Cheri Beasley (right), a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, laughs with T Land, executive director of ... [+]
Most disabled job seekers never get an interview with a potential employer, and the reasons are as complicated as they are disappointing. But one thing is clear. The number of people living in this world with either a visible or invisible disability—and no job or low wages— is double that of their non-disabled counterparts. That’s unacceptable.
It doesn't have to be this way, thanks to a new breed of job recruitment platforms that help disabled people and inclusive companies search for the perfect talent match. If you are familiar with platforms like Indeed or ZipRecruiter, you’ll immediately see how these disability-focused websites and databases level the playing field and showcase disabled talent with the respect and reach they deserve.
There isn’t one kind of site—each has its own take on job promotion, fees for services and who qualifies to use them. But all of them are used by top businesses in sectors including hospitality, (Delta, Hilton), healthcare (American Red Cross, UnitedHealthcare Group), finance (Charles Schwab, Mass Mutual), tech (Salesforce, What’sApp) and more. Some sites on this list act as databases that allow you to discreetly disclose the accommodations you might need at work, others are skill-building sites that give people free training and then promote their profile to suitable future employers. They work with employers as passionately as they work with job seekers. The goal is jobs, jobs, jobs.
As often as possible, I tried to include those that are both run by and for people with disabilities. I have tested many of these, at least the ones that cater to neurodivergent job seekers, because I am ADHD and have a handful of learning disabilities.
It’s Disability Pride Month, and while some people have taken to social media demanding more respect or promoting disability flags, I am most interested in offering resources that combat the dismal statistics:
Labor force participation for people with disabilities is 38% compared to 78% of people without a disability, according to a recent National Trends in Disability Employment Report (nTIDE). You’ll see that in recent months people with disabilities again made gains—yes, numbers are up. It’s something, but it's also nothing to swoon over.
It’s true that employment has reached an all-time high for people with disabilities, but the numbers are complex, not only because there are slight ups and downs, but because the numbers don’t take into account where people have had their hours cut or where other seasonal or pandemic-related economic factors, according to Andrew J. Houtenville, Ph.D. director at the Institute on Disability at University of New Hampshire, which partners bi-monthly to create the report with Kessler Foundation.
· As of June 2022, we are barely 4% of the total workforce. Disability experts I have spoken with are far from convinced that recruiting, hiring and support in general for people with disabilities are at acceptable levels.
· Reduction in hours, a rise in layoffs and difficulty getting hired elsewhere are all possible in the coming months.
· One third of the population with disabilities lives in poverty so many stayed in the workforce during the pandemic and the great resignation is not happening among the people with disabilities.
· 80% of neurodivergent Americans of working age are either under or unemployed
Use this short starter list of well-established platforms for recruiting, hiring, and supporting people with invisible disabilities. This is primarily for hiring talent who are ADHDers, dyslexic, autistic and people diagnosed with chronic conditions (such as Long Covid, migraines, autoimmune disorders, cancer, MS and more). These platforms offer meaningful work, job growth and competitive salaries. They are destinations for employers to directly source disabled talent and for people seeking jobs to showcase their skills, learn new ones and find community.
Consulting firms are not on this list because, although they laudably work on inclusion initiatives, they are not part of this new group of platforms focused on hiring individuals. Please share this list widely with a friend or family member who is searching for a job or job skills, share it with your HR department and recruiters and use it as a topic to start a discussion about sourcing at the board level on down to managers.
AbilityJOBS: the largest job site for people with disabilities
AskEarn: employer assistance and resource network on disability inclusion and jobs
Disability Job Exchange (DJE) committed to finding the perfect match between dedicated workers and employers looking to build a strong workforce
Diversability Leadership Collective: enabling disabled people to find greater equity and representation in the world.
BroadFutures: offering high-quality paid internships in the Washington, D.C. area
Daivergent: job readiness for the neurodiversity community and companies seeking talent
Inclusively: unlocking the value of hidden talent for job-seekers and employers
MIT Neurodiversity Career Connector: career advising and professional development and a ‘career connector’
Ramped Careers: an on-ramp to learn skills and get priority access to top careers
RecruitDisability.org making recruiting disabled talent easier
Vercida: promoting equality and diversity in jobs and career
WRP (Workforce Recruiting Program for College Students): connecting employers with motivated postsecondary students and recent graduates with disabilities
The following platforms are owned and operated by people with invisible disabilities:
Chronically Capable: providing job listings for the chronically ill and chronically capable
Disabled Writers: increasing disability diversity in journalism
Diversability Leadership Collective: sliding scale fee to become a member of a community of job seekers and gain visibility in the job market
NMD (Not Making Do):supporting Project Sprinters with ADHD to find work with entrepreneurs
This is not a complete list by any means and is, with a few exceptions, focused on North America.
