What To Look For In A Position When Helping Disabled People Get A Job

Individuals with a disability can easily become contributing members of their community by seeking out and acquiring employment. Assisting in the job search for a disabled person requires you to take into account several unique considerations.

Here are three things to keep in mind as you work with those in the disabled community to find employment in the future.

1. Transportation Needs

Before recommending that a disabled individual applies for an open position, it's important that you consider his or her unique transportation needs. Disabled individuals often rely on public transit or friends and family members to transport them where they need to go.

The lack of access to a vehicle that can be driven by the individual means that any job they accept must be located in an area where they can easily get to it via public transit or a private ride. Working with disabled applicants to identify prime geographic areas serviced by their current transportation provider will help you locate jobs whose locations are accessible.

2. Physical Conditioning

Depending on the type of disability the individual you are working with may have, he or she may find it challenging to fulfill the requirements of some jobs due to a lack of physical conditioning.

If a job requires heavy lifting, long periods of standing, or the use of fine motor skills, be sure that your client is able to complete these tasks with ease. Having a disabled person apply for a job whose physical demands are outside of his or her comfort level could result in frustration.

3. Training

Many vocational programs that cater specifically to the needs of disabled individuals are available to the public. These programs provide participants with the hands-on training they need to develop employment skills.

Once your client has identified the type of work that he or she would be interested in doing, identify any skills pertaining to this type of work that need to be developed in order to make the individual more marketable. Finding a vocational program offering these skills can be beneficial in helping your client secure a lucrative job in the future.

Working is part of the daily routine for many disabled individuals. If you are helping someone with a disability locate employment, be sure that you are keeping their unique needs in mind. Find open positions in accessible geographic locations, ensure the physical demands of the job aren't too great, and recommend vocational training to help ensure your client finds the right job.