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After being out of the workforce for over ten years due to disability, I’m ready to find a part-time role.
Elaine Varelas provides strategies on how to approach your job search effectively.
Q. I suffered a stroke over ten years ago and have had physical challenges ever since. I’ve been out of the professional space since then. I’m ready to start looking for a part-time role, but I wondered if I should disclose straight away that I’m disabled. For example, should I include that on my LinkedIn profile and Resume?
A. I’m sorry for your medical situation and the challenges that you’ve had. I hope it’s exciting for you to think about coming back into the world of work. It sounds like you have the need to be mentally stimulated, but not physically over exerted. Returning to work after a long absence due to disability can be challenging and the decision to reveal a disability is deeply personal. Using the term disabled on your Resume or LinkedIn profile is extremely vague, without knowing the extent or type of your disabilities. Unfortunately, hiring managers might assume the worst and not know whether you’re capable of doing the jobs that you’re applying for.
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What’s most important is to remind you that 70% of people get their jobs through networking. You could let your networking contacts know of your disability and the extent of your disability and what you are capable of in terms of a job that would be a good fit for you. As they talk to others about you and the skills you bring, they can assure the hiring manager or hiring organization that your disability will not impact your ability to do the job well.
This will also allow them to be more selective about the jobs they bring to you. For example, if your disability manifests itself with a language impairment, your applying for phone customer service jobs is probably not the kind of position that you’d be looking for. If, however, your disability manifests itself as a need to use a walker, having a telephone/screen job would be a viable job option for you. You should develop a target list of positions where you can utilize your skills. Focus on positions that match your skills and accommodate your needs and that you can be excited about.
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After you have reached out to your network, you might want to reach out to organizations who support job seekers with disabilities, such as The Employer Assistance & Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN), Disability Solutions, and The Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) . And on LinkedIn, under Settings & Privacy, you can select Personal Demographic Information and self-identify as having a disability or impairment. This allows recruiters who are specifically looking for disabled employees and allows organizations to pursue more diversity in hiring.
Recognizing where to share information about your disability and where not to share this information will be important for you in terms of conducting a successful search. Focus on highlighting your skills and abilities while also being honest about any accommodations you may need.
Be civil. Be kind.
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