CESP Customized Employment & Discovery — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the main purpose of the Discovery process in customized employment?
- To find out who the job seeker is (interests, skills, and the conditions they need to succeed) by observing them and talking with them in familiar settings (Correct answer)
- To give the job seeker standardized aptitude tests and rank them against national norms
- To decide whether the job seeker is ready for employment before any job search starts
- To match the job seeker to the openings currently posted in the local labor market
Correct answer: To find out who the job seeker is (interests, skills, and the conditions they need to succeed) by observing them and talking with them in familiar settings
Discovery is a qualitative, person-centered process. Instead of testing readiness or comparing the person to norms, it gathers information by spending time with the person in their home and community, interviewing people who know them well, and watching them do things. The goal is to understand their interests, contributions, and ideal working conditions.
Question 2: Which of these is a typical outcome of Discovery that guides the next step, the customized job search?
- A pass/fail employability rating
- A small set of vocational themes (often about three) drawn from the person's interests and skills (Correct answer)
- A list of the highest-paying jobs in the region
- A placement on a sheltered workshop waiting list
Correct answer: A small set of vocational themes (often about three) drawn from the person's interests and skills
Discovery usually produces vocational themes: broad areas of interest and contribution, such as 'animals' or 'organizing things.' Each theme points to many possible businesses and tasks to explore during the customized job search.
Question 3: An employment specialist notices that warehouse staff at a business lose time breaking down boxes, and proposes a new position made up of those tasks. What is this strategy called?
- Job sharing
- Job shadowing
- Job carving (Correct answer)
- Job rotation
Correct answer: Job carving
Job carving creates a new or modified position by taking specific tasks out of one or more existing jobs. It fits the job seeker's strengths and frees other staff to focus on their core duties, so the business benefits too.
Question 4: How does customized employment fundamentally differ from traditional job placement?
- It applies only to self-employment
- It starts with the individual's strengths, needs, and interests rather than with existing job openings (Correct answer)
- It doesn't require competitive wages
- It's limited to people who score highest on vocational evaluations
Correct answer: It starts with the individual's strengths, needs, and interests rather than with existing job openings
Traditional placement fits a candidate into an existing, posted opening. Customized employment, as defined in WIOA, starts with an individualized look at the person and then works with an employer to shape a job that meets both the person's contributions and the business's needs. The result is still competitive integrated employment.
Question 5: In customized employment, what is a negotiated job description?
- A union contract that sets the wage for a position
- A set of duties the employer and job seeker agree on to fit the person's contributions and a real business need (Correct answer)
- A standard job posting that is changed only to remove the degree requirement
- A job description written by the funding agency without the employer's involvement
Correct answer: A set of duties the employer and job seeker agree on to fit the person's contributions and a real business need
The defining feature of customized employment is negotiating with the employer, usually through the employment specialist, to create a role whose tasks match what the person can contribute and solve a real business need.
Question 6: An employment specialist builds a portfolio of photos and short descriptions showing what a job seeker can do, to share with employers. What is this tool usually called?
- A visual résumé (Correct answer)
- A functional capacity evaluation
- An Individualized Education Program
- A situational assessment report
Correct answer: A visual résumé
A visual résumé (or representational portfolio) uses pictures and brief descriptions to show a job seeker's skills, interests, and contributions. It's especially helpful for people whose abilities don't come across well on a traditional résumé or in an interview.
