Finding employment when you have a disability can be difficult. Here are some pro tips that have helped me find jobs that I love over the years.
- Make sure you have a professional cover letter and resume. Include any volunteer work you have done with non-profit disability-related organizations.
- Research all local and national organizations that focus on helping people with disabilities fund employment. There are non-profit organizations, community, state, and federal agencies to help you prepare for interviews and your resume. Look up your local vocational rehabilitation agency, and they can help lead you in the right direction.
- Living with a disability teaches a person many valuable skills that are an asset to any organization. Mention all of your strengths when you are interviewing. People with disabilities are out-of-the-box thinkers, organized, loyal and persistent.
- Being confident in who you are and the skills you offer is attractive to prospective employers. Confidence is displayed by making good eye contact, smiling, and being relaxed during the interview. Your disability has taught you lessons that will make you even better at your chosen profession.
- You are also interviewing your prospective employer during the interview. Please don't be shy about telling them what accommodations you will need to succeed in your job.