Residential Stability (4 of 4)
In terms of Disability and Employment, successful employment is supported by Stability, which includes these 4 areas: Medical, Psychiatric, Transportation and Residential.
This article focuses on Residential Stability, which you will find (and I have learned), residential stability and transportation stability go hand in hand. From the start of the job search there should be a focus on the Job Seeker’s transportation option(s): developing a plan, and backup plan, for getting to/from future employment. Why is this important?
Transportation will play a role in the distance an individual is comfortable commuting by car, walking or cycling from their place of residents to a job. When using public transportation, it’s important to: identify what transit options are available in the Job Seeker’s residential area, the available transit route’ s start/end times (which will affect the Job Seeker’s availability/hours available to work) and reviewing the transit accessibility of potential job sites (is the job on the route? how long is the commute one way/round trip? what is the cost involved?). If there is no transportation plan, develop a plan; prior to submitting applications for positions that may or may not be accessible to the Job Seeker (based on their transportation needs which may be impacted by their residential location).
Residential Stability plays many roles in the Job Seeker’s (future or current) employment success, starting with having a ‘home base’ to shower/get ready to work, which provides consistency during a time when major change(s) maybe occurring, and (now) knowing, that the transportation plan and job search is developed around the transit options available to the Job Seeker in their residential area.
Let’s look at a scenario – Mark
Mark’s job search began while living in a town with a variety of transit options, he obtained a part time job and used PACE to get to/from work. Several months later Mark moved to a town 10 minutes away with the intent to keep his job and continue to use PACE. Ultimately, Mark was terminated from his job for being late to work numerous times. Mark’s transportation plan was no longer successful upon moving, as his bus route changed due to his residence change; what had been a 30-minute bus ride was now 1 hour, what had been a 1 bus – 1 route was now a 2 bus – 2 routes (both his ride time and bus fare/cost doubled).
Second scenario – Brian
Brian lived in the same town “forever”, he started working with me to find his first job and the transportation plan was to walk to/from work or use PACE as needed due to weather. A couple of months into his search, Brian reports he and his family are moving to a neighboring town as soon as his house is sold (indicating they would then acquire their new home, which can take time). As a result, Brian’s job search continued but now the focus was to look for employment in the town he and his family intended to move to. Ultimately, Brian ended up moving a few blocks from his sold home, remaining in the same town. The time spent searching/applying for jobs in the neighboring town was (looking back) not time well spent (as the transportation plan was to walk or take the bus to work, neither were options for getting Brian to/from his new home to the neighboring town – transit was not available in this instance). I learned from this experience – the true value of residential stability and its impact on a job search.
Stability is a result of having a plan, taking preventative and/or proactive measures towards achieving an end result (in this example, employment). Certainly, residential changes occur, sometimes with notice and sometimes without notice. If a change in residents is pending, and the Job Seeker has notice prior to the move; it’s best to wait until the new residential location has been identify and acquired (home bought, apartment rented, etc.) prior to starting or continuing the job search. **** if public transit is going to be the primary transportation plan… check the accessibility of transit options in the areas being considered, prior to moving****
The information shared here, and scenarios provided, are meant to empower the Job Seeker; I’m passing along lessons learned (on to you) for your consideration. Of course, everyone’s circumstances are different, the common theme here is: stability, having a plan, and NOT setting the Job Seeker up for failure.
‘Where Preparation Meets Opportunity’