Getting Hired: Successfully Employed People with Disabilities Offer Advice on Disclosure, Interviewing, and Job Search
Abstract
Introduction Many people with disabilities want to work, but face employment barriers that have resulted in dismal employment rates. Successfully employed people with disabilities have valuable experience that can help others seeking employment, yet research literature provides little information about their strategies for discussing disabilities with employers and negotiating the hiring process. Method In five focus groups, 41 people competitively employed for at least 5 years discussed employment experiences related to their varied disabilities. The sample excluded people in disability-related jobs or self-employed. Data were coded and analyzed using a grounded theory method. Results Disclosure and discussion decisions were influenced by the nature of disability (visible, hidden, stigmatized, multiple), whether and when people needed accommodations, and the perceived "disability-friendliness" of organizations. Qualitative data analysis suggested guidelines for whether, when, and how to discuss disability, while acknowledging the complexity of decision-making depending on workplace culture and personal choices. Interview strategies included ways to emphasize strengths, gather information about duties and work environment, handle inappropriate questions, and address unspoken employer concerns. Participants gave disability-specific advice to help job-seekers balance their abilities and interests, and use networking and other approaches to find favorable opportunities. Concluding that people with disabilities must work harder than others to get a job, they described approaches and tools to help others achieve success. Conclusions Findings suggest approaches to assist job-seekers to make decisions about disclosing or discussing their disability, present themselves in a straight-forward, disability-positive manner, and find satisfying work based on their skills and interests.
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Workers with invisible disabilities might be able to conceal their disabilities quite readily from interviewers, coworkers, and supervisors.
“In many instances, workers with invisible disabilities might be able to conceal their disabilities quite readily from interviewers, coworkers, and supervisors”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Jans, Kaye, & Jones, 2012
In some cases, people may choose to conceal their disabilities because they fear negative repercussions on their careers should they disclose them.
“In some cases, people may choose to conceal their disabilities because they fear negative repercussions on their careers should they disclose them”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Jans et al., 2012
Managers may react negatively to a late disclosure, even when 'late' simply means noting one's disability at the end of an employment interview instead of the beginning.
“However, managers may also react negatively to a late disclosure (Gold et al., 2012; Jans et al., 2012), even when “late” simply means noting one’s disability at the end of an employment interview instead of the beginning”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Jans et al., 2012
The decision whether to disclose, when to disclose, and to whom to disclose is deeply personal and is more difficult if one's condition is stigmatized.
“The decision whether to disclose, when to disclose, and to whom to disclose is deeply personal (Jans et al., 2012; Von Schrader, Malzer, & Bruyère, 2014), and it is more difficult if one’s condition is stigmatized (e.g., HIV/AIDS; Ragins, 2008).”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Jans et al., 2012
Applicants with disabilities may forego disclosure unless an accommodation is necessary, and may also forego disclosure even if it means withholding accommodation requests.
“Because of these concerns, applicants with disabilities may forego disclosure unless an accommodation is necessary, although they may also forego disclosure even if it means withholding accommodation requests”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Jans et al., 2012
People with disabilities may prefer government positions to private organizations, possibly because such jobs are perceived to provide better health benefits, more accommodations, and lower likelihood of discriminatory employment practices.
“A further difference is that people with disabilities may prefer government positions to private organizations, possibly because such jobs are perceived to provide better health benefits, more accommodations, and lower likelihood of discriminatory employment practices”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Jans et al., 2012
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References 40 · Cited by 126
- Authors
- Jans, L. H., Kaye, H. S., & Jones, E. C.
- Affiliations
- Public Health Institute (US)
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- Corresponding author
- Jans, Lita H.
- ORCID
- Kaye, H. Stephen
- Venue
- Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation
- Published
- 2011-10-22
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 155-165
- ISSN
- 1053-0487 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3688
- OpenAlex
- W2000324748
- Cited by
- 126
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 6.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
- Social Sciences › Demography › Retirement, Disability, and Employment
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Rights and Representation
- Keywords
- employment of people with disabilities, disability disclosure, job interviews, job search, barriers to employment, workplace accommodations, disability stigma, multiple disabilities, networking, job seekers
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Disability Evaluation, Employment, Female, Persons with Disabilities, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Middle Aged, Personnel Selection, Focus Groups, Disclosure, Qualitative Research, Social Stigma
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