignity that results from a hard day’s work and the purchasing power of the paycheck that follows – priceless.