Jose Reyes had looked for work for two years before he found a job. When asked if he ever felt discouraged during his job search, he replied, “Yes big time! I didn’t know if I could handle a job.”
There were times in the two years he was out of work that Jose was extremely sick. He was looking for any kind of job he felt he could do that would pay the bills. Jose could not do the kind of work he did before, but he found employment where he was able to learn new skills. “Since I started working again, I feel very confident that I can tackle new challenges and I have a job that will work with my disability.” When asked if he recommends that people with disabilities go to work, “Definitely,” he said.
Jose believes employment is “very gratifying” and provides a sense of independence. He says the upside to employment is that people can contribute to society and to those who rely on them. Though Jose found the job on his own, he utilized benefits counseling at Independence Now which he feels can be an extremely helpful tool in a person’s job search.
“Before I started working again, I did not have any confidence and was fearful of working with my disability. I wondered if the employer would put up with me if I had difficulty working. Now I work with a company that makes me feel confident and where I have security, and the employer respects me for who I am.”
