Disability & Employment: The highs, the lows & everything in-between | AD

Disability & employment

*This post is in partnership with the disability equality charity Scope but all opinions are my own. 

It’s 2019, a time when you’d like to think that disability would be more widely accepted but unfortunately, this is often not the case, especially when it comes to employment.

Discrimination in the workplace is still happening and securing work is incredibly difficult for many, not because we don’t have the skills but because when that box next to ‘Do you have a disability?’ is ticked on an application form, disabled people are often denied the opportunity to even show what we’re capable of, just because of our disability. 

I think we can all agree that this is not how systems should be working and that’s why I want to share my story. Highlighting some of the highs and lows of my own job seeking journey, followed by a few handy tips offered by Scope’s Employment Services. 

Finding employment seems to be a tricky task for anyone but for those of us living with a disability the struggle is heightened, understatement of the century, I know.

Everyone’s job searching experience is different and I can only reiterate my own journey but by putting it all into words, I’m hoping it might help to shed some light on a topic that definitely needs to be heard about more. 

Let me take you back to the beginning.

I was incredibly lucky to land my first job when I was in the midst of my A Level exams, I started the role a couple of months after finishing that stressful chapter, it was a trainee role which meant it was just a year’s contract but I found comfort in knowing that the next twelve months of my life were planned out. 

I had my moments of feeling anxious and spells of not being able to express myself in the way I wanted to but I absolutely loved my job. I was based in a local charity with people who made work fun and something to look forward to. My colleagues were all aware of sight loss so I knew that if I faced a challenge due to my vision impairment, they’d support me in any way they could and help me to overcome it. 

As the end of the trainee programme edged closer, it’s safe to say that I was feeling the pressure in terms of figuring out what to do next.

I now had some essential and valuable skills under my belt but I knew that the process of finding another job was going to be a difficult one. 

After a lot of research during the last couple of months of my role and gaining a lot of invaluable support by my transitions officer at the time, I finally had a plan set in stone (or so I thought).

I was going to start studying with The Open University (which I have done), I was going to find freelance writing opportunities and try to find another office based job in-between, something that I knew was going to be difficult but was I prepared for the scale of that difficulty? No. 

It’s safe to say that things didn’t quite go to plan. 

JOB SEARCHING AND MY WORRIES

I had a few ideas in terms of what kind of career I’d like to step into, something media, writing or communications related being my main ones but also something in the charity sector where I could support people in ways I did during my trainee role. 

But opportunities were limited. 

I often felt like my skills were overlooked when an unsuccessful application form was returned, I’ve felt like my disability is holding me back.

That kind of mindset can take its toll.

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This August will mark two years since my first job came to an end and there have been some really tough moments within that time.

I’ve had setbacks, a lot of which because of my disability and how it seems to prop up that barrier between me and the working world. It’s difficult and no words I write will ever give the challenges justice. 

Despite not having any paid employment since my first job, it’s been one of my main priorities to build on my CV and gain new skills. So I made it a priority to seek voluntary/work experience placements to support my urge. 

I had a couple of work experience/voluntary positions last year, they were in complete contrast to each other since one was at a local university whilst the other was with a charity. But they both offered me new skills which I’m hoping will take me forward.

These placements, along with my studies and opportunities my blog has brought my way has set me up to building important skills such as vital communication skills, networking, social media management and public speaking.

I think it’s important to take opportunities when they come your way because they can all play a part in building your confidence and bringing you skills that you can offer to future employers and show off in upcoming interviews.

But I know that finding those opportunities isn’t always easy. I’ll always have my worries when applying for jobs.

There’s always that initial worry of whether or not the application form will be accessible, that feeling of nervousness that disclosing my disability will be an immediate barrier.

I’ve been afraid and sometimes even convinced that my disability would override my skills, not allowing me to prove what I can give.

You’d like to think that this wouldn’t be the case but for many, it unfortunately is leading people to feel worried about disclosing their disability to potential employers. 

This isn’t how things should be. And that’s why I think it’s important for us to speak about our stories. 

I know that I have been lucky in terms of the opportunities I’ve had, being able to focus my energy on blogging, voluntary positions and my degree is so incredibly important for me and they have allowed me to build on my skills.

But there will always be this niggling feeling that makes me feel like the skills I have are being overlooked because of my disabilities. 

Although blogging and studying from home can be beneficial for me in terms of my chronic fatigue, allowing me to have breaks whenever suits, I miss being in an office environment, I miss having that constant interaction with colleagues and I miss having a routine which funnily enough helped me to keep a balance which was beneficial for the management of my chronic illness. 

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Some employers seem to be scared off by the thought of employing a vision impaired person. To them, it seems as a more expensive option due to the equipment we might need in order to carry out the role but these costs can be covered by schemes such as Access to Work meaning that if someone outshines the other candidates, their disability shouldn’t be something that stops them from securing that job. 

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone’s challenges when it comes to disability and employment.

There are so many people out there who want to work, who would do anything to work but they just aren’t given the opportunity to prove that and that is incredibly disheartening. 

Attitudes towards disability in the workplace need to change. 

SOME ADVICE

Job searching is tiring, setbacks are exhausting, and if you’re like me, you’ve probably wondered what you’re doing wrong.

But there are some things that I try my best to remind myself of when I’m faced with a barrier or rejection so I thought I’d share a few with you. Because, I’ve been there – feeling lost and unmotivated and like I just couldn’t get anywhere. So I’m telling myself the following: 

• Know your worth: Don’t lower your expectations after facing a setback. You have so many skills to offer and it’s important to make the most of them and prove what they can be used for. 
• Be proud of your skills and achievements: Similar to the last one, you know your skills and what you’ve achieved inside out, be proud of them, even if they’re small accomplishments, they can be worth so much and you deserve to show them off. After all, who else is going to?
• Don’t feel pressured: Never feel pressure to apply for any old job just because you think you don’t have the skills to do similar things to what you’ve applied for before. Also, don’t feel pressured to disclose your disability in the application process, if you prefer disclosing it in person and having the opportunity to explain it better, by all means go for it. It’s all down to personal preference. 
• Trust that something good will come along: Believe it or not, there are people out there who see past people’s disabilities, employ them because they’re the right person for the job and people who will support you in your role after you secure it. You will come across those employers eventually, maybe even sooner than you might think. Keep believing and don’t give up. 

1. You have the right to ask your employer for ‘reasonable adjustments’. Under the Equality Act 2010, all employers have a duty to make any adjustments that are considered reasonable.

2. When you ask for reasonable adjustments, you will need to talk about or ‘disclose’ your condition or impairment. 

3. Flexible working can be a ‘reasonable adjustment’. Flexible working means changing the way you work. This could mean: • working different hours • working from home • changing what you’re expected to do.

4. Even if you said that you were disabled on your application form, your manager may not know that. This is because information on application forms is often confidential. 

5. Ask your line manager first. You need to speak to someone who understands the work and can make the decision about how you might do your job differently. 

6. If your employer rejects reasonable adjustments, this might be discrimination. If you’re not sure what your rights are, you may get legal advice paid for by your: • union • household insurance provider if they offer it • professional body.

7. Before you talk to your employer, write a list of what you need to talk about. 

8. Talk about your needs. Be positive and make it clear that you want to work for the organisation. Assume that the person you’re talking to knows nothing about what it’s like for you living, travelling and working as a disabled person. 

9. Ask open questions that need more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. Try to use the word ‘we’, for example: • “How about we…” • “What if we do…” 

10. If you do not know what you need, ask to have an assessment. Access to Work can pay for assessments.

You can find more employment advice over on Scope’s website. 

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So, the highs? Securing that first job which allowed me to gain some valuable skills. Being able to volunteer and work with charities I love to spread their messages and gaining experience whilst doing so. 

The lows? Well, the lack of opportunities there are for disabled people, the fact that my application for a role could be overlooked because of my vision impairment and the fact that I so desperately want to work and apply my skills to something, a job I’ll strive to do my best in but every setback takes my confidence down a peg, as I know it does for so many other disabled people out there. Something no one deserves. 

There is so much I could talk about when it comes to disability and employment but I didn’t want to get too carried away in this post. So if you’d like me to write more about this in the future, feel free to let me know. 

I think it’s about time that the working world becomes more accessible and more inclusive. There are of course companies and organisations who do give us the opportunities we deserve which is amazing but for others, there’s still a long way to go and I hope it’s only a matter of time before our abilities, experience and skills are appreciated in the same way as they are for non-disabled people. 

We are capable of so much more than people realise. 

I think it’s incredibly important for us to carry on the conversation about disability and employment, so what’s your story? I’d love to know your experience, both positive and negative because I think that the more we talk about this, the more powerful the message and we all know that it’s one that deserves to be heard. 

Elin x