We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
After I graduated from high school I remember thinking and feeling I needed to go get a job. But with my physical limitations I’m not able to do just any job, so I was kind of clueless on what to do. Sadly no one really prepared me for life after school. Thankfully when I was in high school the guidance counselor put me in contact with Ohio Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR). They help people with disabilities find a job. However, before that could happen I had one BIG hurdle to get over. Learning to catheterize myself! Ladies, those of you who have done this you know how hard it is. However, I did finally learn and it was the first step to independence. Okay, so that hurdle has been crossed, now onto training for a job. I had no idea what I wanted to do so BVR sent me to Goodwill Industries for 4 weeks of training to find out what my strengths and weaknesses are. I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life, but figured whatever I decided on I would probably need to know how to use a computer, so BVR paid for me to take a computer class called “Computers for Today’s Office.” at our local Vocational School which has a great Adult Education program!
Once I completed the course and went through all their job seeking skills classes it was time to start interviewing. What I wasn’t prepared for was companies don’t necessarily look at your skills when they consider you for a job, a lot of times they look at your disability and assume you aren’t able to perform the job. I live in a small community and I am pretty sure there have been a lot of jobs I didn’t get because of my disability not because I wasn’t qualified. I have found it is easier to get a job in a larger city where they are more apt to follow the non-discrimination laws then the smaller towns or cities are. My best advice is to be upfront with them in the interview. For example I make sure they don’t have an issue with me taking my wheelchair in and leaving it there to use every day. Another thing to keep in mind is there are certain questions potential employees are not allowed to ask. For example they are not allowed to ask what your disability is, but, they are allowed to ask what modifications you might need. Personally I feel if they do ask you that then they are at least open to hiring someone with a disability.
Click here if you would like a free pdf of what questions are and are not allowed in an interview.