by Guest Blogger Elijah Dawson
Finding employment with a disability is challenging—persons with a disability are unemployed at more than twice the rate of their peers. Fortunately, technology is making it easier for people with disabilities to advance their careers. Digital jobs are creating a more level playing field, allowing people with disabilities to find the same opportunities as everyone else. In the traditional job market, it’s often difficult for people with disabilities to find jobs as they’re judged differently. Luckily, some employers are changing their attitudes and offering tech tools to ensure inclusivity.
Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles, PhD ATP shares some of the ways people with disabilities can use modern technology to advance their careers.
Remote Learning Opportunities
One of the ways to advance your career is by acquiring new skills or improving your existing ones. This is possible with remote learning opportunities as you can pursue any course without disrupting your work schedule. When searching for an online school, always confirm if it’s accredited.
Businesses can also make use of remote learning technology as more and more jobs transition to work-from-home. As new employees are onboarded, they must be trained remotely, and that is when deficiencies in assistive technology and accessibility integration can become noticeable. To avoid this, businesses can implement Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles’s training on workplace learning to ensure that all employees are trained capably and smoothly.
Leverage the Gig Economy
One of the barriers for the disabled is going to and from an on-site job. There are different ways to overcome this barrier, including embracing the gig economy. This means one can work from where they’re most comfortable. There are many job boards you can join if you’re looking for revenue streams from your smartphone or computer.
About 20% of freelancers earn more than $100,000 annually. If you have the skills and drive, you could achieve your dreams, as well. Think about skills you could leverage to earn a living from home. For example, if you’re a software engineer, you can start a consulting business from home. There are endless possibilities in the gig economy.
Use Employment Apps
Many people with a smartphone can easily search and apply for jobs. Platforms like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Indeed give you the ability to find jobs by pay and type. In addition to being able to access opportunities, these apps give you information about a company’s reputation. Reviews from past users can offer insights into a company’s culture. This can help you understand if the company is disability-friendly.
Also, you can use keywords like “disabled” when searching for opportunities. There are many communities for people with disabilities that you can join to find job opportunities. You will easily find open-minded employers while using platforms like these.
Use Preparation Apps
If you want to prepare for a job interview, there are many apps you can use. The interview is a make-or-break part of the job search process. Some of the fast-paced questions can be difficult to handle, so it helps to know what to expect. Job preparation platforms help you understand how to answer questions like, “what’s your biggest weakness?” Apps like Monster Interviews help you learn about the interview process of different companies.
Glassdoor offers a section with interview questions that most businesses ask. It’s important to familiarize yourself with these interview questions to make it easy to navigate the interview process. You don’t need to attend any seminar or meeting to get these tips as you can use your smartphone to learn. Research beforehand to gain an edge for the job interview.
Finding a job when you live with a disability can be challenging. However, technology is helping solve many problems as you can more easily find job resources online. Explore job interview questions and tips that will give you confidence. Also, if you want to work remotely, the gig economy is a growing industry that is inviting for people with disabilities.
This article is brought to you by Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles, PhD ATP, a RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America) certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), who specializes in breaking barriers to learning through the use of Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning. For more information about her services, please visit her website or contact her today!
