A Journey to Greater Career Fulfillment

John at work.

My name is John Robinson, and I live in San Jose. I work as a Peer Relations Specialist at the San Andreas Regional Center (SARC). A colleague from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) office in San Jose encouraged me to apply. At the time, I was already working as a Peer Advocate Counselor at Hope Services, but I was only part-time. My job at SARC is similar but includes more duties, pays more, and is full-time. I also have a bigger catchment area now. Part of my job is visiting Adult Day Programs, including my previous employer, Hope Services.

My work journey started many years ago as a Housing Specialist. At the time, I was working with a job developer who knew the hiring manager at a nonprofit organization called Citizen Housing Company. My job developer arranged an interview for me with the Hiring Manager, and I got the job. While working there, I had a job coach who provided the support I needed.

I held other jobs over the years as well. Working in different jobs has helped me learn more about what I like and helped me to expand my skills. For those of you just starting out, it can help to talk with friends and family about what you like to do. It doesn’t have to necessarily be about what job you like to do. Sometimes, even general conversations can help you figure out what you might be interested in. If you already have a job but want to make more money, and a promotion isn’t an option, you can consider changing jobs. It can be a little scary at first since all change can be scary sometimes. But I say, go for it! Some people I know are afraid that their SSI/SSA benefits will be affected. I recommend they work with their benefits specialist, and they can calculate the pros and cons of earning a higher salary.

When applying for my current job at SARC, I asked for assistance with my resume and application. I was glad to have a support system around me that helped review my resume and answer my questions about the application process. I encourage everyone to build up a good support system of friends, family, and colleagues to help you on your journey to success!

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