Job-Hunting Tips for Adults With Disabilities

Physical and cognitive disabilities shouldn’t stop you from a successful job search. Getty Images Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Whether you're dealing with a vision or hearing impairment, or some other physical or cognitive limitation — arthritis, perhaps, or PTSD — disability can add special challenges to finding a

job.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy reports that the October 2015 unemployment rate for adults with disabilities was 10.5 percent vs. a 4.6 percent rate for

adults without. People with disabilities who did have a job were more likely to work part time and be self-employed.

Even if your condition doesn't undermine your ability to do a job, the fact is that many potential employers will have worries. But you can prove them wrong — and in making your case you'll

have special protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Here are seven smart ways to navigate your job search.

1. Check out websites geared to disabled and older workers. The Retired Brains website has loads of useful tips on how to find jobs that allow you to work at home. Disability.gov has

exhaustive info about U.S. government disability programs and employment. Look at the Department of Labor's Job Accommodation Network and GettingHired.com, a disability employment site

featuring postings from such companies as Hilton Worldwide Inc. and energy provider Exelon Corp.

If you're receiving disability benefits from Social Security, look into its Ticket to Work program. You may qualify for free employment help such as career counseling and job placement and

training.

2. Tap into the federal government's job board. Go to USAJobs.gov and click on the link for people with disabilities. You can set up a profile and receive alerts for government jobs that are

specifically for people in your situation.

3. Find a mentor. Connect with someone who has comparable issues and holds a job that appeals to you. Ask how the person obtained the job and does it well despite the disability. The nearest

chapter of the national association that deals with your condition might be able to put you in touch with a mentor.

4. Do a reality check. You've found an opening. Now ask yourself: Can you do the job? Truthfully, will you be not only comfortable with the work, but good at it? If you have knee or hip

issues, for example, you might do well to avoid a job in retail that includes long periods of standing. Likewise for one with a commute that requires lengthy walks to and from a bus stop.

For some people, the challenge is cognitive issues, such as problem solving, editing and writing on a computer, says Rosalind Joffe, a career coach for people living with chronic health

conditions. "For others, it can be such things as vision," she says. "When thinking about a new job, you want to keep in mind these limits, but focus on what you can do. If you only focus on

your limits, it's difficult to find the courage and resilience to look for a job at all."