Having a Disability Is Not the End of the Employment Road
When it comes to job seekers with a disability of some kind, there are certainly more challenges to be faced while job hunting. There might be a doubt on the part of the person with the disability, as well as a potential employer, because of the disability.
However, having the added challenge of a disability does not spell the end of the road to gainful employment, as many Australians with disabilities are currently working good, stable jobs and earning an income.
There are jobs for disabled people and in this article, we’ll look at some options to help you get into the workforce and lead a productive life.
Research Companies That Hire People With Disabilities
Some businesses and companies focus on giving people with physical or mental disabilities a go. Possibly the easiest way to discover companies that do this is to search online and see what comes up in the results.
When you do find businesses that offer disabled people jobs, study these companies to determine what you could offer them as an employee of the company. You might find you already have the skills or qualifications to seek employment with them, or you might need to undergo some training to be more attractive as a potential employee.
No matter what the scenario, it doesn’t hurt to reach out to the boss, manager or HR department and simply make some enquiries regarding possible employment with them.
Search Online Job Boards
It’s a good idea to regularly search for job openings online. There are numerous sites you can access to find current job offers in Australia. More to the point, you can input extra search criteria into the advanced search feature and see if there are any jobs being offered specifically to people with a disability.
While the options might be limited, it’s a way of shortcutting the process to see what’s available for disabled workers.
Some sites you might want to look at regularly include:
- Seek
- CareerOne
- Gumtree
- Indeed
- JobActive
- And more…
Use the Power of the Internet
In the section above we talked about going online to search for employment on various job boards, but that’s not the only way you can take advantage of the internet.
Just about everybody has social media accounts, whether it be a Facebook profile, Instagram, Twitter and so on. Why not put the word out to your network online that you’re a person with a disability, but you really want to find a job. Somebody might know of a position or a company that is known for hiring people with disabilities. Even if no one in your direct circle can help, they might know someone in the own network who can.
The more you can put the word out there that you’re looking for a job, the more chance you’ll have of finding one to suit you.
Plan Ahead To Address Any Concerns
Naturally, if you’re hampered by a disability, a potential employer is going to have a few concerns about whether you can do the job, or what special requirements there may need to be in the workplace to accommodate an employee with a disability.
You’ll need to be able to readily address these concerns and explain how you’ll be able to perform your job role, as well as anything that’ll be required for you to be employed there.
Therefore, you’ll want to think about all of this beforehand and have your answers prepared. The more confident and knowledgeable you sound, the more confidence the employer will have in hiring you and giving you a go.
Seek Government Assistance In Getting a Job
There are government initiatives in place to help people with disabilities get into the workforce. An example is a wage subsidy scheme, where the government pays a portion of your wages, giving employers more incentive to hire disabled people.
That’s just one example. There is actually quite a bit of help available if you do your research on it.
The Takeaway
Having a disability is definitely not the end of the employment road. You can find work. It’s just a matter of putting the word out there, being prepared, and taking advantage of any assistance programs that are available to you.
