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>> The following program may contain strong language and brief nudity.  But don't get your hopes up.  After all, this is public access TV.
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>> Major funding for this program was provided by the City of Austin Cultural Initiatives Program.  Additional funding was provided by ADAPT of Texas and Amerigroup.  This program was made possible from the support of VSA of Texas.
>> Gene Rodgers: Hi folks, I'm Gene.
>> Dave Dauber: And I'm Dave. And we're the ^*
>> [multiple speakers] Gene and Dave show.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Boy Dave I'm excited today.  We're talking about employment.  Employment is important because it gives us money.  And with money we can do all sorts of things.  I can travel.  You just bought a new house.
>> Dave Dauber: You know our Nation's President said that employment is the key factor to this Country.  So, let's feature employment here on the Gene and Dave show.  Let's talk about it.  Let's spend some time.
>> Gene Rodgers: Let's do.  Who were the first people we talked to?  Seton Healthcare Family.  Well, some great folks over there.  You know Ellen Decareau helped us set up some interviews over there. Really friendly folks.  We talked with also some people from DARS.  And DARS is.  What is DARS again?
>> Dave Dauber: The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitation Services.
>> Gene Rodgers: There you go, yeah.  They help all kinds of folks with disabilities find employment.  And if you need things, you know, like assisted technology to work, they may buy that for you.  And if you're not quite ready for work maybe they can help you get trained for it.  Either with say more schooling or some kind of training program.  So there is all kinds of help out there.
>> Dave Dauber: Yeah, I got a lot of help through DARS when I was going to college and figuring out my career paths and the things that I could do.  And then also helping find funding for that, to be able to pay for it.
>> Gene Rodgers: Well yeah, very helpful.  The folks at Seton, we interviewed, let's see.   Nedra Clayton Westbrook.  And Nedra is a Senior Organizational Development Consultant and board certified Job Coach.  We don't know what that means either.  From what I understand, they won't print her business card anymore because it takes up too much ink [rimshot]. Yeah, we talked with the folks at DARS.  Susan Fairbrother and Lucinda Edwards.
>> Dave Dauber: Yeah, they were all very helpful on finding out, kind of, what steps to take.  If you're deciding on whether you want to work or whether you can work.  Or even some things about like what you really want to do.  And then taking it step by step from one level to the next.  What was the first step that we started with Gene?
>> Gene Rodgers: Well, we started with job readiness.  And you know, a lot of people don't know if they're, or think they're job ready, but they're not.  To be job ready you've got to be able to be on time every day.  You've got to be able to know how to dress right, how to interview.  That sort of thing.  So  ^*
>> Dave Dauber: So let's see what the experts have to say.
>> Gene Rodgers: Well all right, here we go.
>> Dave Dauber: Job readiness.
>> Gene Rodgers: How do I know I'm job ready?  What kind of skills or talents do I need to have before I'm ready for the work place?
>> Well, one of the things that I recommend, and I recommend this for all associates.  Is to, to all potential employees that are interested in working at Seton is to research the company.  Have an understanding of our organization and where the opportunities are for a particular skill.  And after you research, you know, make sure that you are, have your resume ready.  That you have and are able to articulate your work experience and transferable skills.  Transferable skills are the skills that you have that would be applicable to working in a healthcare environment.  And being able to articulate that with someone that may call for a phone screening.
>> When a person first comes in we're getting their information about them and their work history also.  To find out the jobs that they have done before.  Looking at their disability to find out, are they able to do the same job or go back to the same employer.  And so we also take in to consideration the  the consumers choice and what is it that they actually want to do.  And we make sure it is a great fit for them.  One of the services that can be provided is work adjustment training.  And that's a program that we can send someone to for them to learn work skills.  Working with an employer to get used to getting up on time.  Coming to work and working with people in various environments.  It's also giving them a chance to come out of their individual environment.  And so that's an opportunity where we can see what can they do in a work setting.
>> The nice part about this program is it really is tailored and customized for each individual depending on what their need is.  Even becoming job ready has a lot of elements in it that each person may or may not have.  Such as transportation, childcare, you know.  There are a lot of issues involved in becoming job ready.
>> Gene Rodgers:  But I'm glad we were able to interview the folks from Seton as well.  Seton is one of the largest employers in Austin.  I asked Ellen Decareau how many people worked at Seton.  She said about half [rimshot].  But I think the real answer is closer to more than 12,000.  Next thing we're going to learn about is resume dos and don'ts.
>> Dave Dauber:  All right, so we have determined that we're job ready.  And we're ready we found a place to go to interview.  We have got the perfect job in mind.  Now we have to get that resume polished up and ready to go.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Absolutely.  Now, the purpose of the resume isn't to get you the job, all though it helps.  The purpose of the resume is to get you an interview.  Let's see what these folks say about writing resumes.
>> Gene Rodgers:  In terms of resumes.  What are some of the dos and don'ts?  What should you put on a resume?  What should you leave off?  And I suppose it is the same with an application.
>> Well let's start with talking about the resume and the first thing I would say with any potential applicant is to be organized.  In other words, for your resume, make sure that you have your references listed.  Make sure that you have your job history information.  Make sure that you have a good summary or overview of your qualifications.  Remember a resume is really that overview of your qualifications and your accomplishments.  It's really not meant to be a biography about yourself.  So make sure that you've got everything ready and accessible as you put the resume together.  In addition to that there are three types of resumes.  You have a functional, a chronological and a combination.  And depending on your level of experience, you may want to go with the chronological.  Which is really focusing on your most recent employment history.  The functional really focuses more on your experience and does not highlight as much of a recent employment history.  So, for example, if you have had some gaps in your employment you may want to go with the functional resume.  And then a combination which I tend to like as well because you can have a blend of the functional and the chronological.
>> Dave Dauber:  So as a coach, what is the biggest mistake that you see people making on their resume?
>> On the resume I would say the biggest mistake is that when they're putting their resume together they are not putting the resume in a format where it's more the verbs.  They want to put so much in to a resume.  I have seen resumes that are three and four pages and they put too much detail.  Instead of just putting those key phrases and using those verbs to articulate their experience.  Remember, it should be easy to read.  It should highlight your qualifications and your accomplishments so that you can go right to it.  And tell a particular hiring manager why they should hire you and say look at that resume.
>> What we do is we assist consumers with resume writing.  With critiquing their resumes we ask them to come at least with a resume and something that we can either put a resume together with.  As we go out and look at various websites to see what employers are looking for now in a resume.  What is the correct way. We found a lot of information on corporate America websites and also working with employers in our community.  They no longer want to see request for references at the bottom.  They no longer want to see an objective at the top.  They consider it as kind of a waste of space.  They want to see the highlights of people's work skills at the top of the resume because they only spend a couple of minutes looking at a resume.  So they're not going to read the whole entire thing. And so we also practice with them, with their resume on interviewing skills.  We teach them, also, about the dos and don'ts.  What to add.  We look at if they have a long work history.  And so they don't age themselves we have them to not  we take all off the dates off the resume also.  And so it is just about your work history.  We have a lot of younger people in Job Club.  And so we look at what they have done and we keep the dates on.  And their GPAs we keep on there if it's a high score.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Good information.  You know Dave, I found that how you word your resume can make all the difference in the world.  For example, if you are a horse thief, you don't want to put on your resume that you're a horse thief.  You want to say something like you are an expert in equestrian asset acquisition.
>> Dave Dauber:  Acquisition.
>> Gene Rodgers:  And relocation.  There you go.  It makes all the difference in the world.  And if you did time in a federal prison, you don't want to say you were an inmate.  You say you devoted several years of your life to a government facility.  It makes all the difference.
>> Dave Dauber:  That it does.  
>> Gene Rodgers:  And also, don't be shy on your resumes.  For example, I was working in New Mexico.  And one day I went in to my boss and I said, you know, it would really be great if we had a database of this and this and this.  And he said  now remember this Andy?  I remember it.  He says well gee that would be great, but we don't pay you to be a programmer.  If you want to do that, you have to do it on your own.  So, I went and bought a book taught myself programming.  And a couple months later I was able to present him with a database that I developed on my own.  And later on I won some kind of an award for it.  Now, the reason that's important is because I was able to put it on my resume and I can highlight that when I go for the interviews.  Well, employers are not looking for good employees; they're looking for great employees.  They're looking for people that shine.  So anything like that would be helpful as well.  Also, later on, I applied for a fellowship.  I was one of the ten people that got one.  That was the Switzer research fellowship.  And I was the only non-PhD to get one that year.  So, anything like that put on your resume to make you stand out.  Now, we have got the resume, we're ready for the interview.  Let's find out about interview dos and don'ts.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Can you give us ideas of dos and don'ts during interviews?
>> Sure.  The first thing I would say is be punctual.  That is one that is very important for all potential applicants is to be on time.  You want to dress appropriately.  I generally recommend to wear formal clothes.  Regardless of what the job you are interviewing for entails, always err on the positive side by wearing some formal clothes.
>> Dave Dauber:  Even though it is Austin.
>> Even though it is Austin.  I know.                  
>> Dave Dauber:  Don't wear your flip-flops.
>> That's it.  You know?  So, don't wear jeans.  Just think regardless of what job you are interviewing for to, always, err with going more formal than what the job may require on a daily basis.  The other thing that is important is to be personable.  So, it is okay to share a story as you're being interviewed.  So, make sure that your personality comes out.  In other words, you don't want come across as being too rehearsed. 
>> Dave Dauber: Uh huh.                                                 
 >> Of course a big don't is to don't talk money during that interview.  Wait until that offer is on the table to have that discussion.  So don't talk money.  Don't talk money.
>> Job Club is an interview.  We set it up every Monday.  You're coming to an interview so you have to be dressed for an interview.  We talk to them about not to um and well and.  So they're not stuttering.  We let them know that to look an employer, the interviewer, in the eye.  We also let them know to listen to the questions that are being asked before they jump to a question.  It's just to actually listen to what the question is asking.   Think for a minute.  If they don't understand the question it's okay to ask them to repeat it.
>> Posture is very important.  Body language tells a lot more than the words do.  So we work a lot on that as well.  And of course coming in clean and dressed properly is very important as well.
>> Gene Rodgers :  You know, speaking of interviews, Dave, when someone like myself with a severe disability goes in to an interview the employer has got some questions.  They want to know, how is this person going to be able to accomplish all the tasks?  So what I like to do is say, I understand this job will require, perhaps, a lot of math.  It may require I have to do a lot of computations right then and there.  And I have to be ready for that.  So what I did is I developed a notebook where I have a programmable computer in the middle here.  And then below that my HP 12-C, which is a financial calculator.  I've got a notebook on top here that has all the instructions for all the -- you have -- for all the calculations, so I don't forget any.  And then a note pad that I can write on whatever I need to.  And this way it lets the employer know this person has already thought about it.  They've got a system they use, it works for them.  So the employer feels more confident about the skills of this person.  So it is very important you're prepared for your interview questions and be able to respond in a manner that exudes confidence.  Let the employer know, I have thought about all this.  I know how to do it.  And the next thing.  So once we have got the interviews, the next thing we want to know about is how do we broach the subject of reasonable accommodations?
>> Dave Dauber:  Let me take this.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Let's hear what our experts have to say about reasonable accommodations.
>> Dave Dauber:  So what are reasonable accommodations, Gene?
>> Gene Rodgers :  Well, for example, I can operate a computer if I have a track ball.  All computers, generally, have a mouse.  I just can't operate a mouse but a track ball.  That I can use.  And they cost about a hundred dollars.  So if I let the employer know up front, oh, by the way, I'll need a track ball, cost about a hundred dollars, that is really the only accommodation I need.  They are much more prone to hire me than to try to figure out, oh jeez, how much am I going to have to spend on this guy.
>> Dave Dauber:  And that's a reasonable accommodation?
>> Gene Rodgers:  That would be reasonable. 
>> Dave Dauber:  Like, if I need a queen sized, adjustable, TempurPedic bed in my office so that I can take my hour nap at lunchtime. 
>> Gene Rodgers:  Like you do for the Gene and Dave show.
>> Dave Dauber:  Yeah that's right, that's right.  Every day.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Most employers would not that consider that reasonable.
>> Dave Dauber:  Okay.
>> Gene Rodgers: But as long.
>> Dave Dauber:  But let's hear from the experts on when and what to ask for as for as reasonable accommodations.
>> Gene Rodgers:  At what point do we ask for reasonable accommodations?  And how do we go about doing that?
>> My recommendation is during the interview, in most cases there will be a discussion on what the job requirements are.  And the question will be are you able to perform the requirements of the job, and that is a good time to ask for those accommodations.
>> Accommodations is all part of the job.  The employer needs to be providing accommodations in many circumstances.  It's the ADA law.  We can help them zero down, or zero in on, what types of accommodations they may need.  Sometimes we will also provide a letter or go to the doctor and get a letter that will state they do in fact have a disability.  The doctors usually will write a script if there is some accommodation that maybe medically is needed in order for this individual to do the duties of the job.
>> Dave Dauber:  Another reasonable accommodation that I had to ask for in a job one time was when I was working in downtown Kansas City.  And they actually put me in to an office on the 11th floor.  One of the reasonable accommodations was fire evacuation.  They actually had to purchase a chair that had tank treads on it.  So in case there was a fire and I had to be evacuated, I was designated about six or eight guys that were designated to come and help me.  That worked near me, to transfer me out of my chair on to this special evacuation sled chair with treads on it to be able to get me down the 11 flights of stairs.  And they had so many people scheduled to help me so that if one of them happened to be out sick or not there the day of the fire they could come in and help.  And also, they took turns on the way down the stairway at operating the machine that got me down.  So that is one reasonable accommodation that not a lot of people think of, but it was there for my safety.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Well they must have loved you, Dave, to go through all that.  You must be a great employee, Dave.  Well, once you're on the job DARS can provide some sort of job support.  You may be having some problems adjusting to work, and they can provide some counseling to help you with that.
>> Gene Rodgers:  What kind of job support does Seton offer?
>> Great question.  And from day one we have what we call new associate experience, which all associates attend.  It is a full day orientation that provides an overview of our culture.  We cover our initiatives such as diversity initiatives.  We also include HIPPA, CRP which is corporate responsibility.  And so we really ensure that on day one all associates get the over view of Seton, our mission, why we're here.  And then also provide some information for those associates in terms of what they're supposed to do the very next day, who they're supposed to see.  So we try to make sure, day one, that we provide the information about Seton and what our mission is and how every associate fits in to that mission.
>> Yes, as far as job support, we don't ever, when the case is even closed, if the individual, should they have needs on the job to help them retain that employment, are welcome to come back.  We can provide post closure services if it is a situation where they might lose their job as a result of an issue.  So they're never alone.  What our whole point is, is when they are considered successful that all their issues are being addressed or they have the capability now, because of the services that they were provided here, to be able to meet their needs.
>> Gene Rodgers:  You know, talking about jobs, there is also something called self-employment, where you create your own job.  And not all of us are cut out for that.  You have to be really disciplined to do that kind of a field.
>> Dave Dauber:  Kind of like if you wanted to go out and start your own TV show.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Exactly, Dave.
>> Dave Dauber:  And find people to help you film it, and set stuff up and also to get funding to be able to help pay for a camera man and tapes and the equipment that it takes to edit these videos.
>> Gene Rodgers:  It takes a lot of work and patience and discipline.  So if you don't have that you might not want to consider self-employment.  But you know, a lot of people will think, I've got an idea for a product or service.  And I'll just put up a web page.  Well, a web page is nice.  But you have to find a way to drive traffic to your web page.  And a lot of people don't know how to do that.  They don't know how to get a search engine optimization where they can have -- so that when people put in a search on Google or Bing, that their web page ends up in the top ten.
>> Dave Dauber:  It is very important.
>> Gene Rodgers:  And if you don't know how to do that folks, you may want to consider something else.  Some people do capital-intensive jobs too, where they have to buy a  lot of equipment to make products and they think they can sell it themselves.  If you're selling you're not working, you're not producing products.  So it is a really tough business to be in.  So, although self-employment is an option and there are plenty of entrepreneur programs out there.  In fact we have a number listed in our resources.  You can look at the description for a show.  Still, it is a tough business to be in.
>> Dave Dauber:  But you never know, you may succeed.  You may actually be the next Sam Walton.  So decide if that is the road for you and then go for it.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Exactly.  And I'm glad you pointed that out, Dave.  It is not that I'm trying to discourage people, but I want you to think twice about it.  Now, when you're also considering various aspects of employment, Dave, you found a great book called Employment Options. And this is a great book for folks with disabilities or veterans or people that are say over 50 and wanting to get back in to the work force.  It is available at Bartleby Press.  You can call them toll free 18009539929.  We also have their web address here and in our page summary about our show.  You can actually download a sample of this book, which is great.  And that will help you decide if you want it.  This book teaches you how to fill out an application without sending the wrong signals.  It teaches you some honest and sensible ways to handle tough situations.  Gaps in employment are very important.  Maybe some bad references you got.  How to stand up for your rights as a job hunter under federal laws.  How to craft career changing and job specific resumes based on successful sample resumes that they provide.  So, please check them out.  Download a sample of their book and you will find it very helpful.
>> Dave Dauber:  Lots of good stuff to help you get started on your new employment career path.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Yeah, and you really find out, going through the checklist, what kind of person am I?  What kind of aptitude do I have?  What jobs would really appeal to me?  So there you go, folks.
>> Dave Dauber:  And those things are really good to know.  Because when you do get into that interview, those are the questions they're going to ask you and want answered.  So, if you're ready for those questions then you'll be ready and you'll land a job.
>> Gene Rodgers:  I couldn't say it better myself, Dave.
>> Dave Dauber:  Good.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Now for me, networking was very important.
>> Dave Dauber:  I've got a network at home too.  I've got my computer plugged in to it.  I even have WiFi, it goes out in to the air.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Not that kind of network, Dave.
>> Dave Dauber:  Oh.
>> Gene Rodgers:  No, the kind of network where you talk to other people.  You know people from other organizations.  Things like that.  Now, networking, when you belong to other organizations, when you talk to other folks, they may know job leads.  They may know other employers that are familiar with the jobs that you might be looking for.  And that can really cut through a lot of red tape.
>> Dave Dauber:  So the old saying rings true.  It is not what you know, but who you know.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Oh, absolutely.  I have had a lot of luck with that and we'll hear a little bit more about that a little bit later.  But, belonging to several organizations, clubs, it can come in handy.  Also I found that if you follow the money, if you see where grants are going, maybe where there is new businesses developing.  For example, here in Austin there has been talks of a new Apple plant going up.  Learn about those kinds of things.  That's where you can get in on the ground floor.  Otherwise you look at the ads in the paper and you're competing with everyone in the city.  People from out of state too.  So follow the money, see where that is going.
>> Dave Dauber:  Good advice.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Speaking of working, you and I have got some stories to tell about work.  In fact that one you told about reasonable accommodations, wow, that blew my mind.  Do you want to tell your story Dave?  Or if you want I should start with mine, about employment?
>> Dave Dauber:  Go ahead, Gene.
>> Gene Rodgers:  All right.  When I went to college I studied education.  I was looking at teaching science and math in high school.  Well, I got to the part where we did student teaching.  And this was years ago, not when there were dinosaurs but it was before computers, before we had personal computers.  And I needed to make lesson plans, tests, quizzes, keep track of grades, all that sort of thing.  And I had to type them out.  So I did this on a typewriter.  I had to take a piece of paper, get it in my mouth, put it into the typewriter and type out whatever it was, quizzes.  And if I made a mistake I had to start over again.  Because, as I said there were no personal computers.  Everything had to be typed.  And I was getting three to four hours of sleep a night.  So when the student teaching ended, I knew there was no way I could go in to the teaching field.  And quite frankly I wasn't sure what to do at this point, what career path to choose.  And then I made the decision, rather than just look for a job, I'm going to find out where I want to live.  And then once I move there, then I'll look for work.  So a buddy of mine and I traveled around the southwest US.  I figured out that Albuquerque was a great place to live in, the weather was pretty good year round.  And they had a transportation system for folks with disabilities.  So, I moved there and then did my job search.  And my first job, I got it through networking.  And the folks, Paralyzed Veterans of America, they told me about a new independent living center starting up in Santa Fe.  So I ended up applying and getting a job up there.  So networking really helped there.  And then after being there a couple years I decided I wanted something a little bit more.  So I went back to grad school.  Had to move back to Albuquerque.  Again, through networking I was introduced to another employer.  I got a job before I was out of school.  And it happened again and again.  I think I got three jobs without even applying for them.  People would call me and say hey, we want you to work for us.  And this happened because I really took a vested interest in the place I was working.  I mean, you're going to be spending eight hours a day there, at least. I may as well make it the best place I can.
>> Dave Dauber:  Right.
>> Gene Rodgers:  And when people see that they really appreciate it.  And they'll let other employers know.  Networking really helped me a lot.  I want to hear one of your stories.
>> Dave Dauber:  Sounds like it Gene.  Well I decided when I was really young and they rolled in our fist Apple IIe computer in to my grade school classroom that computers were going to be the thing of the future and the way that I wanted to go.  So I knew from an early age that I really wanted to do something with computers.  Because it was something that, physically, even though being in a wheelchair, I could still do.  I could still operate a computer and control it.  Make it do what I wanted it to do.  And also use that to help other people do their jobs and what they wanted to do.  So the computer programmer in me was born at a very early age.  I went on after high school to attend Emporia State University.  In Emporia Kansas, just a couple hours down the road from where I was born and raised.  And after that I landed the job in the big downtown skyscraper building in Kansas City Missouri.  At a company called DST.  And it's a mutual funds company that did all the computer programming for mutual fund, the mutual fund market for different fund companies.  And they would keep track of all their data, house it, store it and keep it both on site and off site.  So I worked there for several years where I learned a programming language called Small Talk.  I still use Small Talk today and really enjoy programming with it and setting up graphic user interfaces, or GUI, for people to be able to do their jobs quick and easily.  After that I transferred to Fort Worth Texas where I worked for Sprint for a while.  The telecom industry.  And after leaving Sprint I went to another company called Novo One, which I currently work for.  It's located in Fort Worth and I telecommute.  And I'm able to log on to my computer daily and work from home.  So, in a nutshell it's kind of been my career path.  It's all been on the computer and I really enjoy it.
>> Gene Rodgers:  So you have a real passion for this and obviously it shows or you wouldn't have gotten these great jobs.  And the employers have to put a lot of trust in you that you're getting your work done from home.
>> Dave Dauber:  Sure.
>> Gene Rodgers:  And this is something you can do, we haven't talked about it before, but telecommuting.  Is that what they call it?
>> Dave Dauber:  Uh huh, yeah.
>> Gene Rodgers:  So you log in at home, do whatever work you need to do and they're happy with that.  But Dave has paid his dues.  He started off working in an office.   I'm not saying you have to do that but it certainly worked well for you.
>> Dave Dauber:  Right, yeah, and you worked your way  I worked my way up to be able to have the trust and confidence to be able to work from home.  I started working in the office that I work for now before moving to Austin and asking if telecommunicating was a possibility.  And I proved myself.  They liked my work and said that that would be just fine for me to do. 
>>> Gene Rodgers:  Excellent. 
>>> Dave Dauber:  So Gene, while we were talking to the good folks at Seton, we also had the opportunity to, I should say re meet, or have another discussion with, Geronimo.  That's how we knew about Seton was when we first met Geronimo at a Mayors Committee awards banquet that the Gene and Dave show was so honored to get an award at.  We decided to capitalize on the opportunity and network with some of the other folks and film some of the other folks that were there getting awards.  And Geronimo had some people in his internship, through Seton, that were getting awards.
>> Yeah, now, Geronimo Rodriguez is the Vice President of Diversity and Community Outreach.  What I don't get is why we couldn't get the President of Diversity and Community Outreach.  We just got the Vice President. 
>> Dave Dauber:  So tell us a little bit, again, about your role here with Seton.
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Sure.
>> Dave Dauber:  And what your job title is and what you do.
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Sure, sure, my name is Geronimo Rodriguez.  I serve as the Vice President of Diversity and Community Outreach for the last six years.  In a nutshell, our job in our area, the Diversity Community Outreach, is really to move the entire organization from recognizing diversity to institutionalizing inclusion and cultural confidence in everything that we do.  We do that through nine different strategies that are focused on, whether it's talent acquisition and finding the best fit to make sure that we reflect the community we serve.  To talent development, patient access, patient care, community outreach, supplier diversity, marketing workforce development.  Inspiring the next Generation of healthcare professionals.  And then a new one around supporting medical research by ensuring that we comply with what are called Federal contractor compliance requirements that now fall under our office.
>> Dave Dauber: It sounds like you wear a lot of hats. 
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Yeah.  It is a fun job because at the end of the day, it all starts with our mission statement.  Which at the core of it is about recognizing every human being, every individual I should say, as a human being endowed with dignity and therefore we are compelled to treat them with respect.  And that includes employment.  That includes looking at individuals and seeing what their strengths, their gifts, their abilities are and how they might contribute to providing healthcare for everyone here in central Texas. Whether they can afford it, whether they can -- they come from different geographic areas or whether it is just anyone here in central Texas.  It is really a great opportunity to give back to our community. ^M00:40:00
>> Gene Rodgers:  So Geronimo,
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Yes, Sir?
>> Gene Rodgers:  How would someone contact you if they're looking for employment?
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Sure, well, we are happy to speak to anyone in the community.  If they just call our phone.  3245987 and speak to our assistant, Tina Hickman.  We're always happy to do informational interviews.  We are not the human resources department.  But we're always happy to visit with people and find out what their interest is, what their talents are.  And refer them to our human resources department.  There is two ways to really go there.  One is to do it online at Seton.org/careers.  It talks about what job opportunities there are.  And then secondly we have a human resources office that's here in this Seton administrative office building.  That's here, located at 1345 Philomena Street.  So, really most of the jobs are, well, all of the jobs are posted online and that's how individuals can find out about those opportunities.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Let's suppose I'm someone with a disability and I heard that Seton was a great place to work but I don't really know what kind of job I want to do.
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Uh huh.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Would I talk to you about that?
>> Geronimo Rodriguez: You can talk to us and we can find out what kind of area or gifts and talents you have.  And then refer you to the right person in our recruiting office.  We have recruiters that have a responsibility for different areas whether they be a particular site like.  Let's say Breckenridge, or whether it is a particular service line, sort of like diagnostic and therapeutics, in that particular area.  So we have individuals who serve throughout the entire home care system here at Seton with different various disabilities.  We're always engaged and looking towards focusing on the gifts and talents that they might contribute to Seton.
>> Dave Dauber:  I understand that there is a program available through Seton for the younger Generation.
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Yes.
>> Dave Dauber:  People that may or may not have disabilities that are younger, looking for like a career path that Seton can also help with.  Do you know anything about that program?
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Yeah there is a couple of different ones that I would probably want to focus on.  One is not necessarily a career path.  But I should mention it, which is anyone interested in a health career job might consider going to what is called the Mock Surgery Tour.  It is done by our Clinical Education Center.  I can't remember the exact month but every, it is an annual event that happens that is open to the entire community.  Where anyone from the community can come to the Clinical Education Center and you go through a tour and you can tell how, you can see how people, how our doctors do surgery.  And there is different tools there that you can use.  For example, using a scalpel and cutting in to an orange to see what it feels like to actually use a scalpel.  And that is really focused on inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals.  In terms of opportunities at the hospital itself.  We're, we have over 400 teen opportunities this summer for individuals between the ages of 16 all the way up to 24, for undergraduate.  Where we have either paid or unpaid, mostly unpaid, teen volunteer opportunities at different various sites that students can apply to, to get in to those programs.  Those deadlines, I think, have passed for this summer.  But it is good to know that those are the things that happen.  Mostly all the information is sent out to the schools different schools, whether they be public or private schools.  But those opportunities are there for teens to volunteer at our healthcare system.  There is also two other programs.  One is a high school transition program and another is an adult employment program that we combine here together called Project Search, which is a best practice for hiring individuals with developmental disabilities.  And we have a spectrum all the way from very low functioning individuals to very high functioning individuals.  We have had to date, 42 internship opportunities in the last four years and I'm happy to report that just even last week we had our 24th hire at Seton.
>> Dave Dauber:  Great.
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  So that's more than half of them have been hired here at Seton.  And my understanding about the statistics is that there is another third that have been hired in the community.  Because what is really interesting to us is that, as one of the largest private employers, if you have a one-year non-paid internship here with us, for example, Project Search program.  And you show that resume to other employers in central Texas.  And their thinking is, well, you know if Seton Healthcare Family, the largest private -- or one of the largest private employers in central Texas -- can provide job opportunities and see the gifts and talents and strengths of this individual then we're going to give them an opportunity in our particular place of employment.  What is really exciting for us is that in July of this year, the week of July 23rd, the city of Austin will be hosting the national project search conference here in Austin Texas.  Thirtyeight states, four countries and over 500 participants will be coming to central Texas to look at this best practice.  We, unfortunately, are the only employers in Texas so far.  We want to encourage other employers to use this model, but so far we are the only one.  And to have them see these individuals and look at them with their strengths, their abilities and what they're accomplishing.  I could go on and on but I think their stories are even more powerful.  Stories like Daniel, who was our first hire, who does surgical sets for surgeons.  And he has been with us for almost three and a half years.  He has two errors in those surgical sets.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Wow, amazing.
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  And what surgeon doesn't want their surgical set to be just perfect when they're having surgery on you.  And you know we have other individuals, like Walter, who is checking lab results, and making sure that the patient identification number and the patient name are the same.  And if they're not he stops the process and makes sure that the right individual understands and knows.  So therefore we're not giving the wrong information around cancer, for example, cancer results, to the wrong person that either has it or does not.  So it is just a real big, those are just two short stories of the impact that these students are having in our healthcare system.
>> Dave Dauber:  Sounds like a great way to focus on, as you mentioned before, you know, the talents.  The things that people can actually do that might get over looked in a normal office desk job, you know? That might just qualify them for a job, to maybe sweep the floors or clean the blackboards at a school.  But to really focus on using their talents and their abilities for a job that is so important and so vital to the attention to detail, as you mentioned it in those two cases.  What an awesome story. 
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  It is, you know, what is even just as impactful and what is really interesting to me is the stories or Emails we get from parents.  Who say, you know, because of this I'm going to retire in the city of Austin.  And I'm going to volunteer my time at Seton.  Or the parents of kids who happen to be disabled and they say I went to the hospital today and it was so wonderful to see somebody like my son or daughter working here.  It gave them hope that what they're doing to help their son or daughter will make sure that they have a good quality of life so that maybe someday they'll come work here.
>> Gene Rodgers:  That's the real positive impact.  Being able to show the community what you've been able to do instead of just talking about it
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Uh huh.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Now it sounds like this volunteer program is really a fast track to employment.  You have employed half of the people that were  ^*
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  In project search it is not a volunteer program.  It is a non-paid internship, one-year non-paid internship, where they go in to three different rotations.
>> Gene Rodgers:  Can you explain the difference between non-paid internship and volunteer?
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Sure, sure.  Absolutely.  And that is a great question because that gets asked all the time.  Volunteer, we have an office of volunteer services at each of our hospital sites.  And they are the ones that manage individuals that want to volunteer at the hospital and help out.  Whether it's, it might be, um, I don't know, dropping off Emails for the patient for communication.  It might be making sure that the wheelchairs are all brought back to the same place.  It might be providing some support to some of our staff, if you will.  But these are volunteer efforts.  Those volunteer efforts are not necessarily made to lead to a job or job opportunities, if you will.  Those are really giving back from the community.  And we have teens, undergraduate students, we have retired individuals who come and they contribute their time whether it is two hours, four hours or longer.  And they come in and they volunteer for us.  On the other hand, we have these internships, non-paid and paid internships, mostly non-paid internships, where a student is in an academic institution, whether it be high school or whether it be college or a University.  And they're getting academic credit or they're getting high school credit for participating in the internship here at Seton.  ^M00:49:56
>> Gene Rodgers:  Oh.
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  So for example, we're doing one with the Ann Richard School for young women leaders.  They're coming for a week this summer to be exposed to healthcare and get inspired to become healthcare professionals, doctors, nurses.  There is all these technical jobs that require two years of technical training and community college that are high demand, high paying jobs that they might be interested in.  So these internships are both for academic credit, sometimes they're not for academic credit, a lot of times the internships are more about the student coming from the college or University to gain some kind of experience, exposure or academic credit.  And they're not getting paid to do that work.  And however we do have some paid internships, like our summer undergraduate internship program.  And that really has been interesting in terms of a pathway to work.  Because we have had an average in the last couple years of ten paid summer under graduate interns that are chosen through an open competitive equal employment opportunity process.  And it has been really interesting because we have had an average, one of those students end up getting offered a job at the end of the summer because they've done such an outstanding job of wherever they may be in the Seton Healthcare Family.
>> Gene Rodgers:  It just sounds like a super way for someone with a disability to get their foot in the door for employment.                                                 
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Yeah, absolutely.                                       
>> Gene Rodgers:  And it's got to look good on a resume to say that they had an internship at Seton. 
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Uh huh.
>> Dave Dauber:  It sounds like that is why Seton is very successful today.  And we thank you for all your efforts and, on behalf of all those people.  And people that are receiving services from Seton.  We thank you.  And thank you so much for being on the Gene and Dave show,
>> Geronimo Rodriguez:  Thank you.  It's a start.  It's a start.  Thank you.
>> Dave Dauber: And once again you can check out WWW.seton.org/careers to find out more about careers here at the Seton Healthcare Family.
>> Gene Rodgers:  You know, Dave, a lot of people have misconceptions about what people with disabilities are like in the work place. In fact, there is a Mr. Clueless we know about.  And, let's take a look in on Mr. Clueless and see 
>> Dave Dauber. Unfortunately I think there's a lot of Mr. Cluelesses out there that have the same thought but, let's, let's  ^*
>> Gene Rodgers:  Check him out.
>> Dave Dauber:  Let's watch this.                                          
   ^M00:52:36
[ Music ]
^M00:52:50                                                                        
>> [knock on door] Come in.  Oh, you must be my three pm appointment Mr. Clueless.
>> Yes I am thanks for seeing me I'm here to get a disability.
>> I beg your pardon?
>> A disability.  You are a disability specialist and I am in the market for a disability.
>> Oh, I see.  Okay. 
>> 
>> All right, would you like a temporary or a permanent disability?  They both come with a free parking space.
>> I suppose I could maybe start with a temporary disability and then if it goes well upgrade to a permanent disability.
>> Very well.  Then temporary it is.  Now, would you like a visible or a non-visible disability?
>> I'm not familiar with non-visible disabilities.
>> Well, a non-visible disability would be something that's not obvious.  Something like epilepsy or a heart condition, or diabetes.
>> Well that probably wouldn't work.  What's the point of having a disability if it is not visible?  I mean isn't it hard to get pity that way?
>> Pity?  Is that it Mr. Clueless?  You want a disability to get pity?
>> No, of course not.  I'm interested in the work benefits.
>> The work benefits?
>> Sure, you know, come in late, leave early, take time off whenever need be.  First I considered becoming a soccer mom for the same reasons.  But it is probably a bigger change than I'm willing to make, if you know what I mean.
>> Well I can see you're acquainted with several stereotypes.
>> Oh, stereotypes are very convenient, they save time.
>> Mr. Clueless, I think you have got the wrong idea.  People with disabilities, according to a study by DuPont, are more punctual, work longer and have fewer sick days than their non-disabled counterparts.
>> Oh I'm too lazy for that.  Can you recommend another career path?  Something with high pay and low accountable, low responsibility?
>> Have you considered Congress?
[rimshot] 
[laughter]
[applause] 
^M00:55:22
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^M00:55:34
>> Dave Dauber:  Ha ha, working for congress, Gene?
>> Gene Rodgers: Well, I might be a bit sarcastic there.  I don't know.  But, we had a lot of fun with that.  We hope you had a lot of fun with our show.  And there is always so much more to learn in our page summary about the show so check that out on the web at WWW.thegeneanddaveshow.  And we have shows coming up on music and all sorts of things, so.
>> Dave Dauber:  Yeah, so keep tuning in keep checking out the website.  And we really thank you for watching. And just remember, just because you have a disability, it doesn't mean that you're inable to work.  So go out there and find the job of your dreams.
>> Gene Rodgers:  So long now. 
 ^M00:56:31
[ Music ]
^M00:57:08