Is It Hard to Get a Job if You're Disabled?
Is Finding a Job More
Difficult for People Living with Disabilities?
Having a disability presents
many new challenges in life, and you’ve likely heard from others that one of
the top challenges involves job searching. People with disabilities aren’t the only ones who
have difficulty finding work, though, and your success comes down to how you
look at your situation. Now that you’re ready to embark on a job hunt, you can
use these strategies to make the process of finding the perfect position
easier.
Get into the Right Mindset
Your mindset shapes how you feel as you set out to find a job, and you can bet
potential employers will pick up on your attitude during interviews. Start
right now by thinking about the wonderful skills and abilities you can bring to
a company. Getting into the right mindset helps you drop the defeated attitude
and present yourself with confidence.
Identify Your Challenges
The obstacles you come up against while searching for a job depend on several
factors, such as your type of disability and the support system you have in
place. For instance, you may have logistical challenges with trying to find
work, such as being unable to drive or needing help when speaking to an
interviewer. Alternatively, your biggest challenge may be your mindset. If you’re
new to having a disability, you may also be living with low self-esteem or
depression.
Plan to Address Each Potential Issue
Once you make a list of the challenges you can identify right now, you can
create an action plan to address each one. Talking to a counselor may build
your confidence if you’re still finding it difficult to accept your disability,
and—if you have a physical disability that prevents you from driving—arranging
for transportation services can help you prove to employers that you can get to
work on time. While it takes effort to overcome each challenge, you’ll be in a
better position to accept an amazing job offer when it comes along.
Learn How to Highlight Your
Abilities
At some point, you’ll probably need to disclose your disability to employers.
If your disability is immediately visible or requires major accommodations, consider
disclosing it before or during the interview. While you may need to explain a
few tasks you cannot perform, it’s important to keep the conversation positive.
For instance, you can explain how your hearing loss makes it challenging to
communicate with customers, but that you’ve also found it helped you develop
excellent nonverbal communication that puts people at ease.
Be Willing to Seek Help with Finding
Employment
Many people have difficulty finding a job, and it’s important to know there are
resources available that can make the process easier. Organizations providing
job seeking services can help you practice for an interview, create a resume,
and connect with employers who want to hire people with disabilities. Often,
just reaching out puts you in touch with people who can show you new strategies
to refine your job search that lead to success.
If you’re looking for
suitable jobs for disabled people, you can begin your
search with the listings provided by disABLEDperson, Inc. We are a charitable
organization focused on reducing the unemployment rate of people living with
disabilities, and the employers listed on our site are seeking individuals just
like you for their open positions. Give us a call today at 760-420-1269 if you
have any questions.