For those with disabilities, finding the right employer and a suitable job can be difficult. While disability awareness and the availability of workplace accommodations continues to grow, it can be challenging to decide where to begin your job search. You may be interested in connecting with employers who are known for their commitment to ensuring workplace inclusivity. If you have a disability and you’re looking for work, this list of job resources may be able to help you in your job search.
The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) connects employers with students and recent graduates with disabilities looking to work in the federal and private sectors. This program gives you a way to market your abilities to a wide variety of potential employers nationwide, sharpen your interviewing skills during your interview with a WRP recruiter, gain industry skills, experience, and contacts, and prove that people with disabilities can be excellent and valuable employees. No matter what field or industry you’re interested in, the Workforce Recruitment Program can help you put your best foot forward and bring you one step closer to landing your dream job. The WRP application cycle takes place each fall and is run by the Center for Career Development at UConn.
AbilityLinks provides applicants with disabilities with a network of employers that value disability inclusion in their workplace. AbilityLinks offers candidates a customizable job search aggregate that lets users narrow down jobs by not only desired location and occupational fields, but also by the type of accommodation that an individual may require, including hearing accommodations, mental health, neurodiversity, mobility, and vision accommodations. Every job posting contains a basic overview of the position, job responsibilities, basic and additional qualifications, location, as well as a list of the accommodations that they provide. In addition to this job aggregate, AbilityLinks also has a page dedicated to Job Seeker Resources, which contains helpful tips on securing a job and ensuring workplace accommodations for disabilities.
Recruit Disability is an employment initiative that helps job seekers with disabilities get hired in virtually any industry across the country. Their job portal lets you search within a specific category or industry, as well as location and job title. Recruit Disability also has a section with featured articles on their main page about how to find a job with a disability and career guidance on how to navigate a rigorous hiring process and make yourself stand out. You can also browse a company directory or a list of companies that recruit individuals with disabilities and find out more information about openings directly from their websites.
Getting Hired assists students with disabilities in finding appropriate job opportunities through their job portal, which features thousands of active listings for positions across every field and industry nationwide. You can filter your results primarily by career area and location, and you can browse either a list of related jobs or a list of employers who emphasize workplace accessibility. Getting Hired also has its own Career Insights blog that offers career information and industry updates from experienced career professionals. You can search for job seeker advice, tips on how to find an inclusive employer, community outreach efforts, and more. They also have an events page, where you can register to attend a virtual job expo for job seekers with disabilities.
AbilityJOBS is an employment site where posted job listings are from employers specifically seeking to hire individuals with disabilities. You can narrow down your search by job function, industry, job type, state, as well as a specific position title. AbilityJOBS also allows you to post your résumé so that employers have an opportunity to connect with you on job opportunities that may be a good fit for your interests and your needs. You also have the option of attending a live, online career fair to get a chance to network with employers and find out more about the openings that their organizations are currently recruiting for. This is a great opportunity to distinguish yourself as a candidate and make a lasting impact on a company you’re interested in.
As you continue to search for jobs, keep in mind the ways in which you can successfully showcase your skills and abilities to establish yourself as a competitive candidate. Make sure your future employer prioritizes inclusivity and accessibility so that you can confidently request workplace accommodations. If you’d like more help finding a job that fits your specific needs, please schedule an appointment with a Career Coach at the UConn Center for Career Development to explore your options.
