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Fight the LabelJob Searching With an Invisible
Disability
Colleen O’Mara DelVecchioAssociate Director Alumnae Engagement413-585-2588 comara@smith.edu
when to disclose your disability to an
employer
how to deal with accommodation needs on
the job as they arise
tips for writing your resume and cover letter
tips for successfully interviewing
how to decide if a job is the right fit for you
Agenda
Your stress level
Timing of disclosure
◦ Advantages
◦ Disadvantages
◦ Issues
To tell or not to tell?
Resume
Feels honest. Good if employer will see disability
as a positive
Disqualify yourself before employer meets
you. Does the employer need to
know?
Interview
Able to respond to questions.
Discrimination is less likely.
Responsibility is on you to handle any disability issues
that employer may have. How comfortable
are you discussing your disability?
After you get an offer
If the disability changes the hiring decision, there is
legal recourse (ADA).
Employer may feel you should have told
them beforehand. Can you explain your disability in a way that the employer
still feels confident in the job offer?
Once you are working
Able to prove yourself on the job before disclosing.
Employer may feel like you falsified your application. Can be difficult to
decide who to tell and peers may feel
you were not truthful with them.
Never!
No one knows and no one will treat you differently because of it.
Run the risk of being let go
because of poor job performance due to
disability. Does anyone really need to know?
Script it out
Ask for feedback
Leave out clinical terms
Stick to the ROI of having you as an employee
Stay positive
Tips for disclosing
John◦ Promoted to manager at large chain store
Mindy◦ Training & development expert – travel
Jenna◦ Senior research associate at a hospital
Shamus◦ Project manager at large accounting firm
Accommodation stories
An engineer working for a large industrial company had to undergo treatment for cancer during working hours. She was provided a flexible schedule in order to attend therapy and also continue to work full-time.
A machine operator who was undergoing radiation therapy for cancer was accommodated by having his workstation moved. The move transferred the individual to an area of the plant where no radiation exposure existed.
A psychiatric nurse with cancer was experiencing difficulty dealing with job-related stress. He was accommodated with a temporary transfer and was referred to the employer's employee assistance program for emotional support and stress management tools.
A lawyer with cancer was experiencing lapses in concentration due to the medication she was taking. Her employer accommodated her by giving her uninterrupted time to work. She was also allowed to work at home two days a week.
Accommodation Examples – CancerFrom JAN www.askjan.org
A new-hire telemarketer with deficits in reading comprehension had to watch a computerized training tutorial, then complete timed quizzes on the computer. To accommodate this employee, the computer screen color scheme and font was adjusted to make it easier for the individual to read the test material. The employee used a ruler held to the computer screen to "stay on the line" when reading test questions. The employee was allowed to watch the tutorial more than once and was allowed to take the quizzes un-timed.
A researcher in a technology company had expressive writing disorder. The employee's job tasks included gathering information for written reports. To accommodate this employee, Inspiration software was provided to help the employee organize, prioritize, and then outline the information for reports. The employer also provided a hard copy dictionary and thesaurus.
An employee who works in a manufacturing environment had a learning disability. The employee had difficulty remembering task sequences of the job. The supervisor provided written instructions, whereby each major task was broken down into smaller, sequential sub-parts. Each subpart was color-coded for easy reference (green means start, red means stop).
Accommodation Examples – Learning Disabilities From JAN www.askjan.org
Inadvertently disclosing◦ Activities◦ Clubs◦ Volunteer
Headline Summary
◦ Skills, strengths, abilities Experience
◦ Not a job description◦ Annual review
Resume
Values
Tasks
Stress level
Supervisor
Accommodations
Go with your gut!
Is this job right for me?
How are the mission and values reflected in every day decisions?
How does the company demonstrate a sense of pride in it’s employees?
What do you think is the role of a supervisor?
Can you describe the company’s culture?
Are there ongoing educational opportunities?
What is the annual review process like?
Questions to ask on the interview
Job Accommodation Network ◦ http://askjan.org/◦ (800)ADA-WORK◦ (877)781-9403 (TTY)
SOAR - Searchable Online Accommodation Resource◦ http://askjan.org/soar/index.htm
Resources
www.GettingHired.com
www.cosdonline.org
www.usajobs.gov
www.disabledperson.com/recruitability.asp
www.connect-ability.com/index.php
www.limeconnect.com
Resources
Any Lingering
Questions?
comara@smith.edu
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