Working on the Dream: A Guide to Career Planning and Job Success.

Don Lavin and Andrea Everett, writers. Beth DePoint, editor and producer. Rise, Incorporated, 8406 Sunset Road Northeast, Spring Lake Park, MN 55432-1387. 136 pages. Softcover, $15 plus $3 postage and handling.

This publication is a self-administered, step-by-step career planning guide for people with mental health disabilities in their pursuit of meaningful employment. The publication not only gives a practical guide to understanding ADA and how this landmark legislation impacts employability, but will help people identify job preferences, marketable talents, and employment barriers through structured planning activities. Most importantly, the book encourages people to implement plans to realize their career goals.

The authors believe that people with disabilities need to learn how to take charge of their job futures and that by becoming more actively involved in choosing a career path, identifying specific personal goals, organizing community service plans, developing partnerships with employers and service providers, and learning techniques of self-management and advocacy, people can be more successful in their chosen careers.

Working on the Dream guides the reader through important career planning issues and poses major questions he or she will need to answer to secure, keep, and succeed at the job of his or her choice. Questions are specific to job interests, skills, talents, education, training, wage needs, transportation options, disability barriers, communication skills, and other employment-related factors. The goal of this particular exercise is to help the reader write a career plan which can serve as a useful blueprint.

The book also features detailed instructions and samples to help the reader put together an effective resume as well as cover letters and other correspondence with employers.

It offers suggestions about creative problem solving and provides real-life examples about how others have successfully removed obstacles on their path to job success. Case studies demonstrate how people have successfully arranged job accommodations with their employers and have developed creative solutions which reduce the effects of their mental illness symptoms in the workplace.

This publication provides practical insights about how mental illness symptoms can be managed effectively in the workplace through careful personal assessment, creative planning, and arranging for essential job supports.

Although this book is intended for use by people with mental health disabilities, they are encouraged to talk to vocational rehabilitation counselors, mental health professionals, therapists, employers, and family members about their job goals and employment search. Some may choose to develop and follow career plans independently, others may choose to seek assistance from a service agency. Regardless, the basic premise of this publication is that each person needs to become actively involved in determining the amount and type of support needed to choose, find, and keep a job in the community.