Making Jobseeking Work for You
It's a harsh truth to swallow that meaningful employment can be particularly hard to find when you're disabled, and many of us struggle to enter and progress in the professions we'd like to.
Energy-limiting conditions often mean we still have the brain power to perform complex roles but not the physical energy; a treatment regimen might mean we can only commit to part-time hours; an unpredictable condition might mean we need a high level of flexibility. Your needs are as unique as you are, which means that even the most proactive of potential employers can't anticipate every need you might have (and you might not anticipate where you'll need an adjustment: I recently performed badly at a job interview because I didn't anticipate being asked to use a 12-inch keyboard over a full size one).
You've also got to navigate a potentially hostile landscape. You can't always predict when you'll be treated with bias or what new ways you'll discover that society is not set up for you, but with the right resources, you can make job-seeking a little easier. Here's our guide to making work work.
Embrace a different approach
If your ADHD means that you'd be a better employee in two part-time roles than one full-time one, go right ahead and search for that. If your career progression could suffer if you can't commit to full-time hours, propose a job share. As disabled people, we’re used to finding new ways of doing things that other people take for granted, and there’s no need to stop when a new job is on the horizon.
Not only does tweaking your goals to suit you mean you’re more likely to stay in a role that does, but also approaching a potential employer with a creative solution that benefits you both demonstrates your value as a strategic and out-of-the-box thinker and could make you stand out as a candidate.
Where to look
If you're trawling Indeed.com for potential opportunities, you'll already know that you can filter for disability-positive employers by navigating to the ‘encouraged to apply’ tab and selecting Disability confident employers, but did you know you can also find job boards specifically for disabled people? Try these:
Evenbreak is an award-winning job site that’s run for the global disabled community by a disabled team.
Disability Jobsite is a site that works with members of the Business Disability Forum and has been campaigning for disabled people since 2004.
Disabilityjob.co.uk collaborates with employers to ensure their recruitment is accessible and offers a job board.
Employ Ability focuses on disabled students, graduates and professionals.
Careers with Disabilities provides services for employers to advertise roles to a disabled talent pool.
Disabled Workers Cooperative is a registered charity that hosts a job board and a searchable database of disabled professionals.
Verdica is a job site that promotes roles that target several minoritised groups.
Consider self-employment
Freelance work can be the answer if you're living with an energy-limiting condition or an unpredictable set of symptoms. Once you're set up, the added administrative burden of being a business owner is not enormous, and it gives you the freedom to choose your own contracts and set your own hours. Creative jobs and knowledge-based consultancy are particularly suited to freelancing, as are trades and services, but even secretarial and administration work and customer service can be done on a contractual basis. You might be surprised by what you can do as your own boss.
Getting started - jumping through legal hoops and finding your first clients - can be rough, but the payoff has the potential to be enormous.
Use the resources available to you
Organisations like SIC exist to improve disabled people’s access to the world of work. With SIC, you can access learning and support designed to make you job-ready and give you the confidence to put your skills to use. Our start here guide could be a great place to start.
Don’t forget about Access to Work, the government scheme that provides financial support to disabled people to help them thrive at work. They can finance adaptations to your physical environment, support workers like BSL interpreters and assistants and assistive tech or specialist equipment through a grant to you or your employer. They could also cover additional transport costs if you’re unable to use public transport or provide mental health support. Applications can take a long time to process, but it’s worth not having to shoulder the burden yourself.
Keep your eye out for red flags
It's easy to forget that when you're looking for work it's as much about how the organisation suits you as you them. There's no need to be defensive, but it's a good idea to pay attention to the small clues that reveal the culture of a workplace. Does your potential employer have an equality, diversity and inclusion policy? Is the application process needlessly complex? If you're going to be working on-site, how's the accessibility of the building?
None of these will give you the full picture of what a place is like, but taken together, they can give you a good idea, so listen to your gut.
Disclose strategically
Not everyone has the option of choosing when they come out about their health, but if you do, it's wise to be strategic.
You might want to introduce the topic as part of your answer to an interview question, using it to highlight a skill, or as part of your answer to the dreaded ‘tell us about a problem you've overcome” question. Framing your disability as something that has taught you tenacity or an essential skill for the role introduces the topic softly and allows you to pay attention to the reaction.
Transparency will benefit you in the long run. Employers appreciate a proactive approach, and if you foresee reasonable adjustment, mentioning them early means your new manager doesn't feel bamboozled later.
Remember your strengths
Your disability is a part of your skillet, and it helps make you unique. It gives you an alternative perspective and a knack for problem-solving, and it means you’re great at improvising when things don’t quite go to plan.
Job hunting is a little bit like dating; you can tick all the right boxes and yet just not quite fit, and it’s hard not to take rejection personally, even if it comes before they’ve met you. It’s draining and often disappointing, but you can take the sting out of its tail with a little focus, determination and the right tools in your pocket.
