What are you getting into?

The ability to intern or shadow possible future professions sometimes helps one make the decision if it is the line of work they would like to go into.  Performing duties as an impartial witness for the Social Security Administration (SSA) as a Social Security Vocational Expert (SSAVE) is no different.  Unfortunately, you cannot get into one of these hearings…or listen to one…due to privacy act limitations – protecting the rights of the claimant.  You can however, see many dramatizations of what the process looks like and how it is carried out.

The process conducted in each of these hearings stays the same.  The video above goes through each stage and gives you and idea of what the real deal would look like.  Envision yourself in the SSAVE’s seat.  Think about the questions asked and the information presented.  Remember…she’s not there to assist the claimant or the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).  She’s there to present the facts according to the hypothetical limitations posed by the ALJ.