Use of Social Media in Job Placement & Development for Students with Disabilities

Christopher Kempski Professor, Hunter College Researcher & Author. Co-Presenter Maria Suprun Social media are important and useful tools for tracking job postings, learning about potential employers, self-advertising, getting job leads, and staying connected. However, the use of social media is a relatively new practice for vocational rehabilitation and disability service personnel, and a dearth of research devoted the use and effectiveness of social media for job search makes the actual impact of social media vague and unclear. This study reports findings from an online survey conducted from February to April 2012, which found that use of social media has become more prevalent among vocational rehabilitation and disability service professionals. The study highlights the importance, impact, advantages and shortcomings of using social media in disability services and vocational rehabilitation. Keywords: social media, disability, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, job placement, job development, job search Click here to go back