Engage Phase Services

We’re excited to help you explore employment!

If you want to learn about working, want help figuring out what to do for work, or want help addressing barriers, Engage Phase Services (Employment Exploration Services) may be right for you!

We’ve developed an Employment Exploration program for you if you want to learn more about working, identify jobs you might enjoy or be good at, and develop professional skills. 

Ways we help you explore employment:

  • Business Tours

    A business shows you around and what it's like to work at that business! They typically last 30 – 45 minutes.

  • Informational Interviews

    These are informal conversations between you and someone who has a job you're interested in. They typically last 20 minutes.

  • Interest Inventories

    These are quizzes, tests, and handouts that help you figure out what jobs you may be interested in. We'll find ones you like and can provide assistance as you take them!

  • Job Shadows

    You can shadow someone working in a career you may be interested in. These typically last 30 minutes to 1 hour.

  • Job Try-Outs

    These are unpaid chances for you to try out a job at a place you're interested in working at. These typically last 1 to 2 days. Our goal is to get you to explore the community and find jobs that you may like! There are tons out there... even working at a beef jerky gift shop!

  • Vetted and Informative Online Resources

    We’ve scoured the web to identify effective, accurate, and engaging online resources to learn about any job, field, or career path. Here’s one of our favorites and here’s another.

FAQs

  • If you want to learn about working in the community, want help figuring out what to do for work, or want help addressing barriers, Engage Phase Services may be right for you!

    If you’re still unsure, read the below quotes to see if any of them apply to you! If one does, Engage Phase Services might be a great fit for you!

    • “I want to learn about working in the community!”

    • “I don’t know what I’d like to do for work and I’d like to explore employment to see if working in the community is right for me.”

    • “I don’t know what I’d like to do for work and I want to explore jobs within the community to gain valuable insight and experience for my resume.”

    • “I want to know the risks and benefits of my choices about working in the community.”

    • “I want to gain comfortability in the community and meet inclusive employers.”

    • “I don’t know what I want to do for work or what my next job should be.”

    • “I want to address my barriers and concerns about employment.”

    • “I would like to find a temporary or unpaid means of employment to give me real-time insight and experience for my resume.”

    • “I don’t have a job but I want to build on my workplace skills!”

  • If you think working in the community is right for you and have an idea of what you want to do for work, we can start planning for employment!

    We’ll get you started on our Plan Phase Services.

  • We can make and give resume help in the EDS-Plan Phase. In the Engage Phase, we are exploring employment and addressing barriers.

  • We can job junt for you in the Find Phase services.

    First we need to help you make an educated choice on working in the community in the Engage Phase and plan for it in the Plan Phase.

    In the Engage Phase, we are exploring employment and addressing barriers.

The E1MN Framework

The Employment First Minnesota Framework (E1MN) is designed to help make sure that we help you find a job and keep a job that is a perfect fit for you! Click below to learn more about each phase: