Just hope they wont notice, or put a vague statement such as personal circumstances to be discussed at interview? These are detailed below. It is really up to each individual to make their choice. Cathy:So how would you work out what your needs are? Find your personal contacts including your tutor and student support
Or you can use a small notebook or postcards. So if they felt that would be a you know a good example and they were happy to talk about that they could incorporate it there and actually use it as a real positive um to demonstrate what theyve done, how theyve overcome things like this. An employer who was unaware of an employees condition cant be judged to have discriminated against them. Cathy:Are you saying that by hiding your disability, you are hiding your true self?
Employers and individuals are encouraged to contact JAN to discuss specific situations in more detail. Lynne:Let me give you an example. Use the job description and personal specification to make sure your CV is relevant. For example, there may be stages in the recruitment process, such as online tests or panel interviews, where adjustments could make the difference to whether you are offered the job or not. But if you do feel like actually by getting perhaps extra time to do the online test or maybe extra time during one of the assessment activities if its going to be beneficial then do. I just want to add a final word. Lynne:The aim of telling employers is to level the playing field, so the applicant has neither an advantage or disadvantage. You can leave it blank. Use the time to talk about your achievements, any positive outcomes of dealing with your disability and to promote your experience and skills. If you see a disability question on a job application, that's not entirely unusual. If you do this, be positive and describe strategies used in your OU study or previous jobs. Make sure you dont just state I have dyslexia you need to be positive and give examples of how you have developed skills to address the challenges faced. Because disabilities can be considered by some to be barriers to employment, the law prohibits employers from asking "disability-related questions" or requiring medical examinations until they have made you a conditional offer. You may wish to use memory strategies you have developed or use techniques like summarising to make sure you have understood correctly before going on, or you can explain to the interviewer that youll break down each part of the question and ask them to prompt you if you miss something out. Employers are prohibited from asking invasive questions about your disability and should only ask questions about the accommodations you need and whether you'll be able to complete the essential job responsibilities. And that brings me nicely to the second step. We are going to look at each issue from a range of viewpoints and we are doing this, so you can consider what is right for you and can make a confident and informed decision about whether to tell a prospective employer and if you decide to do this, youll need to know how to talk to an employer effectively. So do feel free to get in touch with us. Lynne:Yes thats right, and thats why it is so important to be clear about what your needs are. For example, if you need adjustments for a job interview, maybe you are hearing impaired for example, then you need to let them know beforehand. (Check your state's laws to see how much information employers can request.). You know you don't have to disclose, but should you? Cathy:One issue is having a gap in your CV due to the effects of your illness or disability. Provides employment advice and peer support to disabled people. Cathy:You have touched precisely on my concern. These adjustments could be required at interview, or when carrying out the role. How can you show them how you have overcome challenges, or how you can work in a team, if you dont tell them about your disability? If applying through a recruitment consultant, this could be something that youve previously discussed together and they could make the employer aware on your behalf, with your permission. You are not required to self-identify a disability on a job application or during an interview, even if you later disclose that you need reasonable accommodations. There are benefits about being open about a disability: it means you can demonstrate your full potential; make sure you get the adjustments you need; you have honesty from the beginning of your relationship with the employer, and you can draw on your disability to answer interview questions, to show you can actually overcome challenges. So for me, timing is everything, I feel it is important to tell an employer at the time which feels right for you. Cathy:Yes, I really agree with that, I am sure students recognise OU study proves they have initiative, good problem solving skills, commitment, self-motivation, self-discipline, determination, excellent organisational and time management skills, good communication and really well developed IT skills, to name just a few.
Cathy:So if you choose not to tell your employer and later underperform, you are not covered by the Equality Act. When you are in our process you will have a contact point so you can always get in touch with them at any point and let us know and we will do our best to make sure that we give you extra time or whatever it might be that you need from us. Some people prefer talking about it face to face at the interview, where they can more clearly demonstrate their skills. But you must be aware that if you decide not tell to your employer and you encounter issues later on when trying to perform your job role, you may not be protected by the Equality Act. The careers team have produced a webinar on this, called Opening Doors, you can find it on the careers website. You could set this up as a spreadsheet or use Word whichever you feel more comfortable with. This could be really useful in the workplace, in being able to identify important points in a project, or to write reports effectively. So we have covered whether to tell an employer, how to tell an employer and aspects of the job seeking process. This article is not intended as a substitute for professional legal advice. By matching the two colours you can be sure you meet all their criteria. Sign up to get job alerts relevant to your skills and experience.
The resources linked to this podcast cover all aspects of the recruitment process, including webinars on interviewing, job seeking and how to contact a careers adviser for one to one guidance. To get started, choose one to find what you are looking for. Its unlawful for an employer to discriminate against you in the hiring process for having a disability. Then take it in manageable steps, the careers team are here to support you in doing this. Be up front and honest about the adjustments that you need and that will allow you to be assessed fairly. Employer from IBM:I would say any student out there who has any type of disability at all, if you feel comfortable and confident to do so please do let us know as early as possible where we can help you. If youve decided you dont wish to declare your disability ahead of the interview and believe you dont need any reasonable adjustments made for the interview itself, then it might be the interview is the stage where youd like to explain your disability face to face with the employer. An OU degree really says so much more about you than academic ability you have alone. Aims to help to create a society in which people with mental health problems enjoy equal chances in life. You can read more about online tests and where to find practice tests on the resource list linked to this podcast. And, youll find examples of covering letters in our Career Planning and Job Seeking Workbook. You can do this by emphasising the skills you have developed in addressing the issues you have faced and by giving examples of successful strategies you have used. Always seek the professional advice of an attorney regarding any legal questions you may have. With a mouse, click on a row to expand and collapse your choices. Some companies have Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) survey questions at the end of an application to collect data that they are required to submit to the EEOC. This website has information to help you get a new job, retain your current one and know your rights in the workplace. Twitter, OU Students What to know about disability disclosure. If wed known up front we could have made those adjustments and we could have dealt with everybody fairly.
Now, the second step is for you to prepare a CV and job application. Considerations for health and safety liabilities. Step 1, choose a few words for each of these categories: firstly your disability or situation. Lynne:So what you are saying that everyone needs to make their own mind up according to their situation and the job being applied for and Im saying that in general, telling an employer is more beneficial than not telling them, although there is no legal obligation to do so. Now, I am going to ask a very obvious question but I have a reason for asking it. One of the most common questions asked is How and when should I disclose my disability? The answer to this question depends on a number of factors, such as: There are various stages where youll have the opportunity to advise your employer about any barriers you may face. If you have dyslexia or dyspraxia, then you know that is your disability. And, people in the past, students, have told me it is these examples that can get them the job. My aim is to present both sides of the debate and to look at ways of doing this, so, if you decide to tell an employer, you can do this positively and effectively. Keep your answers succinct and try and use positive language wherever possible. Cathy:So we agree that people need to give some thought to this and make up their own minds. Or you may prefer to use a good old-fashioned large sheet of paper! You may find it helpful to practise free samples online. Formed through a unification of Disability Alliance, Skill, Radar and National Centre for Independent Living on 1 January 2012.
Have a CV template saved on your computer and target it, by that I mean tweaking it, for each vacancy you apply for. You can read about this on the careers website and in our career planning and job seeking workbook which you can order or view from the careers site. Employer from Gradconsult:I think the key one for me as a top tip is to disclose your disability. Association, OU Students
This information is designed to help employers and individuals determine effective accommodations and comply with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Thank you!You are now a Monster memberand you'll receive more content in your inbox soon. If you have a disability, you may have questions and maybe even concerns when applying for jobs. Great with Disability are an organisation who support people with disabilities with regards to employment and they say that informing an employer with confidence can be broken down into three simple steps. Similarly, if youve already mentioned your disability in the application process, you might see the interview as an opportunity to expand on this, only giving as much information as you feel is needed and / or that you feel comfortable with. Under the law, someone is considered to have a disability if they have, have a record of having, or are perceived to have a "physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity" such as walking, hearing, seeing, speaking, learning, or completing manual tasks. If you decide to disclose, then you need to consider how and when you feel comfortable doing this. Should you? Lynne:So would you feel comfortable sharing this information with an employer? The values and culture of the organisation. Tonavigate type what you are looking for in the 'Find' box,and matches will behighlighted. It is not generally possible to ask for it to be taken into consideration retrospectively. Dont dwell on it so it takes attention away from other aspects of who you are, the skills and experience you have to offer. It offers a service for students and graduates with disabilities, dyslexia or a specific learning difficulty. However, they can't refuse to provide a requested accommodation if there is some cost involved, and they must provide an alternative accommodation. Some people may need to ask for reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, as well as in the workplace, but others may just want to ask for adjustments once they have started the job, they may be ok with interviews for example. Youll need to take paper into the interview with you anyway, most people do this, and because its always a good idea to write down the questions you may want to ask them at the end of the interview. In this instance, you should approach either your line manager or the HR department. Eve Hill, a disability rights attorney at the law firm Brown, Goldstein and Levy, says to explain to the employer how you'll do the job, your past accomplishments, and that the accommodations you need are not difficult to implement. Ok, so OU study can prove a range of skills and is also evidence of what you can achieve given the appropriate support. Secondly, the implications and thirdly, your requirements. The first step is to understand the job description and personal specification. Thank you for listening to this podcast and remember that the careers team are happy to support students in telling an employer and how and when to do this, if you decide this is right for you. 
Employers and individuals are encouraged to contact JAN to discuss specific situations in more detail. Lynne:Let me give you an example. Use the job description and personal specification to make sure your CV is relevant. For example, there may be stages in the recruitment process, such as online tests or panel interviews, where adjustments could make the difference to whether you are offered the job or not. But if you do feel like actually by getting perhaps extra time to do the online test or maybe extra time during one of the assessment activities if its going to be beneficial then do. I just want to add a final word. Lynne:The aim of telling employers is to level the playing field, so the applicant has neither an advantage or disadvantage. You can leave it blank. Use the time to talk about your achievements, any positive outcomes of dealing with your disability and to promote your experience and skills. If you see a disability question on a job application, that's not entirely unusual. If you do this, be positive and describe strategies used in your OU study or previous jobs. Make sure you dont just state I have dyslexia you need to be positive and give examples of how you have developed skills to address the challenges faced. Because disabilities can be considered by some to be barriers to employment, the law prohibits employers from asking "disability-related questions" or requiring medical examinations until they have made you a conditional offer. You may wish to use memory strategies you have developed or use techniques like summarising to make sure you have understood correctly before going on, or you can explain to the interviewer that youll break down each part of the question and ask them to prompt you if you miss something out. Employers are prohibited from asking invasive questions about your disability and should only ask questions about the accommodations you need and whether you'll be able to complete the essential job responsibilities. And that brings me nicely to the second step. We are going to look at each issue from a range of viewpoints and we are doing this, so you can consider what is right for you and can make a confident and informed decision about whether to tell a prospective employer and if you decide to do this, youll need to know how to talk to an employer effectively. So do feel free to get in touch with us. Lynne:Yes thats right, and thats why it is so important to be clear about what your needs are. For example, if you need adjustments for a job interview, maybe you are hearing impaired for example, then you need to let them know beforehand. (Check your state's laws to see how much information employers can request.). You know you don't have to disclose, but should you? Cathy:One issue is having a gap in your CV due to the effects of your illness or disability. Provides employment advice and peer support to disabled people. Cathy:You have touched precisely on my concern. These adjustments could be required at interview, or when carrying out the role. How can you show them how you have overcome challenges, or how you can work in a team, if you dont tell them about your disability? If applying through a recruitment consultant, this could be something that youve previously discussed together and they could make the employer aware on your behalf, with your permission. You are not required to self-identify a disability on a job application or during an interview, even if you later disclose that you need reasonable accommodations. There are benefits about being open about a disability: it means you can demonstrate your full potential; make sure you get the adjustments you need; you have honesty from the beginning of your relationship with the employer, and you can draw on your disability to answer interview questions, to show you can actually overcome challenges. So for me, timing is everything, I feel it is important to tell an employer at the time which feels right for you. Cathy:Yes, I really agree with that, I am sure students recognise OU study proves they have initiative, good problem solving skills, commitment, self-motivation, self-discipline, determination, excellent organisational and time management skills, good communication and really well developed IT skills, to name just a few.
Cathy:So if you choose not to tell your employer and later underperform, you are not covered by the Equality Act. When you are in our process you will have a contact point so you can always get in touch with them at any point and let us know and we will do our best to make sure that we give you extra time or whatever it might be that you need from us. Some people prefer talking about it face to face at the interview, where they can more clearly demonstrate their skills. But you must be aware that if you decide not tell to your employer and you encounter issues later on when trying to perform your job role, you may not be protected by the Equality Act. The careers team have produced a webinar on this, called Opening Doors, you can find it on the careers website. You could set this up as a spreadsheet or use Word whichever you feel more comfortable with. This could be really useful in the workplace, in being able to identify important points in a project, or to write reports effectively. So we have covered whether to tell an employer, how to tell an employer and aspects of the job seeking process. This article is not intended as a substitute for professional legal advice. By matching the two colours you can be sure you meet all their criteria. Sign up to get job alerts relevant to your skills and experience. The resources linked to this podcast cover all aspects of the recruitment process, including webinars on interviewing, job seeking and how to contact a careers adviser for one to one guidance. To get started, choose one to find what you are looking for. Its unlawful for an employer to discriminate against you in the hiring process for having a disability. Then take it in manageable steps, the careers team are here to support you in doing this. Be up front and honest about the adjustments that you need and that will allow you to be assessed fairly. Employer from IBM:I would say any student out there who has any type of disability at all, if you feel comfortable and confident to do so please do let us know as early as possible where we can help you. If youve decided you dont wish to declare your disability ahead of the interview and believe you dont need any reasonable adjustments made for the interview itself, then it might be the interview is the stage where youd like to explain your disability face to face with the employer. An OU degree really says so much more about you than academic ability you have alone. Aims to help to create a society in which people with mental health problems enjoy equal chances in life. You can read more about online tests and where to find practice tests on the resource list linked to this podcast. And, youll find examples of covering letters in our Career Planning and Job Seeking Workbook. You can do this by emphasising the skills you have developed in addressing the issues you have faced and by giving examples of successful strategies you have used. Always seek the professional advice of an attorney regarding any legal questions you may have. With a mouse, click on a row to expand and collapse your choices. Some companies have Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) survey questions at the end of an application to collect data that they are required to submit to the EEOC. This website has information to help you get a new job, retain your current one and know your rights in the workplace. Twitter, OU Students What to know about disability disclosure. If wed known up front we could have made those adjustments and we could have dealt with everybody fairly.
Now, the second step is for you to prepare a CV and job application. Considerations for health and safety liabilities. Step 1, choose a few words for each of these categories: firstly your disability or situation. Lynne:So what you are saying that everyone needs to make their own mind up according to their situation and the job being applied for and Im saying that in general, telling an employer is more beneficial than not telling them, although there is no legal obligation to do so. Now, I am going to ask a very obvious question but I have a reason for asking it. One of the most common questions asked is How and when should I disclose my disability? The answer to this question depends on a number of factors, such as: There are various stages where youll have the opportunity to advise your employer about any barriers you may face. If you have dyslexia or dyspraxia, then you know that is your disability. And, people in the past, students, have told me it is these examples that can get them the job. My aim is to present both sides of the debate and to look at ways of doing this, so, if you decide to tell an employer, you can do this positively and effectively. Keep your answers succinct and try and use positive language wherever possible. Cathy:So we agree that people need to give some thought to this and make up their own minds. Or you may prefer to use a good old-fashioned large sheet of paper! You may find it helpful to practise free samples online. Formed through a unification of Disability Alliance, Skill, Radar and National Centre for Independent Living on 1 January 2012.
Have a CV template saved on your computer and target it, by that I mean tweaking it, for each vacancy you apply for. You can read about this on the careers website and in our career planning and job seeking workbook which you can order or view from the careers site. Employer from Gradconsult:I think the key one for me as a top tip is to disclose your disability. Association, OU Students
This information is designed to help employers and individuals determine effective accommodations and comply with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Thank you!You are now a Monster memberand you'll receive more content in your inbox soon. If you have a disability, you may have questions and maybe even concerns when applying for jobs. Great with Disability are an organisation who support people with disabilities with regards to employment and they say that informing an employer with confidence can be broken down into three simple steps. Similarly, if youve already mentioned your disability in the application process, you might see the interview as an opportunity to expand on this, only giving as much information as you feel is needed and / or that you feel comfortable with. Under the law, someone is considered to have a disability if they have, have a record of having, or are perceived to have a "physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity" such as walking, hearing, seeing, speaking, learning, or completing manual tasks. If you decide to disclose, then you need to consider how and when you feel comfortable doing this. Should you? Lynne:So would you feel comfortable sharing this information with an employer? The values and culture of the organisation. Tonavigate type what you are looking for in the 'Find' box,and matches will behighlighted. It is not generally possible to ask for it to be taken into consideration retrospectively. Dont dwell on it so it takes attention away from other aspects of who you are, the skills and experience you have to offer. It offers a service for students and graduates with disabilities, dyslexia or a specific learning difficulty. However, they can't refuse to provide a requested accommodation if there is some cost involved, and they must provide an alternative accommodation. Some people may need to ask for reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, as well as in the workplace, but others may just want to ask for adjustments once they have started the job, they may be ok with interviews for example. Youll need to take paper into the interview with you anyway, most people do this, and because its always a good idea to write down the questions you may want to ask them at the end of the interview. In this instance, you should approach either your line manager or the HR department. Eve Hill, a disability rights attorney at the law firm Brown, Goldstein and Levy, says to explain to the employer how you'll do the job, your past accomplishments, and that the accommodations you need are not difficult to implement. Ok, so OU study can prove a range of skills and is also evidence of what you can achieve given the appropriate support. Secondly, the implications and thirdly, your requirements. The first step is to understand the job description and personal specification. Thank you for listening to this podcast and remember that the careers team are happy to support students in telling an employer and how and when to do this, if you decide this is right for you.